Three Years of Inspiring Student Visits to South India

For the past three years, we have welcomed Year 13 students from Huxlow and Rushden Academy to South India for a week of immersive experiences, giving them the opportunity to discover the country, its culture and its communities.

Following our trustee visit and a very successful two-week supporters’ trip, trustee Billie and her husband Paul stay on in Tamil Nadu to welcome the students and help run this much-loved programme.

Each year, around 12 to 14 students, accompanied by two teachers, join us for a week filled with experiences that allow them to see a very different side of India. The students visit our partner NGOs, Care and Crusade, where they meet staff, families and, most importantly, many of the children supported through our sponsorship programme.

During their visit, they see the work supported by SOTE first-hand. They visit schools, meet women's self-help groups, see mobile medical clinics in action and spend time with sponsored children and their families. These experiences give the students a genuine insight into rural village life and the challenges faced by communities living in poverty. Many form strong connections with the people they meet and leave with a much deeper understanding of the communities we support.

The programme also gives students the chance to experience other sides of South India. Alongside visiting rural communities, they explore tourist areas, historic temples and ancient stone carvings, experiencing the culture and beauty of the region for themselves.

The students fund their own trip through fundraising throughout the year. Their fundraising also creates a lasting benefit for the communities they visit. As part of their contribution, the students have funded a borewell and water tank for a village without a reliable supply of fresh water. This project will provide around 200 families with access to clean drinking water, reducing the need to walk long distances for poor and unreliable water supplies.

Any remaining funds raised by the students go directly towards the projects they have visited, helping support the communities and programmes they have experienced first-hand.

Everyone at SOTE is a volunteer, meaning donations and fundraising can go directly towards supporting our partner NGOs, Care and Crusade, and the important work they carry out with hard to reach and marginalised communities in rural villages.

We are delighted that the programme continues to grow. We already have 16 students signed up for next year's visit, and they have already started fundraising. We look forward to welcoming them to South India and seeing the difference their efforts will make.