A team of students from Bahrain were this week sharing the images and memories of a summer vocation with a difference … helping to brighten up the lives of children in India and their village school.
Nine British School of Bahrain (BSB) sixth form students, along with two expedition leaders, ventured to Ladakh in an expedition arranged by World Challenge, a company that specialises in educational trips designed to stretch comfort zones and expand minds.
Amani Moosa, Laura Bloxsome, May Husain, Richard Eyles, Sarah Abbas, Esther Kamgaing, Safra Karim, Abdulla Al Balooshi and Amina Hejres, all aged 17, travelled to a small village of Likir where they set about painting classrooms, teaching children and purchasing necessities.
Safra, from Riffa, who is just starting the second year of her A’level studies at BSB, said: “Although the trip to Ladakh challenged us all in new ways and put us in circumstances that we would not usually be in, it was a totally amazing experience.
“It taught us how to deal with problems ourselves and even better, how to prevent problems happening in the first place by planning carefully.
“It was great bonding with the children at the school in Ladakh in such spectacular scenery. It is amazing what you can get used to when put in challenging situations. It was humbling to see how happy you can be with so little.”
Thanks to the amazing efforts from a ‘sponsored bounce’ held by the BSB Infant School, and a generous donation from Turk Logistics, there was plenty of money left over to buy clothes for children in two orphanages, replace a broken water tank, and aid some young footballers representing their district, by buying them their kits.
With the community project stage over, the team set off on a four-day trek through the mountains of Ladakh, a challenge with the uneven terrain, steep climbs and high altitudes. However, the views made the whole ordeal worth it, snow-capped mountains and green fields could be seen in almost every direction.
Next stop was Delhi and a bus ride to Agra, time for some rest and relaxation, shopping and the must-do visit to the Taj Mahal.
Simon Curson, World Challenge expedition leader, and school leader Eleanor Porter were impressed with the pupils’ determination. “This was our third expedition with World Challenge and proved as memorable and challenging as the two previous trips to Nepal and Ethiopia,” said Mrs Porter.
“The students worked well together, they were supportive of each other throughout and shared some truly life-changing experiences.
“Despite the high altitude, high temperatures and being constantly on-the-go, it was altogether a very successful trip.”
