An Indian adventure for pupils from Wallace High School

Take nine Lisburn A-Level students, three teachers and a Head-teacher. Mix with an inspirational charity, ASHA, and place to rise in the poorest slums of Delhi. The result? Thirteen lives and a school community, well and truly challenged.

Pupils and staff from Wallace High School recently returned from the trip of a lifetime to India, where they saw first hand what life was like in one of the country’s slums.

Teacher, Mrs Moya Richardson, explained: “October 23 marked the date of departure. We had been team-building, fundraising and inoculating for fourteen months.

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Representatives from the charity, ASHA, had been sending preparation materials and Health and Safety talks had been delivered on the perils of Delhi’s drinking water, packs of wild dogs and monkeys and holy cows.

“By the time the Richmond coach pulled up to the WHS gates to transport us to our flight from Dublin, we were buzzing with anticipation, ready to roll up our sleeves and to engage with the inspiring work of Dr Kiran Martin’s charity, ASHA.

“Our allotted slum, Mayapuri, is based in an industrial area of factories and scrap metal breakage yards.

“Our first sight of the slum was marked by the mounds of discarded rubbish and the stripped carcasses of cars, vans and tuk tuks.

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“But the most shocking sight was the small, shoe-less children, armed with magnets on sticks, crouched and picking through the fetid refuse, scavenging any morsel of metal to be sold and melted, bringing a small income to their family.

“These dirty-faced youngsters raced to meet the Western faces descending from the cars, flashing beautiful wide smiles, holding out little hands to be shaken and asking for photographs to be snapped and shown.

“Our nine students in clean, Indian-styled salwar kameeze embraced the children, moved by their open welcome and warm greetings.

“Our main role was to work with the children selected by ASHA to have extra lessons in English.

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“The Wallace pupils had worked extremely hard to prepare teaching materials in advance, worksheets, flashcards, posters, and their enthusiasm and care in the lesson deliveries was very touching to observe.

“The Mayapuri children were like knowledge sponges.

“Their faces lit up when we gave them a pencil and a yellow exercise book in which to keep their notes.

“They are so happy with so little, a sobering lesson to us as we live with such wealth, waste and excess.

“We also taught the children new games, (wink murder and dodge ball were top favourites), taught them some songs and delivered arts and crafts lessons.

“Loom bands have finally hit Delhi, thanks to WHS!

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“But for all of our input into the lives of these children, we have gained so much more in return.

“The generosity, contentment and determination of the adults and children working with ASHA, to build a better future for themselves, their families and their community is inspiring and humbling.”

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