Chemical Engineering Students Making a Difference in Nepal

We take a look at the experiences of two of our students who went to Nepal this summer to help disadvantaged children in the region

Benjamina Bollag

Third year Undergraduate Benjamina travelled to Chitwan in Nepal with Original Volunteers this September, spending a week living at an orphanage and teaching mathematics and English to children aged between 6 and 16 as well as cleaning, gardening and cooking.  Benjamina also spent some time with disadvantaged local children in the village situated in central Nepal, five hours south of Kathmandu and close to the Indian border.  After hours she would pass the time with the children playing games, colouring, reading and playing cards.  Evenings were often spent dancing and singing.  

For Benjamina, the experience was fantastic, albeit brief.  “My biggest regret is that I was only able to stay seven days as I would have enjoyed staying longer,” she said.  “I was happy to get three very different experiences at once: from the girls in the orphanage, the children of the village and the overall tasks we had to do.”

As well as acting as Finance officer for Water Brigades Imperial in charge of fundraising and sponsorship, Benjamina has also found time with a friend to set up a non-profit tutoring organisation, DUETTE, to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Hridayarth Sattineni

A couple of hundred miles to the north of Chitwan, in the glorious Himalayan foothills, second year Undergraduate Hridayarth Sattineni was also busy beavering away this summer as part of Project Nepal, a student society supporting education in rural areas of the country.  During term time, Hridayarth and his colleagues (all students of Imperial) fundraise in support of Maya Universe Academy, a youth movement dedicated to providing free education to Nepalese children.   Over the summer vacation, volunteers get to actively participate in Maya by helping in construction and teaching while living with the rest of the community.  

During the month that Hridayarth and the team were there, they managed to complete the building of the foundations of a boarding house for pupils.  Once completed next year, this should save the young children of Chisapani in the Tanahun district having to travel for four hours just to attend the school.  Hridayarth was the project leader during the trip and proved to be very beneficial when it came to overcoming the language barrier!  

Although most days were spent working hard on the building project, the team did get some chances to relax playing dodgeball with the children and sightseeing.  “During the weekends, we explored the Himalayan regions of Nepal. We also got to enjoy elephant safaris in Chitwan national park and visit sacred Buddhist temples,” says Hridayarth, who also praised the Department’s decision to back the project financially.  “The chemical engineering department at Imperial College has been very kind by donating £2000 for the cause of educating children in rural Nepal.  We are extremely thankful to the chemical engineering department for their donation.”