Students from Impington Village College and Impington International College recently spent a week in Jodphur, India and volunteered with students at SKSN, a residential school for the physically challenged.

During their visit, Impington students spent time teaching English and Art to SKSN students as well as volunteering in the school gardens to harvest produce for use in the school’s kitchens. They also developed their Hindi language skills, learnt to create Henna art and even took part in a local cricket game.

Impington International College student, Arwen T., added “Being part of the SKSN students’ daily routines was so inspiring, we learnt so much from them about finding joy in our daily lives. Surprisingly, the language did not provide a barrier as we were able to communicate through dancing, laughing and art.”

Ethan P., another student who participated in the visit, adds: “The experiences and memories that I have taken away from this experience are amazing. It encouraged me to reflect on the differences between the cultures in the UK and India as well as my privilege. It was a life-changing experience.”

Ahead of the visit, students from the College dedicated their time to raising money to purchase toiletries that they gifted to their peers at SKSN. All fundraising activities were student-led and included washing cars, arranging a clothing donation, selling sweets, and hosting bake sales. Through their efforts, they raised £500 and collected 16 bags of clothing for SKSN students.

Through the International Baccalaureate (IB) and the College’s iCAS programme, students volunteer to support a project or initiative of their choice throughout the year. This supports their personal development and helps them to gain valuable skills such as teamwork, leadership and problem-solving. Students from the Colleges have supported a range of local organisations such as Abbey Fields, as well as international initiatives in Ethiopia, Botswana and Peru.

Victoria Hearn, Executive Headteacher at Impington Village College commented: “It makes me incredibly proud to see our students positively impact the world through their fundraising and volunteering efforts. I know how rewarding they found the recent visit to India and they are already looking forward to being able to further support the children at SKSN.

“Through the IB, our students develop into caring young people who work to make the world a better place. Service learning is embedded into the IB programmes at the College, which enables our students to care for and serve their communities, both locally and globally. International trips like this are extra special as they help nurture our students’ sense of international-mindedness and help to instil a sense of responsibility towards the global community in them.”