*UPDATE* – a cheque for £500 was presented to Imogen for the Hope Orphange Agency from non-uniform day donations.

Mount Carmel R.C. High School launched a fundraising project to raise money for the Hope Orphanage Agency in Cambodia. The Hope Agency was set up by a Cambodian man 8 years ago after he was lucky enough to attend university. He decided to set up the orphanage so children could get an education and make a better life for themselves. Imogen Hall presented assemblies to all pupils describing her gap project experiences there over the Summer.

Donations to Hope School, run by the Hope Orphanage Agency provide resources for pupils there to learn English and to get an education so pupils can further their studies at university. This in turn means they can get work and support their families back home.

Imogen explained how the children at the school and orphanage really appreciate the money that is raised for their education and highlighted how donations can purchase so many items. A £10 donation would for example provide lunch for 25 pupils. Money has been used to purchase chickens for families so they have a source of eggs, food packages are also often provided for those in need. Laptops are extremely useful for young people to further their studies at university and a motorbike was provided for a man who had mobility problems to enable him to get around.

Children are aged from just 5 years up to 18 years old and there are approximately 50 children and young people living in the orphanage.

Volunteers to the project work in the school during the week and go on excursions at the weekend to discover landmarks and areas of local interest. She encouraged Mount Carmel pupils to participate in a gap year project when they are older as it has been an unforgettable experience for her. She went travelling on her own and had originally planned on spending 4 weeks in Cambodia but was so engrossed in the project that she stayed for 3 months!

She thanked the pupils for donating to the project saying their money will make a world of difference to those at the school and orphanage.