St Mary's School, Darjeeling, India

Since 2001 John & Jenny Casson and their company Securewest International have been involved in supporting this wonderful school.

During a visit to India in 2001 John & Jenny Casson were taken by their Indian hosts to St Mary’s school, located in the lush tea gardens about one and a half hours drive, along a single track and poorly maintained road, north of Darjeeling in the Himalayan foothills.

At that time the school, independently run by Indian Catholic Sisters, had about 250 students aged from 4 to 16.

Most children in this poor area of some 75% unemployment were not receiving a state education despite the aspirations of India after independence.

The teachers, had not been paid for three months due to lack of funding, there was no electricity, and a shortage of books and facilities, yet the school was happy, it had commitment and a vision.

So impressed by the school’s determination John & Jenny Casson financed the installation of electricity and agreed to sponsor its ‘day to day’ needs for five years.

Nine years on (not five!) the sponsorship continues, the school has transformed year on year.

From the new school year in February 2010 there will be 420 students, every child within walking distance of the school receiving an education. The standard of teaching has greatly improved, the school is well maintained (and now has a new primary school building), has a computer room, and students have decent books and teaching aids to support their lessons and studies.

St Mary’s school is a success story thanks to the commitment of the Sisters, teachers, students and their parents alike, John & Jenny Casson are delighted to support it.

Please take a moment to visit the website, video and photographs (see left column on this page).