Global trekkers raise funds for educating 55000 children in Kashmir

Leh (J-K) June 12 (ANI): A group of 61 employees of Reckitt Benckiser, in collaboration with a global NGO, 'Save the Children', has raised millions of pounds to help improve the educational standards of socially marginalised children in Ladakh.

Employees of Reckitt Benckiser from across the globe recently participated in the five-day fund raising trek.

The trekkers also stayed in Leh for two days, and spent some quality time with the children from Save the Children programme, by playing, teaching, painting and interacting with them. They also helped renovate schools in the area.

The highest point the trekkers reached was the 4,878 metre Matho La pass.ifty percent of the funds generated from this trek will be used to support educational projects undertaken by Save the Children in Jammu and Kashmir. The remaining fifty percent will be deployed towards projects in Angola and Tanzania.

Toby Porter, programme director, Save the Children, said that through this programme they would help the government in educating over 55,000 children in three years.

"They (trekkers) have helped fund an education project in Jammu and Kashmir and together with the funding from trekkers as well as the funding with Save the Children received from European Union, we are going to help the government with the education of 55,000 children over three years and that's a wonderful achievement and it shows clearly that all of us can help make the world a better place," he added.

"We have treaded real hard but most importantly, we have raised quarter of million pounds for Save the Children," said Neil George, Maketing Director, Reckitt Benckiser, Nitherland.

Residents said that they are grateful to the NGO and the company for such an initiative.

"They have done so many things to our school. It looks very good as compared to before. We are really very thankful to them," said Kunzes Dolma, a school teacher.

Based in London, Reckitt Benckiser is a global leader in household, health and personal care products.

In 2007, over 55 Reckitt Benckiser employees from 21 countries took part in the first edition of the Global Challenge Trek. In total, the employees raised # 180,000 from this trek. (ANI)