People > Compassion

A little can mean so much...

Compassion is a Christian charity dedicated to the eradication of poverty in the developing world.

Following the devastating Asian Tsunami some years ago, senior pupils committed themselves to raising the funds to rebuild a school in Sri Lanka where the Headteacher had not only lost the school buildings but tragically, his wife and half of his family to the great wave.

The group of students led the whole school in fund-raising, and Josh Chanin, whose altruism had started the project, saw to it that the money raised went directly to those restoring the school.

Make Poverty History was in the news every day by now, and Kingsmead took on the raising of significant funds for projects in Africa before committing the school to undertake to care for two young people in the developing world, Allysa from the slums of Manila, and Hakizamana from Rwanda (above). Such was the response of the school community that we were able to undertake the on-going care of a third child, Surajit. Surajit was chosen as he comes from India, a country dear to the heart of the Bradby family about to leave Kingsmead at that time.

Kingsmead has undertaken to see that the costs of their food, healthcare, education and spiritual needs are all met from now until they reach adulthood. Pupils have the opportunity to write to the children, and we receive frequent letters from their families. We send presents at Christmas and for birthdays. And yet it seems somehow that we as a community get more out of it than the children do.