This November, students from the Graduating Class of 2019 will fly to Kathmandu to take part in the annual Nepal Service Trip.

Departing on November 24, students will travel to Dhading (West of Kathmandu in Nepal) where the cohort will support existing humanitarian efforts to repair damaged classrooms at the Mahadev Secondary School, and other community project work.

VCE Coordinator Ms Elyse Taylor has been leading Service Trips to Nepal since 2012 and enjoys every moment of planning and participating in the projects. Of her work, Ms Taylor says, "My passion for service was first ignited in university when I had the opportunity to participate in a One Mission project in India as a pre-service teacher. This experience helped me to appreciate how blessed I have received a tertiary level education; an assumed right in Australia. I hope that projects will help other young people to learn what they have, and help improve access to quality education in Nepal."

In a long-standing partnership, the Heritage College Service Trip supports the existing ADRA (Adventist Disaster Relief Agency) presence in Kathmandu. This partnership provides the opportunity for students to be exposed to a challenging environment, without placing them at any significant risk. The program is effective in building resilience, confidence, compassion, understanding and a sense of justice in students. These qualities are essential in preparation for adulthood. Often, students who have travelled abroad stand out to employers and tertiary institutions as these projects are acknowledged for helping to create well-rounded employees and students.

Deputy Principal Darren Martin says: “The Nepal Service Trip is the final opportunity for students to demonstrate the value of Service. It allows time for deep, relational connections to be formulated amongst students and staff members as part of serving local communities in a remote, challenging environment. Nepal also strengthens existing partnerships with ADRA in the region.”

How You Can Help

Help support the class of 2019 to cover their costs for the Nepal Service Trip by participating in the Colour Run. This is a whole-campus community event, held on Friday 8 November. There’s a distance for all fitness levels to choose from and prizes to be won. Head over to schoolfundraising.com.au, create a student profile page and start raising funds.

Related Information

• Visit the Nepal Service Trip page