Open minded, 'can do' students from the ACS Egham International School have returned from Nepal's Kathmandu Valley after helping transform life for young pupils there.

The team of 31 students from the school in London Road, Egham spent six days in Panchkal, volunteering at the Jana Bhawana Primary School.

They helped with the building of a new school library, shower and toilet block - assisting with sanding, preparing and laying concrete and painting. Nearly one thousand books collected by the ACS Egham community were used to furnish the new library.

Lauren Dean, Lower School teacher and Project Nepal director, said of the trip: “No matter the challenge, they faced it with an open mind and a can-do attitude, and learned countless life lessons along the way. Their hard work and fundraising allowed us to maximise our impact in Panchkal. We are already excited about returning to Panchkal in March 2017 to continue our work." She said that as a result of fundraising across the year the ACS Egham team was able to to provide electricity and a water supply system, render the school building, help develop an after school club and provide over £1,000 of school stationary in Nepal.

She said: "Our expedition exceeded all of our expectations. I, along with my ACS team and our partners at Adventure Lifesigns Expeditions and NARBA Treks, are proud beyond measure of our students, who put their heart and soul into each minute of our time in Nepal.”

ACS Egham’s Project Nepal has also partnered with the Health and Nutritional Development Society (HANDS) International. The partnership has employed three Nepalese specialists to implement a nutritional programme over the next year across the Panchkal region, beginning in Jana Bhawana village.

During their visit, the Project Nepal team met members from the wider community to learn first-hand about the local Jana Bhawana culture and students visited the Monkey Temple, Pashupatinath Hindu Temple and Bodnath Stupa Buddhist Temple in the Kathmandu Valley.