Egham International School has won a top award for its 'outstanding contribution to international understanding'.

The award has been presented by the Independent Schools Association (ISA) after the school in London Road presented details of its humanitarian project which was created in 2014.

Since the Project’s start, there have been two successful 14-day expeditions to Nepal. In Spring 2015, 38 students travelled to Shree Mahendra Primary School in the eastern corner of the Kathmandu Valley, assisting with teaching and helping to renovate the school. The 2016 expedition saw 31 students travelling to Shree Jana Bhawana Primary School, in Panchkal. Once the project work had been completed, the students undertook a 60-kilometre hike over three days.

Raising awareness and fundraising for the Project is a year-round school effort. To date students has funded and implemented a computer lab, library, after-school club, playground equipment, stationery, shower block and a football field. Student teams have also assisted with lessons for over 100 Nepalese children. Most recently they purchased 78 winterization packs for students and staff at the Shree Mahendra Primary School, which included equipment and materials to protect against the extreme cold weather.

In 2016, Project Nepal partnered with HANDS (Health and Nutrition in Developing Societies), which has employed three full-time Nepali staff which supports the nutritional needs of the entire community.

Jeremy Lewis, head of Egham International School, said: “We are delighted to have won this award, receiving recognition for Project Nepal, which has had a profound impact on our whole school community. It provides our students with the opportunity to make a sustainable difference, to develop emotionally and to build relationships with the Nepali community.

“Plans are well underway for the 2017 expedition, in which students will return to Shree Jana Bhawana Primary School to build new structures to increase enrolment at the school. We have already collected books, shoes and clothing to take on next year’s expedition.”