Birmingham girls hold 'stay-awake' in aid of India school

Jul 8 2009 by Nick McCarthy, Birmingham Mail

SIXTY-five girls from a Birmingham school stayed awake all night to raise cash for schools in the developing world.

The pupils, from King Edwards Camp Hill School for Girls, hope to raise enough cash to help build a computer suite for a school in India.

The girls from the Kings Heath school are hoping to raise more than £1,500 for the Lasallian Developing World Projects, which builds schools and improves education in the developing world.

Sam Caherty, who is a PE teacher at the school, said: “I am going away with the project on July 29 for three weeks with 14 people.

“The pupils and the school have been really supportive and we hope to establish some links with the schools in India.

“The school has even donated 15 old laptops, which I will also be taking over for the school in India.

“We wanted to do something different to raise cash for the project and the sponsored stay awake seemed like a good idea.

“On the one half of the sports hall the girls were chilling out and watching films and on the other side we had sporting activities and games. It all went really well and we are hoping to have raised at least £1,500.”

The stay-awake took place in the newly-built sports hall between 8pm and 8am.

Since 1985, the Lasallian Eveloping World Projects has sent out more than 500 people to build 48 classrooms, two offices for teachers, 38 homes for teachers and families, two churches and five hostels for pupils.

The project has improved facilities and it estimates that it has helped more than 2,650 children who would not have received an education.