Trainee teachers in Brighton have raised more than £40,000 to start a school for children in Nepal.
The money was raised by staff and students at the Brighton University School of Education and will enable the school to open next April.
The school will serve children who currently do not have access to formal education.
Three trainee teachers travelled from the university to visit the site Malagiri, a remote hamlet in rural Nepal, this year.
They were Camille Montgomery, Sarah Davies and Katie Kilbey.
Six more will head off to Nepal in February for placements in Kathmandu and the surrounding area.
The £42,000 that they raised will pay for the building construction, teaching equipment and salaries.
Fund raising activities included cake sales, sponsored walks and runs, a quiz night, memorial gifts and donations from staff and students
Kevin Fossey, senior lecturer in the School of Education, recently returned from Nepal.
He attended a conference there with other project delegates and discussed the school scheme with the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual leader.
Kevin said: “Blanaid McCauley from the chaplaincy has been incredibly supportive in raising funds for the project.
“Additionally, the collection from this year’s Carol Service on (Wednesday) 8 December and proceeds of the knitted tree decorations by the ‘Knitting and Nattering Group’, on sale now at Student Services at the Manor House, will also go to the project.
“The children in Malagiri are desperate to go to school.
“Thanks to everyone for their kindness in making this happen.”
For more information about the project click here.