Last Thursday, I had the privilege of interviewing Jyoti Sada, a young woman from the Dalit (‘untouchable’) community in south Nepal. Forced to leave education because of her family’s poverty, Jyoti returned to her studies two years ago after receiving a Pipal Tree bursary. Since then, she has achieved far more than simply completing sixth-form college – remarkable though that achievement is in itself. Along the way, she has developed a confidence and self-belief that have transformed her outlook on life.

Jyoti is one of six students from this year’s cohort of 24 bursary graduates who will begin university in September. She will study for a Bachelor’s degree in Art, bringing her a step closer to fulfilling her ambition of becoming an art teacher. In doing so, she will not only build a brighter future for herself but also become an inspiring role model and leader within her community.

Here is my interview:

Four days into our Big Give campaign we have raised a tremendous £11,748 towards our £64,520 target. That means we still have £26,386 available to match online donations pound for pound. It will cost £200 per month to allow Jyoti to attend her three-year university course.

If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to support the appeal, you can help us get to the line through the button below. All gifts automatically double in value.

Thank you very much for your continued support.