Breadcrumbs
Bringing education and football to Bangladesh
14 December 2010
Outwoods resident Darren Tye has been a busy man. As UK Operations Manager for leading home-based tuition programmes provider The Student Support Centre, Darren has been heavily involved with the company’s corporate responsibility project in Bangladesh.
At the beginning of November, Darren, his colleague Sarah and representatives from charity World Vision travelled to Nalitabari, a remote and impoverished region of northern Bangladesh. Already committed to making a difference in education in the UK, The Student Support Centre wanted to see exactly how their funding was helping children in Nalitabari. 
Darren Tye participating in a World Vision nutrition session
Since April 2009, The Student Support Centre has donated £12,500 to the Nalitabari Education Project, which aims to increase educational opportunities for children in the area. Over the course of seven days, the team visited various schools in the area. The Student Support Centre sponsors a number of children to attend by providing them with essential materials such as books and pens. The funding has meant that teacher training sessions have also been arranged and a coaching programme is now in operation, runnning sessions for 460 children. 
The Student Support Centre sitting outside a non-formal tuition centre
Mr Tye said: "What's been achieved there in a relatively short space of time is amazing. What surprised me the most was the courage, determination and generosity of the people of Nalitabari. Since returning from our trip, we're looking to increase the level of financial commitment that The Student Support Centre provides so that we can continue to help."
As a keen coach of Outwoods Football Club, Mr Tye also ran football training sessions with children, as well as donating football kits, footballs and Frisbees. As well as improving educational opportunities in the area, The Student Support Centre has also funded the World Vision Elephant Deterrent Project. Elephants stampedes are a threat to people living in Nalitabari and have caused devastating damage to Nalitabari and neighbouring villages.
The Student Support Centre also plans to donate copies of their simply maths, English and reading programmes to bring teachers up to speed with modern teaching methods.
Further information about the project can be found at our World Vision blog
By Katie Bowler.
Published in the Burton Mail on Monday, December 6, 2010
