A FOCAL POINT FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
Supporting young students in the heart of Darjeeling
The Hannah Memorial Academy is a primary school for under privileged children in a remote part of North East India and permanent memorial to the life of a young Southampton girl, Hannah Foster.
The school is the vision of a local man, Jason Lepcha, who wanted to provide free education and a focal point for the local community in one of the poorest areas of Darjeeling.
ESTABLISHED IN LOVING MEMORY
A lasting legacy to Hannah Foster
The school, in the Dhooteriah Tea Garden, is a lasting legacy to Hannah Foster, a 17-year old Hampshire girl who was murdered in the West End District of Southampton in March 2003 by Maninder Pal Singh Kohli.
Just over a year after Hannah’s tragic death, Jason Lepcha, a local taxi driver with a good understanding of English, was hired as a driver in Darjeeling by the chief murder suspect.
He subsequently responded to a national appeal for information that led to the arrest of Mr. Kohli in Darjeeling in July 2004.
Trevor and Hilary Foster: Hannah’s parents"Losing Hannah in such circumstances has made us overly cynical and distrustful. Finding out that this school project is a genuine philanthropic gesture (from Jason) has gone a long way to restoring our faith in human nature."
"Pass on our best wishes to Jason and thank him for naming the school after Hannah, which has made us both very grateful and very proud. She had a huge appetite for learning – I’m sure that will rub off on all those bright-eyed eager children who will benefit from this school"
Support us now
Hannah’s school has united people of every age, from two continents, who want to help create a memorial for Hannah and benefit a whole community in one of the poorest areas of India – please join us in supporting Hannah’s school.