Nilen charity mission inspired by old school

Former Hulme Grammar Schools head boy Nilen Vyas

NILEN Vyas is the driving force behind a linking project to help a Third World school.

The former Hulme Grammar Schools head boy led the creation of a twinning scheme which is supporting the Seventh Day Adventist Junior High in Tafo, Ghana.

Now his dedication — which included organising a solo trip to the West African country this summer — has earned him a Pride in Oldham nomination.

Nilen (18), who left Hulme this year, was inspired to act after hearing about the charity Friends of Tafo in a sixth-form assembly.

Since then the school has raised money and sent basic equipment to the school, and Nilen recently flew out to lay the foundations for a visit by pupils.

He was impressed with the Ghanian students and explained: “They highly valued their education and knew that it would lead them to better things.

“The school was not just were people learn. Students of the school are heavily involved in community life and this allowed me to do many other things which indirectly involved the school students.

“From the community library where the weekly art club was held, to the choir which was open to anyone in the community, I didn’t realise that by helping the school we were in fact helping an entire community.”

Nilen had previously led fund-raising efforts for a school in Uganda and said of his Pride in Oldham nomination: “Wow. I did not set out to win any praise but to have been recognised in amazing.”

He was nominated by Hulme development director Zenos Christo for his: “single-handed determination to make a difference to a small town in Ghana.

“Against all the odds, he managed to get there on his own and stay for a week without any friends, colleagues or family for support.”


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