Youth Incorporated Magazine

Indian-origin entrepreneur Leah Chowdhry is all set to swim a gruelling 35 km across the English Channel to raise funds to combat child trafficking in India, for the British Asian Trust founded by Prince Charles.

Leah Chowdhry, who runs a professional childcare service called Pop up, Party & Play will set off from Dover on a 35 km swim to Calais in France. “I am honoured to be one of the first ever British Asian women to take on this challenge, with only just short of 1,500 people to ever complete the swim,” said Leah. She will have to brave jelly fish and seasickness in an estimated 13-hour journey in light and darkness.

Her family and friends will be in a support boat alongside her but as per rules, she is not allowed to have any sort of human contact. Leah has been training hard over the last six months to raise funds to protect children from trafficking, and provide quality education to children in need.

Prerana, the British Asian Trust’s partner organisation in India, runs three night-care centres for children at risk, as well as shelter homes and a residential training centre for girls rescued from the trafficking trade. According to reports, the latest project will support India’s first online resource centre dedicated to the prevention of sexual offences against children and provide 80 girls and young women aged 15 plus with a rehabilitation care programme to build better futures.

Leah visited the organisation back in February. Regarding her visit, she said, “When I asked some of the children what they aspired to be, they answered ‘a footballer’ or ‘a doctor’; despite all their hardships, they remained so motivated and positive, which spurs me on even more with my training.”

The Trust is also working with The Education Alliance to provide high-quality primary school education to 1,800 children in south Delhi, and improve their learning levels.