Swimming champion donates prize money

National record holder in swimming competitions Gaurika Singh pledged to donate all her prize money—Rs 30,000—to Shanti Education Initiative Nepal Swimming champion donates prize money

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Published at : June 10, 2015

Updated at : June 10, 2015 08:17

Kathmandu

National record holder in swimming competitions Gaurika Singh pledged to donate all her prize money—Rs 30,000—to Shanti Education Initiative Nepal (SEIN) to help the organisation in its efforts to rebuild community schools damaged in the April 25 earthquake. Her parents will match the amount and donate the total to the same organisation.

Singh broke six records—in women’s 200m freestyle, 100m backstroke, 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 100m breaststroke and 200m backstroke—during the 20th National Swimming Championships held on June 7-8. She was here during the April 25 earthquake and saw the devastation that the quake had wrecked in the country.

“It broke my heart to learn that children in villages affected by the earthquake could be deprived of education because the community schools did not survive the jolt,” said Singh at a press meet where she was also appointed as the goodwill ambassador of the organisation. SEIN has been involved with school renovation since before the earthquake and is currently raising funds to help public schools rebuild themselves. Thousands of schools have been partially or severely destroyed in the April 25 quake and its aftershocks.

Before being involved with SEIN, Singh had raised 1,000 British pounds from her school in the UK and donated the amount to relief work in Nepal. Rabindra Maharjan, the chairperson of SEIN, said that the monetary contribution will be deposited in a basket fund that the organisation has opened to help rebuild community schools. “Ninety of the 100 schools that we worked with have suffered in the earthquake. We will visit schools in Sindhupalchok, Kavre, Dolakha, Lalitpur and Kathmandu and figure out the best way to help the schools,” said Maharjan.

Singh makes it to fina

Young swimmer Gaurika Singh along with Kiran Karki of Tribhuvan Army Club (TAC) have been selected for the 16th Fina World Swimming Champi-onships to be held in Kazan, Russia, from July 28 to August 8. The two swimmers were selected following their impressive performance in the 20th National Open Swimming Champi-onships. Singh, 12, has been taking everyone by surprise breaking numerous records at a tender age. Singh resides in London with her family but hogged the limelight in Nepal when she came on a vacation with her mother last year and broke seven national records in the 19th edition of the Nationals. On Monday, she wrapped up the 20th edition setting six new national records.