Pestalozzi International Village Trust

Our Mission

To make a real and lasting difference by applying Pestalozzi principles: Head, Heart and Hands-on.

Message

Our unique 2 year scholarship programme in the UK enables our 16–19 year old students to develop their potential, intellectually and morally, applying their abilities using the Pestalozzi principles of educating the head, heart and hands.

Our personal selection process carefully identifies motivated young people who have demonstrated the desire to help their home communities. From economically disadvantaged backgrounds around the world, they have exceptional ability but limited educational opportunity.

At Pestalozzi they come together to live as a multicultural, multi-faith family. Learning within the UK’s culture and heritage, they actively contribute to the local community, sharing and promoting international understanding.

Our scholarship programme empowers the students to make informed decisions and take confident steps towards their future aspirations.

Our success is constantly emphasised by the achievement of our alumni and the communities they help.

Building on this success is dependent on continuing financial donations and partnership support.

A Message from our Patron

A message from our Patron
HRH The Duke of Gloucester GCVO

The problems of the Third World are expanding at an even greater rate than their populations. The Pestalozzi International Village Trust believes that education is key to a better future. Selected young people are given an opportunity to receive a British education and practical training, in the knowledge that the qualifications and experience they gain, will give them a special perspective and ability to contribute to the development of their countries when they return home.

The Trust has been undertaking this valuable work for nearly fifty years and is now launching a major Appeal to enable it to secure the future of the Village in Sussex by transforming the facilities and to expand its student programme in the developing world.

Having met many of the Pestalozzi young people, I know that they are very proud of their own cultures yet appreciate the extra opportunities that the Pestalozzi International Village gives them to contribute significantly to their own communities. I hope that you will share my enthusiasm for the contribution that is being made to the development of the Third World in this way, and give it your unreserved support.

“I hope that you will share my enthusiasm for the contribution that is being made to the development of the Third World in this way, and give it your unreserved support.”

What we do

Established in 1957, Pestalozzi International Village Trust is an educational charity who’s primary aim has always been to break cycles and change conditions and attitudes that lead to conflict. Based on the principles of Swiss philosopher, Johann Pestalozzi, we believe that young people will fulfil their potential if they have a balanced education: training the intellect, moral values and practical skills - the 'head, heart and hands'.

How do we select our scholars? We actively select young people from developing countries who are from economically disadvantaged backgrounds - they share an understanding of poverty - and have an urgent ambition to address the issues of education and healthcare for those that need it mostWhy from the developing world? People in the developing world do not want to rely on foreign aid. They want the opportunity to look after their own communities, be it through medicine, economics, education or engineering. So part of our rigorous selection programme is to seek those young people with ambitions to contribute through these particular fields, and have the academic abilities to do so. They all need to have already proven their community commitment - you can teach skills, but dedication and compassion are already there to be nurtured. So at 15 years of age, or younger, they have already been working with Aids orphans, or collecting money for Tsunami victims or teaching literacy to younger children.

Why bring them here? As one Zimbabwean candidate states "It's hard to study when you're hungry". Many of our students' families are from poor rural areas, without electricity or piped water, and struggle to ensure the family have enough food and basics. Education is a luxury that is extremely difficult to achieve under these conditions. We know this because we have been there, and we interview every student to ensure that those who need it most get the opportunity. Even so, we still turn around excellent candidates at a ratio of 20:1 every year.

Why the International Baccalaureate Diploma? The IB programme provides an internationally recognised qualification which opens the doors to university scholarships around the world. This is what one US International Admissions Officer says: "I had heard of the Pestalozzi International Village and I know that it is filled with absolutely incredible students - students I would love to see here. I am a big believer in the IB programme - those students are typically prepared so well for college. Financial aid is their biggest obstacle."

Do they really make a difference?Yes! We have excellent examples of so many former Pestalozzi scholars who have and still are contributing to world development:

Kwenza raised in rural poverty left Pestalozzi in 1999 and is now a qualified cardiologist working in Harare, Zimbabwe helping impoverished communities in desperate need of medical care.

Yetunde is currently in Holland researching a cure for Malaria, which would impact on millions around the world.

Nassir works for the United Nations in Palestine, managing a poverty reduction programme for 20,000 families, and Hikmat who is working for the UN in Nepal writes this: "UNMIN is headed by Ian Martin, who is Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon's Special Representative for Nepal. This is the UN agency that remains committed to Nepal's peace process and development. So it will no doubt be a meaningful opportunity for me to serve my country. It will be high profile work in a multicultural environment with English as the working language."

We aim to assist developing countries by empowering their own individuals to make the responsible choices as global citizens that will affect them directly. This message from HH the Dalai Lama reflects these aims.