Chitwan, April 30:

Briton Steff Katram and his Australian wife Dawn Katram have embarked upon a motorcycle tour from Nepal to England via India, Pakistan and Iran to raise funds for Nepali students and add infrastructure to schools in Nepal.

The Katrams, who reached here yesterday, have provided financial assistance to more than 100 Nepali students and also donated money for building or augmenting infrastructure in several schools in Nawalparasi and Chitwan districts.

They also routed money through Environment Service Centre of Chitwan to arrange for the education of 56 students in Nawalparasi and Chitwan whose names were forwarded by Children Nepal.

Last year, the Katrams had donated money and also assisted in the construction of a hostel for students at Mentally Challenged Welfare School in Phulbari village development committee of Chitwan. After an inspection of the hostel and school building, they expressed happiness that the fund had been spent properly.

Speaking on the occasion, Steff said, “I am extremely happy to see that the local people also pooled in to bolster the fund that we provided last year and got this hostel building constructed. It is commendable.”

He added that he and his wife would continue to provide financial assistance until the hostel starts functioning.

When the Katrams reached Phulbari, they got a warm welcome from students, teachers and locals. Mentally challenged children from Phulbari, Mangalpur, Shivnagar and Geetanagar VDCs and Bharatpur municipality’s Wards No 13 and 14 are enrolled in the school.

Around 15 of them have been provided with hostel facilities.

Director of the Environment Service Centre Basant Ranabhat said the Katrams would provide financial assistance to all deprived children who they met along the way during their motorbike tour.