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 the students? We actively select those young people from developing countries who are from disadvantaged backgrounds, so they share an understanding of poverty and an urgent ambition to address the issues of poor education and healthcare for those that need it most.
Why them? 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 ration of 20:1 every year.
Why the International Baccalaureate? The IB 
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 have 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 program- those students are typically prepared so well for college (they have done college level work!) Financial aid is the biggest obstacle."
Do they really make a difference? Yes! We have excellent examples of so many former Pestalozzi students who have and still are contributing to world development:
Kwenza raised in poverty in rural Africa left Pestalozzi in 1999 and is now a qualified cardiologistworking 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 multi-cultural environment with English as the working language."
We aim to help developing countries by empowering their own individuals to make the choices that will affect them directly. This message from HH the Dalai Lama reflects these aims.
“Today’s world requires that we accept the oneness of humanity. In the past, isolated communities could afford to think of another as fundamentally separate and even existed in total isolation.
Nowadays, however, events in one part of the world eventually affect the entire planet. Therefore we have to treat each major local problem as a global concern from the moment it begins. We can no longer invoke the national, racial or ideological barriers that separate us without destructive repercussions. In the context of our new interdependence, considering the interests of others is clearly the best form of self-interest.”
His Holiness, The 14th Dalai Lama
HRH The Duke of Gloucester has been Patron of the Trust for more than 30 years.
