WOHAA Stories

In 17 years of WOHAA we have seen hundreds of teams pass through the programme, experiencing challenges and successes along the way. Read about WOHAA’s impact on students, teachers, corporate partners, mentors and parents.

This was a really fun experience where I got to meet new people and develop my skills and weaknesses! I really appreciated all the support our mentors provided and am glad that I took part in this WOHAA project!     Moushumi  

It was a once in a lifetime experience which I am so glad to have had the opportunity to take part in! Thank you.  Denise 

It was a really challenging yet fun and enriching experience ! I’m really happy I took part and got the chance to try out and develop new skills.    Pearl

All from Team Fusion – Henreitta Barnet School – WOHAA 2018-19

My best moment from my WOHAA journey – Standing in the wings of the stage at Battle of the Bands watching the students perform, hit me that the essence of what we we’d been aiming for – we had given the performers the ability and the opportunity to perform music, and to go out and be amazing and have a moment in the spotlight!

What I learnt from WOHAA – It has taught me how to work in a team, properly. Teamwork in school is usually on such a small scale that one person can manage the workload alone, so in the past I would often take on most of the work myself especially if I was the Tam Leader. Nothing  we’ve achieved together in Team Celestrial was possible to do in this way, and so I have learnt how to lead a team where everyone takes an equal share of the load, and each person takes responsibility for the project.   

Fun fact:   I have a WOHAA folder on my laptop containing 54 files related to WOHAA!

Rebekah – Team Celestral – West Kirby Grammar School – Overall winners WOHAA 2018-19 

I was able to be the team leader of Team Supreme which allowed me to gain or improve many life skills such as leadership and delegation of tasks evenly and accordingly to each individuals strengths. Secondly, helping us overall be efficient in goal setting and time management.Despite having setbacks such as one the fashion show getting rescheduled a couple of times and eventually not taking place this still hasn’t stopped us and we still learnt to persevere and have countless back up options. 

Sufyan – Team Supreme – Mayfield School – Winner WOHAA 2018-19

This is the first time Yuvraj has embarked on a fundraising challenge. First and foremost, he believes the WOHAA (‘Wings of Hope”) to be a most worthy cause. He has learnt, though, that projects involve a lot of hard work and commitment to take it from inception through to completion. For the raffle, Yuvraj accompanied other team members to Westfield shopping centre and had to think hard about the strategy he needed to adopt in order to secure prizes for the raffle. He quickly realised that not all shops/restaurants/cinemas were eager to give away prizes which would attract students and teachers to buy raffle tickets. I believe that Yuvraj and the rest of the team have done a spectacular job and carried out the means to reach a successful end goal which was always to help WOHAA carry on their good work

Parent of Yuvraj – WOHAA participant & winner 2018-19

My son Caspar Lehmkuehler really enjoyed being part of the WOHAA project. He said that it was the most interesting and the most challenging group project he’s ever done. He not only enjoyed a lot but he also learned a lot in the process. His abilities to lead a group and to persuade others to help people in need grew substantially. He donated a lot of time towards the project and learned how to organise and strategically plan events to raise awareness. Caspar also got to know more about the difficult situation for the children in India and Malawi and he is eager to help beyond WOHAA.

Parent of Caspar – WOHAA participant & winner 2018-19

He that gives is more blessed than the one who takes!

Isaac was so blessed to be given an opportunity to join the WHOAA project. During which, he has learnt to work with his teammates, to organise, coordinate and execute their plans so as to help the ones in need. We do think that this treasurable experience could widen their scope and bring them to the reality of the life!

Many thanks, Mrs Kong –  Parent of Issac – WOHAA participant & winner 2018-19

“I participated in WOHAA twice in secondary school: once in a group of 6 in year 9 and once in a group of 3 in year 10. There is no other word to describe this experience other than ‘eye-opening’. Making a difference and change in the world can sometimes be an intimidating challenge on your own which WOHAA addresses perfectly. Working in a group to raise money and awareness about education in developing countries (all whilst having fun and choosing your own activities and fundraisers)? It’s truly an experience not to miss. But there is also a side to WOHAA which will indirectly help you all through your life and that is the skills and connections you will pick up along the way. One particular event which stood out for me was Speed Mentoring. With it came a lot of insight into various fields and disciplines that several high-achieving ‘mentors’ were able to offer in a very concise and efficient manner. I am now studying at the University of Oxford and without WOHAA, I would not be the person I am today; it honestly changed my life. Thank you” – Abhinav Vudathu, WOHAA alumnus

“Thank you for organising the Accelerator Day, it was really fun and motivating to meet all these ambitious students. We will continue to support our respective teams and make sure they can reach their goals!” – Pauline, LBS mentor

“I chose to support WOHAA because I loved the entrepreneurial and educational aspect… I have been lucky enough to see this at first hand as a panelist for the Awards. Seeing the sheer effort and enthusiasm from such a wide spectrum of schools and pupils has been heartening”
– Jackie Cooper, Global Creative Chair at Edelman PR

“I have watched my son, Chris, mature and grow exponentially this year thanks to WOHAA. It is an amazing concept to teach entrepreneurial skills to privileged kids and have them organize events to raise funds for underprivileged kids. But there is more magic behind the concept than I ever imagined. He envisioned and orchestrated events that had him dreaming, planning, co-ordinating and leading . . .  there were moments of panic, moments of victory, moments of frustration, and moments of joy. He has learned so much and he has simply turned into the nicest grown up guy!”
– parent of Team InterHOPE, International School of Geneva (La Chataigneraie), WOHAA Overall Runners Up & Most Funds Raised Winners 2017-18

“Team Mariama have amazed me this year… their flagship event was designed to highlight the diversity within the school through showcasing the talent that students have to offer. This thoughtful and positive ethos has underpinned all that Team Mariama have achieved… The skills and mindset that Team Mariama have developed are just as important as any academic grade…they have represented TFA, Wings of Hope and Team Mariama in a fantastic light, raising the profile of all involved”
– Adam Shorey, Head of Year 13, the Forest Academy

“First I would like to say thank you for helping the girls, secondly I am so proud of my daughter and all of you with the whole organisation. Thursday night was one of most wonderful events in my life. I want to say thank you for giving the girls this chance, without you it would never happened”
– parent of Team Apex – Dartford Grammar School – WOHAA Overall Winners 2017-18

“For me it is very important to have good interpersonal relationships at work and I feel blessed that I have found a good working environment at the Wings of Hope Children’s Charity. I feel included and valued; I do not just feel like an intern. I am always updated about what is happening within the organisation and asked to do tasks that contribute to my personal and professional growth. I have been learning a lot. Rajni, the CEO, seems to have a natural talent to mentor and this ability of hers has helped me to develop a lot during my internship. I am grateful to be part of this amazing team and I will cherish this experience forever.”   – Eliane, Wings of Hope Intern Autumn 2019

“I just wanted to say thank you for the amazing opportunity. I have really enjoyed working with you, as I had the chance to boost my confidence and public speaking skills and to learn more about the amazing work that you do. It has been truly amazing to work with you, Evelyn and Brittany and to meet the students. I genuinely wish you all the best with the rest of the programme! I have been really enthusiastic about WOHAA and I have been speaking to my mum about it, as she is a teacher and she is really interested in similar programs. I know that she has told her students in Italy about WOHAA and the organisation as an example of a great idea to boost skills while in school. She has told me that her students found it really interesting and, as they are working on writing an article for a newspaper on the importance of education, they will be mentioning The Wings of Hope as a very inspiring organisation!” – Camilla, Wings of Hope intern autumn 2018

“Thank you so much for such an inspiring evening last night! It was truly impressive to see so much talent and energy from all the young people in the room. They say teaching doesn’t have many perks but on occasions like last night, the thrill of being involved in such a fantastic initiative which develops both our young people as well as others less fortunate, is unbeatable, and such a privilege to be a part of. Our teams were equally thrilled to be recipients of awards and we are delighted for them. Thank you so much on behalf of the school and girls for the opportunity to be involved, and I’m already looking forward to seeing what our teams come up with for next year!”
– Helen Roberts, Deputy Head of Sixth Form, the Royal Masonic School for Girls

“Wings of Hope is an imaginative and exciting charity. It involves several continents and many young students whom it inspires to think of needy people and do what they can to help them. It has no single template and leaves young pupils free to think up new ways of raising money. I have sat on the jury for some years now and consider it one of my finest educational experiences. I congratulate Dr R. Sri Ram and Rajni Sri Ram for conceiving and guiding it and wish the project well”
– Lord Bhiku Parekh, sitting peer and academic

“Thank you to Wings of Hope for providing this opportunity for my daughter as it is a journey she will never forget”
– parent of Team Mariama, the Forest Academy, WOHAA Best Presentation Winners 2017-18

‘The WOHAA journey has been an eye opening experience for me as I was unaware of how many different components there were to fundraising… I also loved working in a team with my classmates and friends… My decision to participate in WOHAA was possibly one of the best decisions I have made”
– Ariana, Year 9, Team CAVAK Ladies, Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School

“Oh my gosh! What a journey. I am unbelievably proud of myself and my friends. Half of the things we did, I would’ve never imagined we could do before. WOHAA has taught me so much about myself”
– Zaynah, Team Action, the Forest School, WOHAA Semi Finalists 2017

“Our WOHAA journey has opened our eyes to the injustice in this world and shown us how students anywhere can really help the children who need it the most and how important it is to do so”
— Team Fortitude, Lady Margaret School

“The WOHAA challenge is an excellent one and does uncover true leaders and team-workers. Keep in touch. And good luck to you and a great organization”
— Dr. Joe Spence, Master Dulwich College

“I would recommend WOHAA to anyone I have met because it is a great privilege to assist in a charity while helping those less fortunate than ourselves”
— Bianca, Student at Norbury Manor Business and Enterprise College

“Over our WOHAA journey, we have all developed as people. We have grown new skills – from designing adverts and other technical things to building website for our fundraising… Before, most of us could not bake a simple cake – now we can make some of the most intricate delicacies… We are truly proud of our WOHAA journey”
– Team OAK, WOHAA Overall Winners 2016-17

“We had a wonderful time last night and the children so enjoyed the experience. Obviously the icing on the cake was the winning of the award for runners up ‘Best Presentation’”
— Mrs. Green, Year 9 Manager at Collingwood College

“For me CV writing and interview skills were the most useful part of the workshop and I feel as though I came away with a lot of new, valuable information to take into account when writing my own CV”
— Emily, Langley Park School for Girls

“It’s a fantastic initiative, it was an honour to be with such distinguished supporters of the charity at the semi-finals, and an even greater honour to see the work of the young members of our community”
— Clarke Carlisle, ex Chairman, Professional Footballers’ Association

“It was a pleasure to meet you and inspiring to hear stories of the ways in which the project has motivated young people to raise money for charity and work as a team to initiate and run different activities”
—  Miriam, Teacher, Dulwich College

“It was a pleasure and very inspiring and exceptional talent on display. Thank you for having me as part of this wonderful charity and a real honour”
— Tunji Akintokun, Ex-Director at Cisco, (WOHAA 2015-16 Panellist)

“I was very impressed by the event at the House of Lords. I think you have made a major breakthrough in getting such a high level of engagement from UK schools”
— Sir Richard Stagg, Ex-High Commissioner to India (previous WOHAA Panelist)

“I learnt a lot from the WOHAA experience, it was a different experience. It was a challenge where I learnt about myself more than anything”
— Suman, student at Villiers High School

“Well done for another fantastic event. You could see that the students were keen to soak up all they could in the time available, and lots of smiles all round – a good sign!”
— Linzi, Law Mentor, WOHAA Speed Mentoring

“WOHAA has helped me to develop in many ways and I am extremely grateful for every opportunity you have sent my way. I am really keen to continue”
— Serafina (previous WOHAA participant and volunteer)

“Over the course of the last five years, we as a school, have offered WOHAA to our students across different year groups. As Vice Principal, I am delighted to partner with WOHAA”
— Mr. Ian Smith, previous Vice Principal, Surbiton High School 

“What a fantastic experience and I am delighted that the girls were excellent representatives of the school. They clearly gained a huge amount from being at Barclays”
—  Rachel Fink, Headteacher, Hasmonean Girls’ High School

“You made everyone feel so welcome and it really was a very enjoyable evening. We are now all very excited about our fundraising for next year”
— Natalie Hodgson, Year 9 Student Manager, St Mary’s High School

“It was a great pleasure to see such fantastic talent at the WOHAA semi- finals and the WOHAA Award Ceremony, well done for this wonderful vision!’”
— Baroness Verma, House of Lords

“I was, as always, very impressed by the commitment, ingenuity and enthusiasm of the young people involved. WOHAA is indeed a two way street”
— Lord Tom McNally, Ex Chair of Youth Justice Board (Regular WOHAA panelist and supporter)

“I would just like to say thank you for everything you have offered me through the Wings of Hope program. The Award has given me experiences and skills I just couldn’t have learnt elsewhere”
— Athishan Vithivet Pillai, Merchant Taylors’ School

“Thanks so much and congratulations for putting on such a great event. Already looking forward to the next one”
— Carl, Investment Banking Mentor, WOHAA Speed Mentoring

“It was a pleasure helping to judge the Wings of Hope Finals. Not only are those involved an inspiring group of young people, but the wider cause is also one to which I am very happy to lend any support”
— Lady Elizabeth Roberts, Dean of Studies at the Weidenfeld Centre, Trinity College, Oxford (WOHAA 2015-16 panelist)

“WOHAA is one of the best external projects we have brought into the school. It is truly beloved by staff, students and parents alike as it broadens the horizons of our girls”
— Mrs Rachel Fink, Ex Head Teacher, Hasmonean High School for Girls

“What a wonderful and brilliant trip. Deepika still talks about it all the time and reflects back fondly of the trip with plans to do more in future”
— Malavi and Kumanan, parents of WOHAA Winner 2013-14

“It was a truly inspirational evening and a pleasure to hear about the work and success of so many young people”
— Ann Haydon, Ex-Principal, Surbiton High School

“Sophie has enjoyed her experience of WOHAA immensely. She has grown in confidence and has enjoyed the planning and executing of charity events, which are skills that I believe will help her in the future”
– parent of Team Fireworks, 2016-17

“Taking part in WOHAA has been really enjoyable, I have done absolutely nothing like this before and I’m really happy that I have received the chance to do this. I learnt many things over the past few months and I have also realised many things about myself starting with how organised I am!… I would love to take part in this again as I have learnt so much during the scheme and I am so proud of what I and the whole team have achieved!”
– Lianne, Team Dynamic, Nonsuch School for Girls

“From this process I believe I have become a stronger, more motivated and determined young woman. I have gained the insight on how to organise, motivate and successfully lead a team… I have put my heart and soul into the process and have loved every minute of it!’
– Rachael, Team Glo, West Kirby Grammar School

“We saw our little 13 year old Subikka Kumanan as a team leader growing up so much with this process. She has tackled so many challenges with a smiley face, giving strength to the team and her family members”
– parent of Team Rise, WOHAA Winners 2015-16

“What an absolutely wonderful event at the WOHAA awards last week! It was such a huge privilege to be involved – what an inspiration”
– John Lewis representative