Shop owners expand on their charity work to help children in Goa

Helping Elsewhere is run by Helen Hitchcock and Tracey Eaton who also own The Gallery in Cobblestone Walk, Steyning which has recently moved to a bigger site.

As the business grows the two women are able to dedicate more time and funds to their Goan projects.

Helen said: “We started our organisation in 2007 which was to support a school in Mandrem Goa, since then we have grown organically of the years to include scholarships in a high school in Sirsi in Katnataka and also a street kid proximity that works with street children in Panjim. We have just started funding three rooms in Chimbel in Panjim, a slum area. The rooms will be a classroom, book room and a space where children can play as if you live in a slum normally you don’t have time to play.”

They also funded solar panels for tribal villages so children have enough light to do homework in.

Helen added: “It was definitely a risk taking on a bigger unit, but Cobblestone Walk is becoming a vibrant place to shop and have a cup of tea, so that is helping us, too. It’s all been worthwhile. And we’re really looking forward now to getting to Goa and seeing the kids’ faces light up again.”