The winner of The Times/Sternberg Active Life Award was announced today as Sylvia Holder, 74, who is the founder of the Venkatraman Memorial Trust, for her dedication to improving the education of the children of Kovalam, India.
She set up the trust in 2004, aged 66, to improve education for the children of the seaside town in Kerala.
Her work provided a run-down primary school with three new buildings, qualified teachers, furniture, computers, books and two uniforms for each of the children. Literacy rates have now risen from 60 per cent to 90 per cent at the school and attendance has improved.
The trust has also been able to provide a tuition centre and sports field for the school, and fees are paid for