Jason (centre) with Roger and Christine. Picture by Suman Tamang

Darjeeling, April 21: The memory of a teenage schoolgirl who was raped and murdered in faraway UK continues to live in the Darjeeling hills, thanks to links that extend over 4,000 miles. Hannah Foster’s parents might visit Darjeeling at the end of this year to see it for themselves.

Hannah had her life cut short by a rapist. The prime accused, Maninder Singh Kohli, was caught in Kalimpong in July 2004, a little over a year after the murder. The hills shared the Fosters’ nightmare and anguish then.

Four years later, the hills want to share the teenagers’ unfulfilled dream — that of becoming a doctor — with her parents. Hannah Memorial Academy, first started by Jason Lepcha with the Rs 3.75 lakh he got as reward for helping to track down Kohli, now has 122 students. There were only 22, when the English-medium school was first set up in Dooteriah Tea Garden, 21 km from Darjeeling town

The hills owe the growth to Roger Mactaverty and Christine Browning, a couple from Hamton, UK, and the most important link.

“We had come to Darjeeling in November 2006 and while driving up, Jason told us about his school. One day we visited it and that was how it all started,” said Roger, who is a retired lawyer back home.

What followed was a chain reaction. The couple went back and collected funds. They also informed the Fosters. Soon the tin roofed building became a concrete structure and teachers’ salaries were no longer a problem. Students — most of them children of garden workers — are also given free textbooks. Land for the school was donated earlier by Jason’s family.

“We were so lucky to have had a decent education and provided the same for our children too. Hannah had gone out never to return and when our (two) daughters go out we also stay awake waiting for them. The school reminded us of all these,” said Roger. Jason said the academy also sponsors students in other institutions after they complete their Standard IV from this school.

Helen Wilde heard about Jason’s project in London and extended the maximum help. Wilde is part of a group of philanthropists who meet twice a year and decide to help genuine and good projects. “I gave a seven minute presentation to the members and they were impressed,” said Christine.

The couple now feels that the sustainability of the project is their responsibility.

“We must ensure that poor children — some of whom want to become doctors like Hannah — have a reason to look forward to life,” said Jason.