LOCAL charity Khandel-Light is going under the spot-light as it enters its tenth year. Rachael Freeth, 22, a graduate of the University College London, is travelling to 25 villages which benefit from the charity s funds to evaluate health, education, wor

LOCAL charity Khandel-Light is going under the spot-light as it enters its tenth year.

Rachael Freeth, 22, a graduate of the University College London, is travelling to 25 villages which benefit from the charity's funds to evaluate health, education, work, and water projects being undertaken.

Khandel-Light, which is based in Barley and Chrishall, provides aid for poverty-stricken villagers in the Rajasthan area of India.

Dr Peter Gough, founder of Khandel-light, said: "I think it will be a really valuable study. We are very excited about it. It is the first study to assess the involvement of the community in our project.

"She will find it a testing exercise for herself but we feel she is up to it. It is the hottest time of the year there - temperatures of 46 degrees Celsius. She will be living in the village on her own but there are villagers who speak some English," he said.

Rachael, who is planning a 2,000 word report containing recommendations for Khandel-light, will be measuring the empowerment of women - a particular feature of Khandel-light's work - to see how far women have moved from traditional roles in the household and in water gathering into more political levels.

She said: "I hope to pinpoint the benefits Khandel-light has brought to women and evaluate the future of projects in developing countries - the job market, control over their own income, education and health.