Improve education for Nepali girls and minorities

 The students at Dhadkharka Primary School in Nepal don’t have to sit on the floor anymore.

 For the 150 students there in kindergarten through 5^th grade, Santi School provided:

• 30 pairs of desks and benches (each pair can accommodate 3-5 students).
• 5 sets of large tables and chairs
• 5 book racks
• carpeting for 2 classrooms and 60 mats for students in kindergarten, first and second grade
• whiteboards with markers (instead of chalkboards and chalk),

 The furniture arrived last month. The school is located in the same general area of central Nepal as our other projects, about a day’s journey from the capital, Kathmandu.

Mahesh Dahal, an alumnus of the school who now lives in Northern Virginia and serves on our board of trustees, helped raise funds for the project, and the community contributed some labor as well.

At a small ceremony to unveil the new furniture, local activists and politicians joined the school's teachers to express their gratitude.

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Links:

• news item on our web site
• background info about Dhadkharka Primary School
• Like us on Facebook!

The Santi School Project is providing new furniture and other classroom improvements for 150 students at Dhadkharka Primary School in Nepal. Students at the school have been sitting on the floor.

The work—which includes new desks, benches, white boards, carpet and seat cushions, as well as teaching materials—will be completed by the end of November. The total cost is estimated at $4,400.

The local community has agreed to contribute 20 percent of the total cost, a stipulation that is required of all of our projects. The Santi School Project and Mahesh Dahal, an alumnus of the school and a member of our board of directors, will raise the remaining amount.

Dhadkharka Primary School is located in the Kavre district of central Nepal, about a two and a half hour drive from Dolalghat, the nearest town. The classrooms were originally built in 1990 with support from the local government and village residents.

Two new classroom buildings were constructed recently because the threat of erosion from landslides made the original structure unsafe. However, the school lacked funds to replace its furniture, which had fallen apart after 20 years of use. 

TO LEARN MORE AND MAKE A DONATION:  bit.ly/dhadkharka

Links:

• More information about Dhadkharka Primary School

CONSTRUCTION FINISHED ON BHATTE PRIMARY SCHOOL

We’ve completed another reconstruction project! The “silapatra” (dedication stone) that records for posterity the contributions by the Santi School Project and our partner, Youth For Nepal, was put in place just a few days ago. It was the final touch on work that began back in November.

The construction work was substantial (building a new block of 4 classrooms from scratch) and came in on budget, with the villagers donating their time and raw materials as promised.

Currently, about 100 students from kindergarten to 5th grade attend the school; the principal estimates that enrollment may increase by as much as 15% to 20% after declining because of poor infrastructure.

WORK HAS ALREADY STARTED ON OUR NEXT PROJECT

Overcrowding has forced Shree Vishwamitra Ganesh Secondary School to hold classes in private homes that are scheduled to be demolished. We’re providing funds in combination with a government grant to build a new 2-story, 4-room school building.

The school has more than 300 students up to grade 10 and has a strong academic reputation. 

Rabindra Maharjan, chairman of our operations in Nepal, raised the funds for the project last summer while he was in Imst, Austria, for the annual NepalFest celebration.

REWARDING OUR TOP TEACHERS-IN-TRAINING

Earlier this month, at a ceremony that included in attendance prominent local politicians and education officials, we honored 3 teachers and 3 schools who have done the best job of implementing the principles of our early education teacher training in their classrooms.

The winners were chosen during a month-long series of classroom observations. The teachers were given a cash prize; the schools received educational materials.

The contest was part of modifications we’ve made to our teacher training program to provide additional incentives for teachers in rural areas to use the training with their students.

“MY ONLY REGRET IS THAT I DIDN’T STAY LONGER”

 Australian Clem Yong volunteered at Santi School in March and shares what he calls “one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.” He came prepared with lesson plans, helped our students write letters to new pen pals in Australia and even found time to run a short first aid course. Thanks, Clem!

Links:

• Photo album on Facebook. Like us while you're there!
• Details about our teacher training program
• Volunteer Clem Yong writes about his time with us