To all you wonderful donors who have been so generous over the last few months, we thoroughly appreciate your kindness when we do know that many of you will also have experience difficult times.
As you know this project is specifically supporting Kushadevi School. And we are very happy to let you know that for now at least, schools - are back!
At Kushadevi we are operating with a bubble system, not dissimilar to schools in the UK. Students wear masks, and attend lessons socially distanced as much as possible.
So far things have started reasonably well considering the changes that the children have experienced over the last year. People from Nepal have always shown their exceptional ability to shrug shoulders, accept what is and make the best of it. This year is no exception.
They have not only seen the danger of COVID, as all of us have, but they have lived through the impact of multiple lockdowns with no welfare support, had to rebuild parts of the school (some of whom and their homes too) after severe flooding and managed the aftermath of a locust swarm destroying many crops. Our team and the whole school community have done a fantastic job - despite all the odds.
As we have seen so often, the children and their families in Kushadevi have shown a strength and resilience. And we see it again now in our students back at school. They are embracing learning and showing an appreciation even more of Kushadevi as a fun, engaging, friendly community within which to learn.
We can’t do what we do at Kushadevi without your support. We would not have the teachers, the resources and the welfare support for the children most in need without you. You continue to ensure that we can provide improved access to and quality of education for children who otherwise would not have the opportunities they now do.
So, Thank you.
And here’s to a safer, happier new year!
Best wishes,
all the FtL Team
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If you support our other projects you will have seen the updates on the fantastic work our staff have been carrying out at all the schools in Kavre with all the children who attend Kushadevi School. Vital work that cannot be done without the support of amazingly generous donors like you. I know we say thank you every newsletter but truly we want you know how grateful we are. At times like these, when as a small charity, we have lost so much income, public donations are making all the difference.
During the ongoing Lockdown (now into the fifth month) all our staff and students have been provided with sanitation packs and reusable masks. Our staff participated in and then led workshops for all the students and families learning how to stay safe and reduce the risk. They have also all been given home learning packs, stationary and mobile teaching support from our staff. Every week staff have called or visited to check in on the school families. Non of this possible without your help. So thank you. ‘Dhanyabhad’.
Apart from the obvious risks of contracting the Coronavirus the impact of lockdown is immeasurable and will have knock-on affects for probably years to come. Not only are the schools and business closed but crops have been left unattended, many badly damaged by locusts this year and flooding has damaged the roads and buildings. Many of the parents who are daily wage workers have lost their income completely. Children and parents have been at home, many without internet connection and access to smart phones as we have here, so don’t have the ability to conduct home learning as easily. The support you give has helped alleviate the situation, keep the children and their families safer and ensured that all of the students have continued their learning.
We sincerely hope that you have all stayed safe during these difficult times and all the team are sending you healthy and positive vibes as we make our way through this pandemic together. All our school communities have gone back into a strict lockdown this month as cases across each of the communities have rise sharply. We are sending them our very best wishes and thinking of them at this difficult time.
The outreach work is continuing and will do so until everyone is back in school. You were amazing in your help to make it happen. Thank you.
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A lot has changed since we last spoke to you. We first would like to express our well wishes to you and your loved ones during this unusual time. Our thoughts are with you all! Our daily lives have changed massively here in the UK but also for our friends in Nepal. Our Schools in Nepal have all closed and lockdown is in place as the government responds to reducing the spread of Coronavirus.
We have been in regular contact with all of our student’s families and checking up how they are doing. Our teachers and Nepali programme manager have spoken all of the families to see how they are managing. Many of the students families have expressed their concern as they are low on food and soap as well as many families having experienced job losses. This is a scary time for both the students and their parents but they are a resilient community - as they proved so well after the Earthquakes in 2015. With cases confirmed in Kushadevi now they know what they are dealing with and are following the Lockdown rules.
Freedom to Learn have set up an emergency fund in response to the feedback from families. We are working to ensure that all our families have access to food, soap and educational resources for the children. The response we have experienced from this has been incredible. We have been especially amazed by Milford-on-Sea Primary School who have taken on the 2.6 challenge and managed to raise just over £1800! All of this money raised is being used directly for the families we work with to reduce the pressures that they are experiencing that has come with Lockdown.
Thank you for supporting Freedom to Learn. We are working hard to support all of our families and students during this time.
It has been a busy few months filled with lots of learning and play at Kushadevi School. Our students are currently enjoying their winter holidays after finishing the term with their termly exams. Our students studied hard and with the guidance from their teachers they all received fantastic results continuing to increase the average grades across Kushadevi School. The tests are a great way to practice everything learned throughout the term and is a helpful indictor for the teachers to see the level of each students individually in order to support them more in 2020.
Teachers and their support staff have been so pleased with how well all our students prepared, and loved seeing how they all supported each other throughout the examination period. It is the great community spirit we are all working towards ensuring the school becomes a thriving heart to the community it serves. All the students were rewarded with a gift of pens and copy books for all their hard studying and teamwork.
Here in the UK we are busy setting up for our next trip to Nepal. This time however we will be going with a team of 7 teaching volunteers from Winchester University for 3 weeks. All of the volunteers will be teaching a range of fun and engaging lessons. As well as teaching they are all fundraising for our schools in and around Kushadevi. Alongside them will be our Trustees, who are going to be visiting all the projects in Kavre, and getting to know the new intake of students and staff who joined last year, plus 'Fireman Frank' from the New Forest who is going to be building playground equipment out of recycled materials - so watch this space for photos!
We are looking forward to welcoming all of them to beautiful Nepal. Whilst there, they will be living with host families and have a unique opportunity to experience what living in rural Nepal is like. We know our students, staff and local families are just as excited as us and they can’t wait to start attending their lessons.
We would also like to congratulate our Ride for Life team Pawan and Sadiksha on the safe arrival of their lovely baby girl. We wish you all the happiness in the world with your new addition to the family.
Thank you once again for choosing to support Freedom to Learn. Without you none of what we do would be possible. We bring a quality education to hundred's of Children in Nepal every year because of all your support.
We wish you all the best,
The Freedom to Learn Team
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As winter is approaching, here at Freedom to Learn we would like to take the time to update you on what has been going on over the last few months in our school. Our students have been engaged as ever in our learning programme at Kushadevi. Our teachers continue to provide quality lessons and ensure students are involved and engaged in a creative learning environment. We want all our students to feel safe and supported in school and we continue to encourage them to pass on their feedback either by taking to a teacher directly or by writing up their thoughts on a slip of paper and putting it in out school listening box. This helps us to improve our students school experience each day.
We were lucky enough to be able to run an art workshop with the students. This workshop focused on life in Kushadevi. After much discussion and idea sharing our students set to work each creating their own piece of art based on life in Kushadevi. Many of our students decided to paint about the traditional housing in Kushadevi and how they are being replaced by concrete buildings, and the impact that has - positive and negative. We invited parents to come and view the art. We are all delighted with the results and the paintings. We really feel that they give you an insight into like in Kushadevi village.
Our students and staff celebrated Dashain earlier this month. Dashain symbolises good over evil. It is a ten-day festival filled with lots of festivities. Our students at Kushadevi planned a special celebration at school filled with music, dancing and fun. It was a special day for everyone involved. We love bringing everyone together within the community when we can.
We hope you have enjoyed our update on some of the things we have been up to recently. We would like to thank you for your continued support and to let you know that your donation makes such an incredible difference to the work we deliver in Nepal. We wish you a wonderful day and thank you for reading.
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