PSD is working with community leaders in Harmi, Gorkha to rebuild a school that was damaged beyond repair in the recent earthquake. This school serves 479 children in grades 1 through 10. Getting these kids back in school not only keeps their education on track, but also helps restore a sense of normalcy after the trauma of the earthquake and its aftermath. While construction is underway, we will support the children with temporary classrooms, extracurricular activities, and counseling services.
For each day that the school remains closed, the students fall further behind in their education, and the dropout risk increases. Parents can become more susceptible to the pitches of traffickers who promise to put their children in good schools in the city. More immediately, while schools are closed, children remain at home, surrounded by the destruction of the earthquake, and the grief and anxiety of its aftermath. A return to school will provide a respite from this stressful environment.
PSD will partner with the community to rebuild the school. We will also provide benches, desks, sports equipment and educational materials (books, writing materials, art supplies, etc.). While construction is underway, we will provide temporary shelters where teachers can conduct classes and extracurricular activities that engage the children. Finally, we will provide counseling training to the teachers, who will use this training to help the children cope with the trauma of recent events.
By reopening their school as quickly as possible, we will help ensure that the children remain safe and are able to continue their education. A return to the familiar school environment, coupled with counseling, will help reduce the risk of longer-lasting emotional trauma. By supporting their education and emotional health, we help put these kids on a path toward finding good jobs as adults, and breaking the cycle of unemployment and poverty in their community.
