SDG 4: Help All Children Access Education in Nepal

Summer season brings with it enthusiastic and engaged young people as part of our groups season. This has seen a huge effort in completing large scale school renovations.

The last 3 months have seen the bulk of the monsoon rains come and go with varying degrees of intensity. We have seen the lush green rice paddy fields spring forth with vigour and the water buffalo laze quietly in the lake lagoons along the road to our projects. 

Monsoon season is when we typically host many of our group programs, with students from all around the world descending on Pokhara to assist communities and trek through some beautiful landscapes. 

As part of our groups and Under 18 programs run in the last quarter, we have made significant progress in our partner schools to the renovation of classrooms. 

At Simpani Government School we completed the renovation of 7 classrooms and a staff room. This included stripping back the walls of old posters and scrubbing them clean, puttying and sanding back damaged areas. The groups then primed and painted the walls, and finished it all off with a scrub of the floor and desk benches. Over 50 students and young people were involved in helping to get this done. It was a huge effort and we were thankfully supported by passionate group's staff who jumped in to help us during this busy time. 

Painting at Dhungeshal Government School has also involved one of the groups who managed to complete 2 classrooms, a remaining 3 classrooms were completed by regular volunteers in the following month. The regular volunteers also managed to complete giving the outside of the building a fresh coat of paint, finishing off by cutting in around the window frames and doors. 

We have begun to assist in the building of a new toilet block at Yamdi Government School. The school had received a grant to help fund this, and we are contributing a small portion as well for basic materials, as well as helping with labour. The toilet block will meet a much needed demand in the school, which currently has no safe toilet access, especially for very young students. As part of the toilet block, a disability access ramp, and more disability conscious style bathroom is being installed, as part of government and local efforts to be more accessible for people needing disability access. 

A healthcare intern designed and with the assistance of several fellow volunteers, built 2 raised garden beds at Pame Government School. We also planted a number of fruit trees. The idea is that children can have lessons on growing food sustainably and have produce to take home. Each class will be assigned a different role: weeding, watering, harvesting etc. 

Teaching coordinator Rhythm, recently completed his ILM (International Leadership Management) course and with discussion at Hemja Government School, decided to renovate a space to be used for a computer lab/computer lessons. The walls were stripped back and painted, installing painted artwork of computers, to create an engaging and fun space for children to learn and practise using IT equipment. Next step the installation of the computer and printer! 

Our food programs continue to run in Male Patan and Boy's Home, where access to food ensures that learning outcomes are maximised.

As the year continues we are reminded of the generosity of so many people who chose to work alongside us. By choosing to support our work, you not only provide financial assistance to the projects, but you bolster the hope and belief amongst the community that they deserve to be supported and given opportunities. It inspires staff to continue striving for better and reminds all of us of the power of generosity. We look forward to welcoming new and existing funders into our journey this year.