A Story of Hope...

Last weekend we made another visit to Nalang VDC in Dhading to Jaleswory Primary School. The construction of the building that you all so generously funded is now finished! White paint and blue animals now cover the outside. But there is more…

In the meantime the local education government and village have been in touch to update the local government of the building of the school. The community requested for the government to fund the building of the rest of the school (a side building with a teacher and meeting room). The government agreed and this part of the school, except for a layer of paint, is now also finished! We and the community were very happy about this progress.

We also received more donations in the meantime (thank you!!), and discussed future plans with the school community. On the short term, we are hoping to finalize new benches and tables. Ideally, wood would come from the community forest, but there is currently not enough wood to cut sustainably. We may have to buy wood on the market at a more expensive price. We also would like to build a fence around the school to keep out the animals and make a separation with the new improvised road that now carries a bus. Also, we would like to provide a new set of pens, notebooks, and a few books (school books are generally donated by the government).

In the more distant future, we would like to see if we could upgrade the school. Currently, the school is allowed to teach 1^st through 3^rd grades. It would be great if we could discuss with the government the possibility to teach 4^th and 5^th grades as well. In addition, we discussed the possibility to have volunteers stay and teach the teachers for short periods in Nalang. And it may also be possible to start scholarships for further study for a number of underprivileged children in the area. Alternatively, we may start the construction of a day care center for very young children in the area. Please let us know your thoughts on these ideas, and other possibilities!

We have an updated account of expenses. Please let us know if you would like to receive this.

As the title suggests, we were really content after our visit. Where before there was an old leaking hot and broken overcrowded shack there is now a concrete good looking spacious school. We had a small ceremony with loads of flowers and a tika to celebrate this effort. There were already more children at the school than there were when we visited, and the community greatly appreciates the improvements. Hope there may be more…

Here are some pictures.

Very best,

Lok and Wietse

Great progress in building

On January 23rd and 24th, Lok and I went to Nalang again to look at how the building of the school is progressing and to deliver a bundle of rupees for made costs (below an overview of the financial situation). We arrived a little late because we were involved in a small accident (only material damage). Unfortunately, this turned out to be a case example of how corruption plays out in Nepal (Nepal currently ranks 143/ 180 on the Corruption Perception Index). Within minutes of the accident at Tankhot, a group of people - who seemed very well organized - surrounded the accident site to pressure and control the traffic police's decision on the case. While walking out of the office there, we heard people complain out loud about the direct way in which an under the table arrangement was proposed.

When all was over, Lok and I took the chance to taste the local momo's on the way.

On arriving, both Lok and I broke into big smiles...the new building looks excellent (photo's on the blog, top right). New walls are supporting a new roof, and the carpentry looks great.

The next day we were able to see the work in progress; really good to see how the parents are engaged in one way or the other. What is left now is buying cement for plastering the walls and making the floor.

As I am writing, Lok calls me that Hari Ram has arrived to collect money to pay for the cement. So...hopefully more report on progress soon.

Below, please find Lok's report on the finances received and spent so far

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Jaleswari Primary School (Banjagara, Nalang VDC, Dhading, Nepal) School Re-Building Projects: 2009/2010

Priority List:

1. 3 class rooms – re-building: works in Progress…

2. Benches of three class rooms.

3. Chairs for teachers and visitors.

4. Two more rooms for teachers and library … (to be built by next year …under condition/source of fund).

5. Meeting table and playground…

6. Other awareness programs /sanitation for the teachers and the villagers.

Cost estimations:

-- Walls and wages: Rs. 50,000 – done

-- Carpenters and woods: Rs. 30,000 – done

-- Fees to community forest: Rs. 1,000 – done

-- Roof + Transports: Rs. 35,750 – done

Others…estimated

-- Cement: Rs. 65,000 – approximately…

-- Sand: Rs. 40,000 – approximately…

-- wage contract for plaster: Rs. 30,000

-- Utility /door lucks: Rs. 2,500

-- Class room benches (15): Rs. 30,000 – approximately

-- Black-board (3): Rs. 5,000

-- Teachers’ chairs (5): ---- NA ----

-- Meeting table: ---- NA ----

-- Two more rooms to be built ---- NA ----

Source of fund (collected):

1. Funds collected in the Netherlands: Rs. 196,895 --

2. Fund Collected from Canadian guests(Neil and Gail) Rs. 48,000 --

3. Fund from Lok’s office Rs. 2,000 –-

4. Fund from another Canadian guestC/O Wanda Rs. 20,526

-Expenses - for the work in progress:

1. Cost for Car transfers (NOV.09): Rs. 3800 -(For Lok + Wietse to visit school)

2. Cash given to school (DEC.02) Rs. 30,000 –

3. Cash given to school (DEC.30) Rs. 50,000 –

4. Cash given to school (JAN.23) Rs. 70,000 –

5. Cost for Car transfers (JAN.23) Rs. 3800 -(For Lok+Wietse to visit school)