Education
We are currently working with three schools:
We do not hand over any money directly to any of the schools – we purchase all the books, stationery, science equipment etc. and donate them. For building work, we buy all the raw materials required and fund the labour costs. This approach ensures that every penny is used solely for projects and nothing else, as we have no overheads, salaries or miscellaneous expenses, and can guarantee that we know where every pound is going.
Medical Projects
Peace Garden School
Peace Garden School
In 2001 we raised £15,000 and started building what is now ‘Peace Garden School’.
This project – to build the school in a very poor rural area – was conceived by Fig in conjunction with Birkdale School, near Sheffield, Yorkshire. Birkdale school seniors and staff travel annually to Nepal during the school holidays to assist with teaching as part of this ongoing project.
The number of pupils has grown to 320, as we (Fig and Birkdale School) have added more classrooms to the original twelve. As well as digging a well to provide water for proper sanitation and washing facilities, we have also provided computers, science equipment, library and healthcare information. We have also sent one teacher per year on a UNICEF course.
We are currently conducting a medical examination of all the children to see if they conform to the UNICEF standards for height and weight. Although this is part of our Vitamin A programme, we are currently considering raising funds to provide a basic meal of the right balance to the children under the age of 8 and to stimulate height and body weight.
This help is getting results – the school has managed to send 8 students to the University, who have come through the school from the start time. In the last 3 years, the school has consistently increased number of pupils passing their SLC (School leaving certificate) in First Division.
Noble Education System
Noble Education System
This 3-year old school is in the countryside, with no support from the community. It is self-funded, but is very poor and has no amenities whatsoever to support the 120 pupils (3 – 16 years old) that attend, most of whom come from extremely poor agricultural backgrounds. Even the classrooms are divided in two by hardboard dividers due to lack of space. The electricity supply to the school is variable with only one 60-watt light bulb in each classroom.
Fig has taken on the challenge of providing some infrastructure and health support for the school. So far we have provided a library for all age groups as well some basic science apparatus that enables some of the older students to perform experiments that come under the curriculum.
We have funded and implemented a health plan that covers the provision of toothbrushes, vitamin A and de-worming tablets – a very important, yet often overlooked aspect of childrens’ health in Nepal. The plan is replicated every six months. We have also introduced a system to monitor the state of the school toilets.
In future, we hope to help by providing a better electricity supply, better lighting in the classrooms, brightening up the classrooms to give a better learning atmosphere, and to dig a well to provide water, allowing us to introduce flushing toilets and improve the overall sanitation.
Bungmati School
The girls at Bungmati School hostel
The school is in a remote rural area and is often short of financial support for some of its infrastructure projects. This school managed to raise enough money to build a hostel for girls attending the school whose homes are too far away to be able to commute. However, despite amassing the funds for the building itself, the beds, bedding and furniture were very low quality; the girls were in fact sleeping on straw mattresses.
Fig was able to provide funds to for new beds, proper mattresses and bed linen as well as lockable cupboards for each girl. We provided the school with sporting facilities including a basketball court and a new science laboratory. We also sponsored two of the teachers to attend a teachers’ course at UNICEF.
Medical Projects
The Burns Unit at Bir Hospital, Kathmandu
The Bir Hospital in Kathmandu is estate-run, has a serious lack of funding and is in very poor condition. Their burns unit has only five beds and all of the staff who work there do so voluntarily. It treats the very poor mostly rural people who do not have acces to funds to buy medicine or “a doctor’s time”
The majority of people being treated have fallen into open cooking fires in their villages. Many young children are severley burnt this way and most die.
Fig paid for the ward to be repainted and donated mattresses and sheets for the beds. We also provided roll-up bedding to enable relatives to stay overnight, as patients are totally dependent on outside help for food and for assistance in feeding themselves.