Getting to this final Makawanpur school was an adventure all by itself. If we thought the second school was tucked out of the way up on its ridge, Shree Biswa Jyoti was a whole other story. Over an hours drive from Hetuada Bazaar, we crossed dry river beds, drove along jungle dirt tracks and finally, right at the end of the road we found the school.
The kids were studying hard when we arrived, but given it was almost home time, they finished their lessons and joined in the celebration of the official handover.
Given the remote location and difficult road access to this school, it was amazing to see such wonderful new classrooms and also the pride in the head teacher’s and School Management Committee’s members faces at what they had achieved. This school services not only remote, but poor and marginalised communities and the level of commitment by all involved with the school was obvious to see.
After a final round of speeches and thank you; garlands, katas and tikkas we presented the Principal with a bag of sports equipment, to cheers of joy from the children and then took our final group photo before the kids were released for the day and ran off home happy to be free.
We were then treated to a much welcomed, if interesting cup of tea (made with both sugar and Himalayan black salt!), before we started our long journey home as the sun was setting.
A Himalayan thank you to everyone involved with this project. To Hari Bhusal, who coordinated this project on our behalf. Ravindran Kumal, Save the Date Programme Coordinator at Restless Development for working closely with the schools and helping them get all the necessary documents and financial reports to us. The head teacher and School Management Committee members, but most of all the Wishner Family, collectively know as the Wishner5 and all their supporters for funding this new classroom building. You have touched the lives of many and have created an amazing legacy for years to come.