October 2013
Theeee time has flown by since my last update, but I never cease to be amazed by the progress I see all around me, which is made possible thanks to your support.
Classrooms are cheerful, teachers are taking the initiative in their lessons and small children are learning in positive environments.
I hope you enjoy seeing how your support’s making good education a reality for some of Nepal’s poorest children.
Making resources from rubbish
These days the classrooms are such bright and happy places compared to when I first arrived.
The once bare stone walls are now covered with colourful displays of the children’s work – not to mention some great posters and charts the teachers have made to reinforce learning.
Muna, an excellent early-years teacher, has been making lots of her own classroom resources out of old advert posters I salvaged from mobile phone shops in Pokhara that were about to be thrown away.
They come complete with an attached rope which makes them easy to hang in the classrooms, and are made of thin plastic, so they’re really long lasting and resistant to the damp and wet walls that the schools tend to have in the monsoon.
Teachers lead the way
The old-style lessons, in which pupils copied from the board or chanted lines after their teacher, have been replaced by fun and interactive sessions which the children really enjoy.
Teachers now give equal time and opportunities to all children – including girls and children from Dalit families – meaning everyone feels welcome and has the chance to learn and do the best they can.
I feel very humbled by the dedication of the teachers who, despite low pay and challenging conditions, are really working hard to improve things in their schools.
With one in three of the Nepali population aged under 15, education has the potential for lifting this generation – and the entire country – out of poverty.
It’s fantastic to see teachers’ confidence and motivation grow as they take control of the new approach in the classroom, using their own ideas and creativity to bring dry textbook material to life.
This sense of ownership is really important because, at the end of the day, it’s these teachers who can help bring about long-term change to the quality of education in Nepal.
Madhab the science guru
For example, Madhab, a science teacher at school, has created a winding box where pupils can learn the names of different fruits and vegetables in a fun and interactive way.
He has also made a set of traffic lights to show the children how they work and teach them about road safety.
Madhab made these using kit from the science resources and stationery materials that I was able to buy for school with VSO grants.
So, again, it’s thanks to you that these great things can happen.
New blackboards thanks to you
I also find that basic everyday things that we take for granted in the UK can make a big difference too.
For example, since I’ve been here my colleagues have had to manage with ancient blackboards in a terrible state of repair – full of holes and chips that teachers struggled to find smooth surfaces to write on.
Luckily I’ve been able to use the last of a small grant from VSO to buy some new boards for all the schools. We ordered them from furniture shops in each of the villages, which not only meant we received the new equipment quickly, but we were able to support local business along the way.
The teachers are delighted to have decent blackboards at last, and the pupils are more eager than ever to take turns writing on the boards and cleaning them at the end of lessons.
Giving children life-skills
Recently I’ve been running some interesting training sessions for the teachers on how to help children become aware of their own thinking and learning, which is an important part of teacher training in the UK.
The aim is to help students take control of their own learning and become more independent – that is, to become ‘active learners’ instead of relying on the teacher to tell them what to do next all the time.
These are vital skills that will help the children not just in school, but throughout their lives. The teachers have really enjoyed these sessions, and are committed to sharing them with teachers in other schools across the district.
As you can imagine, this is really encouraging for me, but it also supports VSO’s aim of making changes sustainable by empowering local people.
An emotional visit
I am able to see on a daily basis the progress that’s made in the schools in my area. It’s amazing to think how much has changed, and how effective VSO’s approach is, thanks to your support
This really hit me recently, when I had the chance to revisit a fellow VSO volunteer’s school, which I hadn’t seen since I first arrived.
I was completely bowled over by the change. A school I remembered as having empty, dark classrooms and a slightly gloomy feel, has been transformed into a cheerful, welcoming place, full of wonderful displays – and happy children.
It even has a beautiful new science garden that the teachers and pupils helped to create.
Once an unsightly patch of waste ground, it now has a pond with fish and lots of different types of plants that the children can identify.
Seeing my colleague’s great work and comparing the school now with photos from our first visit made me realise just how far we’ve come and how much we’re achieving in the schools.
It really reinforced my view of the positive impact that volunteering can have on helping communities provide good education and overcome poverty.
Understanding the importance of education
People here are really seeing the value of education for their children, and they are very grateful for the difference your support is making.
I hope that, as a result, many children who wouldn’t have attended school or would have been taken out early to work in the home or the fields, will now get the chance to learn.
The community continues to be so welcoming and generous – the teachers have overwhelmed me with their kindness and generosity, despite having so little themselves.
People are beginning to remember I won’t be here forever, and because they’re so generous, everyone is planning farewell picnics and inviting me for food – I literally have a rota of whose houses I am staying at on which days over the next month.
I will really miss time in the villages with all the teachers and children. Remembering playing snap with a family for hours on end whilst everyone continually shrieked with laughter will always bring a smile to my face.
I hope you enjoy reading about all that’s happening here, and feel rewarded by seeing the real improvements you’re making and the effect of these on children’s lives – not just today, but for many years to come.
Until next time,
Beth
Kaski, Nepal
