St. Christopher's School, Bahrain supporting UWS Nepal
Students and staff at St. Christopher's School, Bahrain are continuing their charity drive for the United World Schools projects, which in the past year has involved raising funds to build and run a school in Gurase, Nepal.
The past year has been extraordinary for UWS Nepal and the communities they work with. May marked the one-year anniversary of the devastating Nepal earthquakes, and as the St Chris School opened in the same month as a real symbol of hope for the region.
As the second UWS school to open in Nepal, Gurase has also been a model for the four UWS schools which have followed, and the past few months have focussed on resource development and teacher capacity building. As the monsoon comes to an end, the teams are focussing on making the classrooms brighter and more engaging spaces for learning.
The start of the monsoon season in July marked the start of rice planting season in Nepal, meaning that many of the children who usually attend school every day are needed to help their parents in the rice fields. Rural communities such as Gurase have also been celebrating the Nepali festival of Ropai, during which villagers head to the fields singing traditional folk songs to herald a good harvest over the coming months. Nevertheless, UWS Gurase has remained open throughout this period, and more and more children are starting to attend.
Emma Tierney, Development Associate at the UWS said “it is thanks to St Christopher’s School that UWS Gurase continues to develop.” Kristina Bourner, Community Service Coordinator at St Chris also received the story of Pasang, a local boy attending the school.
She recalls: “At 8 years old, Pasang used to spend his days helping his grandmother and working with his parents in the fields. Like the rest of his family, Pasang thought he would become a rice farmer as there were few other opportunities available to him. Since attending school, Pasang’s daily routine and prospects have been greatly changed.
He now gets up early to help his parents, yet he always arrives on time for school! Pasang particularly enjoys reading story books and learning English songs. For Pasang, having a place to learn skills such as reading, writing and counting is something that he, or his parents, never thought possible. He now has hopes of becoming a teacher and passing on his enjoyment of learning!”
UWS have worked hard to work in harmony with the traditional ways of life in the village. Over the summer months, many of the classmates have spent time with friends and family in the fields, working throughout the busy rice planting season. Rice being the main source of income and staple diet of agricultural communities like these, it is an important part of the year. During this time, the village community celebrated Ropai festival – which heralds the beginning of the monsoon – and enjoyed dancing and feasting. As the monsoon draws to an end, the students are once again looking forward to focussing on their studies.
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