Balodaya School

Balodya was one of the Juniper Trust pioneer projects in 2000. The school classrooms were rebuilt and a bathroom facility was also added to the school. This improved the educational area but also the addition of new bathrooms has led to a more hygienic environment for the pupils. The work was made possible through a generous donation from a KE client. Since the original work additional classrooms have been added to increase the intake of pupils from the village. Though this building work is complete KE clients are welcome to visit the School whilst on their visit to Nepal and we encourage donations to support the school's running and improvement costs.As one of the last few free (non-fee) schools in the area we feel it's imperative that the school continues to provide a high standard of education and be valued by the local community.

King Edward VI Five Ways School from Birmingham have just spent a few days working at the school and getting to know the students. Five Ways arrived equipped with paint, brushes, tools and trees to start on some of the improvements to Balodaya's buildings and grounds requested by the local staff and pupils. After a few introductions the UK and Nepali pupils got themselves organised and were soon hard at it painting classrooms and clearing scrub and litter. The results are brighter, lighter and more welcoming classrooms, a more attractive school building and a cleared and flattened area lined with saplings that we hope will provide a shady outside space for play and learning. The trees will also stabilise the soil reducing erosion in the monsoon rains and offseting some of the carbon generated during the trip.

The visit wasn't all hard work though as Five Ways also brought musical instruments, board games, footballs, cones, stumps, bats and balls (and even a pair of Aston Villa goaly's gloves) for some wildly enthusiastic cricket, soccer and volleyball games (final scores all 2-2). And watch out for some versions of the macarena if you come and visit! Check out the gallery to see what they got up to.

Balodaya school's top priority now is to get hooked up with electricity. The school has latrines, it has water in large ground tanks, but at the moment it has no power to pump the water to the latrines making them barely usable. They need $180 to get connected and will then be able to find the 200 rupees / month for bills themselves. Five Ways school hope to raise this money over the next few months, but any donations would also be greatly appreciated!
The school also needs money for uniforms and shoes for the 103 children on their role: most parents are extremely poor and can barely afford one uniform for all the kids in their family.