Assessment Summary and Recommendations for The Babu Chirri Primary School in Chhulemu, Taksindu.

Participants:

Babu Sherpa (Karma)

KimberlyPease (President, Nameste)

Bob Uppington Chairman SHIVA Charity)

Anil Thapa (SHIVA Charity Project Manager)

Our first stop was Akang, where the first Babu Chhiri School was built The school building is in good shape, however as in most Nepalese schools, the lighting is extremely poor.

The construction of the school was completed in January 2001. Thirty-five children were expected to attend; this number came from the village committee leader. However only eleven children were attending on a regular basis. The committee leader also indicated that the other expected children were probably working at home or in the fields.

There was one teacher for the Akang School, a young local village girl. She was doing a good job with the tools available.

Bob Uppington from SHIVA Charity, brought an English-speaking teacher from Darjeeling. With Jaganath’s help we hope to see more students in school in the next two months. SHIVA Charity is sponsoring the children so that there is long term monthly funding of the teachers’ salary and school supplies.

We had an outside meeting with the teacher, some committeee members, and all the students, where Bob explained how SHIVA Charity would participate, and I told how excited I was to be involved in the Babu Chhiri Memorial Foundation.

We were all covered in Khadas and the opening ceremony was held. A new sign was hung and the ribbon was cut, and lots of photos were taken.

Our next stop was Chhulemu, Babu Chhiri’s village, where we enjoyed the company and hospitality of his family. His parents, three brothers, Tendy, Pasang, and Kale and three sisters, Phuti, Janchhi and Ang Phurrba all live in this remote village.

A fifteen minute walk from Tendy’s house is the site of the new school, which is right next to a functioning primary government school.

Apart from poor lighting and falling doors, the government school is in good condition. However it is too small for its fifty plus students. There are four very small classrooms plus an office and a supply room in one long building. There are no teachers’ quarters, and the current English teacher does not speak English!

We had an outdoor meeting with the committee members, mothers and the children. One young boy read in English and answered a few questions. He is an excellent student. This should not be surprising as I have discovered that Sherpas in general are very bright and very uick learners.

I expressed my enthusiasm to help build the new Babu Chhiri School, and Bob explained how SHIVA Charity would participate with the ongoing educational side of things. We were all very happy and this time we were buried under more khadas.

In contrast to government schools, which lack quality teachers and are rarely maintained, private schools have better teachers, better facilities, and are usually well maintained. Babu Chhiri wanted to build a private school in his village.

Honoring Babu Chhiri is the first priority of the BCMF. The following are my suggestions.

1. Change the existing building to five classrooms with skylights.
2. Build both male and female teachers quarters with room for volunteers, shower facilities and a kitchen.
3. Build a large Resource Center. The Center would be the areas where the children can draw, color, paint, play with clay, listen to, or read stories. In general the Center would provide a place for children to use their imagination. It would also serve as the library and supply area. And the office would be attached to the Center.
4. Consider using the Resource Center as a Vocational Learning Center where students of any age could learn a specific trade such as book keeping, environment education, first aid, mountain tourism, electricity and solar installation, telephone installation and more.
5. Continue raising money for the building project.

IMPLEMENTATION

1. Confirm land area.
2. Design structures based on available site.
3. Begin the process to have the Babu Chhiri School recognized.
4. Determine costs, materials, labor and school supplies not included in the scope of SHIVA Charity.
5. Find and confirm donations.
6. The school building to begin when the school lets out for the winter in early December.
7. Begin advertising for volunteer teachers for the new semester.

I plan on visiting the site from time to time so I can view the progress and update contributors and newsletters.

As of August 13^th 2001, I have pledged $10,000 USD towards the construction of the Babu Chhiri Primary School and vocational Center in Chhulemu, Nepal.

SHIVA Charity, Bob Uppington, has pledged to raise funds via the sponsorship of students, which includes another teacher from Darjeeling (where there is proper teacher training) and supplies. Bob explained that, with the help of funding from Tom Fisher, eighteen months of sponsorship is already covered. However to guarantee long term full time education and equipment funding, individual student sponsorship on a monthly basis will be needed.

It is an honor to be involved with such a meaningful Foundation. I pray that all the projects and goals of the Babu Chhiri Memorial Foundation are realized.

Kimberly Pease (President Nameste)