Friends of Midnapore NEWSLETTER - April 2021

Jack Easter • Jan 15, 2021

Supporting pre-primary schools in West Bengal

Sadly Maggie is unable to visit the Midnapore village schools
this year. She is missing the familiar scenes of village life at this
attractive time of the year. The climate is gently warming,
mosquitoes are few, farmers are ankle deep in water, planting
the fresh green shoots of the paddy crop and the vegetable
gardens are full of cabbages, cauliflower and tomatoes. It’s a

pleasure to drive the dusty roads on Kustav’s motorbike as we
happily exchange school news that he can share as the
schools supervisor. Approaching each village we would hear
the guiding voice of the teacher and the loud enthusiastic
responses from the students.
However, these are happy memories from other years.

To enable me to write this newsletter, I have emailed the project

accountant, Kundan, who knows the villages well. He tells me

that the schools are closed but plan to open in April.

The teachers keep in contact with parents by home visits and

phone calls. Encouraging parents with home schooling knows

no boundaries.


We have continued to pay the teachers’

salaries to help support their families as many husbands have

lost their work. Kundan says there is little virus sickness but

there is scarcity of food, poverty and some breakdown in

family and village life.


So, it’s ever important that we continue to give our reliable help

to the village schools. The young students will benefit from the

security of the family atmosphere of their school communities.

They will continue to build the foundations of their future

education in the care of their committed teachers.


Please will you help us to fulfil this aim

with your continuing support


AN IMPORTANT CHANGE


Please note that Youth Education Service is no longer lookingafter our finances. We are happy that Shiva Charity reg no1045197 is now managing all funds. If you wish to donateeither a single payment or by making a direct debit, please contact Shiva Charity.

By Jack Easter 24 Apr, 2021
Beautiful West Bengal – change and continuity – paddy fields recently flooded to create vast lucrative fish farms, shimmering reflections of squat red-roofed village houses and diving water birds. Yet we find continuity and stability in the small rural villages where our schools serve their communities. As ever, my annual visit reassures me that good work is happening here. The teachers run their schools with a confidence coming from the daily practice of their skills yet they are ever open to new ideas and innovation.
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