Supporting Local Schools

Umbrella knows the best gift we can give children is a strong education. For this reason education is at the forefront of Umbrella's priorities in all projects. The women of Gurje also know the importance of education and so when Umbrella offered to develop their community, education was the first request of the mothers.

School attendance was a problem in the village schools. With run down schools, with no windows, falling roofs, crumbling walls and with no class room equipment such as benches, chairs, or blackboards, it is no wonder that children were not running to class. 

Umbrella have completely renovated four local schools.

1.Gurje School:  The construction of two classrooms was started by the Nepali Government but was not completed due to poor budget management. The school has no choice but to use the incomplete rooms, leaving the children exposed to the harsh Nepali winters. Umbrella continued with the construction of these two classrooms. Umbrella are now putting in level concrete floors, finishing the walls including plastering inside and out and fitting windows and doors. We are also providing blackboards, a water supply and have fit 3 separate solar lighting systems.

2.Gurung Gaun School:  This school is one of the oldest schools in the village area and was falling down around the children. Falling walls left the children again, exposed to the elements. We fitted all of the windows and doors, supplied blackboards and a water supply, plastered and painted the walls and fit 2 solar lighting systems.

3.Arkhaule Top:  An extension on to the building to be used as a kitchen for the Food for Education Programme was buit. All of the classrooms were painted and a water supply was brought to the school.  4.Arkhaule Bottom:  A new building consisting of 2 classrooms and a kitchen for the Food for Education Programme was built, and a water supply was brought to the school.

Of the schools, Gurje is the largest school and is both under-staffed and under-funded. As the schools are all government run schools the department o education supplies the teachers, the salaries however are not adequate to secure qualified, motivated teachers. Umbrella provide salaries for 2 extra teachers and provide voluntary teachers for English classes. 

Stationery support is given to 5 schools; copies, pencils, pens, ink and maths sets. This small amount of help goes a long way in schools with children who cannot afford even the most basic stationary costs.

With the help of 2 dedicated teams of SolHimal volunteers we have set up complete kitchens in the 4 schools which have the Food for Education (FFE) Programme. This included fitting windows, doors and shelving units, fixing leaking roofs and plastering level floors and walls. The FFE programme has increased school attendance by 300% in Gurje school.