Rotary club members given an ‘A’ for Nepal education project

Schools: Club aims to raise £115,000 to deliver teacher training

Kirriemuir Rotary Club has embarked on another ambitious six-figure project in its continuing support for earthquakeravaged Nepalese communities.

Having already played a pivotal role in the rebuilding of a school in the Syangja district of the nation struck by the catastrophic earthquake of April 2015, the Angus club’s next partnership with Gurkha counterparts aims to raise more than £100,000 to put in place toilets for hundreds of youngsters.

But the project’s reach will also extend beyond bricks and mortar with a plan to develop proper training for teachers.

Rotarian Barbara Lovegrove said: “Some of our club members self-funded a visit to Nepal in 2017 and had the opportunity to visit a number of schools there.

“The Shree Jiwan Jyoti secondary school, where we had funded the rebuilding of classrooms and the building of a toilet block, had two toilets for the entire school prior to our funding.

“The school had 562 pupils and one of the toilets was in the headmaster’s office.

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There is an enormous need to bring about substantial and longlasting changes inthe educational provision in rural Nepal

“We have a plan for making sure that all schools in the Syangja District with more than 200 pupils have a toilet block with water and sanitation facilities and the Rotary Club of the Himalayan Gurkhas (RCHG) are our partners.

“We also realised there was another equally big and important issue, with many of the teachers either poorly trained or having no training at all.

“There is an enormous need to bring about substantial and long-lasting changes in the educational provision in rural Nepal.

“Working with the RCHG and the charity First Steps Himalaya we would like to introduce an early years education support programme to the schools in Syangja District.

Working with their international partners, the Kirrie Rotarians aim to support plans to kit out classrooms, train teachers and provide continuing local supervision through a two-year initiative, with a three-year follow-up period.

“The sum we need to raise to implement the whole programme is £115,000, but we are confident with the help of the community we will achieve that target.”

A quiz night in Northmuir Hall on Saturday, the club’s Easter Sunday duck race in the Den, a ladies’ afternoon tea in June, golf tournament and September Town Hall dinner will all raise money.

Anyone wishing to offer support or make a donation can also contact Barbara Lovegrove on 01575 560267.

gbrown@thecourier.co.uk

Shree Jiwan Jyoti secondary school pupils in the Syangja District of Nepal where Kirriemuir Rotary Club will be continuing its efforts to boost education.