Nepal: A School for Her Granddaughter

Bishnu Maya Gurung, age 60, woke up a little early that day anticipating what was on the horizon.  She cooked and cleaned around the house, hoisted her granddaughter on to her back and made her way on foot to the Shree Lamaguru Secondary School.  It takes her approximately 15 minutes to walk from her house to the school; it was the school her kids attended and last she heard, it was now in shambles and needed major attention.

She was well aware of the school's existence since it had been established in 1974 -- some 35 years ago when it was one of the first schools to be opened in her native area of Jugedhara, Dhading, Nepal. Jugedhara is a 2-hour uphill walk from Dhadingbesi, the district headquarter of Dhading district, which itself is about a 3 hour journey to Nepal’s capital city Kathmandu.

Bishnu Maya remembers when she first heard that the school was in decline. “There was even the talk of shutting it down,” she remembers. Around the same time, circa 2001, the school elected a new management committee and a new head teacher. The new management committee, along with the local members of the community, vowed they would restore the school to its former glory.

Starting in 2001, the new management committee scoured various ways to improve their educational status in the district. They knew that the Shree Lamaguru Secondary School was the only school in the nearby vicinity so it was vital that they take charge because failing to do so would mean that their children would have to walk for hours to attend another school. The school explored numerous options and alternatives for fixing the situation; they called in various organizations to help –- which some did.  However, one day a member of the local community heard about Room to Read and their Challenge Grant model and thought this would be a wonderful  opportunity to rebuild the school.

“The community needs to pitch in,” Bisnu Maya remembers thinking out aloud. The last time the community got together was to advocate giving the barren patch of land to the school. Now it was again their turn to help the school but this time they needed to be more proactive and engaged to ensure its sustainability.

The school called a meeting with the community. In the meeting, the members passed a motion that they would all come together to help build the school.  And, that same year, they did -– joining hands to clean, excavate and help in whatever way they could.

On November 24th , when the school was on the last leg of construction, Bishnu Maya, along with rest of the community, came waltzing in with a special spring in their steps. They helped to smooth over the land that would house the future playground for their sons, daughters, grandsons and granddaughters. Like swarm of bees, they came in droves and immediately started to work. Some of them brought their own tools, some used their hands and did whatever task was required. Despite their senior age, many grandparents like Bishnu Maya, also pitched in to help.

“It shows that how eager they are to build the school,” says Som Nath Nepal, the head teacher of the school.  It was due to him and Kaal Bahadur Gurung, the School Management Committee head as well as Musa Ghale, the head of the Construction Committee that the school is in such a progressive phase. The hard work and dedication put forth by these three was matched equally by the local community. The head teacher believes that the community, most of whom are under-educated or illiterate, “instinctively know the value of education” and came to help in the physical construction of the school.

Kaal Bahadur Gurung voiced the same opinion. “The community,” he says, “are more than happy to help.”

And, on the day when she hoisted up her granddaughter on her back, Bishnu Maya was joyous and celebratory. “I’m doing this for my granddaughter,” she said and then motioned to a cherub sleeping peacefully on her back. "One day, when she grows up, she will be able to look back fondly on her school. It was the school her grandmother help to construct."

-- Rishi Amatya

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Comments

[Gam bahadur Thapa Magar]

Thanks to u Mr. John wood
I just manage to have a book written by you. thank you.

You r a great person, good bless you John

Mr Gam
Bhairahawa
West Nepal

[Prashanta Thapa]

Rishi Ji

Great story reflecting harmony of true need and aspiration of rural Nepal.

Eagerly waiting cover up of more and more Bisnhu Mayas.

[Nick Matyas]

Good post !!!! very good blog . nice article.i like that.

webroyalty

[Bruno]

John, congratulations!
The result of "Room to Read" is something fantastic and respected.
Do you have plans for Brazil (Latin America)?
Success!
Bruno.

[laxman sharma]

well very well, the reality comes in your article.
laxman sharma
Dhading

[mukti]

Rishijee,
Great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!