This morning I had a very early start for me of 5:45am! I was off to Jawar, Palghar district which is around 200 miles in total. The reason to why I was going was that Felsted School have continually donated here.
I look to inform you the roads to the rural part where awful, we needed a 4 by 4 first of all half the time where was no road! You also climb mountains but you don’t just go up you go down at the same time!
Today I visited the Magic Bus Jawar Palghar district project in Maharashtra. This was so interesting to see the difference from where I’ve been to here. First the children wore no shoes even to walk from and to school. The community was so small but lovely, to my surprise the houses were bigger than the slums. I had a tour around the school which was interesting to see the old buildings to the new one.
There are 270 children who attend this school, where 55% are boys and 45% are girls. The reason to why girls are so much lower is that at 10th standard if the family income isn’t stable enough the daughter will drop out, she will do home schooling while looking after her younger children and help round the house. These families are so hard working I was so shocked to hear what they do. School timings are different in winter and summer due to the heat, summer it’s 7:30-11 and winter 11-5. When driving up I noticed lack of traffic on the road and found out the average walk for a child is 6KM to school with a round trip bring 12KM every day, I was in shock. However these children in the winter do get get lunch which is home grown in the school garden, this is because in 1999 this area had the highest amount of children who were hungry and not getting a good balanced diet.
The children here were so shy this was because they never get anyone coming over to see them. This just shows where these children are living, it’s the middle of nowhere. But a group of girls took me around and by the end one girl was able to speak to me which is so nice to see. Despite what these children face they still enjoy education and want to learn which is so good to hear.
Magic Bus use this to inspire children. This is the pathway in which these children can choose. This helps navigate the children to their future job
This is the old part of the school, this is not in use anymore just used as storage as it’s too dangerous for the children. The government helped build the new building
A science classroom which the government supported in building.
This is where the plants are grown in the rainy season
This is what the new school looks like. The Government also supported the school with digital whiteboards.
When going to the community I learnt how the locals got flour. Lets say this is harder than it looks. Too much effort for basically nothing.
So instead of rat infestation it was chicken infestation which I prefer. Found it funny how this chicken looks like it’s praying!
Photo of everyone I met at the school today with where Felsted pupils have painted with the children.
This one girl after school goes and works in a shop. Just so impressive and life skills she learns from this.
A photo again of all the children I saw and the teachers
Despite it being dry farmer still burn the field down they have just used.
The view of what I saw as I travelled up to the community