CAIRN Schools
56% of the population in Nepal are illiterate.
(DFID)
Background
Schools in rural Nepal are both scarce and difficult to reach. The steep hills, long distances and poor roads, combined with the acute poverty of the region make education within the villages difficult and often unattainable. Many children have to walk up to four hours each way in order to attend primary school. This results in poor attendance, or delaying the starting of schooling until the age of 8-9. The schools that do exist are often extremely underfunded with ramshackle collections of crumbling stones, dirt floors and no windows.
Education is a proven way out of poverty. With more than more than 42% of the population living below the poverty level, Nepal understands it has a challenge. The Nepalese Government does not have the resources to provide enough schools in rural areas. The onus is on the local villages to provide the school building, with the Government then providing the teachers and their salaries.
What is The CAIRN Trust Doing?
The CAIRN Trust is aiming to alleviate the problem of schooling within some of the remotest villages by bringing the schools to them. By partnering with the villagers we are providing the funding for the building materials, whilst the villages are providing the labour to construct the schools and often the land needed. Together, with our partners, we have built six schools in rural villages in Nepal, giving over 1,000 of the poorest children the opportunity of an education. Click here to learn more about our schools and villages.
Future plans
In the coming year we will be launching a maintenance program for the existing CAIRN Schools, to ensure that they are meeting the needs of the pupils. This maintenance program will identify and address any equipment or supply shortages within the schools. The CAIRN Trust believes in bringing education and the joy of learning to the poorest villages in rural Nepal in an effort to break the illiteracy/poverty link. Click here to read more about our existing CAIRN Schools and their villages.
