A visit to Nepal has enabled a 17-year-old from Whaley Bridge to help build a school. Along with other cadets from Cheshire Fire and Rescue, Jack Maney was able to assist a team with getting a school ready for pupils in the South Asian country, situated in central Himalaya.
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The Nepalese community
The community the group were helping place a high value on education and were extremely happy with the assistance they received setting the school up. With some children being prepared to walk five hours to attend the school, their gratitude is clear. What was striking for Jack was how much value they placed on the school, whereas in the UK some young people didn’t seem bothered about having an education at all. The prospective pupils saw the education the school would provide as necessary to their future chances.
The Project
Jack and the team of 28 volunteers added the finishing touches to the school that was being built. They helped with painting the school and setting up the six classrooms, including putting up wipe boards for schools. They will be returning next month to continue with their efforts.
The Volunteers
All of the young people involved raised money to pay for their trip to Nepal. Jack organised music nights to help contribute to the cost of the flights. The volunteers also got to experience the country and even had a chance to see Mount Everest while they were there. The travelling was something that they all enjoyed, and they learned a lot about how other cultures work, especially where attitudes towards basic rights such as education differ from a Western view.
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The classrooms have some similarities to ones in the UK. You will often see whiteboards, such as those from https://wedgewhiteboards.co.uk, being used in a classroom setting and indeed in businesses and homes. Like the UK, the teachers will use the boards as a teaching tool. Whiteboards are popular with teachers and can be used as a fantastic teaching aid.
Like many young people who volunteer abroad, Jack says he will not be taking things for granted, such as access to hot showers and the education he has been receiving at home. The experience has made him keen to help out with other projects as much as he can.