The day began today at 7:30 a.m. at Sunshine Day School in Ward 7. The children greeted us with cheerful faces, and a few of them introduced themselves in English. Wow! This would have been unthinkable just a few years ago! We looked at each other and beamed with pride. Yesterday, we had bought some treats to distribute at our four schools, and we did just that. Right next to the school is a piece of land where the goat farm will be established, among other things. Part of it has already been prepared for the construction of a shed and a few goats. The rest will come after 16 days when the rice currently growing there can be harvested. In addition to that, Arbind, our on-site social worker, has offered a piece of his own land. Currently, it is not being used by his family, and there's already a large shed on the property, perfect for chickens and ducks. The residents of Ward 7 will also take care of this.
Brick school.
We continued our journey to the Brick school. This school has truly been established with the help of local parties. Arbind was able to arrange the cement, bricks, and sanitation facilities, all thanks to the training he received from Wilde Ganzen. He gained a lot of knowledge about sponsorship and finances through this course. The next course is already on the schedule. It's great that this is being offered and that it is yielding so much positive impact.
Haripur Ward 1
And then we continued on to Haripur Ward 1. This ward is located in the jungle, surrounded by water, and this combination leads to a high prevalence of mosquitoes, resulting in high child mortality in this area. With tears in our eyes, we listened to their stories. They have often asked for help but feel like they are not being seen. And when someone promises something in writing, they cannot read it. These parents believe in the importance of education and know that it offers a better future. The nearest school is an hour's walk away for the older children, but when the river is swollen due to rain, they cannot cross it. In short, they are confined to their ward. The good news is that there is already a school building placed by the government; there is just no teacher yet. We will have a discussion with the mayor about the possibilities regarding this situation.
Indrapur school
After this emotional visit, we proceeded to the Indrapur school (where it all began) and Shree Sharwan (the new secondary school) to distribute some treats, see the children, check the status of the buildings and interiors, and visit the library. It's great to see that everything was in good condition, and once again, we feel a sense of pride. This is the result of teamwork! The locals, donors, Wilde Ganzen, the local government, and the efforts of two out of the 52 of us - together, we can truly make a difference!
