Buddha Academy Boarding School (Educational Trust)

‘Education is one of the most valuable gifts you can give’

HISTORY

It began in 1989 when a small school and children’s home was opened in Jorpati, Kathmandu. Facilities were meagre – classrooms made from mud, iron sheets and bricks providing little protection from extremes of weather, and 15 small rooms for all the children to sleep in. There was poor sanitation and water supply (only one outside cold water tap), no latrine or shower facilities, no dining room, no games apparatus. There were 60 children some of whom paid a small fee which was the only money available. There was no government aid. This fragile situation coupled with the worsening economic problems meant that in early 1991 the school was on the point of closure.

Buddha Academy Boarding School Kathmandu In 1991 Dorje Namgyal Lama, who had previously ran the Tibetan Children’s Villages, was asked by the All Nepal Buddhist Association to take it over. He had been appointed to retrieve the situation, and this is exactly what he has done – with startling success. With financial support from individual donors and aid associations abroad, he has managed to construct, expand and improve the quality of the school classrooms, children’s home, school dispensary, dining hall, community kitchen and administrative block. There are now over 590 children being cared for in a loving environment and being well educated. His integrity is absolute, his enthusiasm infectious and energy boundless.

AND NOW

At present BABS has 590 children attending school. 378 are boarders either orphaned, abandoned or from destitute families. 212 are day children with parents or relatives in Kathmandu. About half of the day children are able to pay a little towards their fees that also helps cover the cost of lunch. Not all of our children yet have sponsors and more are urgently needed. (See Sponsorship Application Form)

Buddha Memorial Children's Home Trust The school teaches children from aged 4 at Kindergarten level to students of 18 at Secondary level class X. Eight subjects are taught as is the importance of compassion, the appreciation of love and peace and the preservation of one’s own heritage and language and culture.

It is hoped to further upgrade this to Higher Secondary level X1 and X11. Until we are able to introduce this plan we have made alternative arrangements to send students to a secondary school who cater for higher levels. Their school fees are sometimes covered under the sponsorship scheme, but in some cases the Buddha Academy is paying for them from its limited scholarship fund. These students still live in our school hostel, and will be allowed to do so until they finish their studies.

Buddha Memorial Children's Home Trust We are proud to highlight that at the Buddha Academy more and more children achieve excellent results. Last year 100% of our children passed their S.L.C. in the First or Second Division. Several children go on from there to continue Classes 11 and 12, and some even on to either University or other training. This partially explains why there are more than 100 applicants for the few places available.

The vocational training is very important for the older, less academic children. Before they leave school they are trained as electricians, tailors or carpenters. In the nearby hospital 12 girls are training to become nurses. In the tailoring section all the school uniforms are made as well as other clothes for boarders. Students who complete a training course are given either a tool kit or sewing machine to help them start in the business world. There are numerous success stories of both boys and girls either working as carpenters in good furniture factories or working and keeping their families with their tailoring work. Vocational training is also offered as an optional extra to the academic students as well as computer skills.

The school offers, and encourages, a wide range of extra curricular activities and there is also a ‘special class’ for those children joining late and needing intensive coaching to catch up with the rest of their class.

Agricultural practice and animal husbandry are taught to students on a piece of land we have acquired some 15 minutes from the school. We grow our own rice, corn, a variety of seasonable vegetables and fruit trees. Older children are obliged to work some hours per week on the farm, this duty being a part of their education. Photographs of them working show this to be a duty thoroughly enjoyed! The 2009 harvest produced around 5,000 kg of high quality rice and over 1,000 kgs of potatos. The BMCHT is, through money we receive from Gift Aid monies repaid to us from donations, able to fund the farm and pay for the resident couple’s salary.

There are 74 staff of which 30 are teachers. The rest include Administrative Personnel, a trained Nurse, Librarian, Foster Mothers, Cooks and kitchen helpers, Security Guards, Cleaners, etc.

The Nepali Government and leaders of the two main religions Hindu and Buddhism, have given Mr. Dorje Namgyal Lama an award for his work for the poor and street children of Nepal and he was decorated by the late King Birendra.

Buddha Academy Boarding School Kathmandu

PROGRESS

From the original 60 children we now have 590

Since 1992 well over 1,000 children have passed through our hands
of the £129,000 we raised last year (to March 2009) £12,000 was for General Funds here which paid for, amongst other things, the 32 children yet to find a sponsor

We found new permanent sponsors to add to our lists

Paid for the running of the farm project and its staff

FUTURE PROJECTS

Because of the political situation all plans for expansion have been postponed.