Yangwarak 5, a village of Panchthar District, has yet to see a first secondary school in the region. Pupils completing Year 7 at Sirise school – established in 1975 – either have to travel up to an hour and half to find a secondary school or give up their dream of ever going to secondary school. Sadly, this has often resulted children to marry at early age or resorting to foreign employment before they turn adult.
Although the government of Nepal has come up with a policy to have at least one secondary school in each of the village municipal wards, the Yangwarak village has not been on the top the priority due to limited budget and resources.
The Sirise – established as Primary School some 44 years ago – is only Lower Secondary in the area. The school would have enough infrastructure by now to become a secondary, had the great earthquakes of 2015 not destroyed one of its three buildings.
The Non-Resident Nepali Association UK – one of the 80 chapters of the global organisation of Nepalese living abroad – took an initiative in 2016 to rebuild the school with an estimated cost of Rs 35 lakhs (£25K). From different sources, including two charity fundraising dinners and sponsors like Pahakholse Family and Dilmaya Foundation, the NRNA UK has recently completed the Phase 1 rebuilding project with Rs 20 lakhs in total.
The new school building now has its ground floor ready but the project does still need another Rs 15 lakhs (just over £8K) for the completion of the two-story building. The NRNA UK, with its overloaded responsibilities and engaged in the upcoming national council election, has given Dilmaya Memorial Foundation (DMF) a go for the fundraising. The reason DMF has become a stakeholder is that should the foundation be able to raise the target amount, the NRNA UK would honour late Dilmaya Limbu, a lady who devoted her life for good of the school and villagers.
If you think that your generous help can make a difference pupils’ life in the Village of Yangwarak, please donate:
Dilmaya Memorial Foundation
Barclays Bank (Maidstone Branch)
Account Number: 13404102
Sort Code: 20-18-93
Payment reference: SIRISE PHASE 2
