Our goal is to build early learning schools for children, aged three to six, whose parents are migrant brick kiln workers trying to support their families.
Nepal is one of the least developed nations in the world, the poorest country in South Asia and ranked as the twelfth poorest country in the world. Almost all Nepalese live in villages, or small market centers, outside of Kathmandu. Rates of disease, malnutrition, and child mortality are high. Nepal has also suffered numerous natural disasters causing people to lose their homes and jobs. Most of the working population lives in rural areas, restricting their access to health care, education, clean drinking water and sanitation services. Some families must send their children to work, rather than school, to survive; continuing the cycle of poverty. About 25% of children in Nepal between four and five years old are engaged in some kind of labor.
80% of Nepal’s communities are rural
25% of people are living below the poverty line
5 million people in Nepal are undernourished
Why Education Can’t Wait
Thousands of young children across Nepal are invisible in the system, particularly those of migrant workers. These children require assistance to access early education that can offer expanded life opportunities. Approximately 175,000 workers migrate for six months every year in search of work. The brick factories are home to over 50,000 young children. The repeated displacement prevents these children from having access to early learning.
Chaloner Children’s Charity’s aim is to build early learning schools for the children of migrant brick kiln workers which would support children aged between three and six years old. Many of the children are left unsupervised when their parents are working, and these schools would provide a safe and secure environment. Children would have access to water and hygiene facilities and would be provided with a daily meal. The schools would use an accelerated version of the government of Nepal’s national curriculum that is tailored to the six-month migrant school cycle. The goal would be for the children to transition into the appropriate level of schooling within their home communities when they are older.
| Start-Up Costs per School | |
|---|---|
| School Construction | C$6,500 |
| Sanitation Construction | C$1,500 |
| Class Furnishings | C$500 |
| Learning and Teaching Materials | C$1,000 |
Act Now
At the very minimum, education gives children a better chance of sustaining themselves and ensuring they lead a more prosperous life. At its best, education gives children the tools to help fix the underlying infrastructural problems within their own country. You can help better someone’s life by choosing to take a stand and act now.
statistical data via Borgen Project