Leknath's Little Daffodils

The School.

Leknath at assembly.

18 years ago a local 20 year Nepali sold his small store and put his savings into starting up a school in the small community of Pame.  When first naming his school Leknath reflected upon his time in India (the only time he has left his home country) and coming across a field of strange flowers.  He had asked his travelling companion the name of these mysterious plants.  His friend’s reply stuck in Leknath’s mind and his school became the Little Daffodils English Boarding School.  Today the school has over 400 students, including 11 girls and 6 boys that board here as traveling over an hour to and from school each day would make it hard for them to concentrate on their year 10 studies.  Some of the students have their yearly school fees paid by a sponsor (150 GBP for one year), and others only pay a percentage as any donations that come into the school are directly taken off the fees of the families that need the most financial assistance.

Some students travel to the bus stop via boats provided by the school.

Leknath has told us that his school takes in mostly female students as the chance for good employment opportunities is limited for women in Nepal.  Also, it is more difficult for young girls to get a higher education here as quite often they are expected to marry young rather than stay in school or go onto University.  The more English and the higher the education, the more acceptable it is becoming for them to hold higher or better paid positions within the Nepali workforce. 

Anita teaching Nepali lessons.

The teachers at this school are mostly women as well.  Leknath has hired local housewives to teach the children, therefore helping women in his own community with holding a highly respected job and receiving a decent pay check.  Quite a few of the teachers employed  today have been here from the start, either as teachers or as students.

GVI is working alongside the teachers to help increase the fluency of English throughout the school and to help bring new ideas as an added extra in to the classrooms.  We are also helping with side projects such as a girl’s health workshop and giving the classrooms a fresh lick of paint.  Our next step is an art project with the older students to paint murals in the nursery classrooms.

We are very grateful to be welcomed into this school and hope to help Leknath and his staff continue their great work.

After completing 8 classrooms.  

Written by Jo Vowles

Leknath's Little Daffodils