Every child deserves an education

Our story began on 22nd December 2003 when our intrepid globe trotting pensioner & founder trustee Arthur Benbow was paying his first visit to Nepal on a 14 day organised cycle tour. It was just 3 days before Christmas that the group Arthur was cycling with passed through the remote village of Palubari in the Kathmandu Valley, when they came upon a school with no children. It was Saturday and a day off for children in Nepal. however some staff plus the headmaster were at the school.

The group were welcomed by the headmaster who looked at our bearded globetrotter and said "Welcome Xmas Father" would you all care to see around the school ? We had to admit that the conditions for the 6 staff and 80 children did not impress the group and only one toilet for both staff and children. In the short period we had been in Nepal we had been impressed by the beauty of the Country and the friendly welcome from every one we made contact with.

Sadly the country had been through 7 years of revolution, mass protests & strikes and it was another 3 years before the first election took place when Nepal became a Democratic Republic. Add to this the fact that the main source of income for Nepal was from farming and Tourism, arising from which, state funding for education had a very low priority, with 70% of the adult population being illiterate.

It was obvious to our group visiting Splendid Valley English School (founded in 1998) that help in any shape or form would be welcome. Bearing in mind that the best way to improve the quality of life for any 3rd World country is to provide help (not money) to educate the younger generation. So our group took the story and pictures of Splendid Valley School back to friends and family in the UK. Arising from which funding and offers of help were sent and taken out and in 2005 it was decided that we should become a registered Charity.

Splendid Valley School in 2003

The new Splendid Valley School in 2007

Thanks to the support we have had in the UK and beyond plus major funding from a larger Charity in Italy known as Friuli Mandi, Splendid Valley School now has a new school building less than a kilometre from the old one. It was in October 2007 that a group of our trustees and supporters attended the inauguration of the new school building which now caters for 250 children all getting a free education. Many children and some staff have to walk an hour or more to get to school where there are now 18 staff including 16 teachers.

One year later in October 2008 a meeting was convened near the school attended by the sponsors from Italy, the UK, parents , staff and members of the community. The object of this meeting was to agree and create for the School a Community Trust which with the help from a local legal representative was completed within the next 12 months. The School is now under the control of a management committee who report to the Board of Trustees representing the parents, staff and donors in Italy and the UK. We provide here and on the following pages a pictorial background of the past 7 years.

We extend a very big thank you to all our donors and supporters in the UK and beyond which has provided in excess of £3,600 since we became a registered charity in 2005. This has enabled the provision of furniture, books and essential equipment for the school,

At the end of June 2010 a communication was received from the school with a 31 page draft proposal created by and for the Community. The title of the project was given as :-

Developing Eco-Village for the sustainable livelihood of Parents of Splendid Valley School .

Sanku Palubari village has a population of 3980 is located 20 kms from Kathmandu and 70% of the population state farming to be their main source of income. We in the UK admire the plans for the future and wish them and the community every luck in this project. The long term benefit will be a school supported by and for the community. We will follow with interest the progress of these plans and will be happy to continue where needed with the provision of books, furniture or equipement for the school.

So as the terms of our constitution as a registered charity state our object is to support any non government or community educational project (and there are plenty) we now seek to support other school projects. This site will provide information on all future projects.