Meet the Head...

I would like to introduce you to this man. I took his photo during a conversation we were having about the issues facing his school and the children in it. His name is Uttav Prasad Jawalkhel. He is the Headteacher of Shree Gadgade Lower Secondary School.
A young man called Rashid had just had an epileptic fit. I have been on the workplace health course and knew to observe the child closely for information to give a health care professional. Except, of course, that I know there is very little chance of Rashid seeing medical help. Rashid fits most days. He has seen a volunteer Dutch medical team who can offer him a stabilising course of drugs. They cost aroung 100 pounds. Rashid's father is a day labourer. Work is not constant and the days wage is around 1 pound...enough for rice for a day for a family.

Uttav and I went on to talk about other children in the school. There are three deaf and dumb sisters. The value of a female child is not high in Nepal. If she is not pretty or in any other way marrred or handicapped then marriage may be difficult. If she does not marry a girl child may be looked after by a brother in return for her labour on the farmholding. Or her fate may be much worse.

Some children can only come to school when their sibling is not using the books or uniform. A full set of excercise books costs aroung three pounds.


These stories are repeated in each classroom. Uttav amazes me by his quiet and calmness. If his own child needed medical care he might find it difficult to buy. The headteachers wage here is 50pounds a month. He has a great sense of committment to his school and the Tamang children but he has many problems to deal with daily. One of his biggest is the attitude of his teaching staff. They are untrained and largely uninterested. Teaching is a government job and carries a small pension. That is why the teachers are here. They have often procured their positions and are very often missing or very late for work.

Uttav's biggest asset is his own belief that these students will get the best he can give and the personality of his newest and cheapest teacher, Purna Tamang.

If anyone feels they may be able to do anything, from sending a set of excercise books or three pounds for a childs uniform, to some little more for Purna's exam fees... To coming out here and teaching. You definitely do not need to be a teacher to do this..

Just let me know,
Love,
Jill xx