One Dollar School For the Poor in Nepal

Uttam Sanjel, the school founder, stands before the morning assembly of ‘Samata’ or ‘Equal for All’

Today he wants to talk about a story from one of his students whose mother celebrated the birth of a boy over a girl.

“After five girls, my mum had a boy. She named him "Holy life water". But our life has become more difficult. Why is it happening? It's all because of lack of education. You have to tell your family and neighbors about it. Sons and daughters are equal.”

They then sing this song….

"Mother is great. Love her, respect her."

And then class begins.

“I am proud of myself because I can teach moral values and give them a moral education, which is very important for kids.”

In Nepal government run schools  are criticized for providing a poor education.
 
And private schools are very expensive making them out of reach for the poor.

“Private education is definitely expensive and government school is worse. In between this, there is big vacuum which day by day going larger.”

A private school in Nepal costs more than 15 US dollars a month. 
 
But Uttam’s Samata School is just ONE US dollar a month.
 
It is an alternative… a Private School for the poor.

Anita Shrestha lives in this tiny room with her two daughters and husband.

“My parents said,, Girls don't need to study. They are born to take care of the house. So they sent my brothers to school but not to me.”

But Anita wanted her own daughter to get an education.

And when she heard about the ONE dollar school…she sent both her daughters there.

“In other private schools, they charge up to 30 dollars a month. In Samata school it's one dollar. Sometimes, If I request they make it free too. I feel like that school is for the poor people like us.”

Her elder daughter Karuna is now in grade 10.

She says she loves to read.    

“But normally I can't buy them. I don't have money. So I burrow books from my friends. I want to be a well read person. I want to become Doctor.”

When Uttam first came up with the idea of his bamboo one dollar school.... he too had no money and was unemployed actor who dreamed of becoming a Bollywood star.

“I didn't have money to buy buildings because it was very expensive. I really wanted to show people my idea. Every people have bamboo at home. So I started collecting bamboo. Now it has become trademark, "Bamboo Schools."

He went on to build similar bamboo schools in 19 districts throughout the country.

More than 30,000 children are studying there.

Money from fees covers just 10 percent of his costs.....the rest he has to fund raise for.

”Many many people donate us from our country and different parts. But sometimes i am in big trouble to give salary. My own home is in bank as a diposit. This world is full with kind hearted people. Personally people come and give me personal donations.”

Last year, all his students from Samata Schools across the country passed the school leaving exam with an average mark of 80.