HYC Kathmandu

Read the following article on Eleanor’s experience on HYC:

“My name is Eleanor Frost, I am a student from London, UK, and I am nineteen years old. This past Christmas, I had the privilege of spending ten days at the HOPE Worldwide school in Kathmandu as part of a HOPE Youth Corps program. This was a project that my family has supported and talked about throughout my childhood. Because of this, I felt very emotional going to the school for the first time.

Whilst visiting the school, I was able to spend time with the children, and be involved in reinstalling the toilet block, and building a basketball hoop. I was so inspired by how hard the children worked, the respect they held for their teachers, and their eagerness to learn. I was lucky enough to get to know Class 4 (those aged between eight and nine). Spending quality time with the girls in that class was very impacting for me. I felt that I could so easily have been in their position; the only difference being the geographical place of our birth.

The importance of the school was made clear to me when we visited the homes of some of the children who attended the school. I went to the house of Padma (6) and Dhan (5), who were so excited to show us around. Their home consists of one room with two beds, and the only water source is a communal tap on the street.

Visiting their neighbourhood, helped me to understand the extent of their poverty, and how much the school plays a role in taking care of them. The school has provided the children with opportunities that they wouldn’t have had otherwise. Government primary schools in Kathmandu are extremely overcrowded and have very few resources. There can be over 100 children in a class, and there is little opportunity to interact with the teacher. There is no chance to learn English or how to use a computer. The children at the HWW school experience the exact opposite with small class sizes, English taught from an early age, modern computers that have been donated to the school, and an interesting and nurturing learning environment. The children are also given a full midday meal, and for some, this is the only meal that they eat all day. It really showed me that the school is a light in the community. It is not surprising that many of the children go on to secondary education."

Interesting fact: After 2003, when overseas funding for Nepal pretty much disappeared, the Kathmandu HWW school was on the verge of shutting down. It would have been a real tragedy, considering the school had already been functioning for ten years. Eleanor's parents, Peter and Justine Frost and their small family group on the outskirts of London stepped forward, and supported the school for the next few years, until more funding could be found. If it weren't for their faith and sacrifice, there would be no HWW school in Nepal today. Hundreds of children have received free education through the school.