Rotary Melbourne Coordinator: Mark Pinoli | Rotary Gorkha coordinator: Sital Muskey
Update by Mark Pinoli
INTRODUCTION
In 2018, the IPC allocated $2,000 from the disaster relief fund to help complete a four classroom building at the Chandra Kala School in Nepal. The school was destroyed during the 2015 Nepal earthquake and, with the help of the government and iNGOs, were able to commence a school reconstruction program.
The school had enough funds to complete the foundation, walls, and some of the fittings, but not enough to complete the concrete roof. The Rotary Melbourne contribution was made in an effort to help the school complete this last stage.
PROGRESS
The money was transferred from Rotary Melbourne to the Rotary Club of Gorkha mid-year in 2018. Rotary Gorkha subsequently handed over a cheque for NRS159,000 (AU$1 ≈ NRS79) to Ammar Baram, the Principal of the Chandra Kala School.
There have been delays in commencing the project due to shortages and the remote location of the school has made transporting materials at a reasonable cost an issue.
During my trip to Nepal in May 2019, I visited the school to check on progress and was pleased to see that construction workers were preparing the materials for the completion of the building.
I met with the Principal and the School Management Committee and they reported that the building would be completed around November 2019. Progress would be made before the start of monsoon season in July and then halted for a few months. I was invited to the opening ceremony which is scheduled to be held some time in November 2019.
COMPLETION
On 6 October 2019, I received word that the roof had been completed and the plastering of the walls were also done. What remains to be completed is the painting of the walls, installation of window shutters and other trimming on the inside of the classrooms.
Most of the work was done prior to the monsoon season (July to September) and was suspended for a few months during the rains. In the last month, there was a great deal of activity to have the building completed prior to the opening ceremony scheduled for next month.
