One down. 3052 to go. In a big team effort with our long time friends Abari and Friends of India, we’re completing the first prototype transitional classroom in Gorkha. Strong enough to withstand the Monsoon. Big enough to take 50 children (if needed). A solid floor will be completed today. Doors and windows tomorrow. Plans, models and budgets are complete and tomorrow we propose this and other solutions to the Education Ministry in Kathmandu and the Cluster in Gorkha. In Dhawa we plan to build at least 18 more. In Gorkha alone we need thousands. Rebuilding has begun.
Once the masonry floor and doors are in place, the giant classroom here (max 50 children) costs £350, including labour. We also have a standard size (internal size 4.4m x 6.7m – up to 35 children) which costs just £275. But our wonderful friends Tents to Nepal are donating the UN spec canvas, guaranteed for min 15 months, so costs reduce to £235 and £175. Speed of deployment, storm durability, and low cost were the key design drivers. And a sense of fun. There are more expensive, longer term, more durable solutions, but our idea is not to put thousands of children in transitional classrooms for years. And these are designed to be stored and reused – as entertainment or performance spaces. Anyone can build this quickly with our simple manual and materials list, and a very small number of bamboos. Contact us if you’d like a copy. Schools/VDCs need DDC (District level) and Cluster partner approval to build in numbers.
