School and Homes

School

The local school consists of 3 classrooms with another classroom in the lobby. The building serves as a primary school for grades 1 through 7, taught by an enthusiastic teacher. The 70 or so students may have bare feet and limited school supplies but an undeniable eagerness to learn. The ShamaKids program makes it possible for some of the poorest children to attend the school.

At noon the children are served a nutritious lunch. After-school enrichment for the children includes art and dancing. Adults in the village seem to see hope for their children's lives, and so for their own as well.

Bikes, given by SHAMA, Inc., allow school attendance for children who live too far away to walk. They have no other means of transportation. SHAMA, Inc. also arranged to make a level place in the ground for the children to play.

The sense of the whole community being on a positive track out of extreme poverty inspired an Indian businessman to agree to give 10 computers to the little school. The computer lab is housed in a nearby building.

Dr. Ashok Bhargava of Madison, WI, (Professor Emeritus from the School of Business, UW Whitewater and Outreach Director for SHAMA, Inc.) has drawn interest in creating a library to go along with the computer lab.

Click on thumbnails for larger pictures.

Leveled school ground
on which to play

Jyoti presents bikes
to ride to school

The midday meal has increased school
attendance.

Children in class
inside

Children in class
outside

Home Construction

In 2005, Pat Reckrey of Scandinavia, WI and Jyoti Chander of Plover, WI visited Mhaskal Village. Hirabai, a woman who worked as a goat herder, did not have a home. Instead, she lived under a shelter with the goats. Ms Reckrey offered to pay for the construction of home for Hirabai, who in turn offered to allow use of the building for sewing classes for other women in the village.

Women in Mhaskal and neighboring villages have seen how much sturdier Hirabai's brick home is than theirs, which are made of mud and straw. Hope arose that they might too have better homes, ones they would not have to leave during the rainy season, in fear they would be washed away. (When they leave their homes, they must take their children out of school.) Villagers are beginning to build sturdier homes.

Her former "home"

Mixing mortar

Base

Working

New home
nearing completion