Nareshwadi Newsletter
May – July 2007
Namaste!
Nareshwadi started its new academic year on June 15th and there is so much exciting news to report! Great improvements to systems and infrastructure at the school, along with revised academic programs that have had a direct beneficial effect to all involved at the school. As a result grades and overall school passing percentages have shot up at Nareshwadi. These numbers have not gone unnoticed, the buzz is that Nareshwadi is now the best school in the area, and parents are eagerly adding their children's name to a growing waiting list for enrollment at the school. In this newsletter, we will elaborate on these improvements, highlight the achievements of students and teachers, describe summer camp activities, introduce new staff and volunteers and discuss plans for the new school year.
Student Achievements
Exam results are in! We are proud of all 10th standard students, who worked hard to prepare for their exams- and the efforts showed! The school passing percentage was 90% and this clearly demonstrates the focus and determination of the students, teachers and staff's commitment to literally "raising the bar" this year.
There were 4 College Admissions for 10th standard students from the 06-07 SY – 1 male student was accepted in a competitive admission program at KJ Somaiya Poly Technic for the diploma civil engineering. In addition, 3 female students were accepted for Arts IT and three male students for Science in the Junior College at Vinay Mandir at Vidyavihar for this year. Somaiya Trust has made arrangements for living costs and individual colleges have provided students scholarships to cover fees and books.
Summer Camp Highlights
Volunteers Nynke and Klass from the Netherlands and Kanwar from the KJ Somaiya Science and Commerce College who is coordinator of the Youth Social Forum (YSF), planned an extensive schedule of sport, games, arts, computers, language and dance with teachers and staff for a two month summer camp. 
Field trips were another big highlight at the camp: one trip to a nearby waterfall for swimming and trekking and a two day adventure in Mumbai, wth visits to the Nehru Planetarium and Science Museum, Prince of Wales Museum, Aquarium, Chowpatty Beach, boat ride from Gateway of India, and overnight stay at the Vidyavihar campus. A very special thanks to Nikhila from Vinay Mandir School at Vidyavihar for all her effort in organizing, accompanying the group around town and of course her fun smile! Donors and special fundraising made the trip possible covering bus rental from the Nareshwadi campus, food, admission tickets, etc. Patricia Gokhale of course always thinking of building up the students academic capabilities provided students with a notebook and pen and asked them to report on the trip, for example during the museum visit students were copying down information about their favorite exhibits.
Students from a school run by an NGO Pankhudi and their volunteers in the Chembur area in eastern Mumbai made a visit to the Nareshwadi campus during the summer camp. Pankhudi staff developed a well planned agenda including sport sessions, a treasure hunt, yoga classes and a water slide to cool off in the hot pre monsoon Indian weather. There were tears on the final day when Pankhudi students were loading up on the bus to return to Mumbai. The Nareshwadi and Pankhudi students bonded in just a few days together.
Infrastructure
- Toilets complete and in use for the new school year. Many students had never used an indoor toilet before in the village area, some hygiene and sanitation tutorials are necessary.
- New housing for house parents. There will be one new housing unit for the larger of the female hostels and two for the boys side of the large hostel. This will raise the total to 5 male houseparents and 3 female houseparents.
- A new kitchen floor was made possible by funds the volunteer Dutch construction team had left behind.
- Science Laboratory is ready for use once supplies arrive, again thanks to Mr. Samir Somaiya for his support in building this first class facility. Planning for a grand opening and dedication is in the works looking forward to a visit to the campus by Samir and/or Dr. Somaiya for this event. Would also extend an invitation to attend this event to other donors, supporters, volunteers and friends of Nareshwadi, stay tuned for details.
Student Health
With the help of Atma volunteer Amit Murugkar, we were able to find a very much needed nurse for Nareshwadi. Thank you, Amit!
Her name is Nurse Phadke, and she is now responsible for overseeing all health center activities; these include: health services at the newly constructed health center, keeping records of student's health, diet, hygiene and sanitation, along with health promotion/education efforts. Together with the school counselor, Sandhya More, they both will oversee psychosocial issues.
Dr. Anna Boersma, a medical volunteer placed by Atma, has left India, but her efforts will live on. Before her departure, a "health day" was held to initiate the school year and teach the students the basics of hygiene and sanitation through a puppet show and songs. With the new toilets and baths ready for use, students could now be told to wash your hands, bathe daily and have the infrastructure available to do it.
>Future Plans for the School Year
New Staff
Nareshwadi welcomes Sister Phadke and Mrs Anita Kale.
Sister Phadke, the new nurse at Nareshwadi, was hired in June. She is a retired nurse from Nair Hospital in Mumbai and has many years experience in the neurologic and orthopedic operating rooms. At Nareshwadi Sister is in charge of the Health Center, overseeing student health services, health education, and health programs such as sanitation, hygiene and nutrition.
New primary teacher Mrs. Anita Kale comes to Nareshwadi with 13 years of teaching experience. Her husband Avinash Kale is a civil engineer for the Nareshwadi project and the family will become houseparents for the large female hostel once the new living quarters are complete. Her husband, Mr Kale provides engineering support and direction to campus infrastructure.
Goodbye and Hello to Volunteers and other Newcomers
Summer camp ended and Nynke and Klass returned to the Netherlands, ending their 2 month stay. The students will have wonderful memories of all the fun sport, art, dance activities and trips off campus during summer camp. Nynke and Klass left behind sport equipment for the students/teachers and financed the construction of basketball goals. Their mark will be at Nareshwadi for years to come.
Dr Anna, a health, construction, culinary, photography, and artistic volunteer was with Atma for 4 months of hard work at Nareshwadi. Her dedication on all levels will have long lasting effects at the school and the students will benefit tremendously from the newly established Health Center and health system that was set up by Anna in her time here. The children will always remember her cooking 'western food' for the volunteers, painting indoor games on the floor of the assembly hall which will provide students fun indoor activities during monsoon rains. Nareshwadi students will always have a beautiful collection of her photography for them to remember her by. Her professional quality photographs will also be in a brochure for the Nareshwadi project. This is all without mentioning Anna's huge fundraising effort, when she raised nearly 60,000 INR from friends and family back home in the Netherlands. This money will be put towards future health projects for students at the school.
Dominic was in India for a year and started off at Nareshwadi helping with the scabies camp, he was a leader for the Dutch construction team, organizing vital logistics such as transportation, food, supplies, lots and lots of water, his own muscle and sweat and supporting and encouraging smile. Students at Nareshwadi were also lucky to have such a high caliber volleyball player and the opportunity to see his soaring moves.
Atma has placed both Inka Pibalov from the Czech Republic and Sandra Keller from the United States on the Nareshwadi project. They are working together on some projects as well as taking on some tasks individually. Inka is working on a strategic plan for the school, in August there is a Vision and Mission workshop scheduled with teachers and staff at the Nareshwadi campus. Sandra is focusing on the Marketing of the school, brochures, website, creating a database of students and staff, including taking photos of all and trying to help the school computerize records where feasible.
Thanks to all the volunteers, newcomers and donors who have or are supporting Nareshwadi. The positive changes and advances made over the past year since the beginning of involvement by ATMA Mumbai, supporters/volunteers from the Somaiya Vidyavihar campus and around Mumbai are clearly evident.
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