Ending 2016 with Growth and Community Strength

Welcome to our last newsletter of 2016. We are pleased to report that the homestay is very much up and running and that the children are making great progress despite some difficulties in the region – find out more below.

Homestay accommodation hosts first round of volunteers

Using funds raised by the charity, the turn of the year marked the completion of the homestay accommodation adjacent to the Hannah Memorial school site. A number of international volunteers have begun staying in the accommodation including Sharad Sreenivasan, a social worker from the United States. Sharad became the first Hannah Memorial volunteer to stay in the homestay during his four-month visit to the Darjeeling area from January to April. Sharad spent time volunteering at the school, helping to teach classes and participate in sporting activities.

Speaking about the experience, Sharad said: “I’ve had a truly wonderful experience at HMA, in so many ways. I’ve enjoyed the students’ smiles, singing, enthusiasm, and even their mischief! They are so eager to learn and have given me a very warm welcome.” The homestay offers volunteers clean and comfortable accommodation a stones throw away from the school and also provides a good base to explore the surrounding Darjeeling area.

Hannah Memorial Academy remains important lifeblood of the community

Despite recent challenges to the region (keep reading for more details), The Hannah Memorial Academy remains an important focal point for the community. During this difficult time period, it is important to remember how vital the school is to the area and how your generous contributions are helping to provide essential services to the wider community.

In addition to providing a high standard of free primary education for the areas children, the Hannah Memorial Academy also serves as a central hub for families and residents to receive important medical assistance, access to vital information and advice on secondary education and a reliable source of nutritional food for the children – to name a few. We very much appreciate your continued support in helping to maintain its status at the heartbeat of the Dhooteriah Tea Garden. To learn more about how you can donate to the Hannah Memorial Project, please visit our website.

New uniforms and secondary education support

Thanks to your kind support, we have been able to provide the most recent intake of students with new uniforms (see pictures) and some of our most recent graduates with books as they make the move into secondary education. After passing their exams earlier this year, some of the children are now studying at leading secondary schools in Ghoom and Mirik.

Furthermore, we have received positive reports that a further 11 children (9 girls and 2 boys) will be graduating from secondary school to move onto further education or proper jobs. These are just some of the ways in which your support continues to improve the children’s overall learning experience and future career prospects.

Community update

In recent months the Dhooteriah Tea Garden has closed due to operational constraints. The current situation remains difficult and has meant that some families have moved out of the area or are seeking work in other towns and cities. This has not been helped by continued political unrest in the region. Unfortunately these events are largely out of our control; however we are continuing to monitor the situation via our local contacts and are providing as much additional support as we can through charity funds where applicable.

We also anticipate disruption to other schools in the area will result in children transferring to the Hannah Memorial Academy, resulting in an increased intake next year. Following the recent major earthquake last year, another 5.9 earthquake was recorded in April. However, we are happy to report that the school did not suffer any further major damage – largely due to the strengthening of the buildings made possible by funding from the charity.

We thank you for your continued support. If you're thinking of a holiday in India, you could visit this beautiful part of the country, and see the school all for yourself, just email us for all the help and information you need!

The Trustees of the Hannah Memorial Academy are: Christine Browning, Roger Maclaverly, John Higham, Margaret Mattingly, Ben Pattie, Ram Varma, Helen Wilde. We hope you are happy to receive occasional news about the progress of the school, but if you would prefer not to receive our newsletters, please email us to unsubscribe.