Identified projects
A list of some of the projects that MAD has identified during our visits to these rural schools as well as requests received from the schools.
You can support us by adopting any of the identified projects, making a sponsorship or by simply making a holiday trip with us in the beautiful Land of The Thunder Dragon..
Provision of daily essentials for rural schools
Most families living in those rural areas in Bhutan are not having an income. They farm for their own consumption and are unable to sell their produce due to the lack of market place around their villages and the accessibility to their villages. Nearest market can be many hours away.
With this backdrop, school children often lack the basic daily and schooling essentials such as stationary, toothbrush, toothpaste, uniforms, shoes, slippers and many other necessities. We have been providing some of these items to schools and will be rolling out a program where we will supply some of these items on a half yearly basis to the school children.
If you are keen to support this cause, please feel free to contact us and let us know how you can help contribute to this project.
Estimated project cost : TBD
Construction of foot pavement and lightings for Sha Taksha Primary School, Wandue Phrodang
This school serves 3 villages of about 80 households. There is currently no proper lighting within the school and children need to walk in the dark from hostels to kitchen/dining hall for their dinner & night study. As the school compound is not on flat land, children faced the risk of tripping/slipping especially during bad weather when the ground are wet and muddy. School has requested for help to make concrete foot pathway with lightings for the safety of the children.
Estimated project cost : US$6,000
Replacement of cooking stoves and provision of electrical cookers and cooking utensils
Some schools are providing meals for the children and due to the heavy usage, stoves are in bad shape and some are in the verge of collapsing. Also, to help reduce the cost of purchasing the firewoods, we would be providing some schools with electric cookers for rice and curry. The identified schools with immediate needs that we will be supporting them on these items are Sha Taksha PS (Wandue Phrodang), Zinchella PS (Dagana), Nimtola PS (Dagana), Langdurbi PS (Zhemgang) and Bardo PS (Zhemgang)
Estimated project cost : US$5,000
Re-construction of Dining Hall for Gumla Primary School, Dagana
School has 62 students and of which, 41 are informal boarders. Due to the distance away from the various catchment areas, parents wanted to keep the children with the school in order for them to attend classes.
We also learnt that the road leading to the school will be inaccessible for 4 months in a year during monsoon season. Meals served are mainly rice and vegetables. No meats and eggs provided as the nearest market is 4 hours walk away.
School has humbly requested for the re-construction of one dining hall as the children will be wet and are not able to have their meals in a proper place during the monsoon season with heavy rainfall.
Estimated project cost : US$20,000 - US$25,000
Sports equipment for Khangrab Primary School, Bumthang
Currently, the school has insufficient sports equipment for any sports activities and the school has humbly requested for help to procure some sports item for the children.
Estimated project cost : US$300 - US$600
School Agriculture Program - Apiculture project for Tang Central School, Bumthang
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forests and the Ministry of Education in a joint project, launched a School Agricultural Project to introduce and disseminate sustainable agriculture system for teachers and students. As part effort of this initiative, Tang Central School is planning to start an apiculture program for her 500+ students in the school compound.
The school has humbly requested for help to procure necessary bee-keeping facilities to kick off the project. Honey harvested by the students will be bottled and sold to generate additional funds to sustain the effort and new programs for the school.
Estimated project cost : Estimated at US$15,000 - US$20,000
Reconstruction of kitchen in Wolathang Primary School, Punakha
Located in the rural northern part of Punakha, Wolathang Primary School is at least an hour away from the nearest town and serves 4 villages around that area with 75 students in 2018. Lunches are provided under the daily school feeding program but the kitchen structure is unsafe and is in dire need of refurbishment.
The school has appealed to us to help with the reconstruction of the kitchen.
Estimated project cost : TBD
Reconstruction of wired fence for Brekha Primary School, Trashigang
Brekha Primary School is located in one of the poorest districts in Trashigang.
The school has humbly requested for help to construct a wired fence along one side of the school where it is facing a steep drop off right at the side of the play area next to the school. Currently a temporary bamboo fence has been installed by the teachers. However, it is not of sturdy built and the children are still at risk of possibly endangering themselves.
We are also currently supporting them on the provision of school uniforms for the next 5 years. See here for details.
Estimated project cost : TBD
Rebuild Multipurpose Hall for Kharsa Primary School, Bumthang
Even though Kharsa Primary School is located at a remote area north of Bumthang town, the school managed to clinch the top 5th and 4th placing for the class 3 and 4 respectively in Bhutan's annual school ranking result in 2016.
With only 5 classrooms available for 7 classes in the main building, the only place that the school can hold any official activities is at the shed built with wooden poles and bamboos by the community.
The school has humbly requested for help to rebuild a sturdier multipurpose hall so the children and the villagers can have a safe, proper venue to host any activities.
Estimated project cost : $20,000 - $40,000
Rebuild Multipurpose Hall for Khangrab Primary School, Bumthang
The school is established in the year 1999 and it is located in Gamling village of Tang under Bumthang Dzongkhag. Currently, the School has a make shift hall which was constructed in the year 2001 by the community using locally available materials like bamboo and wood.
Other than the regular cultural and literacy programs for the children, the hall has also benefited two chewogs for any formal and informal gatherings such as for election purposes.
The school has humbly requested for help to rebuild a sturdier multipurpose hall so the children and the villagers can have a safe, proper venue to host any activities.
Estimated project cost : $20,000 - $40,000