The following is a report from Mr John Broadhurst, a Heal UK trustee, who recently visited a new project Heal is supporting in Bhadrachalam, Andhra Pradesh:
On 28th November Bhavani, Vijayalakshmi and John visited the Heal project in Bhadrachalam. T.V. Rao, the headmaster was immensely proud to show us around and had called the children in to school to greet us on a public holiday! Can you imagine the uproar in England!
There are 300 children in the school and at present 200 are supported by Heal, although plans are in place to support all the children in due course.
The entrance to the school where Bhavani, Vijayalakshmi and John were welcomed with flowers, songs and drawings and of course garlands, but it was the first three things that captured the soul.
T.V. Rao the impressive headmaster of the school with two of the children at the entrance to the staff office. It was easy to see the struggle to provide a good education on paper thin funding.
Welcome to Heal posters above the headmaster and staff’s office door and children with drawings in hand to give to us.
It is amazing to see a school of 300 children being run effectively from such a small room. All credit to them.
Rao’s teaching staff standing in front of one of the classrooms to greet us.
The classrooms are simple, spotless, bright and airy and look out onto the play yard. All the classrooms are in one building and stretch from the staff office, depicted in the second photograph, and then from the 1st class down to the 10th.
We visited every class in the school and within each one, one or two children either sang an impromptu song or recited a poem.
Above are some of the welcome notes we received, on behalf of Heal, from the children during our visit. Sorry we do not have a record of their singing.
This school is some way away from Guntur, but any visitors or volunteers to Heal will not be disappointed by a visit to this school and it may spur us on to do more.
Rao we wish you, the staff and the children with their families’ success in achieving your education goals and meeting life’s challenges.
And thank you to Heal sponsors for enabling us to help Bhadrachalam’s children.
John Broadhurst