In October 2006, I visited Ghumna with a friend who sponsors Samjhana. We were invited to meet the parents of the sponsored children and present uniforms to the 7 girls who have just joined the sponsorship scheme and also to give notebooks and pencils to all the girls. Again, the parents were keen to thank everyone for their support.
This uniform ‘distribution ceremony’ is an important way to bring the parents of the sponsored girls into contact with the school. Illiterate people in Nepal tend to view school with awe – they feel that it is something for the privileged and that they have no right to be involved. The SWC tries to make school more accessible by involving the parents at all times; there is a Parent-Teachers association and parents, the SWC and children come together at these ceremonies to celebrate the children’s achievements.