Rato Bangala Kitab - Quality Children's Literature for Nepal

In 1992, during the very first teacher-training session at Rato Bangala we organized a writing workshop for the faculty. Each teacher was asked to compose and illustrate a children's story, then to share his/her work with the group and to make revisions before submitting a final draft. The results were amazing! We discovered a wealth of talent among that initial group of educators and from that first set of books came the inaugural title published by Rato Bangala Kitab, the publishing division of the Rato Bangala Foundation. Mangale Ko Changa, by Punyasheel Gautam, is the story of two boys and a kite, composed in rhyming Nepali verse and illustrated (using a combination of collage and tempera paint) by the author. Published in 1993, it has quickly become a classic.

Since then, Rato Bangala Kitab has expanded to include an impressive list of titles published in Nepali, English and over a dozen other regional languages. To list just a few: The Adventures Of A Nepali Frog recounts the travels of an intrepid amphibian; Kaag Kaag Kauwa introduces the alphabet to young children; Khadkhadai is set in the Nepali jungle; and Chhandaka Ek Saya Ek Kabita presents 101 poems in traditional Nepali rhyming meter. These books are available for purchase by families and schools throughout the country, and several are also included in the collected learning materials distributed to rural schools by the foundation. (More about this project to come.) The Foundation continues to sponsor writer's workshops and the work of producing quality literature for Nepali children moves forward.

A complete catalog of Rato Bangala Kitab titles is available at http://www.rbf.org.np/catalogue.html.

-Beth

Rato Bangala: It's Not Just A School ... It's A Foundation

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm very proud of my ongoing affiliation with the Rato Bangala School, a wonderful example of progressive education at work in Nepal. But there's more to Rato Bangala than just a school for kids from the Kathmandu area. From our very first conversations, all of us involved in this project envisioned an institution that would impact education for children throughout the region, not simply those from a particular economic class or location. With this mission in mind the Rato Bangala Foundation was begun. Because I don't think I can say it better myself, I will quote now from the Foundation's mission statement:

Since 2002, the Rato Bangala Foundation has been immersed in the challenging task of improving the quality of education in Nepal, with primary focus on schools run by the government. To fulfill its mission, RBF trains teachers, develops teaching/learning material and publishes children's literature. In line with its philosophy the Foundation works in formal collaboration with the Department of Education of the Government of Nepal, and partners with various agencies and organizations which are engaged in the task of improving teaching in the classroom ... Taking a 'whole school' approach, the Foundation works with parents, teachers, administrators as well as students so that all get a sense of empowerment and ownership towards the institution and its development.

RBF's approach is multi-faceted and I will use my next few blog posts to describe various components of their work. First up: books!

-Beth

If you would like to make a donation to support the work of the Rato Bangala Foundation, please contact me: bnorford@mac.com. Your contribution will make a difference to the children and teachers of Nepal. (Note: Contributions are not yet tax-deductible in the US, but we're working on it.)