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.)