January 2022
Farhana School - books and ties
Lots of exciting news to report! More photos and stories at:
January 21, 2022 update: we learned today that all schools in Bangladesh will be closed until the first week of February due to the COVID-19 situation. This includes the Farhana School, but does not include Maria Orphanage. In addition, the government will require all children to be vaccinated before returning to school. Of course, this is disappointing after all the excitement about going to school. But, it makes sense as a way to try to keep the children safe. We hope that February will see some return to normal.
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The November field trip to Farhana School in Dhupoil was so successful that it has been determined that the children from Maria should attend 6 days per week (rather than original idea of 1 or 2 days). Two new teachers have been hired at Farhana, and, a local driver with an electric van has been hired to drive the children. This mode of transportation is much more cost-efficient than the 3-wheel motorized bhutbhuti.
Donations enabled us to pay for the school registration and monthly fees, plus uniforms, backpacks, books and a few other items. Details & costs at Our Work
The winter was very cold in the Natore region. Temperatures around 13 degrees celsius, with lots of fog. As a result, the Maria Orphanage Society donated money for blankets for the villagers. The Maria Orphanage children helped distribute these blankets (photos at Life at Maria).