Karuna Girls School

Empowering Local Girls

Background

As the girls at the Peace Grove Nunnery grew older, and the village girls enrolled in the Metta Schools completed the eighth grade, there was an urgent need to find a way to continue education through High School. In light of the profound discrimination against girls in the region - according to UNICEF Lumbini is one of the most critical zones for child marriage. The application list at PGN was now far too lengthy to accommodate more students - the situation was emergent. Thanks to the vision of Venerable Metteyya and Guruma Bodhi, the stage was set for the next step in girl’s education. Ground was broken for both the Anatta Children’s library and the Karuna Girls School next door to the Peace Grove Nunnery with the faith that if building was begun, the funding and the students would follow. When our friend from Calgary, Trevor Ironside visited in 2012, fundraising began in earnest. When Karuna officially opened its doors to girls from all around the Lumbini area, it became the first public school in the region dedicated exclusively to providing quality higher education for girls. The photo compilations and accompanying stories document the hopeful beginnings and take us through the auspicious 10th anniversary! Karuna is primarily a High School, supporting education through the 12th grade, but along the way, a primary school addition and adult vocational trainings also became much needed additions.

Today KGS remains the only girl’s school in the region, continuing its legacy as a true pioneer in women’s education and empowerment. It is a safe, culturally acceptable environment for young women to pursue higher studies, learn professional and leadership skills. The integrated curriculum also addresses the specific challenges faced by local women and girls, and focuses heavily on health, hygiene, family planning, and nutrition. This education supplements and furthers the educational efforts we make at the medical camps, bringing the information directly into family homes, and helping to break the cycles of malnutrition and high maternal/infant mortality.

Come follow along….

Grand Opening of Karuna Girls School, 2013

Sacha and Kristin demo the new computer lab.jpg

Founded in 2013, by the Lumbini Social Service Foundation, the Karuna Girls School (KGS) provides education for grades 6 to 12. The young women study academic subjects, physical and environmental education as well as health and hygiene education. KGS also offers vocational development training to students and local women in tailoring, typing, and computer skills. Participation in these programs will help young local women to find jobs, become financially independent, and allow them to contribute economically to their families in the future. Anatta collaborates with and helps to support LSSF to enhance health care and educational opportunities for KGS girls.

Community Tailoring Workshops

At Karuna Girls School 25 young women became the first to participate in the vocational program, with a second branch program at Punnihawa School where 30 women are enrolled. The two teachers have a long list of 30+ women waiting to participate, so classes are offered on rotation to give more women the chance to participate. By learning to tailor and making/fixing clothes themselves, women are able to cut their family expenses and also generate extra income if needed. Finally, the socio-psychological advantages of peer interaction benefit women by increasing confidence, self-esteem, and by improving household relations.

Anatta is working on options for setting up a sponsorship program to help girls and young women who have completed their vocational curriculum start their own tailoring business in the village.

Community Health & Hygiene Workshops

Local girls are taught about basic health and hygiene including the importance of hand washing before food preparation, the relationship of disease and contaminated drinking water, and common community health problems like diarrhea and dysentery. They are also taught about how nutrition relates to long term heath. The girls are given information on the availability of essential vitamins and proteins in locally available sources. At Karuna Girl’s School, there is an additional curriculum on women’s health including topics such as pregnancy, child birth, maternal and infant health, sexually transmitted diseases, and the role of sanitation and cleanliness in preventing perinatal and infant mortality.

Anatta is working on setting up a sponsorship program to help expand the reach of this workshop to girls for whom KGS enrollment is not yet a viable option.

More Construction in April of 2014

KGS welcomes a new class in October 2014

Last year's class organizes this welcome for next year's girls.JPG

presenting gifts for academic achievement.jpg

sponsor a bicycle project produces results.JPG

Karuna Girl’s School - 10 Year Anniversary 2023

Hard to imagine ten years have gone by! During the sixth HHH group trip, we were privileged to attend the KGS celebration. The ceremony was complete with speeches and performances from our students. Their sincerity, candor, gratitude, and so evident sense of empowerment brought tears to our eyes. Karuna’s graduates are the pioneers of a new Lumbini - man are now teaching in schools (including Metta Schools), serving in local health centers, or working as change makers in their local villages.

The 10-year anniversary celebration was held at Bodhi Institute. Passionate speeches, vivid dances, and encouragement from sponsors highlighted the event. Gifts for teachers - thanks to One Child Village and Mr. Trevor for all the support - and prizes for students were gratefully received. A fabulous luncheon feast donated and prepared by Mr. Kasim and happily served by the attending guests completed the festivities.