Our old school buildings

These one-storey buildings, each with a flat roof, were built in the seventies.  They have withstood the test of time and cyclones.

Last year, however, we decided they were unsafe to use as classrooms.   We did a survey to decide whether to knock them down, to do an inexpensive reproofing which would probably only last five years, or to spend about £18,000 – money which we did not have! – to carry out a procedure which would give the buildings many years of use.

We were incredibly fortunate in that the parish priest of Our Lady of Grace church in Chiswick, Fr Michael Dunne, elected to make Bhola’s Children a major beneficiary of his Lenten Project.   To our absolute amazement and joy, the parishioners of Chiswick embraced Bhola’s Children to the tune of over £21,000.

This has enabled us not only to reroof both buildings but also to replaster and redecorate the interiors, as can be seen in these photographs.   Zakir tells us the furniture was made, with a bit of help, by our children.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another bonus of this appeal in the church is that we now have a new trustee Andrew Hogan who is considerably younger than those who habitually visit Bhola.  He will be coming out in January.