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Projects

• Pestalozzi Asian Village, Dehradun, India
  
• Pestalozzi African Village, Lusaka, Zambia

• Pestalozzi Home, Tibetan Children's Village (in Dharamsala, India)
• Pestalozzi Centre Budhanilkantha School, Nepal
• Budhanilkantha Girls Hostel, Nepal
• Vocational Activities in Shri Sita Ram School, Far West Nepal

Pestalozzi Asian Village

The first PestalozziWorld Village was established in Dehradun, northern India in 2004 and is managed by Pestalozzi Children's Village Society (PCVS).

The first intake of scholars arrived in September 2004 and we are adding about 25 each year. The students are drawn equally from India, Nepal and the Tibetan exile community. Each year-group is accommodated in a separate house in the same neighbourhood and the children attend some of the best and most demanding private schools in Dehradun. Each new intake receives intensive in-house tuition in order to prepare them for entry into Class 6 (the first year of secondary school) of local English-medium schools. In keeping with Pestalozzi principles of ‘Head, Heart and Hands’ the children are also given practical skills training in a range of activities including carpentry, sewing and needlework, gardening and computing, and some of the items produced are sold to provide income for the running of the Village. Older children also take part in local community service activities.

PCVS recently acquired land just outside Dehradun, where we plan a purpose-built Children’s Village to accommodate up to 200 children. Construction will start as soon as the necessary government and state permits have been received. In the meantime the land is used to grow produce and provide the children with agricultural training.

The construction of the new Village will be largely funded by the sale of existing houses. It is expected that in time the running costs will be covered by the alumni Foundations and through income-generating activities.

Pestalozzi African Village

In 1999 the Pestalozzi Children's Centre was built at Kasisi, just outside Lusaka, to accommodate 80 girls selected from impoverished mainly rural backgrounds. In addition to receiving a good secondary education at local schools they have learned skills such as sewing, knitting and farming that will help promote self-sustainability and lead to self-employment.

However our vision has long been to establish an African Children’s Village, to accommodate children from both Zambia and neighbouring countries, boys as well as girls, along the lines of the Asian Village. This vision is now a reality, as the Pestalozzi African Village and Educational Farm (PACVEF) nears completion on a site acquired for the purpose in the Ibex Hill area of Lusaka.

The first group of children are already occupying the Ibex Hill site, which benefits from plenty of open space where crops and produce can be grown and from environmentally-friendly projects such as a bio-gas converter. In addition to modern organic agricultural techniques, children will learn computer and other practical skills and receive small-business training.

The Kasisi Centre is now a foundation centre, to provide in-house tuition for children during their first two years of secondary education. There are currently 79 children at Kasisi and 62 at Ibex Hill; eventually 200 children will be accommodated at Ibex Hill and 80 at Kasisi. The latest intake includes Angolan children selected from the Mayukwayukwa refugee camp in Western Zambia through a partnership recently established with UNHCR.

The two centres are managed by Pestalozzi Zambia Children’s Trust. Now that the Village is a reality, the next challenge is to make it self-sustaining.

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Tibetans
(in exile in India)

The Pestalozzi House at the Tibetan Children's Village near Dharamsala, the construction of which was funded by POCT, provides accommodation for 25 students.  Phuntsok Tashi, a former Pestalozzi Village student, who is tireless in helping other Tibetan refugees, is seen here with his youngest son.  He is now the Project Director of Pestalozzi Children's Village Society.

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Nepal

Pestalozzi Centre Budhanilkantha School, Kathmandu, Nepal

The Pestalozzi Centre was set up in Budhanilkantha School in 1996 with assistance from POCT to provide hands-on experience for the students. The Centre covers an area of 60 'ropanis' (3 hectares of land) in the school compound. Mr. DK Shrestha, the Agriculture teacher, is the Pestalozzi Centre Manager. A student committee helps to run the centre. It is now fully self-sufficient.

The Pestalozzi Vocational Centre is used by almost all the children in the school, as a mini-farm growing vegetables and plants. A micro-hydro plant for educational purposes is at the Centre, as well as facilities for teaching computing, sewing and carpentry among other vocational skills.

For more information go to the Nepal section.

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Budhanilkantha Girls Hostel

POCT has helped fund a Girls' Hostel at Budhanilkantha School. This was completed in the spring of 1999 and has been in use since the new academic year began in July 1999, housing 124 girls.

Shri Sita Ram School, Far West Nepal

A Vocational Centre has been established at Shri Sita Ram School. The Vocational Centre concentrates on vegetable production as the area of greatest need. There is also a fruit orchard.

A self-catering hostel, to accommodate 40 girls, has been built. It is half funded by POCT, with contributions from the British Embassy Nepal and the lcoal community. It was completed in June 2003.

The project has been underway at the school since 1997. Please read more here.

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