Establishment and reconstruction of Schools in
Bhunja Valley, Tehsil Balakot, District Mansehra (NWFP).
Program context:
A part of the rehabilitation & reconstruction phase, it is an important aspect of our mandate, not to make the earthquake survivors dependent on the aid that they are currently receiving for a moment longer than necessary. KLWT’s aim is to provide vision, hope and “seeding” assistant to the earthquake survivors on how they can improve their lives for themselves.
School Data
List of Students died in Earthquake
More than 50% of the 75, 000 causalities of the earthquake were children. In certain part of the earthquake affected areas, it is not an understatement to say that the entire next generation has been wiped out. Some 79,000 surviving children aged between 05 and 18 years are estimated to have been affected by the earthquake and 8, 885 schools to have been damaged or destroyed. With the surviving children of today representing the future hopes and aspirations of the earthquake affected communities, KLWT has taken a keen interest in working towards rehabilitating children with in the affected communities as a matter of priority.
Tented school or open-air schools are not the permanent rehabilitation solution under any circumstances. With the wide range of weather conditions and the risk of potential future earthquake in the region, construction of any school will need to be well thought off in design, layout and quality of physical construction.
Program Location:
The area identified for the initial implementation of this program is in village
Sehri Bagh, Bhunja Valley, Union Council Kiwai, Tehsil Balakot, District Mansehra- Norht West Frontier Province (NWFP) - Pakistan.
Bhunja Valley consists of approximately 50 hamlets, the largest of which is Sehri Bagh located on the following coordinates:
30 Km from Balakot on Kaghan Highway.
Latitude: North34. 37'25, Longitude: East 73. 31' 60", Altitude: 4522
Total population: 13-15 Thousand, Total families: 2200
Total area: 1 Lakh 78 Thousand and 250 canals
Project Image: Click here to view
Program Background:
KLWT has been working in Bhunja valley in the aftermath of the earthquake provide relief goods (food, clothing and shelter) and medical aid (medicines and medical camps). Due to this initial involvement, a healthy relationship has been developed with the local the local community and community elders. Based upon this mutually trusting relationship with the local community, the KLWT trustees and staff have decided to work towards the rehabilitation of the local community after the devastating earthquake.
There were four Government schools built on local village community land and were totally destroyed in the earthquake. All four schools were Urdu medium prior to the earthquake.
Program objectives:
The primary objective is to re-start the schools as early as possible so that the rehabilitation process for the community can be facilitated. The schools can initially be started in tents but during the course of the year, construction of more permanent structures will need to be undertaken. It is planned that the construction will be done in a manner to avoid casualties in the event of any future earthquake.
The construction of the schools will be done with the consent and collaboration of both the Government and the local community.
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