In 2020, amidst a global lockdown, the Chepang people took a remarkable initiative by blocking all access to their village and channeling their efforts into constructing the village school, a project spearheaded by the Butterfly Help Project. Witnessing the unwavering dedication of the residents of Adhamara village in the Chitwan District of Nepal was truly inspiring.

Benefiting from strong community cohesion, the villagers efficiently allocated tasks for the school construction. Each family took on specific responsibilities: some prepared small rocks for construction, others facilitated the transportation of materials, while some were tasked with erecting walls and constructing toilets. Skilled individuals worked as masons under the guidance of appointed engineers. The villagers’ commitment to their tasks motivated us to overcome logistical challenges posed by the pandemic, securing timely delivery of construction materials. Despite pandemic-related hurdles, local authorities granted special permission for material transportation to the village’s base.

Through a combination of perseverance and community spirit, the school construction was completed on schedule. However, the closure of schools meant that children were deprived of education for nearly two years. The long-term consequences of this interruption remain uncertain.

In Nepal, private schools had the privilege of transitioning to online classes during the lockdown, but many, like Adhamara village’s school, experienced a prolonged hiatus without proper education. With the support of our generous donors, the Butterfly Help Project remained committed to encouraging children to return to school once conditions improved.

This project owes its success to the invaluable support of Banque Cantonale Vaudoise, to whom we extend our deepest gratitude for their unwavering assistance in building the Adhamara Shree Primary School.

School benches to Adhamara school

To encourage Adhamara children to return to school, we distributed tracksuits made in our tailor-atelier in Kathmandu, and pairs of shoes to each child during a brief school reopening. Additionally, school bags, notebooks, and pencils were provided, courtesy of Thibaut Wadowski.

Furthermore, we have constructed 45 wooden benches, which were presented to the school upon its reopening.

Since then, we have been trying to visit the school annually and provide them with tracksuits and school supplies.