Solmaid Community School
By the Community, For the Community
Presentation for Ocean Grove Rotary May 2020
Bangladesh Facts:
I64.7 Million people - World Bank (2017)
Dhaka is the capital city - 16 million people
More than half the population lives below the poverty line
Most of the population are farmers
Garment Industry is the greatest exporter
Primary Education is not compulsory
Still many students do not attend school due to cost and availability of education.
Solmaid Community School Mission Statement
We are inspiring our learners to improve academic achievements and build social relationships which will serve the wider community.
We believe:
We are committed to:
Background - How did Solmaid Community School originate?
Inauguration Program
January 2013
Where is Solmaid Community School?
Solmaid Community School is located in a slum area in the North of the capital city Dhaka.
It originally operated out of a house that had a small yard and was enclosed with a high fence. The school rented the premises for a reasonable amount considering the location and the size of the building.
It had 3 classrooms, a kitchen, toilets and 2 small office areas. From January 2013 to December 2018 the school operated in this building until the owner required the building for own use.
A new building close by was found and negotiations with the owner allowed the Foundation to build 3 more spaces on site that was much larger
Current Status of the School
The school has been closed due to Corona Virus.
It is due to open again between June 5-10th, depending on the directions of the country and readiness for receiving students safely. Currently the majority of Bangladeshi people are celebrating Eid ul Fitre - the end of the month of Ramadan, therefore people are on holiday.
There are 155 students from Year Playgroup (4 year olds) to Year 6.
There are 5 teachers and one teacher assistant and 2 aya’s. Nasma who is the cleaner and Hasna who is the cook.
Current status continued
Due to corona virus all businesses have been closed for months.
Families of the students are unable to earn money due to complete lockdown.
Donations of food for the families have been made by private donors who have distributed:
5kg of rice, 2.5kg flour, 2.5kg of dal, 1 litre of oil and 1.25kg sugar. - This has occurred 3 times
A family related to ISD (International School Dhaka) has donated biscuits and noodles.
Food provided for the students
Weekly:
Eggs twice
Fresh milk twice
Beef, chicken mixed with hotch potch (Rice and dal) most days.
Cost per month is 57,360 taka to provide food for the 155 students - 12 taka per meal.
$1,025 Australian Dollars per month Per meal is 21 cents per student
Food Provided by Ocean Grove Rotary
Students will often have small snacks at home however many students are only given one meal a day by their families which is often rice with watery dal (lentils).
The support staff cook rice, meat, lentils, eggs, vegetables on a rotational basis and the students are also provided with fresh milk.
Currently the money provided by Ocean Grove Rotary�supports approximately half of the food requirements.
Some videos of the students doing their extra-curricular activities which occur on a Thursday on a rotation system.
Individual Student videos
Students are eating boiled egg and Hotch Potch which is rice with lentils, spices and seasonal vegetables or meat.
Cooking is done by the Support Staff at Solmaid Community School
Ishrat Haq (Moon) is a celebrity Chef in Bangladesh and is a member of the Solmaid Community School Foundation.
She has conducted cooking lessons for the staff and parents at SCS.
Computer
class
Computer classes are conducted on weekends or after school for students in the upper levels.
Classroom activities
Students are exposed to less traditional methods of learning.
Teachers are provided with professional development through the 3T program to develop their teaching skills and expand their teaching methods which in turn assists with student engagement in learning.
Parent sessions are held regularly
Cultural Programs are held for visitors and to celebrate religious and national events
Other sponsors
Dhaka North Rotary
International School Dhaka
KK Foundation
Various ongoing individual sponsors
Community Engagement
The school is used for other community activities:
Cooking classes for Transgender
Transgender are unable to secure employment in Bangladesh. They are shunned by society and therefore resort to threatening behaviour to extort money from others.
They are now learning to cook and have set up their own food stall to support themselves with the help of Ishrat Haq.(Moon)
They are being filmed by TV.
Questions