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International

The best start in life

Friends of Midnapore is a project in West Bengal supporting six rural schools for 250 pre-primary age children. NUT member Maggie Flanagan has raised money for the project since 2005.

When she retired, Maggie volunteered through VSO to work in rural West Bengal in India. She trained teaching staff, introducing a child-centred approach. But the funding for the schools ended in 2005. Maggie has been fundraising since then to keep them open.

The schools give the children a positive educational experience that establishes a school-going habit and reduces drop-out rates, especially among girls. The centres give women training, employment and status, and help raise literacy and numeracy levels. They cost £4,220 a year to run. Maggie is unpaid – all funds raised go to the schools.

The schools are about 150 km south west of Kolkata. The local people are subsistence farmers growing rice and keeping a vegetable garden, chickens and a cow. Some earn extra money weaving mats or making pots or bricks.

Maggie currently works for another non-governmental organisation, visiting and supporting the schools and raising money for them.

Maggie is happy to visit schools to talk about the project. Just email maggieflanagan@rediffmail.com if you would like to invite her to your school.

VSO in Ethiopia

International development charity VSO urgently needs education professionals for placements focused on improving education systems in Ethiopia from September, for either one or two years.

If you would like further information visit www.vso.org.uk/volunteer

Speaking to women

In July the NUT will join an Education International delegation to Jordan to hold a seminar with Arab women with the aim of establishing an Arab Women’s Network.

A more detailed report will appear in the next issue of The Teacher.