Kathipudi, a school of hope

Everything began in Switzerland when a young woman from La Chaux-de-Fonds Janique de Kanel chose to devote her life to humanitarian aid in favour of the children. In 2002 she crossed Switzerland on a monocycle and raised the 47,000 Francs needed to start up this wonderful project – construction of a school in India!

Its doors opened in June 2003 in Kathipudi in Andhra Pradesh which is a very poor rural region and where the level of illiteracy is at 85% of the population and the daily salary is no more than 1 Franc.

5 years ago the school started with 350 children but continues to grow. Now there are more than 1,180 pupils from poor families. To respond to the growing need and in order for the older children to be able to complete their studies, 6 new classrooms have to be built each year until 2015. From 2016, development costs will reduce as classroom construction will no longer be required and maintenance costs are more moderate as is the updating of material.

The objective is to provide a good quality education to the poor so that they become upstanding Indian citizens and to motivate them into helping their region of birth.

Kathipudi has 10 school buses. The majority of the children come from surrounding villages and without the transport offered would have no chance of getting to any school.

In June 2007 Calcutta Espoir donated 40,000 Francs to the school which was used to build 2 classrooms and to equip them with furniture and school supplies and a second hand school bus. In November 2008 Calcutta espoir made a second donation of 34,000 Francs which built and equipped the chemistry lab.
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