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Sahā Studios
School @ Bhato-Ki-Dhani
Exploring the idea that "School is a place for Children and Community"
Working with Urmul Trust in partnership with SBI YFI, in a period of 14 months, funds were raised and a classroom, amphitheater, and playarea were successfully constructed for a upper primary government school at Bhato-ki-dhani, a small hamlet under the Baramsar Panchayat near Jaisalmer.
Understanding the stakeholders
Prior to the project's implementation, the school catered to students from grades one to eight with just three classrooms. The school lacked a designated play area or facilities for extracurricular activities. Due to the limited number of rooms, teachers had to resort to makeshift solutions, such as holding outdoor classes, which were impractical during the summer. This situation significantly hindered both the delivery of education and the overall development of the children.
We engaged extensively with groups of students, teachers, and the School Management Committee, organizing events such as poster-making, movie screenings, health camps, and interactions with individuals from outside Jaisalmer. These events allowed us to bring out the notion of holistic development and teaching through indirect methods such as teaching morals through movies and leading through example. We were also able to showcase to community the efforts undertaken by the teachers to instill a sense of ownership amongst teachers and a sense of responsibility amongst the community.
These interactions also helped us to understand the social architecture of the community and the operational dynamics of the school. We were able to identify the problems and challenges faced by everyone on functional and financial front.
We started the project with 3 major objectives
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Create a campus and environment conducive for learning and overall development for students.
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Develop a sense of ownership among the entire community including parents and other key agencies to foster sustained development.
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Bridge the gaps between requirements and resources through government and community support.
Fundraising
Securing funding for the project was essential, as we needed adequate resources to complete it, and it was important to gather support from across the community to foster a shared sense of ownership.
We navigated through several stages, learning about local governance, drafting correspondence, and following appropriate procedures. We faced a significant challenge when we discovered that part of the existing school construction was not on its designated land, which complicated our land clearance process. After overcoming these obstacles and revising our designs multiple times, we successfully acquired 6.25 acres of land for the school. Additionally, we raised 3 lakh from the Sarpanch, 80 thousand from SBI Shayog, and received various cash and in-kind donations from local philanthropists.
To maximize the impact of our funds, we scoured local businesses for materials and skilled labor.
Design Approach
The amphitheater was designed between other buildings using shadow to naturally cool the place
With the consideration for the sun and wind patterns, natural shadow and khus in windows were used to create naturally cooled classrooms
Involving the children and community to create a sustained sense of pride and ownership
Use of convertible spaces to create learning aids for efiicient utilization and comfort
Impact
The students were more interested to come to school as it provided them with not only education but also play. The attendance and punctuality improved.
The teachers were inspired to work harder as they now felt a sense of pride being part of a school which was different from all other schools.
The holistic development of school acted as a model classroom for government officials and during the visit the District Collector inquired if the elements of school can be replicated at other neighboring schools.
Climate resilient and economical school infrastructure development recognized by multiple bodies including print media
Quality Education
By improving the built environment of the school, students and teachers had a more positive engagement and enthusiasm for the education.
The model of school infrastructure developed can be replicated to improve conditions in other rural schools.
Sustainable Cities And Communities
Engagement of entire community during the exploration and execution developed a sustained positive mindset within the community towards the school and teachers.