Khanapur, Jangiganj / Bhadohi

In carpet knotting regions it is not rare to find hundreds of school-age children in rural villages without a single school nearby. One such region is around the town of Khanapur, which is located southwest of Bhadohi. The nearly 24,000 people in the 8 surrounding villages live from rug and carpet weaving and agriculture; their main livelihood is rice farming.

In 1998, Mr. Abdullah Ansari signed over a piece of land to CARE & FAIR India to build a school. Construction began in 1999 and on 21 August 2000, the Haji Saheb Ali School opened its doors for 400 children.

For many years, the English rug importer Hill & Co. Rugs has been sponsoring the school by paying for all of the operating expenses. Hill & Co. also financed the construction of two multipurpose rooms, which were added on to the school building in 2010. In these rooms the school’s computers and a natural sciences lab are located.

Two years later, in 2012, the school made a decisive step towards becoming more sustainable and independent. At the suggestion of Hill & Co., solar panels were installed on the school’s roof. The solar panels supply the entire school – including the computer rooms – with electricity, thus making the loud generators superfluous.

The Board of Education for the State of Uttar Pradesh (U.P. Basic Siksha Parishad) has officially recognised the Haji Saheb Ali School and its team of teachters. The local public health authority has also inspected the school’s hygiene standards.

In this school, CARE & FAIR was able to set up and implement its third Women Empowerment Program (WEP) in 2010.

Students ± 313
Teachers ± 10
Staff ± 5
Adult Education ± 32
Teachers ± 1
Staff ± 1

Chaksikhari, Gyanpur / Bhadohi

In 1997, the small village of Chaksikhari in the heart of India’s “Carpet Belt” gave CARE & FAIR a piece of land to build a new primary school. After that, things happened very quickly: The first construction phase was completed in September of 1998, and 140 children started school that very same month. Just a year and a half later, 340 children were already attending the school after the second phase of construction was completed in late-1999. This was also when a large playground was installed in the schoolyard.

CARE & FAIR was able to establish and implement its third Women Empowerment Programme (WEP II) at this school.

Thanks to the support of several companies, hundreds of children in Chaksikhari have been able to benefit from reliable access to education since 1998. The sponsors who have provided financial support to the classes and teachers include: Rutz GmbH (Reilingen / Germany), Hassler AG (Aarau / Switzerland), Einrichtungshaus Neubert (Würzburg / Germany), Gottfried Hessling (Osnabrück / Germany), and BZ.Bildung-Beratung-Innovation (Leipzig / Germany).

The school had to be completely renovated in 2007. Since mid-2008 the Danish rug importer Linie Design A/S from Lynge / Copenhagen has been sponsoring the project and paying for all of the operating expenses in collaboration with its Indian suppliers.

Students ± 347
Teachers ± 10
Staff ± 6
Adult Education ± 36
Teachers ± 2
Staff ± 1

Bhadohi

In 1997, Mr. A. C. Baranwal, a CARE & FAIR board member and co-founder of the foundation, gave us the piece of land where the clinic is now located. Construction of the new building was planned immediately and completed in March of 1999.

At first the clinic was called the »Chitani Talab Medical Dispensary«, but in October of 2007 it was renamed the »Volker Heinrich Medical Dispensary«.

For the past 15 years the Volker Heinrich Medical Dispensary has been making an important contribution to providing healthcare services to the people in Bhadohi. The Response has been extremely positive from the very beginning. In the first year (1999), 60,000 patients were treated here. The clinic offers two types of medical care: allopathy (traditional medicine) and homeopathy. In addition to general medical concerns, the clinic specialises in treating patients with tuberculosis. The clinic has also hired a gynaecologist to meet the needs of female patients.

In 2013, the German medical journal Deutsches Ärzteblatt published an article stating that “every fifth patient who dies from tuberculosis comes from India” – yet this serious illness can be cured. This is why it is so important to improve early diagnosis options and treat the illness as soon as possible. After all, every untreated person with the disease is contagious. The Volker Heinrich Medical Dispensary in Bhadohi is active in this and other areas of healthcare. The clinic has been distributing more tuberculosis medicine since the year 2000. A lab was even added in 2007 so that the clinic can run blood and other tests as quickly as possible. In 2009, the Hospital received approval from the Health Department for the state of Uttar Pradesh to conduct the DOT program for tuberculosis patients. DOT stands for Directly Observed Treatment, which means that medical professionals provide tuberculosis patients with on-going support during their extensive treatment. DOT is the method of treatment recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Since the third quarter of 2013, the American rug supplier Nourison (New Jersey) has agreed to pay for all operating expenses for an Initial period of five years. The Company ICE MARCJANSSEN, Netherlands took over the sponsorship in October 2018.

Patients / year ± 52.500
Doctors ± 3
Other personnals ± 8

Samhai, Laxmanpati / Bhadohi

Let’s take a look back to the year 1997: The village of Samhai in northern India is home to a small school, which at this time is still called the Grameen School. It has just three classrooms. Five teachers teach an impressive 450 students at this school, which is run by a committee of volunteers from the village. The students have the commitment and desire to learn, but there is still a lot to be done. The school’s leaky roof can no longer withstand the often heavy rainfall. There aren’t enough instruction materials or school uniforms, not to mention the fact that many parents cannot afford the required tuition fees. Lessons are taught here very irregularly.

In 1997, CARE & FAIR takes over the school in this condition. The dilapidated building is fixed up with a new coat of paint, a secure roof and furnishings. Students and teachers are given the instructional materials they so desperately need. This is fine as a temporary solution, but things can’t continue like this forever. The village needs a new school building, one that will be an appropriate place to teach all 450 children. In the year 2000, the village community gives CARE & FAIR a piece of land to build a new school – right next to the old school building. The cornerstone is laid the same year.

The plans for the new school building include 10 classrooms. The budget for the construction project is around € 75,000. When the project faces financial difficulties, CARE & FAIR brings the American non-profit organisation Barakat, Inc. on board. Barakat, Inc. supports, continues and completes school, healthcare and environmental projects in emerging countries. Over the next six years, Barakat, Inc. pays for all of the operating expenses as well as the teacher’s salaries at the school. The Grameen School is renamed the Barakat School.

When Barakat, Inc. redirects its attention back to its own projects, CARE & FAIR temporarily steps in to support the project. In June of 2010 a new sponsor is found to cover the operating expenses: the Canadian company ELTE.

The old school building has been repurposed: in September of 2002, CARE & FAIR launched its second Women Empowerment Program (WEP II) here.

Students ± 340
Teachers ± 10
Staff ± 5
Adult Education ± 30
Teachers ± 2
Staff ± 1

Semuhi-Jaunpur / Bhadohi

Around the turn of the millennium, the region surrounding the village of Semhi had a village school, but it was far too small and needed renovations. It was time to build a new school. In 1999, a CARE & FAIR member from India donated a piece of land to us in Semuhi, Jaunpur. The new school was dedicated two years later in October of 2001. By early 2002, eight teachers were teaching 280 children at the school.

In January of 2006, the India Foundation founded by rug importers Frank and Marianne Kochmann (Wallenhorst / Germany) took over as the school’s sponsor. Since then, the foundation has not only been paying for the operating expenses, but has also financed a number of updates such as paving the schoolyard and furnishing a computer room. The school also has a small piece of land that students can use as an educational vegetable garden. Since mid of 2016 the German company miinu GmbH in Bocum is sponsoring this project and pays all running expenses.

Just like CARE & FAIR ’s other schools, the Women Empowerment Programme (WEP VI) is also offered here.

Students ± 321
Teachers ± 11
Staff ± 5
Adult Education ± 33
Teachers ± 1
Staff ± 1

Sultanapur, Bhadohi

From »open-air classrooms« to a modern school building with computer Workstations – remarkable developments have taken place at the Amita School. Twenty years ago, the students here were still being taught outside before CARE & FAIR was asked to Sponsor the project. It ultimately took over the School in 1998. A year later, CARE & FAIR was given a piece of land where it began constructing a school. By February of 2001 the eight classes with 310 children were ready to move into the finished school building. The Amita School is located in the catchment area of seven villages with a total population of around 18,000 people.

The American Importers Ass. ORIA came on board as an active sponsor in the year 2000. ORIA supported 48 schoolchildren, who were initially taught in two separate classrooms and integrated into the Amita School two years later. ORIA paid for all of the school’s operating expenses from 2006 to 2009. Computer courses have been offered here since 2009. Eight computer workstations were installed during the summer holiday so that regular lessons could be offered to children in grades 6 through 8. This was also when Nanimarquina, a long-time CARE & FAIR member and Spanish Producer of designer rugs from Barcelona, took over the sponsorship of the school. It has been paying all of the operating expenses ever since.

The Board of Education for the State of Uttar Pradesh (U. P. Basic Shiksha Parishad) has officially recognised the Amita School and its team of teachers. The local public health authority has also inspected the school’s hygiene standards.

Since 2001 the school has not only been teaching schoolchildren, but also their mothers and older sisters. The first Women Empowerment Program (WEP) gives women the opportunity to learn basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics.

Students ± 342
Teachers ± 11
Staff ± 6
Adult Education± 31
Teachers ± 2
Staff ± 1

Garauli, Aurai / Sant Ravidas Nagar District / Bhadohi

While CARE & FAIR often takes over, renovates and develops existing facilities, it also occasionally builds from the ground up. This was the case in 2008, for example, when German publishers Michael and Tim Steinert from the Hamburg-based publishing house SN-Fachpresseverlag contacted CARE & FAIR with an interest in sponsoring a project. Since we were unable to offer an existing project at that time and because there are still nowhere near enough schools in rug and carpet knotting regions, we decided to build a new school without further ado. Michael and Tim Steinert not only agreed to pay for the construction costs, but also the operating expenses for the first five years.

No sooner was this said, planned and done: Mr. Hirdaynarain and Mr. Chandrakeshwar Tiwari, two brothers of a headmaster at a CARE & FAIR school, signed over a piece of land in Garauli to us for the construction project. It couldn’t have been in a better location – after all, there wasn’t a single school in this catchment area with a population of around 30,000 people. The cornerstone was laid in October of 2008 and in March of 2010 the carpetXL School was officially dedicated.

By July of 2010 all eight classes were full of students. From the very first day, the curriculum called for regular computer classes for children in grades 6 through 8.
The school has eight computer workstations for these classes.

All the running expenses of the school have been taken over by The Rug Establishment and Designers Desire in a joint sponsorship partnership as of 2015.

In October 2016 has been installed a solar power system in the CarpetXL school.

The Board of Education for the state of Uttar Pradesh (U.P. Basic Siksha Parishad) as well as the local public health authority are currently reviewing the school and the team of teachers. Official recognition by these two authorities will not only boost the villagers’ confidence in the quality of education, but will also motivate them to participate in the immunisation programmes offered here.

A Women Empowerment Programme (WEP V) was also incorporated into the school from day one.

Students ± 348
Teachers ± 10
Staff ± 5
Adult Education ± 32
Teachers ± 2
Staff ± 1

Chaksikhari, Gyanpur / Bhadohi

The construction of our newest school, which is truly a pioneering project, began in Chaksikhari in 2012. A secondary school for girls was built directly next to one of our existing schools as the first such CARE & FAIR institution of its kind.

At the initiative of our English member Hill & Co. Rugs, the CARE & FAIR office in India negotiated with the John Lewis Foundation to establish and build a high school for girls. Soon thereafter, a piece of land was secured in Chaksikhari.

In November of 2012, Ms. Paula Nickolds and Mr. Sean Allam of the John Lewis Foundation laid the cornerstone. The school was dedicated on 3 July 2014, just in time for the start of the new school year. This meant that girls who had graduated from primary school in May of 2014 could continue their education in the first class at the new secondary school.

Students ± 161
Teachers ± 10
Staff ± 5

Khanapur, Jangiganj / Bhadohi

For many years, the Haji Saheb Ali School has been sponsored by the English carpet importer Hill & Co. Rugs, who paid for all running costs.

Hill & Co. also funded the addition of two multipurpose rooms to the school building in 2010.

These rooms were originally used as a computer room and for science.

Years later, CARE & FAIR had the idea of accommodating a secondary school there.

Thus, this project was initiated by our board member, Ms. Paveen Job.

In 2017, CARE & FAIR was able to inspire the company Christopfer Farr, UK for this project. Christopfer Farr agreed to support and fund this project.

On August 17, the second Girls High School started. To this day, Christopfer Farr, UK pays the running costs of this school.

Students ± 48
Teacher ± 6
Personnel ± 0

Many of the women who live in the villages of Uttar Pradesh, a state in northern India’s “Carpet Belt”, have never learned how to read or write. This makes it all the more difficult for them to contribute their share of the household income or participate in current political affairs.

CARE & FAIR wants to give these women the skills they need to have a greater impact on their own lives. It was for this reason that we launched our first Women Empowerment Program in November of 2001. We chose the Amita School to serve as the first site since it had just moved into a newer and larger building.

Our pilot project at the Amita School was soon to be followed by several other Women Empowerment Programmes at other CARE & FAIR schools. In many cases, these programmes help the mothers and older sisters of our students. These programmes give women the opportunity to learn basic skills in reading, writing, mathematics and hygiene. They can also learn how to sew and embroider – skills that make it possible for them to make and sell clothing and thus contribute to their own livelihoods.

Knowledge and independence are two important factors that play a decisive role in improving the status of women in village communities and ultimately in society as a whole.

We initially encountered some resistance when we introduced our Women Empowerment Programmes. After all, many men found it difficult to accept the fact that their wives and daughters were taking the initiative to improve their own lives. Change often takes time and patience. In this case, patience definitely paid off. Six of our schools now offer Women Empowerment Programmes, which the women in the village communities have warmly embraced. In fact, the response has been so positive that we now have waiting lists for coveted spots in the Women Empowerment Programmes.

At the end of the sewing class, every woman is given the option to take a sewing machine home with them for a low leasing fee. CARE & FAIR then gives them their first paid work as seamstresses to make the school uniforms desperately needed at the schools. Of course the women can also sew their own clothing, do needlework for their neighbours or sell their work at the market as a good way to provide extra income for their families.

Women ± 194
Teachers ± 10
Staff ± 6