US envoy hands over three school buildings in Kavre

Kathmandu, April 30

US Ambassador to Nepal Randy W Berry today handed over three new primary school buildings to the people of Kavrepalanchowk district.

The schools buildings were constructed with the support of American people through the United States Agency for International Development.

Speaking at an event organised to hand over the school buildings, Ambassador Berry said the relations the United States and Nepal shared for the last 72 years would be stronger and deeper in the days ahead. “The school buildings we are handing over today are the reflection of American people’s long-standing commitment to rebuilding a safer Nepal for this and future generations,” Berry added.

“Following the 2015 earthquakes, over two million children’s study was affected. Illustrating the US government’s commitment to education, USAID immediately began a comprehensive response, which allowed more than 93,000 students to continue their studies amidst adverse conditions and ultimately return to safer schools,” read a press release issued by the US Embassy in Kathmandu.

In the immediate aftermath of the earthquakes, USAID partnered with UNICEF and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to build 1,045 temporary learning centres, and distributed teaching and learning materials to ensure that children could return to school as quickly as possible.

In the recovery phase, USAID began constructing 250 transitional learning structures — durable, semi-permanent structures — to provide safe learning spaces to children attending small schools in remote areas. At the same time, USAID began to reconstruct 29 seismically safe, well-equipped and child and disabled-friendly schools in seven districts badly affected by the earthquakes.

The US government, in partnership with the Asian Development Bank has already handed over eight earthquake-resilient modern school buildings and will handover seven more by the end of this year. Overall, the 29 new schools will benefit more than 8,800 students in five districts and increase school attendance and retention, the release said. Since the 2015 earthquakes, the United States has invested more than $190 million in response and recovery projects in Nepal.

from The Himalayan Times http://bit.ly/2LeFQmG
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