Lighting Up Learning at Our Third School: Transforming Chandi Devi with Technology

Envision Education was founded with a mission to bridge the digital divide, empowering students with the power of technology to unlock a world of new learning opportunities. Returning to Nepal this year, our team was more than thrilled to continue our mission through our partnership with Vishal Group Foundation by working with two new schools.

The journey to Chandi Devi school was a rugged off-road journey, and the poor conditions of the mud road made us feel every divot and bump during the drive. The region that Chandi Devi is located in is known for its brick-making industry, and as our bus jostled along the uneven roads, we passed mountains of red bricks, with clouds of crimson dust filling the air behind us.

Soon enough, we could see a green building peeking over the top of a nearby hill. Our representative from Vishal Group, Mr. Rahul, pointed towards those buildings and told us that they were the very school that we had come to visit. After a few more minutes of bouncing around the bus, we arrived at the school building of Chandi Devi School. 

Following a brief welcome ceremony, where the headmaster of the school welcomed us with a red tika on our foreheads - a symbol of welcome and honor - we were introduced to the room where we would set up the computer lab. The room initially was empty, with several benches strewn about, but even then, the room had promise and potential.

Our materials - twenty-five monitors, PCs, keyboards, and mice - were sitting in a corner of the room. After arranging the tables in an optimal configuration for our lab, we began assembling each of the computers, devices that would connect the children of Chandi Devi to the vast internet.

The process blended together, becoming an efficient assembly line as the team worked together to bring the computer’s many components together to form a functioning device. Our experience and expertise from previous years guided us through the complicated process. Within a few hours, we had a well-organized and fully functional computer laboratory, ready to bridge the digital divide.

Before we left, we took one last look at the rows of sleek black computers in the room, the blue light of Windows 10 wallpaper filling the room with comfortable, warm lighting.

The next day, we returned to the school, eager to jump into the computer lab and begin teaching the students. With smiles on their faces, the first group of children ran into the room, pointing at the blank monitors, exchanging excited glances with each other. Our team started the first lesson, teaching the students how to turn on the computers. The students stared at their screen as it shimmered on, displaying the bright blue Windows logo. The students were fast learners, easily following our instructions, and requiring little assistance. Soon enough, they were mastering the functions of Paint, a graphics editing and drawing app on Windows, drawing multicolored houses and other artistic pieces. 

At the conclusion of our lesson with the final group of students, we gathered in the small courtyard of the school, where a farewell ceremony awaited us. Once again, the headmaster spoke a few words on behalf of the school and the students, expressing his gratitude to both Vishal Group and Envision Education. The students then performed a dance, their movements reflecting their energy and spirit. The ceremony drew to an end with the presentation of a plaque symbolizing the three-way collaboration between the school, Envision Education, and Vishal Group Foundation. 

With that, we wrapped up our time at Chandi Devi school. One school down, one more to go!