Life in St. Joseph's School Hostel

The School Hostel caters for all the children who live too far away from Gitdubling, where St. Joseph's School is situated, to walk to school every day; it also provides a home for pupils who have no one to provide for them and street children from other areas. The children only go home during the school holidays, not at weekends.Some of the children are only 4 or 5 years old when they come to the hostel. The older children are very helpful and help to look after the younger ones.

Their accommodation is very basic and crowded. They do not have many personal belongings.

The boy's have a separate hostel for sleeping but all share the dining hall.

The cost of food has risen considerably over the past year: the food provided in the hostel is basic but sufficient usually, however at present Father Felix and Sr. Matida

are concerned that the children are not getting enough to eat to help them to grow healthily.

St. Joseph's Hostel Children

Many of the Children who live in St. Joseph's Hostel are street children, orphans and children from very poor families who would not otherwise get an opportunity to be educated.

After Class IV children from other villages must come to St. Joseph's if they wish to continue their education. Some of them also stay in the hostel as their home village is too far from St. Joseph's to make the journey daily on foot.

WANT TO SHARE SOME MORE PHOTOS WITH YOU TAKEN IN FEB/APRIL2008

HIMALAYAN CHILDREN EDUCATION TRUST

St Joseph's Hostel children queing up for their evening meal steamed rice and curried veg.

Nearly finished Wonder if there will be any seconds?

NO doesn't look like it! Not tonight.

HIMALAYAN CHILDREN EDUCATION TRUST

This is a photo of the children who stay in St. Joseph's Hostel

A photo of one of the hostel buildings

Washing their plate and spoon after a meal. The older children help the younger ones.

All done! Ready for the next meal.

St. Joseph's Hostel Gitdubling

A impromptu concert in the school hall

They loved getting their photos taken

St Joseph's hostel provides accommodation for approximately 84 pupils who attend St. Joseph's Sch. Many of the pupils live a long distance from the school and can not travel daily.

The Hostel consists of two long dormitories with bunk beds on either side of the room. The bunk beds are about 2 feet apart and there is no furniture in the dormitories except for the beds.
Any spare clothing is kept on the bottom of their bed.

Toilets and personal washing facilities are apart from the sleeping accommodation. The kitchen and hall for eating in are also in a separate building.

The residents spend much of their time out of doors or in a class room studying. They get about 2 hours homework every night. They all have to do odd jobs around the property, eg. collecting wood for the cooking stove, preparing vegetables,washing clothes etc.

When they do have spare time they love to sing and dance and the boys play, basket ball, football and cricket. The girls look after the younger residents. This keeps them very busy.