Volunteers from Mumbai

Volunteers from Mumbai, came over for 3 days to help the School Program. During their stay they participated in the ongoing Summer camp and held story reading sessions,taught new songs and also staged a skit on the final day program of the Camp.

They also helped the school by repainting the main gate and the school windows. Their involvement in this program is very appreciated, while plans are on for a bigger group intervention of the same nature during the Dusera holidays in Oct'10. Anyone interested in volunteering and being part of the school work, pls contact on christopher@hopeww.in

Jeetu song teaching.


Story reading


Preparing for paint work


Painting main gate


More painting on gate


Painting School windows


Denish and Jeetu painting window


Skit for summer camp final day


Skit for summer camp final day


Ashok explaining the moral of skit

Training in Photography

Reena, travelling around India, found time while in Bhuj to volunteer and give some time to the students of the HOPE foundation School. During her 2 week placement, she taught basics on how to handle a digital camera to the 4th and 5th standard students. She also gave each student opportunity to take photo and present in form of a simple assignment. During this period, she also taught a bit more on yoga for the 5th standard students, which was a effective support, since it is part of the Health & Physical Education curricullam.

Explaining the Camera - 5th Standard


With the 4th standard


Yoga lessons

Republic Day - 2010

Republic Day of India was celebrated on 26th of January. An exciting time for the school and its students as we celebrate the glory of our nation.

Students performed Exercise Drills, Yoga based drill routine and a special dance tableau, for a medley of patriotic songs culminating with the famous Jay Ho, by A.R.Rahman of Slumdog Millionaire fame.

Prizes were given to students who had won in various competitions held during the previous year.

Flag Hoisting and School Assembly


Drill by Students


Jay Ho by students


Drill by Students

The team that performed Yoga based routine

Volunteer at School

Allison Belben, volunteer from UK, came back for a 2nd visit in January. She had previously spent a week with the school during December'09. In her 2nd visit she took more Yoga classes for the 5th grade, as this is part of their Health and Phsical Education subject as per state board curricullam.

She also prepared some activity based pictorial story books for use in classes. This would help children understand the language better.

She has also helped train a group of boys from 5th standard to perform a special yoga based drill routine as part of the Republic Day celebrations on January 26th.

Yoga session for 5th standard in progress


Warrior Pose


Allison with the students of 5th standard

The Pictorial story used by Allison & Pearly

Allison with her Story Chart

N-couraging Teachers

During the Diwali holidays, as the students were given their 1st term vacations, the teachers came to school to evaluate, prepare report cards and plan for the next term. During this time, Some additional activities were conducted by the school management to encourage them. Some coaching on Spoken English was given to them in workshop method. A week was set apart for some fun activities too. During this week, various competitions were organised for the teachers, like cooking, rangoli, 1 minute games, etc.

Spoken English class in progress


Teachers in spoken English class


Teachers displaying their cooking skills

Various food items

Mouth-watering dishes

Exciting variety.

Delicious food

Everyone gets a bite

Extra helping allowed too

Executive Officer visit's School in Bhuj

Mrs. Joyce Correa, Executive Officer, Women & Children Programmes for West India visited the HOPE foundation School in Bhuj in the 2nd week of September. As part of her visit, she met the children, the teachers and had a short visit of the Bhuj city.

Joyce is known for her passion in helping the poor and needy. She had a few words of encouragement to the staff before leaving.

Teaching staff meeting with Mrs. Joyce


Mrs. Joyce (in blue in center) with all teachers

Teacher's Day - 2009

The role of a teacher is one of the most challenging of all roles in the world. A teacher, at times, has to be a Mother, Father, Counselor, Educator and Friend. To honour such this unique role India celebrates September 5th as Teacher's Day.

This year, the school management and the students held a small function to honour the teachers of our school. They were welcomed with garlands, given a seat of honour. Students recited poems, followed by gifts by management to the teachers.

After the official function, the teachers got together for a time of singing and chit-chat.

The Teachers with garlands at the seat of honour


All children in full colour to encourage


All teachers receiving gifts from Management

A light moment

Singing after the function

Watch Out! - Traffic Lessons to the students

Before the children went home for the weekend, on friday Mr.Rajakumar AKA Peter, organised and conducted a short lesson on traffic sense. This was conducted with the help of couple of students acting in short skits, enacting accident scenorios and how they can be averted. Below are few photos and a short edited video depicting the lesson.

One of the scenes where accident occurs


Bad things happen, when you take bad turns

Follow rules, travel smooth

Class 5, one of the classes to learn and enjoy.

The video of the lessons.

Cricket group for community service

A group of boys come together to play cricket at the HOPE foundation school every evening. One of these days we realized that a particularly deep pothole on the Airport road was not being taken care by the PWD of Bhuj. The plan to fill this pothole ourselves was made and the idea put forth before these boys, who immediately agreed.

On a Saturday, we all came together, earlier then usual and drove to this spot along with the support staff of the CoH. Once there, it was a scurry of activity, as all the boys started doing what they came to do and in no time the hole was filled.

Many motorists will have a peaceful ride at this spot, rather than curse the Government officials.

Before the team messed it up.


In the process of collecting mud


Filling with stones before packing mud


The Team working together


Ayub(support staff) helping with hands of experience


Giving his Best - Dinesh (my Son)


The first beneficiaries to enjoy the fruit


The Proud team - (from right to left)
Vishal, Chirag, Bavin, Ayub, Rajan, Bavesh, Anand,
Rohan, Sagar, Sashwath, Suraj, Yogesh, Dinesh and Peter.