Sanju Pariyar is another child who had the misfortune of being born in a family of tailors, a Dalit and therefore an untouchable. As if that wan’t enough, her dad is a drunk and mom suffers from a heart condition. Consequently, her family struggles to cover her educational expenses.
Attached below are details of her family and the cost of her education.
The request letter reads:
Subject: About scholarship.
Personal and family details of the student
Particulars
Yearly Cost/NRs.
1. Student’s name: Sanju Pariyar 1. School uniform 800
2. Father’s name: Tika Bdr. Pariyar 2. Shoes + socks 550
3. Mother’s name: Durga Pariyar 3. School bag 450
4. Address: Thangpalkot-3 4. Tie + belt (1 set) 225
5. Number of family members: 8 5. Student ID 130
6. Family member abroad: none 6. Admission fee 50
7. Duration for which agricultural yield sustains the family: months 7. Exam fees (50 x 3) 150
8. Financial situation: weakClass: 2 8. Computer fees (40 x 12) 480
9. Notebooks (10 x 10 x 12) 1200
10. Pencils (50 x 6) 300
11. Geometry box (80 x 1) 80
Total 4415
Signed and stamped
The Principal
At the current rate of exchange of approximately Rs. 98=US$1.00, the total cost amounts to US$45/year as 2nd grader.
However, she has just four more months in 2nd grade. Academic year in Nepal runs from mid-April to the beginning of April the following year. That means, she’ll need support for at least the next seven years.
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Update Feb. 20, 2014
Purchases by Nemira Customers 35 – 47 has ensured that Sanju gets to finish school!
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September 2014 Update
Sanju has passed her exams and has moved on to grade 3! Details of her educational costs for the 2014-15 (2071) academic year can be found here.
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September 2015 Update
Sanju has passed her exams and has moved on to grade 4! Details of her educational costs for the 2014-15 (2071) academic year can be found here.
The earthquake of April 25, killed her father as well as the only livestock they owned — two goats — and destroyed her family house.
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July 2017 Update
It’s been almost two years since the last update. Following the devastation the earthquake wrought on her family, had still Sanju managed to stay in school, she would have been in grade 6. She was not. In the academic year 2016-17 (2073) she eloped! She currently still lives somewhere in Sindhupalchok with her new family.
