Greetings! 
Severe water shortage at Mala Schools
 
The monsoons last year were not very good, so the ground water levels
Water train
diminished, causing all of the tube wells at our schools to be short of water.  Some of the wells are running dry.  In Patehra School all three tube wells are dry.  The drought has been so bad that the Government is running water trains around the clock to bring water to the people.
 
Credit is given to our staff in India as they have sought ways to overcome
Cycle rickshaw collecting water
the water shortage.  They have been bringing in water by cycle rickshaw and at Patehra they have found a Government water pipe a kilometre away from our school.  A new pipe has been laid, so for the first time we now have piped water in one of our schools.  
 
In April this year we once again recorded a temperature of 47�C in our schools.  The heat is earlier this year and unfortunately is likely to continue until the monsoons come in late June.  Each year we have to change the timetable to avoid the hottest part of the day.  Currently our school day starts at 6am and after lunch the children go home.  In spite of this heat, the average attendance in April was 92.85% and 69 of our children cycle more than 15 miles a day each way from Hasra and Amoi to Patehra Middle School.
  
New water pipe at Patehra School


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Robin Garland
Project Mala
www.projectmala.org.uk
(44) 1904 341004

Project Mala Charitable Trust | 25 Church lane | Nether Poppleton | York | YO26 6LF | United Kingdom