The Sarswati Foundation is a youth-led organisation which aims to enable young people to take action in transforming societies crippled by war, violence and poverty. Their primary focus lies in education, poverty alleviation and peace and justice in Nepal and elsewhere.
The foundation is currently working on building a peace school for war affected children in Gorkha. The needs to be met through this commitment are extensive. Many Nepalese children saw their parents murdered during the war, leaving them with psychological and emotional challenges and less attention and energy for their studies. In the aftermath of the war, the society is fragmented and prejudice based on class and caste is widespread. The need for individual healing and community reconciliation is very strong. Yet the government has initiated few programs or projects to address post-war problems. Moreover, the Nepalese school curricula has never focused on peace and peaceful living in communities. Now that the conflict is over, Sarswati believe it is crucial for children to understand why peace is so important at all levels.
The goals of this project are to contribute in healing and reconciliation process of a post conflict society and to help in integration of people from different caste. The Sarswati Peace School will play a vital role in re-establishing a sense of normalcy in the lives of children, fundamental to their healing and reintegration process. The project aims to foster social equality and community reconciliation through the children's positive experiences. Education can help save a child’s life and break a nation’s cycle of hatred and poverty. The school will be a secular temple of knowledge, peace and reconciliation.
In the summer of 2009, the foundation organized a summer camp for conflict-affected children in the village of Arupokhari in Gorkha district. They also opened up a library in the village during the camp. The village lies in one of most remote parts of Gorkha. The place has no road-network, electricity, or running water. The camp was a centre of attraction for people in the entire area.
