All funds raised are sent to Saath Primary School in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan :

Since September 2004, the Tej Mahal Cultural Association has been paying salaries of teachers at the Saath Prathmic Vidhalaya School in Jaisalmer, (a township in the Rajasthan desert near the Pakistani border). Tej Mahal Association decided to pick up on the good work of the “Saath” NGO, which created the school in February 2002 in order to bring ‘light and hope’ to the deprived and under privileged children of Jaisalmer. After two years, the NGO was beginning to wind up.

Situation in 2004 :

When Tej Mahal took over the school, 48 pupils were pursuing the classes in a building with a straw roof. The school was threatened with closure by the former landowner. Only three teachers (one man and two ladies) were helping pupils whose ages ranged from four to fourteen. It was urgent to buy the land and to secure the premises.

Situation in 2005 :

Thanks to the funds raised by the first India Night of 4 December 2004, the Association paid half the price of the land and the building to the owner, threatening eviction.
A new roof was built. Tej Mahal also paid the teachers’ salaries during 2005 and bought the pupils’ uniforms as well as some school equipment.

Situation in 2006 :

The second India Night of 21 October 2005 allowed Tej Mahal to pay the second instalment of the land and building, and buy school equipment (bags, books, blackboards, and pay the teachers’ salaries. There are today 78 pupils from four to fourteen years old.

In March 2006, the primary school Ecole Notre-Dame of Rhode St Genèse (490 pupils) is raising funds for the Saath school (for the Lent). This allowed the Levi’s Foundation to discover the school and donate 2,000 euros.

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the school director, teachers, pupils and parents!

Several groups of tourists, notably the “Groups Hosselet, Boulanger and Dubru-Lahak, Van Hauwaert, Catala, De Sorgher” visited the school.

Situation in 2007 :

The primary school Ecole Notre-Dame of Rhode St Genèse organized a sponsored walk for Saath. Children and professors raised the amount of 6,700 euros that were directly sent to India to pay the first installment of the amount for the purchase of land to build a larger school building.
About 600 children are waiting to be schooled in the streets of Jaisalmer. We cannot take them, as we have no space and not enough money to pay extra teachers.

The Indian Authorities promised to supply a grant for the land as well as to subsidy part of the teachers’ salaries. Having said that, it will still be for the Tej Mahal to finance the construction of the new premises, pay for the meals and all equipments.

Future Prospects :

Without the financial support of Tej Mahal and some notable generous donors from Belgium and India , the school is likely to close down. The parents not only lack the means to pay for schooling, they also bear a heavy burden sending their children to school instead of earning an extra buck for the poor family.

The funds raised for the school are closely monitored and supervised by the president of Tej Mahal, Tej Singh Manohar, and Mr Kojraj Borawat, the Association’s local representative Emphasis is placed on educating girls. In general, poor girls are not educated and stay at home helping their mother – they are married at an early age and leave their family. The family does not “invest” in the girls’ education since, once married, they live in their In-Laws’ family. In our school, we insist that the families send us their daughters. Today, they represent half of the students. Moreover, many poor families send their children to school as they receive a full meal at noon.

Saath School is recognized by the Department of Education, Government of Rajasthan.

While visiting Jaisalmer you are invited to visit Saath School (Small gifts from you by way of pens, pencils, writing pads and sport equipment, would mean a lot to the children and the School. Thanks!).