Shree Deurali School
Lalitpur, Nepal
Early childhood development, spanning from birth to age 8, is a critical period of life marked by rapid growth in motor skills, socioemotional abilities, and cognitive capacities. The Montessori Method, developed by Maria Montessori, has long been recognized as a powerful approach to fostering this development. By emphasizing independence, play-based learning, observation, and thoughtfully designed environments, the Montessori Method helps young children build a strong foundation for lifelong learning.
However, for the young children of Shree Deurali School in Lalitpur, Nepal, early childhood education is a rare opportunity. Most of these students are the children of laborers and often accompany their parents to work in unsafe environments instead of staying in school. Without access to a proper preschool or kindergarten education, these children struggle to catch up with their peers by the time they enter first grade, creating long-term challenges in their academic journey.
To address this gap, Books of Joy partnered with VolNepal to introduce a Montessori-inspired early education program at Shree Deurali School. This initiative included sourcing Montessori toys and books and integrating them into a newly designed play-based curriculum tailored to the needs of the students. Teachers were provided with specialized training to ensure the sustainability of this approach and to empower them to create engaging and developmentally appropriate learning environments.
Through this effort, children at Shree Deurali School now have access to the resources and teaching methods they need to build a stronger foundation during these formative years. With better early childhood development, these students are not just better prepared for first grade – they are better equipped to pursue brighter futures filled with opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive.
