Buddha's Smile School

Thanks to you both, seventy children recently received new shoes and socks. Your gift was heartfelt as was your presence at our recent celebrations. We look forward to enjoying your company again next year.

Clothes are always a priority at BSS. The kids go through them like kids do and we’re often on the lookout for additional winter and summers clothes for all shapes and sizes between 4 and 14 years.

Marie-Jeanne is 94 years old and knits day and night. That means the kids at BSS now have a suitcase full of warm jumpers for next winter. Thank you Marie-Jeanne.

13 Mar 2008: Close on the heels of the Patan sex scandal where male teachers ganged raped a hapless girl while subjecting others to shameful treatment, around 50-60 students of Nehru Garden Government Girls Senior Secondary School in Jalandhar have written to the principal saying they were being “sexually exploited” by a sports coach. The [...]

Geir, we want to thank you and your family, all the children and adults from Etne including the newspaper Grannar and Etne Sparebank who donated NOK 15,000. What you have accomplished has made a huge and highly significant difference and I wish you could have been in Sarnath yourself to see the happy smiling faces and the magnificent Tata Bus your funding has made possible.

11 March 2008: In fact, it was established that it is the lower caste—known as Dalits—who suffer from starvation and malnutrition within Uttar Pradesh, due to systemic discrimination. MyNews.in | Read the Full Story |

The following is part of an informal trip report by Karen Kotoske, Executive Director, Amistad International: Buddha’s Smile School (BSS) is located in Sarnath and is only a short walk from the historical site where Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha delivered this first sermon. Amistad International has been the primary sponsor of this school since 2004 when BSS had only 60 students. 239 now attend this free school for the poorest of the poor children in the area.

A recent study found that Dalit (Untouchable) children were often discouraged by teachers and fellow-students belonging to upper caste Hindu social groups. In many schools Dalit pupils were not allowed to share water with caste Hindus. If the teacher decided that the boy needed a beating as punishment, the task was assigned to another Dalit boy. Above all, the study found a systematic refusal of admission to Dalits in certain schools, particularly at the Plus Two level.

8 March 2008: Chicago, Prosecutors say ancient Indian social classifications could be linked to the deaths of a Chicago-area family: Chicago Tribune | Read the Full Story |

Today, more than 25% of India’s population sits below the Indian Government’s own poverty line of 30 rupees a day. The World Health Organisation’s poverty line it set at US$1 a day. | Link |