Arts et Métiers engineering students, all under the age of 20, are embarking on a major humanitarian mission: to build a school in Nepal, a country devastated by a series of earthquakes in 2015.
A school for Tokarpur
Gadz’humanitaire is a non-profit organization created in 2014 by engineering students at the Arts et Métiers campus Arts et Métiers Lille. Its goal? To carry out humanitarian actions around the world. In 2017, members of the association traveled to Tokarpur, a Nepalese village located 75 miles from the capital, to build a school. Three classrooms were built. Since then, the number of schoolchildren wishing to take advantage of the facilities has continued to grow. The new Gadz'humanitaire team therefore decided to return to the village in June 2018 to expand the school. "If the budget allows, we will also add solar panels so that the village can become self-sufficient in electricity," says Antonin, president of the association. Jade, vice president, adds, "We would also like to share our knowledge with the students, doing some activities on science or English, for example!" This trip combines two distinct yet complementary aspects: the material aspect, with the desire and need to expand a school, and the human aspect, consisting of friendly and cultural exchanges with the inhabitants of Tokarpaur. The Arts et Métiers engineering students Arts et Métiers Lille campus will be staying with local residents during their stay in Nepal: the best way to ensure total immersion.
A project to be carried out from start to finish
For Martin, communications manager at Gadz'Humanitaire, getting involved in an association is a commitment that complements ageneral engineering education: " Associations allow us to acquire new skills, particularly in the areas of management and organization." Indeed, students are required to work together on the same project, which involves dividing up the work and being rigorous in organizing each person's tasks. In addition, they must learn about administration, first by completing the many requests required by the Prefecture to update the association's statutes, and then by seeking partnerships, which requires a mastery of tax concepts. "Thanks to Gadz'Humanitaire, I know how to manage a project from A to Z," says Jade.
To achieve their goal
The members of Gadz'humanitaire still have a lot of work to do before they can leave. They need to raise at least €6,500 to build the two new classrooms. To reach this amount, the engineering students offer their classmates inexpensive but sought-after dinners every week, such as homemade Thai meals. They also set up a crowdfunding campaign to raise €2,300, which has now come to an end. "We think we will be able to raise the €6,500 needed to build the two classrooms, but this amount will not be enough to finance the solar panels," Antonin regrets. A second fundraiser will therefore be set up by the end of April to finance the panels.
