From ramshackle to rejuvenated!

Seb’s school in Senjimottur opened in 2003. It now educates children aged 5-10 years in five classes. The school is located in a poor agricultural village which has suffered badly from drought. The Sebastian Hunter Memorial Trust (SHMT) funded the school infrastructure and supports a teacher and his further training as well as individual cases of hardship in the village.

In the past few years, the school’s teaching methods have been completely transformed. New materials and resources, provided by the government have allowed the teachers to broaden their ability to teach multiple ages in one classroom. The work books and resources are brightly coloured and allow the students to learn at their own pace.

A new church and community centre was opened by SHMT founder Anna Hunter and her son James in October 2010. The villagers had a three day celebration in honour of their new church which replaced one that had been built 100 years ago. The village raised over £1,000 themselves to put towards the rebuild. The new, more contemporary church has a specially built ramp and platform for one of the villagers, who is disabled and has to use a special wheelchair.