Buildings
The Trust has built three buildings and set up a sports ground. The Kovalam High School, our biggest project yet, is now well underway.
Panchayat School
Kovalam’s village school (left) was very run down, ill equipped and overcrowded when the Venkat Trust was set up in 2004. As well as providing furniture and equipment the Trust, with the help of oursupporters, has built a new classroom block, the Ganesh Building, and a covered dining/outdoor classroom area.
The Ganesh Building (above right) replaced one of the original classrooms which had to be demolished after repeated flooding. A handsome two storey building, donated by CIM Investment Management, now provides a huge downstairs area and two first floor classrooms.
The open sided dining hall (right) is a really versatile building. As well as being used for lunch, it’s an assembly and performance space out of the sun and a handy extra classroom.
Venkat Tuition Centre
The Venkat Tuition Centre, every penny for which – land, bricks and mortar, equipment – came from our donors, is a great success and a real focal point in the village.
Over two floors, there are three main rooms, all of which were separately sponsored, and JR’s office.
Outside, the recreation area with swings and seesaws has been planted with palm and coconut trees.
Sometimes the Tuition Centre is used as safe ground when the school, which is on lower ground, is flooded. When it was out of action for several weeks following particularly heavy flooding, Kovalam trustee Ali floated desks over to the Centre so it could be used for exams (right).
Venkat Trust Sports Ground
Built on land bought by the Trust in the middle of the village, The Venkat Trust Sports Ground is hugely popular. It’s now used as part of the Panchayat school curriculum.
After school, pupils from both the Panchayat and St Joseph’s schools love to go there to play cricket, volleyball, badminton and basketball. Volleyball is a particular favourite and the village now has four teams.
Kovalam High School
The next big project…
Below is an artist’s impression of the High School but in fact Phase 1, the first six classrooms, is reaching completion and will be officially opened in January. A second storey will be added next. The “arms” will then be built at each end, finally forming three sides of a rectangle. When completed, the school will accommodate a thousand pupils from Kovalam and the surrounding villages.
