School of Hope

School of Hope

Hope often finds itself in the direst of places, and Dhaka’s School of Hope is no exception. Planted in a slum in the city’s northern edge and surrounded by mosquito-filled marshes and grinding poverty, the School of Hope nourishes 200 of the slum’s poorest children. They learn history, math, English, computers, and life skills such as nutrition and hygiene. Education isn’t free in Bangladesh, and the school’s monthly tuition is 5 Bangladeshi Taka, the price of a cup of chai.
Students at the School of Hope, 2012
Shoes lined up outside classrooms in the hallway leading to the school's impeccably clean bathrooms. Students’ homes are often without running water or indoor plumbing. Thus, the school teaches students the importance of sanitation and hygiene
Students in one of the school's classrooms
Each student receives a toothbrush, kept at the school, to teach dental hygiene
A school cook prepares a meal of vegetables and lentils, which for some students could be their only daily meal
Students in one of the school's classrooms
A classroom during an English lesson
Wood desks and benches in an elementary classroom
An English workbook
School of Hope students during a lesson