At long last we have decided to move on to a new Babyccino Kids Charity. Thank you so much to all the people who gave generously and who got in touch about the project  —  every little bit helps! Here’s an update on the Angawandi Project — the charity we chose as our first Babyccino charity.

The Angawandi Project helps build pre-schools for children in the Gudjurat state of India. Jodie, an Australian interior furnishing designer and founder of the fabulous brand Bholu, has worked a lot in Gudjurat and developed a strong bond with the country and its people. She realised the desperate need for a decent environment for children to come to and thrive in every day. With the help of volunteers and generous donations — both local and foreign — she has now managed to open 8 schools.

Here are a few words from Jodie, and a few photos to show you where all her hard work as gone:

A big thanks to all the very generous Babyccinno crew for posting and spreading the word! Bholu 8 School’s doors opened with a bang a few weeks ago. The design is simple and beautiful focusing on using all recycled materials and creating a water feature for educational use which encourages the children to wash their hands and water their vegie garden at the same time. The architects started building the playground from old tyres and found objects which the children loved and started playing  in even before it was finished being built!

Bholu 9 School is currently under construction and is going to be a school and also a women’s health centre providing a private and safe place for women to access health facilities and education. You can see the beginnings of the building, the site and the plans here.