McGuire loved classical music and so music education was added to the school’s curriculum.
“Music is a universal language, which has no boundaries,” said Fr. Paul D’Souza, an Indian Jesuit who took over as the school’s director from McGuire in 2006.
“We are working with the underprivileged, the downtrodden kids coming from very difficult family backgrounds, economic as well as social,” he said.
Gandhi Ashram is free to attend, unlike India’s public schools. Students are taught in Nepali and English. They do not wear uniforms, saving their families money. In the past, children who lived too far to walk — many walk kilometres — lived at the school. And thanks to funding, each student receives school supplies, three meals a day and the use of a violin.
“Music is a great healer. It brings joy to the lives of people, not only in the lives of the children who can play the violin, but also that they can bring joy to others by their music.”
The orchestra was started with 11 children the first year the school was opened. The children, ages eight to 17, have the opportunity to learn the violin, the viola, the cello and the piano. They play Western classical music, Indian folk music and Indian popular music.
“Also it (music) helps them to cope with their daily realities, their families and their whole communities. And to be joyful,” said D’Souza, who’s been travelling across North America and Europe speaking about the school.
The area in West Bengal where the school is located has suffered from natural disasters, such as landslides and earthquakes, leaving part of the school unsafe for students. There are plans to relocate the school and build a new campus that will house the approximately 300 students to which the school already caters.
“We would love to make the school a model of learning and to reach out to as many as possible,” said D’Souza.
The plan is to create community service and community development programs, such as outreach programs for the villagers and the Catholic community.
The school receives instrument donations from those touched by the project, but it also needs funds to build the new campus. In Canada, Canadian Jesuits International facilitates donations.
“We continue to be the place where if Canadian donors would like to contribute to Gandhi Ashram School, they send the funds to the school via Canadian Jesuits International and then they get the tax receipt,” said Kirsti Tasala, CJI youth and outreach co- ordinator. CJI also helps facilitate visits and volunteer trips to the school.
The school’s orchestra has toured Europe and participated in the Sounds of Earth project organized by Jesuits in Germany. Within the next few years, D’Souza hopes his students will be able to tour Canada.
The school’s curriculum also includes other fine arts such as painting, a choir and occasionally dancing, as well as martial arts and sports. In the past, a Jesuit has taught students Indian classical music and dance. And students have gone on to have careers in music, some graduates becoming part of the Indian Army Symphony Orchestra. One student won a scholarship to study at the Nuremberg University of Music Germany.
“When Fr. McGuire first started the school, it was for students who didn’t go to school. They were the ones who were left out because they were at the lowest level of the socio-economic spectrum. One of the hopes is these students now have more of an equal playing field in society,” Tasala said.
For more information on the Gandhi Ashram School, visit www.canadianjesuitsinternational.ca/projects/darjeeling-gandhi-ashram.