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Rurality

Participating in decentralizing the country and bringing value to local French identities

Society

Sustaining a simple and joyful fellowship, bringing generations together, and encouraging mutual aid

Family

Protecting the fundamental social unit of society and accompanying an aging population

In 2020, the Ecole-Hameau teams decided they would take over the management of a residence that has been dedicated to taking care of seniors and children since 1850. The first Ecole-Hameau was then launched in the village of Bourrou, in the heart of the White Perigord.

Residents from every generation are already experiencing life at the Ecole-Hameau and enjoying our first activities offered, the farm, training programs, and participative construction projects.

Since March 2020 and the reopening of the House:

• the Holy Sacrament in the chapel from 17th March
• 25 very dedicated volunteers
• 11 families (35 people) who have already moved within 15 km of the hamlet
• Sustained mutual help and fellowship
• Cultural and community-based activities (adventure trails, sewing classes, nature activities for children, etc.)
• 1 summer camp for disabled children
• 6 companies have been created and 1 transferred on-site
• 43 days of participative construction projects, involving 160 participants
• More than 120 visits: school pre-enrollments, housing requests for seniors, families moving into the Residence area, people coming to learn about our foundation and about the Scouting teaching method
• 4 requests for duplicating our Ecole-Hameau model elsewhere
  …

Inspired by Scouting, our school is developing original educational methods in a family atmosphere for a complete education of the child.

In our forest preschool, contact with nature and stories encourage personal experience and developing senses. Children learn to observe, make judgements and express themselves as they grow.
In primary school, natural curiosity is encouraged in order to improve memory. Local culture and rural fellowship participate in the school’s identity.

A dozen students are already pre-enrolled. With time, the Foyer Notre-Dame des Pauvres will welcome 4 classes and 40 students in primary school, in addition to 15 students in the forest preschool.

Two apartments for independent seniors are under renovation in the Residence.
The restoration of these accommodations is only the first step in the building process of the Ecole-Hameau, as a dozen eco-homes will be built on nearby land.
Today, five retired people are requesting to move in immediately and three others are planning to move in soon.

Our senior participants are eager to take part in local life. They will be able to share their experiences and knowledge in this unique environment. The straightforward and joyful fellowship of the Ecole-Hameau will help prevent their exclusion while maintaining their independence. Floating-scale rents by the seniors will participate in the school’s financial stability.

• Renovations on the primary school wing: €125,000 ($141,000)
• Renovations on two apartments for seniors: €200,000 ($225,000)

Your help is greatly needed so we can start the renovations and be able to demonstrate success to foundations and businesses that are conducive to supporting us in this adventure.

Last year, thanks to you, we were able to carry out preliminary studies (measuring, blueprints, etc.) and do emergency construction (insulation, roofing). Many of you came and helped during our participatory construction projects.

We now need to move faster to open the school and apartments by next September. Every week, we receive a new visit for a child enrollment or by a family thinking to move near the Ecole-Hameau.
They need you. The demand is there!

• Level 1: With €20,000 ($22,500) you renovate a classroom.
• Level 2: With €30,000 ($33,800) you enable us to demonstrate our credibility to foundations and businesses willing to support the common good.
• Level 3: Let’s dream! With €125,000 ($141,000), you enable the entire primary school and forest preschool to open.
• Level 4: Let’s get crazy! For €325,000 ($366,500), you also renovate two apartments for senior couples who will participate in the life of the school, and grow younger.