Progress at Gunjara School

I have written here previously about the new roof for the Gunjara school.  It has now been completed and Chandra, who is working for NEF in Pokhara, has been checking weekly and he reports that they have done an excellent job and that now they are ready to start the painting of the classrooms.  We had decided on washable paint, which although more expensive, lasts so much longer.  Once the Painting is finished then the new desks can be moved in.

This project has been donated by our donors in Qatar, Carol and Keith and their friends.  The desks were donated by the Lauzon family in Duncan and a yoga class in Whistler, BC.  The books were also donated by the Lauzon family in Duncan.  These types of projects really make a difference to the lives of so many village children.  

Yesterday, Saturday, Mann and some of our NEF students attended a big rally for children supported by charities.  It was held in the big stadium in Kathmandu.  It was a day promoting peace and children's rights.  There was a 3 km running race with approximately 500 participants.  NEF student, Prakash from the SBCH home came 2nd, NEF student Resika came 4th and her brother Khusal came 7th.  Little Suman also participated in the race and held his own with the bigger kids.  There were no age categories.  Mann also participated and is suffering with stiff muscles or as he says "My muscles are in a jam".

They all enjoyed the day.

River Tragedy in Pokhara

Last Saturday the Seti River flooded killing at least 26 people with many more missing.  Homes and livestock were also washed away.  The flood is believed to have been caused by an avalanche.
Fortunately no NEF children or family members were affected.  We have quite a few families who work in the river collecting rocks for the quarry.  Fortunately this happened on a Saturday which is a holiday in Nepal.  Also the fast approaching flood of the river was seen by a pilot who radioed the airport and the alert was sent out.  Otherwise many more lives would have been lost.
One of our Rotary friends who runs a technical college in Pokhara lost two students.  The students had gone for a picnic and these two had gone down to the river to collect firewood and were washed away by the huge wave.  One of their bodies were found but not the other.  Our deepest sympathies go to their family and friends at the college. 

Kristi

Last week Mann visited Pokhara and went to Kristi village.  We had a donation for cement for the building of the new rooms for the school.  They were just starting to demolish the last room of the old building which was the office.  We had a donation of children's books from Orca Books in Victoria but forgot to take them with us when I visited so Mann went to deliver them.  This school had no books so they were very happy and excited to receive these.  The photo was taken in the new room that NEF paid to have painted.  They are hoping to start the new building in the summer when they have rain which will supply water for the cement and they use the stone from the mountain.

Mann also went to Gunjara to see how the new roof was coming along.  Part of it is done and they are continuing to work to get it finished before the rain.
He was also busy finishing all the school registrations.  So the new school year has begun and all children are registered.  We just have two new sponsors to match which will complete this year's roster of children. 

Children at Gauda Muni

Keith with a baby at Pumbi Bhumdi

Mann at Pumbi Bhumdi

New library at High Mount donated by the Wil Leather fund

Mrs Subedi and daughter Kabita

Summary of My Trip to Nepal

Now I am in Vancouver Airport with a three hour wait so a good opportunity to write this before jet lag truly sets in.  The universe must be looking out for me today as I left my wallet with not much money in it but credit cards and other important things, at the airport check in desk in Hong Kong Train station.  I did not realize it was missing.  They announced my name at the airport and told me that it had been found there and was being sent on the next train and it was later brought to me. Then I was upgraded to business class, how nice was that.  An Australian man I met in Kathmandu years ago said that if you do good things they come back to you, today his words rang true!!


I will not go into the sadness of this trip as it involves more my personal emotions to the poverty that I deal with on a daily basis, the challenges and sometimes the disappointments.  More I want to deal with the successes of this trip.  Starting with the new Generator for the village of Chimkhola giving the village 24 hour power.  Thanks for this goes to Duncan Noontime Rotary as they funded this project.  Two dentistry programs, one in Kristi village and the other in Simpani, treating over 400 people young and old.  Thank you to Duncan Noontime Rotary again and to Sunrise Rotary.  Most of all thank you to Dag Waddell who did the fundraising for this in his Dad's memory.  Thanks to Craig for the eye clinic so people could see better.
The donation from a dear friend to improve the Gauda Muni school in Nani's memory.  Nani was Mann's brother and an incredible young man who dedicated his short life to children.  A wonderful and lasting tribute to him.  The school is very improved and we had a moving ceremoney there to commemorate it to Nani.
Another highlight was the visit of Susanne and Shay to visit their sponsored college student, Ranjita, and literacy lady Amir.  They have sponsored Ranjita for five years.  It was a wonderful meeting for them, a true success.  Susanne and Shay were extremely moved by this and also the poverty in Nepal.  We enjoyed having you Susanne and Shay. 
A new roof for the Gunjara village school, thanks to our Qatar sponsors Carol and Keith and their supporters.  The old roof has been torn off and the new one being put on this week.  This was a desperately needed and urgent project as the children could not go to school in the rain and the monsoon season is quickly approaching.  It is always good to have Carol and Keith join us for a few days.  Their friends Judy And Anouska sponsored two little girls, one very low caste and one with no parents.  Thanks to them.
The improvements to the Kristi school from a donation from my husband Bob and some from NEF.  They have done a great job.  Now we a have a donation for cement to start building new classrooms for this school.
All of our children are doing well, some have just taken their school leaving certificate exams.  Results will come in July.  Yes I saw them all.
We have our first sponsors from Singapore.  A young couple who visited Nepal recently and were so moved by what they saw that they said they would not be the same again.  Just how I felt 11 years ago.  They now sponsor a little girl in Kathmandu and say they are hoping to visit her in May.  It is always great to have young people involved in NEF.  We welcome them to the NEF family.
Personally for me I felt good about the little stray dog I saved from the street and who is recovering at the KAT centre.  I also arranged a dog adopton from there to a very good home.  The dog had been brought to KAT in terrible condition with puppies who all died.  Months later she is a beautiful dog with a caring new home.  Two days before I left we saw a puppy on the street in our neighbourhood missing a leg with all the flesh hanging out.  We stopped and talked to the owner who lived in a tin shack and she said it had been hit by a motorcycle.  Short of time I went to see the dog man who feeds the street dogs and took him to see it.  He said he would bring some medicince to stop infection.  I could not get it out of my mind and phoned him just before I left and told him I was worried.  By phone I contacted Mann from Hong Kong and told him to take the puppy to a vet.  He went and checked and said the wound was now fixed and sewn up properly.  Thanks so much to that compassionate dog man. I personally donated money so an orphanage could hire a bus and take the children to see the KAT Centre so they could learn how to treat, respect and take care of dogs and cats.  Only education will help end the suffering of the street dogs in Kathmandu.  Children and animals are the helpless victims of poverty and neglect.
Another case that touched me deeply was the little boy Sacchin and his family, getting a sponsor for him was a great relief and hope for his future and joy to his mother that her son would go to school.


I have to mention here the guys that work for me.  Mann is with me constantly on these trips.  He is loyal, honest and generous of spirit.  He is as emotional as I am and we are truly linked in the heart of NEF.  We both care about the work deeply and it all would not be possible without Mann.  His email address is now on the blog and I will add it to the website.  He has everyone's email addresses now so that he can update you if necessary.  He knows how to contribute to the blog.  His written English is not perfect but it has its own style and sincerity.  Jagat has been with me for 11 years now and although he cannot do the work that Mann does he is also loyal and always available when needed.  Both Mann and Jagat are extremely honest and in all these years I have never had to doubt them.  They are pure gold and my thanks go to them.  Must not forget Sima who cooks for me everyday and dearest little Liza who is a joy everyday.  I must also mention Rajendra who looks after the Hattiban children, gathers them all at his house when we visit, his wife makes tea while I sit in the sun and enjoy the children and we buy them pop and cookies which is a real treat for them.
Now I will soon be home and after a little rest I have to start thinking about fundraising for our administration costs which we must have to do all this work. Administration costs are $7000 per year.  I do not know what I am going to do yet but welcome any ideas.  Well this is long but I wanted to say all this.  I will add some photos tomorrow.

On My Way Home

I am sitting in Hong Kong airport waiting for my flight home.  As usual it was so hard to say goodbye to friends and mostly my Nepali family of Mann. Sima, Liza and Jagat, Puspa and their children.  It is such a huge transition to leave Nepal and arrive in Hong Kong and then Canada. 
It has been a trip of sadness and successes, some of both, and it truly seems the work we do is merely a drop in the ocean, as they say.  The poor of Nepal seem to grow poorer and our work becomes harder.  Rest assured though I will never give up helping to educate the poor in Nepal and will continue to help with improvements to schools and wherever else I can help I will such as the dogs I find in need.  My resources are limited but I will keep working on behalf of our sponsors and donors.  Tomorrow I will talk about what we accomplished on this trip but now my flight will soon be boarding. I also want to add more photos here so check back later for more.