Family's Christmas Gift helps NEF

The children of this family, Alexis, Danaca, Jayda, Cayleand their mother Heather, all decided that instead of buying gifts this last Christmas that they would all make gifts for their family members.  The gifts included a hand made photo album, crossword puzzles and lavender bags.  With the money they saved by making their gifts they each made a donation to  NEF.  They chose which projects that their individual money went to.  These included library books, help with a school roof and school supplies.  The eldest daughter, Alexis, decided she wanted to give her money to help animals.  So I told her about the Kathmandu Animal Treatment Centre which helps street dogs in Kathmandu.  They also have a spay and neuter program to help cut down on unwanted puppies and this has saved thousands of dogs from being poisoned  in Kathmandu as this is how the city controlled the dog population.  They also treat dogs covered in mange and traffic accidents. 
So a big thank you to these generous young ladies and hats off to them for recognizing that there are children in the world so much less fortunate then themselves and to Alexis who showed compassion for the animals who live on the street in Kathmandu in a state of constant negelect.   

Payments due by Jan. 31st.

I am sorry to be so late in updating this blog but I have been sick for some weeks with a flu and bronchitis.  I think I am better and then it returns again.  This week has been a bad one.  Hopefully I will get back to normal soon.
Thank you to everyone who has sent in payments it is very much appreciated.  For outstanding ones you have till the end of the month.
I return to Nepal on February 20th and would like all finances to be in order by then so I do not have to worry about it while away. 
Seven Rotarians are coming to join me in March and are making the trip to Chimkhola again.  Carol and Keith our donors from Qatar are also arriving in Nepal mid March and we have a sponsor and her daughter coming.  They will visit their sponsored student who is now in second year college and they have sponsored her for some years.  That will be an exciting meeting.  They also support a literacy lady who they will meet.  She will be delighted.  More on all of this later.

Photos on flickr

I have now uploaded all the photos from the November trip to Nepal onto flickr.  These include the children, women, schools and Mann's wedding.  www.flickr.com/photos/98411

Mann & Sima's wedding was steeped in ritual and lasted for two days.  It was extremely interesting for us to watch and to be part of.  We feel like part of the family and so it was very important for us to be there. 

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to Everyone and a Happy and

Peaceful New Year 2012

NEF has had a very good 2011 with many good programs and the continued success of our students.  We have our first university student studying to be a teacher.  Without NEF's help she could not have achieved this.  We had a successful dental program treating over 200 children.  We have another planned for 2012.  We carried out improvements to Phumbi Bumdi school and have started work at the Gunjara School.  We saw the completion of the Rotary Chimkhola Village School Project.  Our literacy ladies program continues with many new students again this Fall. 
This March seven Rotarians will join me again to visit Chimkhola and our new project at Gunjara and the village school at Christie. 
I wish to thank all of our sponsors and donors for helping to make this a successful year and for your continued support as without you NEF could do none of this work.  Also many thanks for Mann and Jagat who work with such dedication in Nepal as they are the backbone of NEF in Nepal. 
I look forward to another year of helping the Nepali people achieve their dream of a better future for their children.

Back Home

We are now back at home suffering some jet lag but that will pass in a few days.  As I said in my last post it has been a successful trip to Nepal and every day was full.  I did not see all the children but a lot of them.  I am posting some photos here but this week will upload all the photos onto to flickr. www.flickr.com/photos/98411
I will email the sponsors whose children or women that I did see and let them know.


Our happy literacy women



Devi and sister Jyoti, Jyoti quit school but her sister Devi is determined to finish school

Uma who is nearly finished her sewing course and also has found a job as a cook in the Passport Office

Suman who is doing very well in school

I am returning to Nepal on February 20th.  Payments for sponsored children are due by January 15th.  There has not been a lot of response to this so I probably will extend this to January 30th.  This does not include the college students or women. 

Children in a class at Kristie School

On our Way Home

We are enjoying a few days in Hong Kong now and leave for home tomorrow.  Our time in Nepal was busy and quite productive.  We did not see all our children but a lot of them.  We spent time at schools with the help of the Annurpurna Rotary Club looking for those that need help.  We started work at Gunjara School and they already have the new roofing NEF provided in place.  Mann's and Sima's wedding was a highlight which we were so happy to attend.  We spent time with our Nepali family and friends and I managed some more Nepali language lessons with Prem.  Our time was short there but every day was filled and we enjoyed it to the full.  The people of Nepal are wonderful, I love them for their natural friendliness and sincerity.  They are so warm and welcoming.  It is always hard to leave our friends there.  Life for them is hard and we cannot compare it ours.  Fortunately the electricty was not too bad with load  shedding only for about an hour per day but they are saying by the spring it will be for 18 hours which means only six hours of electricity per day again. 
When I get home I will put more photos up here on the blog and also on flickr.

Nepali Hindu Wedding

A few days ago we attended Mann and Sima's wedding.  It was quite the occasion with rituals from the past and Hindu rituals for marriage.  It was attended by over 100 family and friends.  A wedding in Nepal is very important and relatives travel long distances to be there.  The first half is centered only on the groom while the bride is getting ready.  He sits with the Brahmin priest and goes through all the rituals from his holy book and the groom dresses as a peasant.  When the bride arrives the groom changes into a suit.  The bride is dressed in a red sari and veil and then rings are exchanged.  There is a small fire which they have to circle three times.  After the ceremony they sit in red chairs and family and friends place tikkas on their foreheads.  We were honoured as family and given tikkas and malas as well.  This was the first day at Mann's parents home.

The second day the celebration moved to Sima's family home and the tikka ritual continued with many guests from Sima's village of Tatapani.  Also the guests also washed the bride and groom's feet.  They take the water wash the feet and then drink and pour the water over their own heads.  It is something to do with the honouring of the bride and her leaving the family.  We were again honoured as part of the family sitting next to Mann and Sima throughout the ceremony.  It was very interesting and so different from our own culture.