Hattiban

Yesterday we went to the village of Hattiban to visit children and we saw 13 out of 17 so will return later to see the rest.  As usual it was sunny and warm and we sat outside with the children while they had pop and cookies and we had tea.  We were able to take a lot of exercise books that were donated from Qatar.  The children were all doing well and I read letters to the children that had them.  One little girl received some large photos of her sponsor's sailing trip to the Carribean and I am sure she had never seen anything like that.  I will put up some photos later as that always takes a long time.

I also visited the Chalnakhel school where the Duncan Rotary recently paid to have railings around the balcony and stairs and completion of classrooms.  The bulk of the work is done but some window grills have to be finished and clen up work.  I will return before I leave to see it completed.

Managed an hour's run at 5:30 am so I hope that means I am back in routine.  It is busy here at that hour and it is an obstacle course of people, bicycles, traffic and dogs and of course the many large pot holes.
Photos later.

Here is the photo of Samjhana with the photo her sponsor sent of holding her photo at the top of Kilamanjaro.  I love it.  This sort of thing makes my day especially when she has little else in her life.

First days in Nepal

I arrived in Nepal two days ago after a two day journey via Korea.  the ride from the airport seemed chaotic and although I was only here a few months ago it seems as though I have been plunged into a different world which Of course I have.  The taxi had very little petrol and we had to stop a couple of times to see if we could get some but there is a shortage and the pumps were dry.  We did make it to the apartment on what he had, thank goodness as I was very tired.  We have a new office and apartment which is very nice and an improvement over the last one and there is a garden to sit in.  It will be warmer in the winter for Mann and he his family as it has a sunny exposure which will add warmth.  The house owners are very lovely people and run a school themselves and help poor children.  They told me that they want us to be like family.  They are very enlightened and educated and do not believe in the caste system which means that Mann and Sima will encounter no discrimination here which I am very happy about.  So it is a good move for us.

Yesterday I did paperwork and sorted clothes, gifts and letters and sat in the garden in the sun.  Today  we started visiting children.  I had a lovely visit with my granddaughter's family and visited Samjhana.  She is sponsored by the airline pilot whose photo I have posted here before of him in the cockpit holding Samjhana's photo.  This time he sent her a photo of him at the top of Kilamanjaro holding her photo.  She was very happy with that.  I will try and post it here but I am having problems as the connection is so very slow so if things are a bit messed up please understand.  For Samjhana this is a really bright light in her dismal life as her mother does nothing, she is always in bed when I go and Samjhana has to do all the cooking and work.  If she did not have a sponsor she would have been out of school long ago.  The family of 6 lives in a tiny room which is very gloomy but up on the wall is the photo of the pilot holding Samjhana's photo.  He also sends her postcards from the places he flies to around the world.  You can only imagine how special that makes her feel.

Photos first day

Bipana college student

Liza, Mann's daughter eating momos

Dental Project

Duncan Noontime Rotary Club has pledged funding for a dental program in Nepal.  This will provide probably two dental camps providing underprivileged children and women with dental care.  This has been very successful in previous years.  Last year we had a dental camp in Simpani and in Kristi village also funded by Rotary.  Most Nepalis have never been to a dentist.  This is unaffordable for them and also through lack of education they do not realize the importance of oral health.  At these camps they have instruction on brushing and nutrition.
We are very grateful to Duncan Rotary for these programs.

I leave for Nepal Wed. Feb. 27th.  Please get letters to me before the 26th.

Duncan Rotary Presentation

Yesterday, January 14th, I did a presentation to Duncan Noontime Rotary on the Chalnakhel School Project which went very well and it was well received.  President, Gordon Butt, presented me with a cheque to NEF for $2000 to go towards the project.  That will be added to the $5000 from Duncan Daybreak Club to make it $7000 for the project.  We are very grateful to Duncan Rotary Clubs for their donation and vision.  The school is delighted and so very happy to know that their students will now have safety and finished classrooms which they so desperately need.

Please see story and photos below in previous post.

Chalnakhel School

The Chalnakhel Village School, near Hattiban is outlined earlier in this blog.  I am happy to report that the Duncan Daybreak Rotary Club and the Duncan Noontime Rotary Club have partnered to complete this  school project.

The school's second floor has been unfinished for the last three years.  The government gave the money to start it but even though the teachers and villagers put in money there was never enough to complete it.  The balcony had no railing and children had fallen off and broken limbs.  It was a horror story.  The railings have already been constructed and will soon be installed as will the grills for the windows.  There is enough money to finish the rooms, put in the railing and gates, finish the latrines and provide desks.  The school is very happy about this.  It is a government school catering to very poor children and low caste children.  There are approx. 180 students.  Because they have been short of space they are having to use the upstairs unfinished classrooms.

Our thanks to the Duncan Rotary Clubs again for helping school children to have a better and safer environment.