Review of the decade!

We have wanted to thank to all our donors and write statistics of what was achieved so far. Beyond graphs and numbers I want to simplify it and recently I received this photo which made me super proud. Here you see the Elders who worked with me and Choice Nepal to create so needed safe drinking water pipeline in 2011, only this time the Elders become the teachers and theirs son’s their students. They were able to request local funding for the needed material themselves.

The primary school where most of our efforts was focused have also a teacher from their community. Kisor Bhujel was our student when we first came to the village. The teachers also received a positive feedback and are being recognised for their continues improvements. The school has more women teachers and they work as one team, still making lunch for all the children which is being sponsored. Thanks to you!

We realised very early that important part in education is a nutrition and hungry kids just can’t learn. By providing free lunch we attracted more students to become regular students, by providing materials, training and workshops we made class a fun place to be.

The school has brand new creative class 1 from Children of the Mountain and our teachers are receiving weekly support from our project manager. He has been invaluable in making connections, bringing people to hospitals in emergencies and bringing villagers to any free health camps provided by the Government hospitals and private organisations. He has earned trust of the locals who are very shy.

The village soon will also have health assistant as Urmila Bhujel is the first to achieve such qualification. Back in 2015 she came to school crying that she will have to stop the school and that all she wanted to do is to continue her studies, with her dad’s failing health she was being pushed to work at home, making nanglos. Without the direct support and help over the years which means everything from pencils to school fees and exam fees, this would not be possible. Choosing the profession in health – she will be able to support and give back to the community.

Lastly this project would not be possible without people who have no qualification in rural development yet, what they all have is a deep empathy, love, stubbornness to not give up because no man is an island and Education is the way.

It was not an easy ride but I am so grateful that we all made it possible and although it takes a long time to see real impact. I feel they have the tools to make the change themselves now. Thank you for supporting us and please still do!

Happy New year to all !

Teacher training from Ella Piya on how to read stories.
New creative class provided by Childern of the mountain charity.

Eye health camp

On 21st and 22 nd of December there was a free eye health camp, dealing mainly with elderly. Our project manager supported Surya Man Bhujel and organised an eye health check. Unfortunately the operation was not possible due to high blood pressure so he returned back to his village. However sad this news is – the project manager decided to enquire further and with the help of trainee nurse will make blood pressure check of most villagers. The trainee nurse Urmila Bhujel comes from Aandhimul itself, and has been supported in her studies thanks to donors from Australia who have supported the AP since its beginning. We hope that there will be time for Surya when he can undergo the operation once his conditions improves.

Growing fast and completing secondary Education

10 years ago when we arrived to this village, we saw children with bare feet, cold and hungry. This year we are looking over some of the impacts, firstly we have never imagined that we would still be running and supporting this project, thanks to all of you who have been supporting us. This time an image of Niru Bhujel who is studying at grade 11. Some seeds we have planted are growing well and we congratulate our primary students who are continuing in Secondary Education: Manita, Jeevan, Niru, Amrit and Saroj.

An account from Jolana

DSCN4791

This time in Aandhimul and Bandipur, with no wrapped presents and no families or decorated Christmas tree, but amazingly great people, chips, pancakes, hot bucket of water as a shower and bottles of wine!!!

The morning was cold and the night in the village was for some disturbed by mouse, or a light in order to scare the mouse. That did not work and for me it was one sleepless night. When asked if we felt comfortable as the mother and her daughter laid down on a rugs of clothes to keep a bit warm, we had to answer yes politely as our luxury was a bed with no mattress. There were no comfortable beds but the comfort was found in the people, the way they interacted with us, cracking jokes and offering the best food they could come up with.

DSCN4769

DSCN4782

I do remember a weak point for me when I was left in Abu Khaireni alone, with everyone around me being ill, the coldness and the damp air and I wished to be in another place. The impermanence of things soon changed that with a new day, new layers of clothes to keep warm. I remember that all of this is keeping me awake and when I saw the top peaks wearing red under the evening sun I could not grasp a breath. The pettiness of my wining went and something more greatful replaced it. It was hard to talk. Walking up to the Bandipur was an exhilarating experience, waking up to the sun, to the mountains to the possibilities of not eating rice and get spoiled by comforts a tourist place offers, and yes messages, messages from home from loved ones saying Šťastné Vánoce….or Merry Christmas – unwrapped presents these were.

Jolana

DSCN4747

DSCN4784