Namaste,Kathmandu

The time has come for me to say goodbye. Another year's work have been accomplished with a lot of help and support from firstly, Uma and secondly the trustees. It is fair to say none of which would be possible without Uma .So thank you Uma , for everything and looking after me well during my stay here.

My stay here have been comfortable, hard though it is at  times. I guess with each passing year, I am noticing little tell tale signs that I  need to slow down. I am learning to pace myself more, but still achieving the goals we have set ourselves .

It is important however, to  acknowledge the support and the contributions from everyone in UK and Malaysia.. The generosity and sustained support given to the charity have been astounding. The kids in Kathmandu are very lucky indeed to have you on board, folks

With that I bid  farewell to the land of the mountains, till we meet again.

Namaste, Kathmandu !

The Children..

 It is amazing how the time flies. It does not seem like three and a half weeks ago since  my arrival in Kathmandu. Once again the time has come for me to say good bye..I do it with a heavier heart than in the previous years.

For the first time, Uma's older children, namely Rajesh, Rasmila ,Sangmu and Urmila are so grown up that we were able to  have very sensible conversations . We talked about their future, what their aspirations are, and the frustration of being  teenagers living in an orphanage while going to a normal school. The peer pressure they experienced in terms of informal wear outside of school uniforms etc.Their candid views brought laughter to us all at times when we were approaching difficult areas of parental expectations and  generation gaps.

Most of them are at an age when they want to know what is like living in a different country.They are interested in the world around them, looking at the world map from the  globe. I shared with  them some of my holiday photographs via the portable hard drive. Interestingly they were  all  very impressed by Canada. They want to visit the places I have been to.They are going to work extra hard ,so they told me.And for some of them, their  determination is reflected in the letters to their sponsors.

Through our casual chats ,I tried to instill in them  the value of self belief. That everything is possible if they believe in it and want it bad enough.And that they  will achieve their goals if they are prepared to work hard and overcome the obstacles no matter what.The additional handicap they face is  wondering where they come from. Most of them have no visits from any parent or siblings, others received just an annual visit from a parent sometimes. Over the years, I have noticed  that  parental visits have tended to stir things up for the children . Sometimes they became withdrawn and quiet following the visits. Then Uma would have her  work cut out to get things back to normal.This is especially so with the older children.

There are a combination of factors which made my stay in Kathmandu this year more significant than most. I thought I'll never say this. Kathmandu is beginning to feel like my third home away from home.I do feel very comfortable here.  Uma and I have developed an even closer  understanding  between us. We realised that we have very similar values and outlook, even though we live very different lives , one in the east, and one in the west. Having said that, we don't always agree on everything. The important thing is we listen to each others' views and respect the difficult decisions we have to make sometimes.

With Janet and Imogen been here, it has helped the charity in furthering the good work we are doing here, both in the orphanage and the school.I know I will feel less lonely in trying to make decisions on projects we hope to undertake in the coming months. Last but not least the children growing up and developing into such fine youngsters.The ability to have an almost adult  conversation with them have been a real pleasure. That goes for other children as well as Uma's.

It is interesting that the attendance at the morning language class have been excellent so far. Uma puts it down to the fact that I am here. They want to impress me.The acid test will be in the coming months if they can maintain the attendance record. No matter what, when we have the Open day each year, we renew our acquaintances with the mums. They know that we are  trying to help their children to achieve a better life in the future.And they are grateful for the opportunities the charity has given them. And that's good enough for me .

Life in Kathmandu

My personal reflections , having been here for the past  4 years.

Toilet  paper is a luxury here . One  always  has to buy locally or bring enough from home country to make it last . This has caused consternation among some of the volunteers from abroad, especially if she is here for a few months. Imagine running out of toilet paper  unexpectedly ! Its just not bear thinking about ! :-o

Nepali business people are no different to the Chinese. We bargain for everything. They will always want the  first deal of  the day to be successful, symbolising  a good trading day to follow . So this is the buyer's best time for a very good deal.  :-)

There are 3 types of road surfaces in Kathmandu according to the Ministry of transport. They are black topped ( tarmac I think )roads , gravel and rough roads/paths. More often than not, its the gravel road, which are the rat runs that the taxi drivers go on to beat the traffic jam on the  black topped roads.. With multiple pot holes on almost every gravel road, the taxis tended to become ' bone shakers' for journeys undertaken. It could be viewed as a form of loose  massage in some quarters. I must admit I often feel quite  loose- limb ed after a taxi ride, quite therapeutic......:-ll

Like the Chinese, the Nepalis firmly believe that it is better to get rid of unwanted body fluid  (phlegm included ) than retaining it  in the system. hence the  spitting wherever they happen to be. It is a real challenge for the poor government to try to educate the populace through health education, and the implications of spreading diseases etc through this behaviour.
Malaysian government had to ban the practice with  fines imposed. It took years before it was understood and accepted by the population  :-(

The laws  of the jungle operate here  on the roads in Kathmandu. It is a fact that there are too many cars for the roads around town. It is the survival of the fittest, or rather the bravest, in terms of nosing your vehicle out in front of everyone else's with sudden jerks and stops. It is a nightmare for pedestrians trying to cross any road. No one would stop for  anything. I have developed a very powerful car stopping  wave. I have noticed that cars always screeched to a halt whenever I ventured across a road.This is one useful skill I have acquired  in Vietnam.. The key thing is to walk purposefully, try and eyeball the driver closest to you, then the cars/motorcycles will weave around you. I must say it is being put to good use almost on a daily basis. :-))

Lighter moments, I do hope you find them useful for your future trips here in Kathmandu

The Children of Neel Barahi School

It was a most unforgettable day yesterday. At our request, the school really pushed the boat out. With Janet's- (our chair) timely arrival, we were treated to an amazing dance performance, as well as a polished  demonstration of  the Karate class out in the sunshine.

During my trip last year , the Principal expressed her wish to see a dancing as well as Karate class introduced as and when the charity feels able to financially. Then 4 months ago, the trustees gave the go ahead for the dancing and Karate classes  to commence.

Since my arrival, I have been asking the school about the 2 classes. I was curious to see for myself how the pupils are using the opportunities, in addition to the computers the charity has provided for the school.It was then agreed that with the arrival of our Chair, the school will give us a flavour of how the pupils have achieved in the two classes.

The day started with some home visiting . It involved some of our newly sponsored children, meeting their parents in the homes. It helped to put the work we try to do in the local context.Most of the homes we visited were difficult for the parents, having to live in such substandard  conditions.However, they appreciate the support and help the charity is able to give to their children.Walking through the Kalimati neighbourhood, one can't help thinking that this must be one of the most deprived areas in Kathmandu. It is a sad fact that people just can't afford  to pay to have their rubbish collected.Therefore it is not surprising that the lanes we walked through were strewn ed with so much garbage that they formed part of the walking surfaces of the lanes, period

 After  lunch ,we  returned to the school to see the dance performance, followed by the Karate  demonstration. We were treated to some  beautifully costume on display, with many of our sponsored children taking part. A very considerate move on the school's part. Considering they have only been going for a few months, they were  accomplished dancers. They moved beautifully with such rhythm. Even the boys were amazing. Lots of photographic opportunities followed to mark this important occasion.

The Karate class was well underway when we joined the jostling children in the crowd. It must have been hard for the teachers to decide on who should join the class at the beginning. It was a joy to see that girls of various ages have been included. It is a real step forward to see that  there is equal opportunities here . This is  proof that the principal is forward thinking in her approach of managing school resources. The children did the teacher proud. They were focused, in tune with their movements as a group. And they displayed so much pride and confidence in their strikes and kicks that I was gob smacked. I was not expecting such level of synchronisation in such a large varied group of pupils. Janet and I were suitably impressed. However I did notice that there were a fair few of the pupils in the audience who were copying similar movements , trying to follow the class.It would appear that more classes are urgently needed if future funding is forth coming!

The day ended with a formal presentation to Janet-the chair  by the principal. It was fair to say the funding the charity has given is well utilised.The pupils have been given a broader education in the form of  exercise, developing self discipline,confidence, most of all,  fun, in a very restricted and somewhat deprived childhood . And I know everyone of us who are involved welcome this.

So, thank you all for your generosity and continued support. Everyone can be assured that the funding raised are benefiting the children here

ABC/ Nepal

There is no doubt that Uma has a wide network of  contacts in Nepal. Having spoken to her about the charity's potential foray into  issues of child trafficking and prostitution, I met up with her sister-in-law who is working in human rights and women's issues,alongside  the United Nations here in Nepal.

She told me that much research needs to be done before embarking on this complex area of work. And the best way to start will be through a NGO (non-governmental organisation, -a charitable organisation which is part funded by the govenrment and donations home and abroad) There are many women refuges here, notably Maiti Nepal and ABC/ Nepal. Imagine my delight when a meeting was arranged for Uma and me with the president of ABC/ Nepal yesterday morning

The president, Ms Durga Ghimire is a very inspiring lady. With her background in Law and Economics, she chose to turn her back on a prominent  academic career following a chanced encounter with a child victim. That was over 30 years ago. She is an activist, fighting for the rights of the  women particularly those who have been abused through violence, prostitution and gender discrimination . She has travelled  to many parts of the world,attempting to  learn and  understand about the factors and background contributing to child trafficking and prostitution.She lived in UK  for 2 years.During that time, she worked with BBC on programs concerning Nepal. What a learned and well informed lady.

Through the work of ABC/Nepal, much information have been gathered around the contributing factors to child trafficking, leading to  prostitution.The major causes are extreme poverty and hardship;lack of awareness; low literacy rates among women; low social status among girls and women;lack of employment opportunity resulting in lack of financial independence;polygamy and domestic violence.It has been observed that parental intention is one of the most important causes of girl trafficking-where parents willingly and knowingly sell their daughters into the trade. Abductions and fake marriages are also used as lures. Sometimes pimps tempt the Young girls with  promise of good job and decent salary. Being uneducated and unexposed to the cruel realities of the world, these girls often end up in the brothels of the big cities like Bombay, Calcutta and Delhi.

When the girls  were rescued, they faced severe physical and mental health problems. They  also faced rejection by their families and the communities they live in. It is against this background that ABC/Nepal started its ground breaking work in supporting and nurturing the rescued girls through counselling,education, training and where appropriate skills development, especially for those who are not literate. Many of the girls (over 70%) were diagnosed with HIV&Aids.They not only have to overcome the stigma, but to  learn  to live with the condition. It is evident that with the acquisition of a life skill, the girsl can become financially independent. That is a vital step in building self esteem and confidence. Not only it helps to alleviate poverty,it is also  a strong counter to  being abused and submissive in a male dominated society.

It is acknowledged that this is a global problem. However it is one which is accelerating at an alarming rate in Nepal. There needs to be a lot more collaborations among the agencies involved. More outreach work like street drama and projects aim at raising awareness must be continued.There are so much work still to do

Uma and I went away both humbled and inspired by this lady, and the work she is still trying to do

So how do we, as a charity fits in all these? Well I think the charity can play a very tiny role , possibly in the future , when more research has been done, and when we have access to more funding. When the time comes, the charity can help through an affiliation with a NGO like ABC/Nepal. You never know....... pigs just might fly........


Footnote
Much of the information have been sourced from the work of ABC/Nepal.It is hoped that the biog will help the reader to understand better  the very serious issues faced by Nepal and other developing countries.

Our First English Language Class

For the first time, 18 children squeezed into the study cum the boys' bedroom  for their English Language class. It was a very rowdy first session.The 4 newly sponsored girls came today  to meet their older  counterparts.

Uma has decided to bring the class back from the school  to the orphanage. This will help Uma to monitor the attendance better. Having had a  chat  with  them all plus their parents, they are all under no illusions as to  the consequence of poor attendance. So for the first time in weeks, all the children turned up for the class, knowing full well that the big sister will be watching  from now on..

I met the new teacher for the first time. It was so good to see how Uma's children chose to sit between the Neel Barahi  children helping them with the lesson. It was such a spontaneous  reaction, so lovely to see. They were very patient in helping them finding their way round the lesson, particularly so with the new ones. It has never failed in me swallowing hard whenever  I witnessed such care and warmth in them. These children always revive my faith in human nature, regardless of the adversity one may encounter.

One of the challenges facing the teacher and the children is the expectation that every child will say something in English at the Open Day in a week's time.. Uma's children are all very confident, but the Neel Barahi students will be less able to. Many of them were being helped by Uma's children to compose  letters to their sponsors in UK. Needless to say, Uma's children have all done their replies independently , and in my safe keeping.I have to say I felt sorry for the teacher. Iit cannot be easy  having to juggle with the different age groups and learning levels in such a large group.

One of the things that amazed me is the wide variation in the standard  of spoken English by the Neel Barahi students.One of our top students speak perfect English, while his classmates can hardly string a sentence together. I accept that in the state school, the teaching medium is Nepali with one subject in English language, therefore it is not easy for them to be confident and fluent in their delivery. But why the big difference when they are taught in a similar environment ? I would love to understand better the reasons, then maybe we will be in a position to help to improve their learning .It feels like hit and miss at the moment.

Well this is only the beginning of a new group. The group dynamics changed when new members are introduced.I must be patient to watch them grow, at their pace, and not mine..

The Computer Room / Lab

Uma and I turned up at the Neel Barahi School yesterday morning. It was a pre-arranged visit to attempt to video the school and the computer room for our potential  funders.

As a novice video maker,  I had to do  several retakes before I was remotely satisfied with the outcome. The poor headmistress was patient but  nervous in her halting and hesitant delivery. We fell about laughing because it was a case of blind leading the blind.In the end, we were surrounded by hundreds of pupils who all wanted their one minute of fame in the video.. So I obliged.
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The biggest surprise .in store  for us was the computer room.In the previous visits, the room was littered with some old non-working computers.It always look grey and in poor repair.  It is a large room, capable of taking at least 2 maybe 3 long rows of 10 computers each if the space is cleared and maximised. Imagine our surprise when we entered the computer room , it was s sight for sore eyes..Prakash, the computer teacher cum administrator had spent the previous 2  days (bank holiday) installing and connecting the new computers to the  Internet. There are now over 10 computers sitting in a long row, ready for action.

Uma and I turned and smiled at each other, we both thought' this is the day we have been working towards". All the running around and hard work have been worth it. It is obvious looking at the beautifully clear and clean room that it is  a computer room with a difference. Whoever comes in here to learn, s/he  will understand the hopes we have put into it.. The headmistress was overcome too, standing next to Uma and me. At that moment, I said to myself- this is what our charity is all about, providing opportunity  for a better  future.We acknowledged that we will need many more computers to enable a full class of  pupils to learn simultaneously, but this is an excellent start.

Once we have  recovered from our excitement, we interviewed a few students in the room to ascertain their views and future  aspirations .The girls especially were quite inspired.by this new toy.They all talked about seeking and acquiring new knowledge through the net. One of them wants to a doctor, and the computer will help her tremendously- according to her Another talked about broadening her horizon. I was  just over the moon

Later on, the headmistress said to me that she will remove the partition between this room and the staff room should we manage to acquire all 35 computers eventually.It will create an ideal learning environment for the pupils.

 Our target now is an additional 17 computers,desks and chairs. When the time comes, the computer room will truly become  a computer lab