FRIDAY, MARCH 03, 2006

I remember going through my school diary for the much awaited 'library' period. It was an hour where I didn't necessarily have to get a logical answer all the time, it wasn't about 2+2=4 or whether the sun rose from the east or about gravity. In fact it was about little green men, horses with wings, talking animals and basically giving in to the fantastic world of imagination and literature. As we sat down to discuss ideas that would benefit school children who have less access to various tools required for education we came up with the brilliant thought of setting up libraries. Thinking small and hopefully in the future increase our capacity our first library (one shelf) was set up in Bal Bhojan. The foundation has been laid and realising the importance of continuity we will surely go back and build up what we started at Bal Bhojan. Meanwhile we're spreading the enthusiasm for knowledge and hopefully we brought smiles on the faces of Shree Kesh students.

Bal Bhojan Programme - Nepal (Children's Food Programme- Nepal) was started by Dr. Shuddh S. Rauniyar in 1999. The programme is run by volunteers and primarily provides food and education to the underprivileged children of Kathmandu. Bal Bhojan's greatest success has been in providing scholarships to children who would otherwise be unable to go to school; something that Future Funds would like to actively support.

Photo Essay

A STEP FORWARD

MONDAY, JULY 11, 2005

After our initial introduction to the plight of Shree Kesh we knew help was needed. Speaking to the Principal, Mrs. Parbati Shakya, we found out that donations, charity work or initiatives of any sort were welcome as they were desperately in need of any or all of the former. There were various projects that could be undertaken - from setting up a drinking water project, providing school uniforms to improving infrastructure. However with the limitations that existed at the time and also because we believe in small yet successful ventures we agreed on providing stationery. We got a list of students from Grade 01 to 05 from the school authorities after which we decided, depending on the needs of students in particular classes, to distribute stationery that included pens, pencils, exercise books, drawing material, ink etc. The purchases were made possible from contributions made by Pamela Horowitz (USA), Julia Gillian (Northern Ireland), Phil Crossy (Northern Ireland).

As it has already been mentioned we intend to continue supplementing the students in Shree Kesh as and when they would require more stationery. For it is important that there’s follow up and there’s no doubt that with the contribution made by all involved with Future Funds we’ve taken another step towards the right direction.

Photo Essay

CHAPTER TWO

FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2006

A start was made almost a year ago and it was now time to give our initiative continuity. The first round of distribution of stationary, exercise books etc took place on July 11, 2005. This time around we took two steps ahead by managing to get funds to purchase bags, courtesy: Mr Bimal K. Rai, who donated Rs. 10,000 and added another Future Funds initiative that we began at Bal Bhojan, i.e. setting up a library for the students at Shree Kesh Chandra Primary School in Itumbahal.

We distributed the tools hoping it encourages the students to take an interest in school and education and although there were plenty of young gleaming faces we found out to our dismay that many had not shown up for many weeks. Apart from some students who were absent we were told by the teachers that there's been a decrease in attendance. The reason for which were quite obvious - the economic status of the family. Usually it's the parents who are compelled to put a halt to their child's education because s/he is required to help in running their small businesses.

It's always the case that when you're trying to identify one problem there are many others that need to be corrected along the way. Along with the need to educate these under-privileged children we've realised that the parents need to be able to sustain the family so that they don't drag their children to help in contributing to the family income, not at an age when they should be learning, growing and just being...children.

It has to start somewhere.

Many of us won’t be able to relate to this story but it’s true that many of us are actually living it. While most of us can’t seem to think beyond ourselves it’s heartening to know that there are good Samaritans out there with one sole purpose – to help the needy.

Durga Mainali is one such angel in disguise. She runs an orphanage in Jorpati and providing her ‘children’ with the basic necessities is her first and only priority. So how and where did her social work begin? Originally from Jhapa, Mrs. Mainali was a college student roaming the magnificent Durbar Square when she felt a tug and realised there was a boy, around 4 years old, calling her mother and crying. She asked around and when nobody claimed him she went to the nearby police station to file a report of a missing child. They, in turn, accused her of trying to deceive the authorities. Not being able to withstand the allegations she left the police station with the child and realised that the boy needed a mother and so she took it upon herself to raise him. It was then that she decided to look out for every child who needed a mother. Responsibilities increased and so did the expenses. Not being able to afford it she took another radical step – door-to-door begging. In her neighbourhood she is known as the ‘maagne didi’ meaning the sister who begs. In over a hundred homes she’s even hung plastic bags so that the residents can insert whatever they can afford to give away. Mrs. Mainali makes her rounds and picks up the donations then distributing it to the children in her orphanage.

It’s been a year now Mrs. Mainali has moved to a bigger house with a compound for the 20 odd children to play in. She’s even constructed a reading room and a kitchen to cook for her fast growing family. With gaining interest from other like-minded people she’s managed to find foster parents who come over to Buddhist Bal Griha (as it is now called) to visit their adopted children. Although she hasn’t yet received ‘aid’ from INGOs or NGOs she is supported by volunteers (both local and foreigners) who help her tend to the various needs of the children.

Having heard of Mrs. Mainali’s incredible contribution to the community, we wanted to play our part as well and we successfully collected clothes and books from our own circle of friends and family. The pictures you see are during our trip to Buddhist Bal Griha.

Every drop makes an ocean they say and the Buddhist Bal Griha is a fine example of how it’s possible to lead your life the way you want to and still be able to extend a helping hand. Wishing and hoping won’t help for if you want to make a difference it has to start somewhere and it has to start from the heart.

Photo Essay

16 June ‘05. Bal Bhojan, a non-profit organisation based in Kathmandu, has been giving free classes to underprivileged and street children for several years. To almost all of the children who attend these classes, a constant supply of things like pencils, notebooks and clothes to change regularly are luxuries they can afford on their own only on special occasions. In 2003, Future Funds had helped initiate a library and distributed stationary items for Bal Bhojan’s students. This time, to keep the children excited about their education opportunity and to let them know that their effort to regularly attend class is a special phenomenon in itself, we distributed more than 300 pieces of clothing items, collected through a clothes drive. Future Funds Volunteer/ Co-ordinator Dawa will also be teaching and working with the students at Bal Bhojan from 17 June.

As many as 80 students attend Bal Bhojan’s morning classes. The remaining clothes will be distributed to other underprivileged and street children through Bal Bhojan.

Many school children in government schools have been noticed to miss classes because the drive of hunger is most often stronger than that of studies. It has thus been suggested by many people that a project that provides at least one meal a day in school would serve the dual purpose of ensuring a meal to the children while also providing an incentive for them to attend their classes regularly.

School uniforms are not a compulsion in many government schools, but the divide between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ cannot be more starker than in terms of school uniforms. Moreover, a school uniform in many ways does add to the aura and the pride of having access to education and being a student. Under this project, Future Funds will identify needy students and provide them with two sets of uniforms on an annual basis.

Clean drinking water is a necessity for everyone, and in every sphere of life – work, home or school. With many of our schools in Nepal operating under the barest minimum, access to clean drinking water is often a luxury. Under this project, Future Funds will provide bottled drinking water to a school. The project when undertaken will be on an annual basis.