The library/community centre
is now registered with RAWCS
(Rotary Australia World
Community Services ) which
means donations are tax
deductible. The Community
Centre has been renamed
|
An Update
From Isabel
Armer in Nepal
It is Sunday
again and I have
not written much
about Nepal this
week. Teresa
Williams has
been here with
her trekkers,
who were
delighted by the
children when
they visited
this morning.
The photos show
how interested
the children are
when there are
visitors. The
group from
Bacchus Marsh
donated some
toys and this
morning Netra
decided to give
the little kids
a toy each. I am
not sure they
understood, but
there were
plenty of
smiles. Sanju
KC, one of the
university
students,
teaches the
little kids each
morning.
The visit to RC
Pashupati on
Wednesday was a
success. Netra
and I met with
the Board
members and they
all seem keen to
support the RC
Kew on Yarra
projects. When
they visited
BFCC two months
ago the children
put on a display
and charmed
Rajendra Rijal
and his brother.
It is very
difficult not to
be charmed by
all the
children,
especially the
little ones with
two front teeth
missing.
Work has begun
on the hall. It
will be
interesting to
see the outcome.
The
Trekkers
help
with
the
children’s
reading |
University
Student
Sanju
has
the
kids
smiling |
The
kids
receive
their
Bacchus
Marsh
Toys |
|
Frank Jones Gives His Advice |
Netra Interviews a Prospective new Pupil |
|
Life is busy
here in Nepal.
Liz Dobson is
here and so is
Teresa Williams.
One of Teresa's
trekkers, Frank
Jones from
Geelong, is also
here and is
helping in the
computer school.
He has brought
some stuff and
is also teaching
Netra how to
download things.
It could be the
start of a
proper computer
school. The
young man who
helps Netra when
things go wrong
is also
benefiting from
Frank's advice.
I am also
attaching a
great photo of
Netra and one of
the little kids
he is
interviewing.
The Community
Hall Receives An
Upgrade – a
Concrete Floor
The floor of the
community hall
was never
properly sealed
and when we used
it last year for
classes it was
very dusty. I
wanted to have
some drama
activities, but
any movement
caused clouds of
dust. There is
also the
potential for
indoor cricket
and soccer. The
fields are too
rough and in
winter it is too
cold in bare
feet. What they
are doing now is
a renovation
which will make
it much more
useful for us
and the
community.
Carrying
in
the
aggregate
inside
in
baskets |
Mixing
and
Screeding
the
Concrete
over
the
Floor |
|
Bright Future Community
Center.
|
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The main International project
is the Dreamland Computer School
in Kathmandu, Nepal. It was
established by the Rotary Club
of Kew on Yarra in 2006. Isabel
Armer travels to Nepal each year
and is able to provide relevant
information about progress and
needs of the project.
The Computer Centre provides
free education for over twenty
children from very poor
families, under the day to day
guidance of Supak Adhikari. It
is a project that gives hope to
children such as Akash Lama.
Akash was abandoned by his
parents and now is minded by his
Grandmother. Many children in a
similar situation drift into a
life on the streets and end up
living rough and begging. The
Computer School is somewhere
where he can come and make
friends and improve his outlook
for the future. |
The Computer School is now registered as a
company, and is expanding to include other
education opportunities for the local
community with several paying (at low rates)
adult clients now enrolled. In this way the
computer school is becoming a community
focus, not just a learning centre. Supak is
teaching the children free of charge, so the
small income from the adults has resulted in
the School just about covering its costs.
The most recent change is a link to the
Internet. This is only for one computer as
the running costs for more computer links is
too high. We are hopeful that this
improvement will enable the children to
write to friends here in Australia and so
improve their English.
This year Isabel will be in Nepal again, but
this time there will be two groups from
Latrobe University. With their help we hope
to develop some teaching kits which will be
stored in the library. The Latrobe students
will produce some model lessons using these
kits at some of the local schools.
Hopefully teachers will be impressed and
will borrow the kits. Topics will range
from Art to Music, Science and English.
Netra Basnet has continued to teach in the
Community Centre and his students achieved
an improvement of at least one grade in
their final examinations. He has the
potential to be an excellent teacher. It
would be wonderful if Netra could take
charge of the teaching kits.
It is hoped we can register this project
with RAWCS.
The dumping of rubbish and lack of refuse
collection continues to be a major problem
with over 300 tonnes a day being dumped in
Kathmandu. The group which runs the
Community Centre hopes to establish a
recycling project that will both educate
people about cleanliness and assist the
environment. There is a market for plastics,
glass, metal and compost with householders
prepared to pay for reliable collections.
This business will employ local people and
it is hoped that it will generate more funds
to allow the recycling to expand.
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A volunteer group, Engineers
Without Borders, (EWB) has
visited the site where it is
planned to set up a composting
business. Their report was very
positive about this project and
they think it might provide “a
working example to other
villages of how waste can be
managed properly and cost
effectively. In addition to
significant environmental
benefits to the community, there
is also the possibility of
generating revenue.”. |
|
The farm which will use the
compost is already producing
vegetables and making some
money. It, too, will
demonstrate the benefits of
composting and organic farming
and generate income. |
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