Pashupati Briddhasram, Kathmandu
Samajhkalyan Kendra, Briddhasram, Pashupati (Social Welfare Center, Elderly Home, Pashupati), a century old elderly home built as the Panchdeval (five shrines) Pakshala in the Regime of His Majesty Surendra Vir Vikram Shah is situated amidst the temples of the famous Hindhu temple complex, Pashupatinath, this place really seems to manipulate time (at least in a personal level, if not in a universal level). Once you enter the premises of the Briddhasram, you can’t help but feel like you are transported back in time and here the world moves slower.
You see as many as a fifty grey haired, frail elderly citizens doing nothing but spending blissful moments basking in the sun for hours in the courtyard and on the shrine platform. Some curious eyes follow you as you walk past the welfare gate. One of them is busy reading a laptop sized religious book rested on his lap and the other is trying hard to bend and dust off his trousers. All you hear is the steady sound of the wheeled metallic support of an elderly with crippled feet and a faint sound of TV playing Nepali song. They don’t talk to each other much, which gives you an aura of wilderness where no word is spoken but they really live for each other. For some it is a depressing scene to see people at the end of human life cycle, away from their family, living (or rather dying) in the Briddhasram. But for many this is a place where they find refuge from their ever speeding life and feel satisfied helping and sharing talks with these elderly citizens.
Guests can offer clothes, food, medicines and other consumables to these senior citizens. Cleaning of the surrounding, washing clothes and cooking food for the members are also welcome.
Friends of the Bagmati
BACKGROUND
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, launched Friends of Bagmati in November 2000 during the Celebration of Sacred Gifts for a Living Planet jointly organized by the World Wildlife Fund and the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC).
The Friends of the Bagmati (FOB) is a group of people from different walks of life who have come together through their common concern and their wish to restore the environment of the Bagmati and other rivers of Nepal.
Bagmati, which is the biggest river of the Kathmandu valley, originates from Shivapuri hill, 25 km north of Kathmandu City at an altitude of 2650m above sea level. Sacred and holy literatures describe the Bagmati to have originated from the laughter of Lord Shiva. Major tributaries: Bishnumati, Dhobikhola, Manohara, Tukucha and Nakhhu join it along the course of it’s meandering through the valley.
But at present Bagmati River is facing a number of serious environmental and ecological challenges. The purity and freshness of our river water is now lost. The water quality and river integrity has changed in the recent years solely due to the anthropogenic activities. People have directed their sewers directly to the river, not only the household wastes but wastes of hazardous nature from nursing homes and private medical institutions without even the primary treatment. Due to increasing population, direct disposal of untreated sewerage into the river, uncontrolled sand mining, improper solid waste disposal, rapid construction of industries, uncontrolled squatters settlement etc are helping to deteriorate the water quality of Bagmati River.
Friends of Bagmati has started Bagmati River Cleaning Program from last 53 weeks and till now 80 % of the solid waste was completely removed from the river. The program starts at 07:00 hrs every Saturday and concluded at 10:00 hrs. Participants from different area was recorded on the program including Nepalese Prime Minister, Ministers, MP’s, Governmental High Officials, Police, Army, Ambassadors, Teachers, Students, tourists etc.
Join Hand with us and make Bagmati River Clean!!!!!!
Mary Ward School
ASMAN (Association of St. Mary’s Alumnae Nepal) is a non-governmental organization devoted to the cause of aiding and supporting underprivileged Nepalese women and children since the last nineteen years. Its work and commitment encompasses support in the areas of health, education, cultural awareness and development. The association brings together former students of St. Mary’s High School, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Background
As one of the world’s least developed countries, Nepal suffers from several ills arising from severe poverty and illiteracy. However, several governmental, non- governmental and private organizations are devoted to the betterment of women and children in the Nepali society. One such organization working for the cause of the girl child is the Mary Ward schools located at Lubhoo and Jhamsikhel.
The Mary Ward Schools
The first Mary Ward school was established in 1986 in Jhamsikhel by the faculty and students of St. Mary’s School,Jawalakhel, one of Nepal’s premier educational institution for girls. It opened its Lubhoo branch in 1997.
The schools have done exemplary work in providing educational opportunities and ensuring better futures for girls from families who could not have otherwise afforded to send their daughters to school. In a society where education for the girl-child is not considered necessary, Mary ward has begun to stand out as a beacon of hope. The school in Jhamsikhel has students up to class 5 while the school in Lubhoo has been able to educate children up to SLC.
The nuns select the students through house-to-house visits to make sure only the needy and deserving students get enrollment.
Besides providing the children with education, the Mary’s Ward school also provide them with books, stationery, uniform and mid-day meals.
CIRCUS KATHMANDU
In an International Campaign by UNESCO for safeguarding the monuments of Kathmandu valley, the Austrian Government joined hands with Nepal Government to preserve Patan Durbar Square. The ensuing project began in 1982 with the repair of Keshav Narayan Chowk that led finally to the transformation of a teaching museum to dissemination of knowledge on Buddhism.
Visit the Social Project Circus
Circus Kathmandu – Empowering change. In 2010 thirteen young Nepalese people who had been rescued from trafficking and the streets turned to contemporary circus to build their self-esteem and to chart a path out of stigmatism and poverty.
http://www.circuskathmandu.com/performers.html
Social Project Circus Kathmandu: Tourists Workshop: Circus Kathmandu offers two-hour interactive workshop for tourist groups. The workshop is an opportunity for the participating groups to experience first-hand the world of performing arts and have a fun filled session. Costs are involved as per the group size.
The workshop modality is:
• An Introduction session about CK
• Performance of specialty acts by CK artists for the group
• Basic circus skills learning session for the group
• Ends with refreshment
Bamboo School
BACKGROUND
The Bamboo Schools Project in Nepal builds schools for vulnerable and destitute children throughout Nepal. These children come from very poor Nepalese or Tibetan families; many have had to survive on the streets or have been forced into child labour. These children do not have the opportunity or the funds to receive an education under the present system. This is especially true for girls who are rarely allowed to attend school. In Nepal more than 50% of the population is illiterate. Having an education, in addition to being personally enriching, will greatly improve their future chances of finding employment and contributes to breaking the cycle of poverty that plagues the country.
Uttam Sanjel began this work by teaching street children to read and write free of charge, and quickly had more students than he could handle. He created his project, “Samata Shiksha Niketan,” and began to build schools made of bamboo for all children who wanted a quality education but who could not afford a high fee. These schools are open to all children, with special emphasis on the education of girls.
The choice of bamboo as the construction material is a strategic one. Bamboo is inexpensive and easily available in Nepal. By using this material along with corrugated iron roofs, Uttam’s team of qualified workers is able to build a large school in 3 to 4 months, and costs are reduced by 60%. On average, the construction of a bamboo school now costs only US$ 60,000.00 Uttam’s strategy is to begin by building in the districts surrounding the capital and the 20 districts bordering India. He targets cities or urban areas with the highest density of population in each district. In this way a maximum number of children will be able to attend.
The Bamboo Schools’ Students
The students who attend classes at the bamboo schools are ensured of receiving a well balanced and quality education. In addition to Nepali, English language classes are compulsory, thereby providing the children with an increasingly important tool for their future. The bamboo schools are an effective balance between the unaffordable private schools and the government schools that do not provide English classes and where the quality of education and direct supervision is poor.
The teachers are attentive to the students’ needs, the classes have a relatively low student to teacher ratio, and the majority of students are eager to learn. They understand the importance of this chance to receive an education. The school daystarts with the students reciting the 15 commitments: a set of values to live by. The teachers and staff stress these values to the children in order to help them grow into responsible adults who will contribute to their community.
The Impact of Education
Uttam is devoted to the students and, with KS, monitors their academic development and environment by visiting each school at least once a month. Our reports indicate that a high percentage of the children are making significant progress both in their education and home life and that this opportunity for education is having a lasting and positive impact on their lives. The children have gained recognition and respect from their families and communities – who are often completely illiterate themselves – because they are receiving an education. The school provides a safe environment that promotes learning and personal empowerment and keeps the children off the streets and away from the dangers encountered there.
In Nepal, the education of girls is generally considered to be of little importance. While some families save as much as possible to send their sons to a good private school or to the government schools, in general girls are made to stay home and help their mothers. One of the objectives of the Samata Shiksha Niketan project is to make education available to these girls, and this is reflected in the enrolment process, in which the majority of students are girls. The schools provide the girls with the education they would not otherwise receive and, therefore, contribute to narrowing the educational and developmental gap between Nepal’s men and
women.
A small percentage of children still do not attend school every day. One reason is that occasionally some of the girls are needed to stay home and help their families. The school staff and Uttam spend considerable time talking to these families and explaining how important education is for them and how it will benefit their communities.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
FUNDS ARE NEEDED TO CONSTRUCT THREE NEW BAMBOO SCHOOLS:
The cost for the construction of one bamboo school is now approximately $68,500 USD.
Costs per school vary slightly depending on the distance between the construction site and the capital. The costs of transportation of the materials and the construction team often raise the price for schools in more remote districts. Prices for building materials are also increasing.