Blog

A New Year!

Nepal House — Thu, 24 May 2012 21:09:29 +0000

We have all been waiting for it and it is finally here - the second grade! As most of you know, each year, the Nepal House school grows organically, adding a new grade starting with Kindergarten until the first class reaches 12th grade. At the end of this month, late May, our kindergarteners from last year will move on to the 1st grade class and a new set of girls will be entering the kindergarten class this year. The girls have already been selected, as well as a teacher, and a room in the Nepal House has been reserved for the next grade. As you read this blog, the last preparations for the school are being made, despite Nepal's current situation, and the school will be in session in just a few weeks.

I want to call out the Nepal House team in Pokhara and thank them for their hard work this year. They have all done an oustanding job and been pivotal in making the dream become a reality. We are so lucky to have them and the Nepal House US Chapter is looking forward to another successful year!

Namaste,

Kylesh

A Message from Laxmi - Introduction to Counseling for School Teachers

Nepal House — Thu, 24 May 2012 20:59:29 +0000

School Principal from Srijina Higher Secondary Boarding School was looking for introductory counseling training to his 40 teachers. It was the first time they were asking to organize training for such a big group. We were a little nervous but we had our volunteer Marcia Burton from Canada. She helped us to select the topics what is helpful to offer. Learning about counseling is so new here so we were careful that we are not offering too much. The main topics we discussed were: Developmential Psychology and what it might look like if this is disrupted, Definition of Counseling, Teacher’s Role, Trauma and its Effects, When Children Need Counseling? Confidentiality, What NHK does and how to refer kids to NHK? Some experiential exercises and Self care.

Many of the participants were telling it is very new kind of learning. The principal said that their school would like to coordinate and work with Nepal House, Khaski in the coming future. One of the participants said that this training workshop was very helpful to have understanding about how to see children in a respective way. Our goal was not to make them the counselors but to create an environment where we can talk about counseling and let them know how they can be helpful when students or the children have some issues and they have concerns. See them as a child and not as a problem. When children have difficulty with something and struggling, often people here think child as a problem which is not helpful.

Laxmi Gautam Tripathi

A Message from Shiva - One Year Operation of the School

Nepal House — Thu, 24 May 2012 20:36:34 +0000

We are happy and proud that NHK School has successfully operated its first year. We are very thankful to all of the board members, social workers, organizations from Nepal, from Canada and United States for their support in different ways and we appreciate the parents for their cooperation. There were twelve girls and ten completed kindergarten. Two girls dropped out and we don’t know where the parents moved without informing us, we hope there was good reason they moving, and we wish for their better future. In a one year period, we learned many things about the children and families from difficult circumstances and it is very inspiring for us to upgrade a new class in this year. We have many referrals and applications and they are on the way to final selections. We hope we will be able to arrange the new class in three weeks.

The goal of the school was to educate the girls from disadvantaged families and support them through counseling and teaching them life skills for the future. Our teachers and counselors learned some important skills working with such families and their children, because they are the best teachers for us. Our team is here visiting the new families and they are exploring the children not only for the school but they have found some children who need immediate counseling. The school and the counseling program are very parallel and it is interesting that the field visit for school is finding the children who need counseling.

This time the team is working on preparing the new classroom, furniture, curriculum design, and many other tasks to open the new class. We are looking forward to seeing new children in the centre and we hope we can manage on time.

Thank you all again for your time and support. We will come with new updates very soon.

Shiva Thapa

Nepal House Month again!

Nepal House — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 21:03:06 +0000

Wow! Tami Roberts, a very close friend of Nepal House, has decided to host Nepal House Month again! She is donating the proceeds from her Thai Yoga Massages directly to Nepal House for the entire month of April. These are incredible massages that revitalize and refresh. To learn more about what Mrs. Roberts is doing and her massages, please click the link provided to visit her website.

http://www.yewstudio.com/p/thai-yoga-massage.html

Thank you so much for doing this again Tami!!

Autrey Mill Middle School Sponsors a Nepal House Fundraiser to Promote Awareness

Nepal House — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:52:36 +0000

I am so excited as I write this blog. If you read more about how Kylesh, my brother, founded the Nepal House US Chapter, the initial spark came from a grade 8 school wide assignment at Autrey Mill Middle School. Now, I am in grade 8 following in his footsteps and this year has turned to be very special for Nepal House.

Autrey Mill is very focused on developing global citizens who take time to understand the larger societal surroundings and needs. One such exercise that they embrace is called the IMPACT project. This year long assignment pushes students to think deeply about organizations that create a positive IMPACT in the world today. Which organizations impact humanity in a positive way? What do they do at a selfless level for the world? How is the organization run and what is the vision that drives this effort?

Students are asked investigate the details to better understand and explain to their peers. When my brother went through the process two years back, it led him to the monumental decision to home school for his grade nine year to create a foundation and start a school halfway around the world.

The most amazing aspect is that Autrey Mill has not stood by but given him encouragement to achieve this goal to show IMPACT. As a small example, the school secretary Ms. Betsy Jacks, was the first to step up at the school and donate to the cause when the US Chapter was started more than a year back and we had a challenge in raising initial funds.

This year as you walk into the school, there is a candy drive being run by student council and sponsor teachers that is symbolic mechanism to raise awareness and support for Nepal House efforts. Students and teachers are challenging each other to fundraise and sponsor some very key efforts that are taking place at the moment. The team in Nepal is working hard to plan for the next class of 12 underprivileged Nepali 5 year old girls. They require desks, uniforms, nutrition, education, therapy and a healing environment as they receive love and encouragement.

Go Autrey Mill - I am so proud of your support!!!

Saika Sharma

Nepal House US Chapter Member

Nepal House Kids Participated in a Children’s Radio Program

Nepal House — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 13:42:12 +0000

In 27^th December 2011, four girls from Nepal House Girls School got an opportunity to participate in the children’s program on Chunununu Radio, Pokhara. They sang many songs. They also talked about their favorite food, music, and games. Radio Chunumunu is the first Nepali childrens FM radio station. One of our past clients who went through the counseling process in the Nepal House Therapy Center some years back, is now working as a radio person in Radio Chunumunu. It was very exciting and great news for us that she invited our some of the girls to come and speak in the children’s program. Nepal House Girls School teacher Deepa Karki, was with the children at that time. The very exciting thing was rest of the girl were listening to their friends on the radio at Nepal House and they were laughing and thrilled. What a nice experience.

Basanta (Nepal House Kaski Team)

Nepal House Girls School is located in the Kaski District in the city of Pokhara

As The New Year Approaches

Nepal House — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:07:35 +0000

We have a lot to be thankful for, especially with supporters like you! As the girls enter their 8th month in school, the teachers and support staff in Pokhara, Nepal, are constantly looking to provide the best environment that they can - in terms of education, health, nutrition and general well being.

Recently, the team relocated to a better and bigger facility just down the street. So, a new year brings about new changes for the entire group!

For the US Chapter, the 5K Run was an incredible one year milestone of the organization. More than 40 people showed up to the Run as supporters or as actual participants - for those of you who donated, supported and were a part of this success, there is a special newsletter that is coming to you soon via email. You were the reason for our progress in achieving this milestone. We are all volunteers here in the US and it means so much when you embrace this cause with us.

From the Nepal Team, we wish you a wonderful year ahead and many more opportunities to share our progress with the Nepal House Girls School.

NAMASTE!!

US Chapter Team

Join Us at These Upcoming Fall Events

Nepal House — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 17:13:54 +0000

1st Annual Nepal House 5K Run
The US Chapter is now officially a year old and the kindergarten has now been operational for six months!!! Thank you to all of the past donors and supporters of the Girls School. To mark this milestone, we are challenging our friends, family and well wishers the chance to join us at this inaugural event. Every little bit of change helps and if you are a benefactor, I would love to talk to you more about longer term support of this unique effort in Nepal. Not only are building a Model School Program but also fighting against child slavery, child prostitution, child trafficking and child illiteracy. I now I am only a teen but knowing that the children I am supporting are my younger siblings' age under such challenging circumstances is important. Did you know that the average walking distance a child that is lucky to attend school in this region has to walk a minimum of 5K one way?!
By creating a 5K event, it's an awareness builder - take a walk through the website and please end up on the DONATE tab. Support the participant who reached out to you by donating and clicking on their name in the Program Designation...or becoming a participant and raising pledges for the operations of the Girls School. Email us on the Contact Page and we will share more information.
When: November 12th
Where: Webb Bridge Park in Alpharetta
Who: A number of amazing supporters young and younger

Namaste,
Kylesh Sharma
US Chapter Founder

Giving is Living

Nepal House — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 02:01:04 +0000

We live in very interesting times - the global recession has created a platform for the expression of freedom at an unforeseen historical level around the world. Whether it is the concerned marches in many countries or the physical battles to secure democracy; when human beings unite -- it's a powerful thing. The power of the media, emotions and a focus for cause can create great movement. It is also a time when some of the poorest people in the world suffer like no other. I was recently horrified to learn from another Board Member of the atrocities related to organ trafficking in Nepal...

Poverty stricken farmers by the dozens are being coerced into donating a kidney in return for money so that they can save their land from payment default. Only, when the surgery has been completed under very shady practices, not only is the poor soul given less than promised, his health is compromised and the land is usually seized.

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/nepal-poor-swindled-by-organ-traffickers/414197

At times like these, the helping hand has to be stronger than the stealing hand. It's easy to give an apple if you have 10 in hand. It is so much harder when you only have 1 apple and are also hungry. At times like these, supporting the next generation in impoverished nations like Nepal has never been more important. I am so blessed to be part of an effort to ease the suffering of young girls in a nation that unfairly places them in subordinate levels of life. This opportunity must remain strong so that these girls can become bedrocks in their community.

Neil Sharma (Board Member)

Together We Build

Nepal House — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 01:55:06 +0000

In my native tongue, Japanese, there is a word loosely translated as ‘benevolent’. Of all ethical, philosophical and religious virtues, my family guided me to believe the notion (i.e. equivalent of benevolence) is of utmost importance to my life.

I suppose this ultimately lead to the invitation to join Nepal House Society – US Chapter’s Board. For, I sort of related the principle of mine with my past experience of volunteering at NPOs and working at an exporter of medical products to developing countries.

By all means, I am no saint, but I just hope a lot of like-minded persons offer us a little bit of their hearts, to help. I will post stories of Nepal to this blog time-to-time, so you will know about the circumstances more profoundly.

Like Hubert, I have piles of books in my room. I would like to tell you about one book that gives me a lot of insights here. You might as well have heard about microcredit movement, and this book was written by Dr. Muhammad Yunus, who pioneered microcredit.

Building Social Business: The New Kind of Capitalism That Serves Humanity's Most Pressing Needs

By Muhammad Yunus

While I do NOT view our girls school in Kaski, Nepal as a social business under Dr Yunus’ definition, I wish to see the girls we help get education will become someday ‘social entrepreneurs’, in his words. It will be about community initiatives created by entrepreneurs with down-to-earth social visions.

Akira Morishita (Board Member)