The penstock brings water to the powerhouse

CONGRATULATIONS

to the Lumsa community for their determination and hard work in completing their micro hydro project in 7 months.  The community were very determined to bring electricity to their village, they took out personal and business loans to help raise the money for this project.  Only after these monies were raised were they able to obtain funding from the rural development NGO REMREC to begin the project.

Electricity is brought to the houses

Eighty households participated in the work, sharing the volunteer labour to carry the materials and equipment needed to the site.  Part of a hillside forest has to be cleared for the penstock pipe and half a kilometre of headrace cannels dug to bring the water from the source.  Some of the Lumsa electricity committee took time away from their trekking jobs to source, plan and complete this project.

Lighting makes all the difference

Khili Sherpa said after the project was completed and the electricity has been connected to her home – ‘now that I have light it seems that before at night I was walking around with my eyes shut’.  Yangi Sherpa said that she was now able to watch the children doing their homework while preparing dinner and would be saving money on kerosene which she used for lighting.

Each year our members volunteer their time for big and small projects in Nepal. Our main projects are recorded on the website but during their stay in Nepal our members experience many different and unusual events. The newsletter was created to share these incidents with you. They give a more personal view of our work in Nepal and go some way to explain our continued fascination and interest in this diverse and wonderful country.

NAFA Newsletter 1

NAFA Newsletter 2

NAFA Newsletter 3

Partially built classrooms

Location: Ramechap district (1 day drive on Jiri road east from Kathmandu)
Date: August 2011
Partner:  Community Development Society (CDS), Manthali
Beneficiaries: 500 students at Karkala Devi English Boarding School and another 70 additional students will benefit
Objective: Construct 6 classrooms on top of existing school
Details:  CDS was able to obtain funds for 75% of the construction costs and applied to NAFA for the remaining amount of $3,785 to start the construction.  We were advised that previously the 6 classes were taught in temporary sheds with tin roof.

Outcomes:  The application was approved at the NAFA August 2011 meeting for the construction of 6 classrooms and funds transferred soon after through the Joy Foundation Nepal. The NAFA Nepal Project Coordinator visited the school in mid January 2012 to view the construction of the classrooms.

The classrooms still required the cement roof to be poured after which the interior would be soon finished. The principal advised that the rooms would be ready for the start of the new school year.  Since the application was received at the beginning of the year the school had started class 7 and 8.  They now advised that when these classrooms are finished the school would be able to go up to class 10.

Two classrooms almost complete

Location:  Lower Solu Khumbu, (Everest region)
Date:  August 2011
Partner: Shree Sekar Sing Lower Secondary School, Narjing
Objective:  Construction 2 Pre-school rooms
Beneficiaries: 30 -40 pre- school children from 4 Wards in Garme VDC & 1 Ward in Nele VDC
Details:  In 2011 the village applied to NAFA for funds of $7,630 to construct 2 classrooms in the school for approximately 30 to 40 children from  5 surrounding wards.  The school advised it had incoming funds for 2 nursery teachers from local and overseas donors.

Outcome:  The application was approved at the NAFA August meeting and funds transferred soon after through the Joy Foundation Nepal .  Four members from NAFA visited the school in late December 2011 to view the construction of the classrooms and found that they were almost complete. The exterior was nearly finished and only the cement floor and interior walls and ceiling had to be completed.  The school advised they expected it to be finished well before start of their new school year.

Location: Sindhulpalchok district, (district east of Kavre on the road towards Jiri)
Date: August 2011
Partner:  Shree Gyan Kunja Primary School, Saagachok, Jalkeni
Objective:  Construction of 2 classrooms for Pre-school and Grade 1
Beneficiaries: 150 students from the village of Jatdeni
Details: The school applied forAUD $14,200 to start a school on new vacant ground the villagers were able to purchase. Previously students had attended their schooling in an old dairy building which was not suitable for both the number of students and for effective teaching. They applied for funds to complete 4 classrooms for Pre-schoool to Grade 3.
Outcome:NAFA August meeting approved the construction of 2 classrooms in a joint funding with Non Residents Nepalese Association (NRNA).  Funding for the other 2 classrooms will be considered between NAFA & NRNA in 2012.

The Nepal Project Coordinator will visit the school in mid December 2011 & early 2012 to view the construction of the school and provide an update on the project.

Location:  Ramechap district (one day walk from Jiri village roadhead)
Date:  January 2011
Partner:  Shree Setidebi Primary School, Shyama -7 Bhirkharka, Dolakha
Beneficiaries: 225 students and teaching staff
Objective: Construction of school toilets and reroofing of existing school building
Details: This school had old unusable toilets and the students were using the nearby bush as a toilet which was not hygienic.  The main school building needed reroofing due to age and deterioration. They applied to NAFA for funds of  A$2,963.00 for these 2 projects.
Outcomes: NAFA members visited the school in January 2011 and assessed the application. It was found that the school was in need of new toilets and the school roof was rusted with numerous holes causing problems during the rainy season.  The members reported back to the committee and the application was approved.

NAFA members will revisit the school in January 2012 to assess the completed work.

NAFA executive members win prestigious national award

At Nepal in the Park, Ross and Brenda Hazelwood were presented with the prestigious Friend of Nepal of the Year 2009-2010, awarded by the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA). Mr Narayan Pokharel, President of the Nepalese Association of Queensland (NAQ), presented the national award on behalf of NRNA and NAQ, who had nominated Ross and Brenda for the award.
 

This is a joint nomination of a husband and wife team, Ross and Brenda, who for over 20 years have dedicated their time and talents to improving the lives of disadvantaged people in Nepal, as founding and still very active members of NAFA.

Ross and Brenda spend 7 months of the year in Brisbane helping to organise NAFA’s fundraising events (including a Nepalese New Years fundraising dinner and Nepal in the Park) and activities such as market stalls. Brenda is Vice President of NAFA while Ross holds the positions of Secretary and Nepal Project Coordinator.  In addition to these roles, Brenda uses her skills in craft work to make cards and jewelry to sell at NAFA stalls. She also set up NAFA Knitters, a project which involves approximately 80 women knitting jumpers and beanies for children in poor families in Nepal.
 

Distributing jumpers to children in remote villages

For five months a year, Ross and Brenda live in Nepal, at their own expense, helping with NAFA projects. They play an important role in identifying and assessing new applications, visiting and assisting with all of NAFA’s projects and inspecting completed projects. This role involves in some cases treks (again at their own expense) to remote areas of Nepal to assess and monitor NAFA projects.

 Ross also updates the child profiles of approximately 35 children sponsored for education by NAFA at Prisoners Assistance (PA) Nepal. For several years Brenda has played an important role for the children at that home by conducting a craft program which teaches the children to sew, knit, and make jewelry – often a lovingly made item goes to their parent in prison. Brenda believes craft work provides skills for life.

 With Ross’s support, Brenda also coordinates not only the distribution of jumpers and beanies in Nepal, but also the purchase of goods for sale at NAFA market stalls back in Australia.  Brenda also sources beads and material from retail shops in Kathmandu to create jewellery, felt items and other saleable items for the markets, which brought in almost $10,000 for NAFA in 2010.
 

The kind recognition by NRNA and NAQ has provided a unique opportunity to acknowledge a couple, Ross and Brenda who have a deep respect for Nepal and the Nepalese people and culture. They have committed a significant amount of their time, energy and their own resources for over 20 years to support disadvantaged people in Nepal.  Without each other’s support they wouldn’t have been able to achieve what they have and NAFA is very proud and wishes to congratulate Ross and Brenda for winning this prestigious award and thank NAFA and NAQ for the recognition of their contribution to helping disadvantaged people in Nepal.

What a successful day! Perfect weather for hiking and enjoying all the activities on offer. Something for everyone with Nepali food and dancing, face painting, learning Nepali cooking, the market stalls, henna painting, massage and the pinatas among the favourites.

On the fundraising side we made a record $10,000 which will be allocated to worthy projects in Nepal All  projects are assessed and monitored to ensure the money is well spent.

A big thanks to all our supporters: the Red Shirts, hikers, patrons, everyone who sponsored hikers and those organisations who donated prizes and goods,  including:

The Nepalese community particiate in many different areas such as cultural dancing and authentic food

ABC 612 Radio
Anaconda
Backtrack
Dipendra Thapa
Goodlife Health Club Bardon
High Spirits
Himalayan Delights
Innovative Sign Solutions
K2
Kathmandu
Kathmandu Newa Chhe’n
Macpac
Mountain Designs
Paddy Palin
The Tibetan Kitchen

Westside News 14 September 2011

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Joining in the fun

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Traditional flute and drums

Face painting

This report was submitted at the AGM held  on on 5 April 2011

The Big Picture

April 2011  Number 11

Hello to all the Nepal Knitters,

Another year has gone past, we spent 5 months in Nepal and this year, during the winter we distributed over

1000 jumpers and 1000 beanies

Imagine all these jumpers and beanies being sorted in a small office!!  We identified the schools and children’s homes and asked them for a list of he children’s ages.  We then packed the appropriate jumpers and beanies and marked the bags.  These bags travelled by rickshaw, taxi, bus and light aircraft to the different areas.

We distributed the knitted goods at 2 children’s homes, 4 schools in remote villages, 5 schools in a small village in Kathmandu valley and small jumpers at 2 baby clinics.   This year jumpers were taken to remote villages in 4 different areas of Nepal. Each had not received jumpers for a number of years and some we had not visited before.

In one of the villages on the day we planned to distribute the weather turned inclement and by time we were going to distribute it was raining and lightly snowing in the nearby hills.  As it was so cold the children were very happy to receive their “presents”. We were working at this village for 7 days and due to the weather we noticed that the children wore the jumpers every day.

At another village a similar thing occurred with light snow falling as we distributed the jumpers, so it was timed very well as they did not have many other warm clothes. At both of these villages NAFA is assisting with funds for the villagers to put in Micro Hydro plants to bring electricity to their houses.  This will only be lighting, however it will help each house in their kitchen so they do not have to rely on the light from the fire to see what they are doing.  Also the children will benefit by being able to complete their homework at night with better lighting.

At one of the village we had not been to before, the school had applied for funding for new school toilets and replacement of the old roof which had many holes in it. The toilet was totally unusable & the children were having to go in the nearby bush.  This was also a poor farming area and the children at the school had never been given jumpers before so were happy to receive them. Thank you to all our knitters.

Jumper sizes

Your jumpers and beanies are wonderful, they are bright and cheerful and gratefully received.  In the last few years I have been asking you to knit larger jumpers which many knitters have been able to do, so thanks for helping there.

Mums over there as well as here like to get clothes a bit big for their child so that they will last two or three years – because of this the larger sizes are very popular.

Most knitting patterns are fine, but some are a little short in the body – this is a guide on the size of jumpers we need and the approx length. 

No need to knit anything much bigger.  Lets see how that works this year.

Maroon jumpers for Buddhist monks

Thanks for knitting the maroon jumpers for the monks, we had a great response and have distributed all the maroon wool that was donated.  This will go with our members Sue and Lew to remote areas for the young monks.

A message to our new knitters

There are a few things I like to explain to our new knitters.  In Nepal mothers like to wrap their babies in traditional clothing so we do not take over any baby clothes.  When we hand out the jumpers the mothers ask for jumpers a few sizes bigger than the child, this is so the garment can last a few years.  Nepal has a very cold winter and they village children wear many layers of tattered clothing and the new jumper is pulled over all the existing clothing.

It is for these reasons that we prefer to take larger jumpers for children from age 2 to adult.

To make this program worthwhile, we try to keep our costs down.  We have to send all the jumpers and beanies by air to Kathmandu and without the airlines help with the freight we could not continue this program.  We have a limited amount of free freight each year and so unfortunately we have to limit ourselves to sending only jumpers and beanies.  We are unable to take scarves, blankets, socks or used clothing.

Your discarded things – our gems

Thanks you so much for your wonderful response to this appeal.  We took over the haberdashery items such as buttons, lace, thread, needles etc.  I made up sewing kits for women in remote areas who have little access to shops and these kits were well received.  I also taught the girls at the children’s home to crochet with wool and nylon lace and they made lovely pencil bags and then sewed in the old zyps.  They loved the ‘big’ buttons and used them to decorate the things they have been making like tops and ponchos.

We have been able to use the discarded costume jewellery either remaking necklaces, bracelets and earrings.  I also took over a lot of the lighter plastic beads and taught the children at the home to make earrings.  They pored over the beads deciding which was best for their design and all went away with one or two pairs of lovely original earrings.

If you have anything at home you don’t want such as beads, buttons etc, please put it in your bag with your jumpers BUT please don’t go out and buy things, keep your money for wool.

Last year we asked for

• An earring without a partner which we can recycle as a pendant
• Any old beads or broken necklaces which we could recycle
• Felt scraps to make small felt toys
• Buttons, cotton thread, unused zips, lace or any other sewing notions
• Embroidery thread for gift cards

Don’t forget to put your name with the jumpers you give us so that we can maintain our knitters list and keep up to date with who is knitting.

Take a look at the photos of the happy children – I hope you are able to spot one of your jumpers in the crowd.

Every year we give a number of talks at meetings and retirement villages.  I have been traveling to Nepal for over 20 years and enjoy sharing my experiences with others.  This information talk with slides shows the beautiful countryside, the mountains, how the people live and their diverse culture.

I give these talks to entertain and inform people about our organization and Nepal.  If you would like us to come and give your organisation an interesting and informative talk (with no fund raising obligations)

Or if you need more information please contact Brenda  nafasec@hotmail.com

NAFA has been supporting the Tamang people in a remote mountain area with co-operative initiatives in health, education and infrastructure projects for many years.

NAFA Tawal Health Clinic. Above left -NAFA Health workers Beg Bahadur Tamang and Sunita Tamang suturing wounds. Above right – Patient resting with saline drip during treatment. .
Download “Project Paper” here

Project Update

Thanks to the generorsity of 5 wonderful supporters, we now have ongoing donations which will cover the project costs for the next 3 years. These donations will enable NAFA to increase the health worker’s salaries and provide training and resources when needed. The health workers and the people of Tawal and surrounding villages are extremely appreciative of the fact that NAFA funding and support makes access to a health service possible. An initial evaluation of this project shows that it is meeting the aim of improving the health of local people through good quality prevention and treatment.

NAFA wishes to acknowledge and express appreciation to the Queensland Government Gambling Community Benefit Fund for the $5,374 grant provided in December 2009 to purchase computer equipment for the Association and traditional costumes for children and adults who perfrom at various NAFA fundraising events and other activities organised  by the Nepalese Association of Queensland.

Brisbane based trekking company Back Track Adventures will donate $100 to NAFA for every trekker travelling with them to Nepal from the 2011 season onwards. If you want to trek and also assist NAFA check out their website.  http://www.backtrack.com.au/