Namaste Nepal-Helping Himalayan Children (update)

Several weeks have gone by and Namaste Nepal-Helping Himalayan Children is starting to take shape. We are still anxiously awaiting our nonprofit number so we can set up our paypal and bank account so donations can be tax deductible in the USA. The paperwork should be here anytime...

In the mean time Andrea, Paul, Joseph, Youko, and I have been working furiously brainstorming ideas for the website and different aspects of NN and potential ideas and topics related to building and running a successful organization. This collaboration spans Nepal,  Australia, the UK,  the USA, and many other countries as well~ we have also been collaborating with our Nepali friends in different villages to assess needs and explore potential projects and volunteer sites. I have been in touch with Biju, our librarian in The Children's Library in Bandipur and things are running smoothly there. There will be opportunities for Biju to share her experiences of running the library with our prospective new librarians in other villages and schools as we build more libraries. This provides a great learning and growth opportunity for Biju, and will do the same for the new librarians as well.

The support we are receiving thus far has been phenomenal! Many people are interested in taking on projects to raise funds and more than a few have expressed a desire to volunteer in Nepal and help teach English, mentor, open libraries, and or do whatever projects are needed!

It is humbling and exciting to work with and receive support from such positive people.

namaste~

Namaste Nepal-Helping Himalayan Children website is: www.NamasteNepal.org
(by the way the website is under construction~ we are exploring different color combinations, fonts, spacing etc.) Paul and Joseph have been collaborating and working hard with all the computer coding etc. It is very exciting to see NN evolving. We are looking forward to great mutual successes for everyone involved!

If you have any suggestions or would like to begin to help with fundraising, volunteering, or offering services or ideas to helping Namaste Nepal-Helping Himalayan Children, please contact us!

namastenepalheather@gmail.com

Namaste Nepal-Helping Himalayan Children

The journey to start a non-profit is interesting. I have been visiting Nepal now for a little over three years and I have seen and learned many things over that time. I remember my first trip to Nepal and how overwhelmed I was by not only the mind-blowing beauty and richness of culture and connection, but the devastating poverty that so many Nepali people survive in each day.

My heart broke when I saw malnutrition and preventable illness, the lack of material resources,training, and access in the schools, and the threat of girls being sold into the human trafficking sex slave trade as the result of not having enough. I've never experienced those who truly do not have basic needs met, and who can do so much with so little with a smile, and it changed me to my core.

I no longer took for granted the things in life that come so easily to me as the result of where I was born. I realized, that so much could be done to help so many with very little, really, and I knew in my heart I would do whatever I could to help. Until now, I see a clear path and realized that I need to be more "organized" and I need "more help"... I have learned over the years that two heads are better than one, four even more, and 100 or more...OF COURSE! I've been blessed with the mentors and friends I have, with having the heart of a teacher and a counselor, because we believe in the power of goodness and the ability to do seemingly impossible things... like teach a child to read, like help someone learn that life is good, like holding someone's hope until they can take it back.... we know that a little bit of caring can go a long way...and we love to make the world a better place, whether in a small way, like offering a smile at the perfect time, or saving a life by offering the opportunity to go to school, or building a library for a village...or more. There are so many ways to make the world a better place, and when we make the lives of others better, we make our life better...because, we really are all connected~ we really are One.



Namaste Nepal-Helping Himalayan Children is being formed now~ if anyone is interested in joining us on the mission to enrich and empower the lives of children in Nepal, please contact me. I believe we all have gifts and talents to share and my intention is that we all grow and blossom as we help the children in Nepal grow and blossom as well.

NamasteNepalHeather@gmail.com

p.s. the website is currently underconstruction but you can reach me here or via email!
:)

Fun Times~

I keep thinking of all the fun we had in the library and what joy and enrichment the library is bringing to the children and community of Bandipur each day. I think we can see and say that it brings joy and enrichment to those of us who visit as well. I saw the faces on many of the visitors who visited the library and had a place to interact with the children in reading and visiting together. We sang songs, did craft activities, read books, completed puzzles together, did Yoga Kids together...we spent time together...it was so nice!

I am so excited to continue to spread this work to other villages in Nepal as well and have thus been inspired to create a non-profit organization to raise funds to help support literacy and empower Nepalese children through educational enrichment~ building libraries, supporting scholarships, mentoring and teaching, training teachers, and supporting sports and the arts in schools and communities throughout rural Nepal. :)
Does it sound challenging~ well, maybe, but every little bit helps, and step by step I believe we can make a difference. This inspires me each day and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of helping in Nepal. I am grateful to everyone who has supported and helped in big and small ways the work we've done so far! I am looking forward to sharing the journey with as many who want to join!


Namaste Nepal-Helping Himalayan Children
will be working to accomplish many goals in the future! I will keep you posted!!!
:)

Heather

Kind Generosity!

I have been so blessed to meet kind and generous individuals from around the world who are inspired by the library. Many Nepali visitors who come to and through Bandipur are impressed and inspired to help...it's fun to share the library with them, and then they realize, that...indeed we can make a difference...I am not "special" in this regard...it's a matter of "doing it"...
:)

A lovely couple from Holland made an impromptu donation for the library yesterday...I will purchase puzzles and books with their generous donation...it was so nice!!!

Having fun~
and will be home soon!


Love~
p.s.
Happy Birthday Joseph~
love you!

~Yoga Kids & Other Such Fun In the Library~

The days are going by quickly, and quite frankly as often happens, it's hard to keep track of day or time while in Nepal. It has been quite fun working in the library and seeing the children continue to thrive, grow, and explore books and learning.

Yesterday we had a great time in the library as I brought a lap top with me and played a Yoga Kids dvd for the children. We all did yoga and it was a grand time! Last year the founders of Yoga Kids (a yoga company based in Chicago) traveled with us to deliver scholarships and they donated many of their wonderful items to the schools we sponsor and recently sent a generous donation of books and dvd's to the library! It was FUN!!!! I took a lot of pictures of the kids doing yoga, laughter and stretching were abound! We will definitely continue this practice! Thanks Don & Marsha...I can't wait to share the pictures with you all!

We have been doing "crafts" and reading with the children. I am finding this to be helpful for the kids and the librarian as well...modeling and mentoring, building relationships...all so crucical.

I think we have found three places in Chitwan area for libraries where we currently sponsors girls for their schooling. These places are already "built" meaning we will not have to build them from the ground up...tis is a good thing! Still have much to do, but of course, you all know...I am in HEAVEN!

The people, young and old are so kind to me and so appreciative of the work done here. I've also been meeting many others who do work here and I've learned a great deal of how to continue forward with the work to be done.

very exciting...
and charging, charging, charging those batteries!!!!

:)

THANKS TO ALL OF YOUR WELL WISHES, Comments, and prayers!
(and I would appreciate it if people wouldn't post their long religious speeches on my blog...so NOT COOL! And I can't find how to delete it... )

NAMASTE~

Heather

January 9, 2010 ~ Progress~

This past few days has been really very exciting. I arrived in Nepal on January 4, 2010. I was able to visit with part of our Madhav Ghimire group who had already arrived in Nepal in December...I was sad that part of the group had already left the day before I arrived. I wanted to meet them all!

I visited the bookstore in Kathmandu to fill a few "orders" for the library. The complete Harry Potter series was the big purchase and provided through a donation from Youko (thank you)! I was also able to purchase about a dozen books wtih cd's and a variety of "other" books that looked interesting.

After a night in Kathmandu I left for Bandipur.
I arrived in the evening and after eating a delicious dal bhat slept soundly in my "old bed" in Gaun Gahr, thankfully minus the spider! As I woke in the morning I began to visit my friends around the village. It was great fun to see familiar faces and to be greeted so warmly. Many of the children in the village greeted me with "Hello Heather!" and it surprised me...but made me smile!

I was able to visit the library in the afternoon where, Biju was waiting for me. Of course she had received the news of my arrival and she greeted me warmly with laughter and smiles. The library looks very good and I could see that she has been doing a remarkable job. I feel grateful for her, she is dedicated and caring.
I delivered many "gifts" I had brought to my friends in Nepal...one of the most special gifts was a collection of "Power Rangers" that one young man had been waiting for patiently... When his mother told him I was coming, he said, "Oh good, my Power Rangers are coming." (Thank goodness I had them for him...he was SO very happy to get them and it was fun to see him opening them...truly special!)

After only one day in Bandipur (I was able to visit all the hilltops and favorite places ...."re-charging" sites...LOL...) I headed to Chitwan to meet up with our group and visit schools and villages in the jungle region. It was fantastic to see everyone again and to go through the process of honoring the girls in their homes, villages, and schools. Although it had been a year since seeing them, it still felt as if it was only a day, and everyone was very happy.

Namaste!

I have many stories to share~ and photos...
see you all soon.

Love,
h.

January 2010 ~ The Adventure Continues!

I will leave for Nepal on Saturday, January 2, 2010! I'm very excited to be visiting Nepal again to continue the work of the Madhav Ghimire Foundation and to further the work of supporting literacy in the villages of our Scholarship recipients.

I have been receiving updates, messages, and pictures from our friends in Bandipur concerning the library and it seems things are going well. Biju, the librarian has done an amazing job in continuing to maintain an environment of welcoming all castes and ages into the library so everyone is able to enjoy and learn together, regardless of their "position".

I'm very excited to visit and see how things are going. I have collected more learning games for the kids, books, and donations for more supplies.

During this three week trip I will visit the homes, schools, and villages of many of the scholarship girls and look for the next library location. The goal I have in mind is to build/make a library in each scholarship girl's village. The benefits are for the girls and their communities. Supporting the teachers and education in these villages is also beneficial to all and a great joy as well.

I will be posting here and share my findings and explorations...joys and sorrows....
and love with you all. Namaste Friends...thank you for being an important part of this journey and this work....

Love to All~
and
Happy New Year as we continue on this Journey of Love and Learning.

Heather