Newsletter April 2009

Submitted by Sabine on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 - 17:14

We wish you a HAPPY NEW YEAR 2066 !!!

The Nepalese New year took place on the 14th of April 2009. We are happy to choose this moment to give you information about our projects of QOLN.

Situation in Nepal

Aahhh, nothing political really changed in Nepal. More and more ethnic groups ask for recognition and hit out strikes to get their rights. This means a lot of transportation blockades. There were also a lot of strikes in the South of the country. Students were fighting and demonstrating to get a new university and for weeks the Indian boarder was closed. Because of this no traffic could pass through India, so there was a shortage of petrol and materials. All fabrics were closed and this caused a lot of problems in the rest of the country.

The government is still busy forming the constitution! In the beginning of April delayed elections were held, to replace the double candidates who were chosen before. The communists stay in majority.

It did not rain at all this winter! This is really exceptional. It is the main reason why we do not have enough electricity. Since January we have a regular schedule of 4 hours electricity in the day and 4 hours at night. You get used to it! Only the week before New

Year Lakeside in Pokhara got more electricity because of the festival organized by the tourist section. It felt really luxurious!

Blue Planet Lodge & family

Meanwhile we are one floor further with the construction.

Highlights in the last 3 months were the “generator” which gives us more power (but also more noise!) and the first floor was cemented on the 18th of March.

Meanwhile 2 groups of workers are working on the first floor to put walls and doors and windows and the natural stones at the front and back.

Also they removed the bamboo supports from the ground floor. In my point of view the work goes very slowly. But if I look at what they did already, I am proud and confident the work will continue. No use to get nervous.

In Nepal the months of February and March are marriage months. So our niece Ganga married and also Ram’s youngest sister Laxmi. Another celebration was the birth of Prisma, daughter of Madhu (Ram’s sister and coordinator of QOLN).

Asmita (the niece living with us) got 78,85% on her exams of class 8, organized by the government. Tara’s school ends only in June, following the western system.

QOLN Projects

Our projects are doing very well. Sometimes I am really surprised how much we got done on the mountain Sarangkot.

1. Day care center

Unfortunately the extension of the DCC could not start because the water project was not finished yet. Meanwhile there have been meetings with the architect (who made a map), the engineer and the contractor. QOLN asked the sponsors to be patient.

QOLN also thanks Theo Hulshof and his sponsors for their contribution of 500 euro to improving the medical post. The children of the DCC as well as the children and families of the Nepal Child Plan will get better medical assistance.

On the 30th of March the school organized their yearly PARENTSDAY and so we said goodbye to 11 children who will now go to class 1 in another school. On the 19th of April the new school year started.

2. Nepal Child Plan

Through this program, 60 children are sponsored to go to school. After New Year, all families will receive a contribution of 10 euro to make sure also other kids in the family get all the school materials they need.

The sponsor kids did their best to write a letter to their sponsor. They are ready now for the next school year.

Our social worker and school principal Goma helped providing all the uniforms and books.

3. Buffalo project

At the end of March 2009 the villagers of the 9 sections were called to give an application to get a buffalo. QOLN selected again 2 beneficiaries per section.

On New Years’ day (14 April 2009) all 18 beneficiaries received the money to buy their buffalo. They have 2 years to pay back this micro loan.

Our thanks to Olivier Toulemonde and D.E.P.A.R.T.S., who made this project possible.

4. Water project

QOLN was very satisfied to re-open the water project on the 14th of April. In February and March 9 villagers worked very hard and in dangerous conditions to lay the pipelines over the landslides and cliffs. We are grateful to the sponsors John and May, who came to see the project and washed their hands with fresh water !!!

5. Help to government schools

A. Bhakunde

In name of volunteers Bert and Nicol, QOLN could donate 3 computers in the Shree Shanta Secondary School.

This school also received 4.000 euro from the German organization ALTERNAID, who wants to provide them with new school desks and materials.

QOLN is grateful to Sabine Leschner and her organization for the support to this school.

B. Pakha

Our coordinator Madhu and volunteer Nicol gave extra teacher trainings in this little day care center. Also thank you to Nicol for buying extra playing materials for this school.

C. Bhanjyang

Already from last year QOLN is trying to get funds to extend this school with a nursery, a library and a hall. We are grateful to the students and teachers of the OLVI institute

Middle School Boom (Belgium) who give their support and enthusiasm to this project!

Another project connected with this school is the water project. QOLN did research and saw the need to bring drinking water to the school.

Our thanks to Carlo & Edith Peetroons-Van Gorp who have decided to support this project.

6. Youth club

The inauguration of the “catering” (pots & pans, chairs & tables to rent) took place on the 7th of February 2009.

QOLN give their gratitude to the communities of Kapelle-op-den-Bos and Rumst for their contribution.

7. Hostel

A big thank you to the volunteers Beatrice and Mathilde, who helped the hostel kids in their preparation for their final exams at the end of March.

Of course, there were also nice playful moments like the colorful HOLY festival and the fantastic game UNO introduced by Beatrice ! (thank you to Rainer and Brunhilde for providing this !)