The board of Nepal School Projects (NSP) has been working to establish a smooth transition between NSP Canada and NSP NEPAL. Michael was an integral person in the organization and we have had to restructure to move forward. I recently vacated the chair of NSP Canada to assume the post of interim Executive Director of NSP and will be responsible for overseeing the direction of NSP and the continuation of projects in Nepal until a new Executive Director is found. I have been associated with NSP since 2001 and have visited the projects in Nepal on several occasions with Michael. A former secondary teacher, now retired, I also have been involved in leading Canadian school groups there.
I am happy to say that we have been quite successful with our transition, particularly in Nepal. Rakam Lama, the operations manager and Michael’s right hand man in Nepal, and I have been communicating on a regular basis. Rakam has been trained by Michael and was responsible for all work on the ground in Nepal. We have restructured the board there to be able to function in a more transparent manner and have appointed an accountant to oversee the financial well-being of NSP Nepal. As I am unable to speak Nepali, and Rakam speaks no English, sharing information was our major roadblock. Fortunately, we have recently been introduced to a Nepali citizen, a lawyer and translator living in Katmandu, who is able to translate for us. His name is Suraj and he has graciously offered his support and services. He has years of international experience, including working with the United Nations. With the support of Rakam and Suraj, I now feel that we are in a very strong position to continue with the projects of NSP. Weekly, I SKYPE with Rakam and our board members, using the translator, Suraj, and feel very confident that we will be able to carry on with the projects in the villages. Suraj is keenly interested in NSP and has volunteered his time to help us build the skills and expertise of the board members there. This is incredibly important work as NSP Canada takes all direction from the NSP Nepal board.
I am grateful for the relationships I have formed and the tremendous support I have received from NSP Nepal. Because of these relationships, we are able to continue important projects with a fresh set of hearts and minds dedicated to the work. Stay tuned for a detailed project update about the work that is happening on the ground in Nepal!
Namaste
Fran Lloyd
I am happy to say that we have been quite successful with our transition, particularly in Nepal. Rakam Lama, the operations manager and Michael’s right hand man in Nepal, and I have been communicating on a regular basis. Rakam has been trained by Michael and was responsible for all work on the ground in Nepal. We have restructured the board there to be able to function in a more transparent manner and have appointed an accountant to oversee the financial well-being of NSP Nepal. As I am unable to speak Nepali, and Rakam speaks no English, sharing information was our major roadblock. Fortunately, we have recently been introduced to a Nepali citizen, a lawyer and translator living in Katmandu, who is able to translate for us. His name is Suraj and he has graciously offered his support and services. He has years of international experience, including working with the United Nations. With the support of Rakam and Suraj, I now feel that we are in a very strong position to continue with the projects of NSP. Weekly, I SKYPE with Rakam and our board members, using the translator, Suraj, and feel very confident that we will be able to carry on with the projects in the villages. Suraj is keenly interested in NSP and has volunteered his time to help us build the skills and expertise of the board members there. This is incredibly important work as NSP Canada takes all direction from the NSP Nepal board.
I am grateful for the relationships I have formed and the tremendous support I have received from NSP Nepal. Because of these relationships, we are able to continue important projects with a fresh set of hearts and minds dedicated to the work. Stay tuned for a detailed project update about the work that is happening on the ground in Nepal!
Namaste
Fran Lloyd