Newsletter September 2017
Namaste
We are pleased to introduce our new Nepal School Projects (NSP) Canada logo! The logo was designed by students at The Agency, McKeil School Of Business located within Mohawk College. The logo holds deep meaning to us. The mountains capture where we do our work, red is the national colour of Nepal, and the sun rising over the mountains refers to a new day for the villagers with the help of NSP. We hope you like it!
As a neophyte democracy Nepal has had many challenges, particularly since the devastating earthquake in April 2015. The government is trying desperately to develop systems and methods of administration that reach out to all the people. Life is moving forward, albeit slowly. NSP is being true to its grassroots heritage and continuing to build latrines and water systems in the very rural areas of Kavre, southeast of Kathmandu.
Thanks to our many donors, we have been able to keep our local people employed while improving sanitation and health circumstances. I want to particularly thank Forres Sandle Manor in Hampshire England , a primary school whose students raised over $4000.00 CDN this spring. We would also like to thank St. Timothy’s Catholic Primary School in Burlington, Ontario. St. Timothy’s students made 50 school kits to be delivered to school children in Nepal. Amazing work!
NSP’s annual budget is $100, 000 CDN to be spent on our selected projects in Nepal. To date we have completed 34 latrines in Jordanga (Gokule VDC) and installed 29 water taps and 4 reservoirs in Chuhare Danda (Folkingtar VDC), which has brought clean water to 46 families (441 people). The work is ongoing as new projects are approved. The best weather for building is during the dry season from October to May. Monsoon season (June to mid October) presents many challenges for building, especially the danger of landslides in these very hilly regions. Although roads are being built, the majority of our materials need to be carried by people, often several hours or a day’s walk. Please visit our website (www.nepalschoolprojects.ca) to learn more about our exciting projects and to see photos of NSP Nepal in action!
With the support of Randolph Langenbach, our work to develop gabion banding is ongoing. We are now also collaborating with a volunteer architect group from Quebec called Emergency Architects who have agreed to pursue the approval of gabion banding by the Nepalese government, and also to develop a final school design, engineer the design, and manage the building project. They have experience in Nepal and will use our local tradespeople. This NGO provides us with much needed design, direction and technical support. NSP is looking forward to our partnership, as we are anxious to move forward with the rebuilding of damaged schools. NSP has been firm in its commitment to gabion banding and is opposed to using rebar and cement construction because these materials simply do not stand the test of time. Local stone and mud mortar buildings are a much better option.
On the home front, David Jackson, an NSP director has developed a high school leadership program, which he is hoping to implement in the Toronto area in the next year. The students would develop leadership skills during the year and then travel to Nepal for some first-had experience in the spring of their grade 12 year. Fundraising for a school would also be a requirement.
NSP Canada would like to welcome our newest affiliate, NSP USA! One of our board members, Meghan Geisler, who lives in Denver, Colorado has registered NSP as a charity in the United States and will soon be able to issue American charitable receipts to donors, which is very desirable to our American friends. Congratulations Meghan on tackling and succeeding with this incredibly involved process!
Betty Irwin, another NSP director, will be again visiting Nepal in November. It is always great to reconnect with our Nepali friends and we are sure that she will have lots to report on!
Lastly, our annual fundraiser is coming up on October 22, 2017 at Jake’s Oyster House and Grill in Burlington. We hope to see you there. Tickets are available online for $50 each at: www.nepalschoolprojects.ca
There will be great food, live music, Nepali dancing and a silent and live auction! Don’t miss it! Thank you for your continuing financial support. We could not do it without you! We hope to see you at the fundraiser!
Cheers
Fran Lloyd, Executive Director