Nepal 2012

In 2012, 96 of the children sponsored through Help in Action in Nepal sat the exam for the School Leaving Certificate. Of these young adults some have decided to seek employment whilst others have taken the decision to enter further education (23 children are now studying in +2 classes and 17 students are already in university). Two of these children won full scholarships to college after the results of the exam were published and Jamuna was just one of two girls offered a place on an electronic engineering course. The most popular courses are business studies, hotel management and information technology. We would like to congratulate all these students on their success.

This year, we have been able to accept 42 new young children into the project. These children, who are just starting out on their new school life have a long journey ahead of them! The support of Help in Action is becoming increasingly more important for these families as the school enrolment and monthly fees have increased considerably due to new taxes and payment conditions set by the government. However, there are still hundreds of children requesting help to pay for their education through our local office in Kathmandu. If anyone would like to help please contact us.

As in previous years the long distance adoptions project is also used to help other people who have problems of day-to-day survival such as the elderly, disabled people and young monks who live in monasteries.

The Association has 196 children sponsored in this school that is determined to offer a high level of education to some of the poorest children of the local area. In fact a number of these children live in local orphanages that would otherwise be unable to educate them. The school – as well as following the national curriculum – also has a rich extra-curricula programme with dance and music classes, day trips to local places of interest and sports.

In March, before the end of year exams took place, a two-hour cultural programme was held. Children from every class are given the opportunity to participate in this event with songs, dance and theatre. Students and teachers both look forward to this annual event and a lot of effort is put into preparing the show which is performed in from of Lama Gangchen, foreign visitors and the families of the children.

After the distribution of exam results the children were given the possibility to write letters and draw pictures for their sponsors. Many children do not have access to writing paper and coloured pencils at home.

In the daily morning assembly older children are given the chance to prepare a speech, quiz or report good news from the previous days.

This year the Fund has been instrumental in allowing children who have been left without a sponsor to complete their education. After years of investment in their education, it would not be of any benefit and very wasteful to force these children to leave school and lose the possibility to attain their School Leaving Certificate and the hope of a better future.

As in previous years the Association is giving financial support to a number of families who have disabled children. Some need help for medical care whilst others struggling to cope alone need support to provide basic necessities such as food and rent. These families face particular problems, as most need to work – forcing them to leave sick and vulnerable children alone for hours at a time. Others are forced to take the children into the streets to beg; this is often the only solution for parents who do not have the possibility to work.

Kopila for example is now studying in class 7. Although she has a sponsor to pay for her school fees, she also receives extra support from the Emergency Fund so that she can sleep and eat in the school. Unfortunately the mother of Kopila is deaf and dumb and is unable to find work – for this reason she is forced to beg for food and sleep on the street. Without the Emergency Fund Kopila would be forced to join her.

Since Dolma was very young, her mother has been forced to leave her in the care of her elder sister while she worked. Thanks to a sponsor the family receives a monthly sum to help them with basic necessities and from this year, thanks to the Emergency Fund, the sister of Dolma has been given the chance to study full-time. Hopefully with a decent qualification she will be able to find a good job and help support her family.

Anish has many complicated health problems that mean he will need 24 hour care for the rest of his life – unfortunately this year his mother was also ill but thanks to the Fund she was able to pay for the necessary tests and treatment that gave her back the strength to look after him, his brother and sister.

Elderly people often face similar problems. With no kind of support from the authorities many find it difficult to survive. The donations given to these people from the Emergency Fund allows them to have the minimal amount of security – a roof and food or even money for medicine. For many the support of Help in Action gives them the possibility to live this already difficult time with serenity and peace.

The Fund is also used to support Gangchen Samling School – the more financial support we give the school the more accessible the monthly fees are for poorer families. Having lower running costs also allows the school to continue offering free places to children who would otherwise would not have the chance to study.