Thursday, March 24, 2011

Final Blog and thoughts of Kirantar




I write this final blog as a chance to put into writing a little piece of what I have felt and what I have observed.  Due to my ankle and knee injury I did not make it to the other schools in the mountains above Chitwan.  Thankfully I was able to meet several of the Principals of those schools who traveled to the Kirantar School.  The discussion I had was illuminating and the Principals and teachers I met were dedicated to helping these children.  These schools are mainly Chepong tribal people who survive with little education and hard work.  They have no safety net and sometimes the children are kept home as the parents go into the forest or jungle to find edible foods until the harvest.  The children at home are then working the fields, watching the younger children and doing other chores.  Yet since we started the lunch programs the attendance in these schools is quite amazing.  Kirantar Primary went from 100-140 in a year of the 195 registered students. Pokhari Primary went from 85 to 132 of 191 possible students.  The same was true for the other 4 schools. The lunch program funding is running out so I ask for your help for that and also the simple things that make a school work pencils, pens, paper as a start. I have started an exchange program with some of the schools in the Bharse Valley and in Chitwan as part of our Sister Cities Program.  Independent Day School was the first and I am pleased to announce that Admiral Farragut Academy is joining in this.  This is a start. If you read my poem and my blog you will understand that travel here is not easy and the work seems hard.  Yet when I visit these schools, meet the parents who have stepped up to volunteer making the food, see the hard work my friend Rupendra does organizing it, I know we are needed here and very much appreciated.  Who knows maybe one of these children will be another Mahatma Gandi, or Barack Obama, achieving what was not thought possible. Thanks to my friends Lt. Col Bineya Rana and Sadhana who put me up at their house in Kathmandu and a special thanks to Bhim Gurung from Qatar Airways, who showed compassion and service, I am on my way home.  Enjoy the photos and I love to hear your comments.  Rob 

1 comment:

  1. Very nice blog Rob. I love the way you are presenting your thoughts and ideas in the form of prose and poems..

    Who knows may be one of those children will be another Gandhi, or Obama, but I know, they will never forget you and whatever you have been doing for them. Keep doing your good works.

    Everybody in the "Explore Nepal" event last weekend loved your poem and presentation. Thanks a lot for showing up in the program.

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