July 2008
Dear GEN sponsors,
It is monsoon time again, and the rains come every day in an unpredictable, yet reliable pattern. Kathmandu smells better and everything is cleaner, as always during the monsoon. New Nepal, a democratic republic since May this year, is facing pretty much the same problems as the old monarchy did. Food prices are creeping up, unemployment is high, political situation is volatile and strikes and demonstrations are a part of everyday life. On top there is no petrol available anywhere and severe shortages of cooking gas, kerosene and many other everyday items. Luckily the power outages which at some point were 48h / week have all but stopped.
However, people continue their lives pretty much as before, the Nepalese have an amazing talent to adjust to new circumstances and just go on about their business as usual. This is very much the case for GEN as well. In May we accepted three new girls into the programme in Kathmandu, and are looking to do the same in east Nepal soon. So things tick on, girls go to school, have lessons and exams, do their home work and play with their friends. Normal life. Sushovan went to see all the girls in July to pay for their expenses, I will e-mail each sponsor separately with some specific news of their girl.
Thanks for your support and regards from Kathmandu,
Nonna
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20 April 2008
Dear all,
The spring in Nepal has been eventful. General elections were held in the country on April 10, and to many people’s surprise the Maoists won the elections by a landslide. How this will change the country time will tell, but it is clear that the Nepali people have voted for change. Also the fact that the elections were (for the most part) peaceful, and have been deemed fair by international observers is a sign that Nepal is heading towards the right direction.
GEN girls enjoyed some extra holiday as most schools were closed for extended periods before the elections. This also coincided with the Nepali new year, so happy new year 2065 to all of you! As this is the start of the new school year we are currently admitting new girls into the programme. The GEN group should grow by 4-5 new girls. Other than that things have been pretty much business as usual, all girls had their final exams 2 weeks ago, we have some of the results, but are still awaiting for some schools to open. Sushovan has been in Pokhara for the past week, and I am eagerly awaiting to hear how things are going for our two girls in a remote village near Beni where we only get to go twice a year.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my good friend Chrissie Wellington who has been promoting GEN in various interviews and blogs, and has even included us on her web site. Chrissie used to live in the same house with me here in Kathmandu, and was known as the mad woman who would run 30km before going to work in the morning… Well clearly not so mad after all, she is currently the reigning World Ironman Champion. Having turned professional athlete only 14 months ago Chrissie has this year won pretty much everything ... Iron Man Korea, Hawaii, Australia… Germany to come in July. Chrissie is someone who really cares about matters in the third world (especially toilets are her specialty!!) and keeps on talking about development issues in her interviews. I am very touched that she has chosen to support and promote GEN and have been contacted by many sponsors as a result. Please check her web site for a very inspiring story www.chrissiewellington.org
Best regards from Kathmandu,
Nonna
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December 2007
On Saturday 8 December 2007 we held the first ever gathering of the GEN girls living in or near Kathmandu. Our project co-ordinator Sushovan planned and prepared the day, and informed all the girls to come to PA Nepal's office at 9am on the Saturday morning for some breakfast. 16 girls came, 3 were unable to attend.
Our original plan was to head North towards Kopan Monastery, where we planned to have the picnic. Unfortunately upon our arrival we found that Kopan was closed for some special mediation event so we had to quickly device a Plan B. We found a nice temple nearby in Gokarna.
The day did not have a formal agenda as such. Our aim was to get the girls together, build their sense of belonging to a programme and to deliver some messages about the importance of education. Indira spoke to the girls about their future, about being able to get better opportunities in life with a degree and about the gender imbalance which is prevalent in most Asian countries. I continued along a similar theme and tried to explain why complete strangers care enough to send money every month to a girl in Nepal.
After this we had a delicious lunch prepared by PA Nepal's kitchen staff. I tried to push as much food down the girls' throats, especially for those who look very skinny. After lunch we witnessed a rare event - two of the girls (Muna Kumari and Anu) actually wanted to stand up and say something. Anu spoke timidly about how she felt, about school and how she used to be unable to go and now has been attending regularly for the past 18 months. She thanked GEN on the behalf of herself and her little sister. Muna Kumari is very confident and her presentation skills are excellent. She pointed out how important it was for her to realise that there are other girls who are like her. That she is not alone but in fact is one of 36 girls being sponsored by the GEN programme.
After lunch we went for a little walk on the nearby golf course.... only to be chased away by the guards who did not appreciate 16 girls treading on their manicured lawn. After this the girls sat by the river and did some drawings for their sponsors. In the end our hire bus dropped the girls as close to their homes as possible.
I was very touched by the girls' attitudes. Everyone was enthusiastic and smiling. They seem to genuinely appreciate the event, and meeting new friends. I believe that after Saturday the girls have a better understanding as to where the money comes from, and probably also a higher self esteem as they realised that they are in a programme with other girls, just like them. We have decided to do something similar every 6 months or so. I believe it is important to create the feeling of togetherness. We are now also planning a similar event for the girls in East Nepal as soon as possible.
Thank you for your support, Merry Xmas & Happy New Year to you all.
Nonna
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November 2007
Dear sponsors,
It is festival time in Nepal, with the Dasain festival just gone and Tihar (the festival of light) starting this week. The endless rains have stopped and although there is a slight hint of winter to come in the air in the mornings, the weather is generally speaking great. Political turmoil continues with the elctions being postponed for the second time. This means that political gatherings, demonstrations and strikes are yet again on the agenda, however so far things have not been violent.
GEN continues to function very well. Our 2 project co-ordinators (KTM & East Nepal) visit every girl at least once a month, often more frequently and also discuss their progress with the teachers and the parents. The girls all got rain coats to stay dry in the pouring rain, and most now receive a lunch allowance. The Lungeli sisters (Tina & Sushila) received a new bicycle to help them to get to their school several kms away, so they now whizz there in 30min whereas before it took them almost 2 hours to walk. When Indira delivered the bike the girls were so excited they raced around the village even long after dark.
We are organising the first ever GEN Gathering for the Kathmandu girls on December 8. This will be an opportunity for the girls to meet each other, and get some information about GEN and their sponsors. We are going to the gardens of Kopan monastery where we will have a pic nic and a chance to get to know each other. Should you wish to send your girl a letter or a photo or something please e-mail me in good time. The girls in general are very interested in their sponsors, but find it difficult to understand why someone they do not know is paying for their schooling. We will be taking plenty of pictures, and a group photo as well.
So until that, I once again thank you for your support and wish you all a happy Tihar!
Nonna
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August 2007
Dear All,
The monsoon rains have hit Nepal very bad this year, and hundreds of thousands of people have been left homeless without any food or shelter. Things in Kathmandu valley are OK (muddy but no real flooding) but the plains of Nepal heve been hit hard. There is a feeling of unity, and urgency, to get help to all those affected, and for example in my office at ICIMOD we are all donating half a day's salary to the flood victims.
GEN has been lucky, as it seems that none of our girls have been seriously affected. The fact that almost all of them now receive a lunch allowance has made things easier for the girls, and although we cannot provide much, daily lunch still goes a long way and also helps the family financially.
Spring 2007 was the time of changing things at GEN to match our current, much bigger operation. We took in 2 programme co-ordinators, a part-time accountant and established clear rules about budgets, allowances, frequency of visits and many other practical things. At the end of it all I am very happy to say that GEN now runs like a well-oiled machine. Monthly updates enable us to see the progress of the girls, and monthly accounts the money we are spending.
At the end of this exercise I am happy to say that GEN is now in a position to take on more girls, provided that we fill the current gap in our finances as with the increased expenditure we are no longer able to sustain our activities from the current level of sponsorship. I will be in touch once this happens, and should you have a friend who is interested in getting involved, please put them in touch with me.
Best regards,
Nonna
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June 2007
We have now completed the updates on all GEN girls. Indira & Sushovan spent a week in East Nepal meeting all the girlst there, and mapping out what needs to be done in the next 6 months. We hired a part-time co-ordinator to facilitate the communication between Kathmandu and East Nepal, and to make sure all the girls get regular visits.
After this Indira made a journey to West Nepal, near Beni, to meet Sunita and Sarmila, who live in a very remote village up the hills. Their story is a sad, but inspiring one. Their mother is in jail, and the girls not only look after their two younger brothers, but also their old grand mother. But the family seems to be holding together, and the girls are doing an amazing job. Their mother has recently been moved to a jail 3h walk away from the village which makes things slightly easier. Below is an extract from Indira's field report:
On the 14th of June I went to Pokhara, and the next morning I took a taxi from Pokhara to Beni sharing a taxi with three people. The same day I went to a jail in Beni to meet Sunita and Sarmila’s mother. I spoke with her for a long time. She was very sad. She told me how she saves her allowance from the government and instead of spending it on food for herself, she sends this money to her children in the village. The next day I went to the village and took her children to the market. We spent the day shopping for dresses, stationary, and food. During this visit I gave each girl enough money for a tiffin for three months. Every 15 days when the girls went to the jail to visit their mother, their mother gave them 300Rps to buy food. Now they have some extra money.
Thank you for your support & best regards,
Nonna
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6 April 2007
Dear GEN sponsors,
First I must apologies as this update is really late. However, that does not mean that things haven't been ticking on, quite the opposite in fact. As most of you know after a mere 6 months in the UK I moved back to Nepal in January to take a post at ICIMOD. This has made things a lot easier for GEN of course. So, as soon as the dust had settled we embarked upon a series of changes in the programme.
In February I commissioned a progress report on GEN from Sarah Huxley, an education specialist. The findings of this report were pretty much what we expected - GEN has grown from a tiny grass-root project to a more medium-size venture and hence new, more structured approach is needed. It was clear to us that we needed a dedicated resource to make sure that the programme is running efficiently and that the girls get the help and support they need regularly.
So in March we hired a new project co-ordinator, Sushovan Ranjit, to work on the GEN programme 2.5 days a week. Please see his details on the web site. Sushovan has now completed his first month and having spoken to the girls and their teachers done an update on all Kathmandu-based girls, as well as taken some new photos of the girls. We have now introduced a lunch tiffin for all Kathmandu girls who need it, and done a check on the condition of the girls' uniforms, shoes and other equipment. I will e-mail all the individual sponsors about the progress of their girl in due course, but please bear with me as things are actually very busy at the moment.
The next step will be to repeat this exercise for the girls in East Nepal, this will be done in May once Indira gets back from the US where she is currently on a tour attending various events.
So very positive start to 2007 for our programme. On behalf of GEN our most sincere thanks for your continuing support!
Best regards from Kathmandu,
Nonna
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6 November 2006
Dear all,
Greetings from Kathmandu, well almost anyway! I have just come back from Nepal where I spent two hectic weeks catching up with people and sorting out various things with both of my charities there. Tina, Indira and myself have agreed on a practical way forward for GEN and our focus for the coming months will be to especially help some of the girls in the villages in East Nepal. We have agreed to start a 'lunch fund' for all of the East Nepal girls. Many of them do not have enough to eat and whilst GEN is all about education we feel it's unfair that the girls should go to school hungry. So we will be providing them with a small allowance at a local shop to enable them to buy some rice or biscuits for their tiffin boxes. Obviously we also have to buy them the tiffins :-)
We have 36 girls in the GEN programme and have now agreed to keep the numbers at that for the foreseeable future. GEN has always been a small, personable project and growing it too big will make things complicated and difficult to manage. I have information and updates on many of the girls, and I will be passing this on to the individual sponsors as soon as I get a moment to write it all up. Our aim is to provide you with as much news as possible about your girls, but sometimes – and especially for East Nepal - this is difficult to do.
Indira returned back to Kathmandu in August after four months in Brazil. Since then she has also been to East Nepal to talk to our team there and to visit many of the girls. Whilst the cat was away in Brazil the mice didn’t always know how to play. To our embarrassment we found out that not only had someone completely misspelt one of the girls’ names (and as the misspelling was in Nepali script the 2 names do not even vaguely resemble each other!) but also that the photo we thought was of her in fact was that of her little brother. Oh well, accidents happen, and the main thing is that the girl in question (Nikita) has been going to school regardless of what her name has been on the web site. This has now been corrected and hopefully we will not find any more blunders.
I hope all is well with everyone, many thanks for supporting the GEN programme.
Regards,
Nonna
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1 September 2006
Only a very brief update this time. Indira is back in Kathmandu and together with Tina she is in the process of preparing an annual update on GEN's activities. It is our intention to especially develop the communications side of GEN this year as last year was mostly about getting the programme working the way we want it to work. I want to inform sponsors as much as possible about their own girl, however, sometimes this is difficult due to the lack of means of communication, especially in East Nepal. We do our very best though. Also many of you have contacted me and asked about sending clothes or other items. In theory this is possible, and not that difficult for the girls located in the Kathmandu Valley. However, to get your parcels to East Nepal is costly and complicated so I am reluctant to encourage this.
GEN currently sponsors 34 girls and we plan to take on another 3-4 girls in the next couple of weeks. In terms of total numbers at this point I cannot see GEN growing very much past 50 girls as we really value the fact that we all can still put a face to a name and know all the girls. This is what GEN is all about, small and efficient, direct and personal. If you have any comments or suggestions please let me know. This is not some huge impersonal organisation, we are very happy to take onboard any ideas for improvement.
I shall send the annual update as soon as we have completed it. In the meantime, all the girls are fine and continue their studies normally. Nepal is still a bit restless with frequent demonstrations about various matters, petrol shortgages and the like. However, so far there has been nothing like the uprising this spring and let's hope things stay calm.
Thanking you all for your support.
Nonna
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18 July 2006
Dear GEN sponsors,
Nepal continues to move towards a more lasting peace and democracy, although the road is still long. In June I witnessed a mass gathering of the Maoist party in the centre of Kathmandu, and had someone told me two months before that the Maoists would be using the same podium as the king normally does I would have laughed. But true enough, the whole city centre was painted red like never before. Oh well, how things change. But enough about politics, although in a country like Nepal it affects every aspect of people's daily lives.
Our team in East Nepal is now able to move more freely and visit some of the more 'remote' girls. Indira is still in Brazil for another few weeks but she will be back in KTM in August. In the meantime I have been busy organising everything before my own departure. Yep, shock shock horror: I have returned to Europe. I left Nepal end of June with a rather heavy heart. But for sure life goes on. The team in KTM and East Nepal have been great, and everything is running smoothly. I have also harnessed my good friend Tina Rai to be our communications co-ordinator to report back to me on a regular basis so we know how the girls are doing.
Two weeks ago another dear friend, Megan Gorton (Tokyo, Japan) organised a DJ night for GEN’s benefit. Megan and three other DJs spinned the tables and filled the club with an excited crowd. All proceedings from the door will be donated to GEN, this amount will pay for another 2 girls to go to school for 2 years. Well done Megan, we thank everyone who made this such a successful event!
Once again I am thrilled to only have good news. And again I want to thank you all for your help and support. GEN is still going from strength to strength and we are very pleased and proud with the way things are progressing. We now have 35 girls in the programme and everyone has a sponsor, amazing!! I am planning to climb a mountain in Nepal this October and also visit some GEN girls and catch up with everyone else. Looking forward to it already!
I hope everyone is enjoying the heat wave like I am - Europe is showing its good side and I am very thankful for that.
Best regards,
Nonna
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1 May 2006
Dear GEN sponsors,
I apologise for the slight gap in my updates, but the last few weeks have truly been eventful. You might have seen TV coverage of the rioting and demonstrations in Nepal, and the subsequent reforming of the parliament. Things have returned to normal, and the air is full of excitement and anticipation. This is just the beginning, and Nepal has a long way to go to full democracy, but at least it is a step to the right direction and the fighting has stopped for now.
As for GEN a lot has happened. Back in March we found out that one of our girls has disappeared. Indira was alerted by Mithu’s school when she failed to come to school. We found out very little, except that there were rumours that she has gone to work in the Middle East. I very much hope that this is a case of her finding some work as a waitress or a servant, however, it is more likely that she has been trafficked to India, South East Asia or the Middle East. Heart breaking, but at this point there is very little we can do but to keep our ears and eyes open for any news on Mithu. Human trafficking is something that happens to numerous girls in the developing world every day, but to experience it so closely has been very shocking.
On a positive note Indira has been given yet another award. For the second year running she was named as one of the 50 most influential women in Nepal. She was second in the social services sector after Maiti Nepal’s Anuradha Koirala. Well done Indira, you truly deserve this recognition for the amazing work you do.
Indira is currently in Brazil with a girl who has horrendous burns in her body. The girl is receiving medical treatment as a donation from some Brazilian sponsors. But before Indira left we finally accepted ten new girls into the programme, bringing the total number of GEN girls to 30. I am especially happy that six of these new girls come from East Nepal, from the countryside where opportunities are extremely limited and the position of girls is very poor. If you know of anyone who is interested in sponsoring a girl to gain an education, please pass on my details, as we are now looking for sponsors to all the new girls (their stories are on the web site).
So here is the latest from Kathmandu. So much has happened, it has been an emotional roller coaster but luckily things did not escalate into full war and revolution, and at least for the time being everyone is able to go about their business as usual.
Once again I thank you for your help and support. GEN is doing extremely well and I am very pleased and proud with the way things are progressing.
Best regards from Kathmandu,
Nonna
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26 February 2006
Despite the ongoing political turmoil in Nepal our GEN programme seems to be going from strength to strength. For the first time ever we are in a situation where all our girls have a sponsor and in January we took three new girls in the programme.
Indira went on a field trip to East Nepal yesterday, and we expect to get 6-8 new girls from there. I am really happy that we have been able to extend the programme outside Kathmandu Valley in such a major way. Travelling in Nepal is incredibly difficult and even dangerous these days, and yet it is the country side where girls most desperately need our help. With the local elections approaching in 5 days' time I am hoping that some kind of state of normality would follow, but then again you never know.
Thank you once again for all your support and I will keep you posted on how we get on
Many regards from warm, already summer-like Kathmandu,
Nonna
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29 January 2006
Happy New Year to you all!
Kathmandu is getting warmer by the day and the last few days have been really nice and sunny. But change is in the air, for better or for worse we are not sure. We are living the days of turmoil as there are demonstrations and disturbances running up to the local elections at the beginning of February. As I am writing this we have a curfew in Kathmandu every night from 9pm to 4am until further notice. Mobile phone services have been suspended and there has been talk about suspending Internet connection to the outside world as well. Oh well, maybe this is it and something actually happens and changes the current deadlock between the army and the Maoists, we will wait and see.
Under these conditions travelling even in the Valley is not a good idea, so we are having to postpone some of our activities until things get back to normal. Thanks to your kindness and generosity we are now in a position to take 10 new girls immediately, and 5-10 more within a couple of months. Some have already been chosen, and more will follow as soon as we can move around again. Indira is planning another trip to East Nepal in February and we will be taking on more girls there.
Thank you for your ongoing support!!
Best regards from Kathmandu, Nonna
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21 December 2005
Dear GEN sponsors,
GEN has now been in full operation for almost five months and I am extremely proud and happy with how things are going. GEN is exactly what we wanted it to be - simple, straightforward and practical.
During these five months we have accepted 19 girls to the programme. I am very pleased to have found girls not only in the Kathmandu valley, and other accessible regions, but also in remote countryside - 2 girls in the West and 6 in the Eastern part of Nepal. Twelve individuals from various parts of the world ranging from Japan to Singapore to Spain have agreed to sponsor a girl to gain an education. Thank you!
For the next few weeks we will concentrate on finding more sponsors to make the programme financially rock solid. I am confident that we will be able to accept 5-10 new girls already in January 2006.
On behalf of the girls I want to wish you a very happy Xmas and New Year 2006!
Thank you for your ongoing support!!!
Best regards,
Nonna
