Newsletter 31 October 2021

Schools and Colleges Open again

Dear Supporter
When we wrote to you in May all was gloomy. The pandemic was biting hard and we could report no teaching for our students. Now GOOD NEWS: our colleagues in the Rotary Club of Pokhara report that Schools and colleges have almost all reopened in Pokhara and district …. At long last our students – and for those of you who are sponsors – YOUR students are back at work. What an awful period for our motivated young people. Now once again they have a chance to shine.
Students in Years 8 and 9 have moved up to years 9 and 10.
Year 10 students have moved into the Sixth Form – the Fishtail Plus Years.
Students leaving school are being helped to find college places.
College courses are continuing into the next year.
Simikshya Kandel – one of our flagship students – has qualified as a doctor with the wonderful help of two local Dronfield residents, after they have given her eight years of unstinting support. She is now seeking work. One of our requirements for any student is that they stay and work in Nepal for at least two years after qualifying; they must ‘put something back’ into their country.
As in the UK, exams were badly affected. Results are still coming through. When we have news of results or college placements we will let you know.
Just before the festival of Dashain our Rotary friends distributed Food Banks 6 and 7, including a small amount of meat for each family, the first they will have eaten for 18 months in many cases.
When your student is back at school or college, Brian Simpson will be contacting you for your sponsorship. We hope you will stay supporting us after this awful 18-month gap. If your student is awaiting a new course or an exam result, we’ll let you know when we have new information and will invoice you then.
An example of the wonderful contacts between sponsor and student is below, from Rabindra who lives in an orphanage but has positive plans.
Thank you
David Lumb
Coordinator

The second Food Bank: September 2020

Our Rotary Club Trustees in Pokhara were faced with the considerable challenge of staying safe (both them and the students) while handing over about 35 worth of basic foodstuffs to each student family, plus sanitary supplies for the girls. Some students came to a central collection point, in some cases walking for over two hours in each direction and lugging heavy bags of rice on their way home. Rotari ans took other supplies by vehicle to more distant villages,
where the students collected their food from the roadside.

24th July 2021
Dear Ian and Elaine Ward
I am fine and I hope you are also fine there. My study is running well. Today I am going to explain about myself, my study and about my future plans.
I am Rabindra Shrestha. I live in Pokhara which is one of the beautiful cities of Nepal. My home town is Tanahun. My mother lives in a village of Tanahun district. I have 2 sisters who are already married. My mother live alone. During the vacations I go to meet my mother and friends in village. I came to Pokhara when I was 8 years old. I live here with many brothers and sisters in SEOD (an orphanage) family. I am very happy that I got this wonderful opportunities for study and career development. I feel so loved and blessed. We all are happy in this home. We help each other and also have fun in different activities. I love to work in the kitchen and playing. We often go swimming, trecking, hiking, picnic and many others. We have got a beautiful garden where we grow vegetables and flowers.
I have just completed grade 9 and started grade 10. When I was in grade 9 there was covid 19 (second flu). During this time our school was just started and after 3 months there was pandemic situation and we stop our physical classes and again started the online classes. When our year was finished our evaluation was done by teachers and previous behaviour of students.
Various program have been conducted in my school. They are civil, basic study up to grade 10. But after grade 10 there are also various programs such as management, science, humanities, education and civil engineering. Till now I am doing civil engineering and basic which is my favourite subjects. And I am enjoying these subjects such as science, survey, water resources, highway and drawing.
Now I am in grade 10. We have online classes during this time there is pandemic condition. I am not sure what will happen in the future days. The rules and regulation about my study is done by the ministry of education and we have to follow the same rules and regulation. I hope there will be best year in grade 10.
For my future days and my life I would like to conduct the same subject (civil engineers). This civil engineer and science will be for two years up to grade 12. But after grade 12 there are also various faculty such as management, BE (bachelor in civil engineer), computer engineering, forestry etc.
I have the interest of being civil engineer since the country is in developing phase. Various infrastructures such as highway, bridges, hydropower are necessary for the country so by being the engineer I can contribute something to the nation. After the completion of my bachelor which will be for four years I can also involve in the income generation. Then I can stand in my own leg and look after my family and other people who need help.
There is also the further study after bachelor for the specified course such as structure engineer, geological engineer, construction management etc. But this study I can do by my own because during this period I can earn and work. I am very happy to have you because you help in my study which is necessary for gaining the knowledge and to understand about myself.
By this way I would like to close my letter. Thank you for your great support and care. I hope we will have conversation from now days. I would like to know more things about you.
Thank you      Love from      Rabindra Shrestha