| Sajha.com Archives | |
| Username | Post |
| ruck | Posted
on 17-Oct-02 01:13 PM
Hi friends, Much said and done.. I started this thread just to see what we (the ones who're living in outside Nepal) can do to our country. I know it is not possible to leave everything behind and run back to Nepal in the name of patriotism but we can surely make some contribution to "help make things better" in NEPAL. I have personally started collecting 5 cents almost everyday to take it with me to Nepal when I visit next and give it to maiti nepal. Please write whatever little you think can do. Can we send books that we get here on sale sometimes for merely quarter cents or 50 cents to some public library ??? I am doing that soon. Your ideas will be highly apprecaited. Sorry if this offends anyone here.. Ruck... |
| jame bonds | Posted
on 17-Oct-02 01:20 PM
Ruck 5 cents a day makes 18.25 dollars a year, what can you really do with 18.25 dollars? Maybe a Quater a day. Whaddaya say. |
| ruck | Posted
on 17-Oct-02 01:26 PM
Well James, yes you're right, there are other things I am trying to do like buying used school books and sending it to some schools in Nepal. I have started with 5 cents but I have been collecting all the coins that I collect from my pocket at the end of the day (apart for some quarter which I use it for the laundry) ke garne I am a student too but thanks for the suggestion, I will surely try and make it quarter. |
| ??! | Posted
on 17-Oct-02 01:35 PM
5 cents a day is small money but it's the token of love to Nepali. We should start with what we can sustain in long run.. Suppose you start with a quarter and end of emptying your own pocket? Then you will close your program... Thanks Ruck, you did your part... it's not only you who has to support a big money... Ruck, Rack, Ricko... Ramesh... Rita.. if everybody donates 5c a day... that's big enough.. HAATEMALO KARYAKRAM I am joining you in this 5 cents a day program.... I will buy a seprate KHUTRUKE for this. |
| ruck | Posted
on 17-Oct-02 01:39 PM
thanks (?????) I am glad we're positive.... |
| ruck | Posted
on 17-Oct-02 03:29 PM
Strange but True !!! Some of the regular sajha contributers who share their ideas almost on all the threads here, be it politics or religion or anything else for that matter, do not want to make any effort to even start thinking about contributing.. this only shows how much we are capable of just barking... "only words and no deeds" all the best guys... looks like I've bumped into the wrong forum.... |
| Logical Sense | Posted
on 17-Oct-02 03:52 PM
Great thread! Thanks Ruck for starting this!!! And, exactly my point. Most of the 'star' posters in Sajha are 'talker'. But, talking is fine too as long as it is positive. But, people lke you get inticed with ideas and I am glad you are not alone. I had written long column in Sajha and I did get some response but not much. The topic was 'Can We Make A Difference' http://www.gbnc.org/sajha/html/column.cfm?extraid=54. The article gives ideas what we can do immediately to 'partner' with Nepal to make a difference. I do not like the word 'help', 'charity' etc. Please read the article where I explain why we should think of 'partnering' vis a vis 'helping'. It is completely out of my experience and experiences of my friends. If you have time please go through it (it is long, I do admit), but gives many doable ideas which we can do starting today even if we are students struggling or a millionaire in a foreign country. - iti |
| ruck | Posted
on 17-Oct-02 04:17 PM
Hey Logical Sense , you do make a lot of sense. I read your long column.. it's great ! at least all of us who think positively about this can actually start doing in our own small way. I had acutally started even when I was in Nepal with the little salary that I use to get, so why not here with so many resources available to us. If you have noticed, I haven't use the word "help" in my thread either... I agree with you on this one too. Lets keep the flag flying and do get this going. Ruck |
| dry | Posted
on 17-Oct-02 04:27 PM
very nice suggestions ruck..i only hope its a success..nice work though..keep it up..... |
| Poonte | Posted
on 17-Oct-02 05:15 PM
Superb! This is probably the best initiative ever taken on Sajha! (Although I have only been a regular here for the past month and a half or so!) Definitely the best gift that I could ask for Dashain! Here, I am willing to raise the stake too, by 2000%!!! I am starting to collect $1 a day from today--putting it into a make-shift khuturke, made from my microwave's card board box. Next year's Dashain, it'll be the time for the real giving on my part. Anyone willing to tag along? Come on, that's only about 1 cup of coffee/day! Give up that one cup of coffee--caffeine's no good for your health, anyway! I really like the idea of buying those 4-for-$1 books for the purpose of donating them to libraries in Nepal too. I have come across plenty of those street stalls where they sell those discounted old books. Never even bothered to check them out--now I know what to do with them! I will make those vendors happy by buying a whole lot from them. Thanks, Ruck, whoever/where ever you are!!!!!!!! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMUAH! @ your brilliant idea ;) |
| SITARA | Posted
on 17-Oct-02 06:14 PM
ruck ji... Impressive! I am in the school system.... Let me know when you want to send books.... I will help out hai! I do that here nai...many of the kids I teach don't have money to buy books... so I buy from the public libraries and distribute them. If you are interested.... |
| Rusty | Posted
on 17-Oct-02 06:49 PM
Guys, I really liked the idea of collecting a quarter everyday. I will do this from tomorrow:) I knew this idea before, but I was never motivated to follow this. Thanks to Ruck ji for initiating this thread |
| ruck | Posted
on 17-Oct-02 06:59 PM
hi sitaraji, Was planning to go and buy books in a day or two. I wrote to my cousin back home to get hold of a school where I could send books. I would love to send whatever books I can buy to you. Please let me know how to go about it. My email address is ruckba@yahoo.com Cheers! |
| cardinal | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 12:11 AM
Instead of doing certain amount of money per day, what about certain percentage per pay check? I think it is more convinient and effective that way. |
| oys_chill | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 12:48 AM
RUCK!! SUPERB CONCEPT......... SURE WE CAN DO A LOT!! HONESTLY, I CAN"T CONTRIBUTE A QUARTER A DAY.... I CAN"T..need those to do laundry :) nickel seems good to me :) JUS FIND IT SLIGHTLY BOTHErING!!!! sorry, for i don't intend no offence....But, are u sure you want to send money to Nepal where the mass is trying to get away, run away from it...go abroad and develop similar sentiments like ourselves and start another trust to help nepal? Personally, for what i have experienced in Nepal, it needs educated manpower :) jus a thought!! NO PUN INTENDED! and of course, RUCK BRO, its such an altruistic act....I really do respect yor pledge to help nepal :) COUNT ME IN! oys |
| Arnico | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 01:15 AM
great thread. great initiatives. let's keep them up. Ruck, not every "sajha talker" does nothing but talk. Just some examples: Paschim and his friend spend most of their freetime during two months this summer working on a policy document for the Nepali government (of course NPC and the cabinet that were supposed to approve the document vanished into thin air, so its future is now uncertain). Dilasha and her friend are working on collecting books for a library in Nepal (and no, it is not in Kathmandu), as are several others as well who have not advertised their efforts here. Yours truly has very tired wrists from working all week on a grant proposal that will hopefully fund a major collaborative project between Nepali and foreign universities, and create scholarships for four new Nepali Master's students. So far I had not been attracted to this "set aside a certain amount a day" type idea... BUT if we make it a movement, try to get many of us to participating in a coordinated way and find ways for many of us to contribute together to single causes such that we can truly achieve changes that we can see ... then WOW, I think that will be the best achievement of the sajhapur community to date. |
| ashu | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 03:35 AM
Arnico wrote: "Paschim and his friend spend most of their freetime during two months this summer working on a policy document for the Nepali government (of course NPC and the cabinet that were supposed to approve the document vanished into thin air, so its future is now uncertain)." Arnico, I like you a lot, and you are my friend, but please, please level with me here. You make it sound as though this "policy thing" were a voluntary job, done selflessly to help Nepal Aama, and as though it was obtained through an OPEN competition. The truth? Well, it's a bit more complicated than what you and Paschim have been saying here. So far, I've kept quiet on this issue, because I did not want to spoil your fun. But as someone who has access to info that can now be made public, I am beginning to find this occasional reference to "what [we] did last summer" a bit naive and even misleading to those who do not know the detailed story. Please allow me to explain. Some donor agency paid for the whole thing. Aside: It's very common for donor agencies in Nepal to give money to the National Planning Commission to hire consultants. Because the people who were supposed to have prepared the report could/did NOT get their act together, the whole thing was getting dangerously late for that summit in South Africa. The NPC -- especially the then member Dr. Minendra Risal -- had little choice but to hire outside consultant(s) in a hurry, and get the damn thing done so that his PM Deuba could maintain a modicum of preparation for South Africa. [Later, as it turned out, Deuba ended up NOT going to South Africa (and this tells you, to some degree, despite our chest-thumping about having done this and that, the sheer FUTILITY of making policies in and for Nepal!.] It's just that Risal happened to choose some people he knew, people who had appropriate donor-agency background coupled with appropriate academic training, . . . and, you know, this was all great. In other words, on a larger note, serendipity (always a good thing!) played a BIG role here, and let's at least acknowledge that serendipity, shall we? One of the consultants -- Dr. Ava Darshan Shrestha -- was later on record for saying that Nepal's presentation at the South Arican summit was "underprepared and poor". She was not blaming anybody; she was just pointing out how little influence the document carried on behalf of Nepal in South Africa. As for the Cabinet and the PM, well, you know the story. The question is: What good is a policy if it fails to accomplish what it set out to do? I ask that NOT to burst your bubble, nor too to diminish the importance of your contributions, but to urge you -- as a friend -- to be more realistic about the sheer LIMITATIONS of any policy-making exercise in and for Nepal, (especially the kind of exercises undertaken for two months during breaks and holidays.) I say all that as someone who once worked at the NPC for three straight months -- at the tender age of 22, if I may say so -- under the then vice-chairman Prithivi Raj Ligal on trade-related issues of the Ninth Plan. As a foolish young man then, I know firsthand that the proximity to power and policy-making circles can be a big ego-booster and one can get drunk on that for weeks and months, feeling terribly sexy, important -- impressing one's parents, relatives and friends. But let's face it: When the time comes to count the results . . . depite all the hard work and idealism and all that, there is often very little to show for . . . except making excuses, time after time, year after year . . . in Nepal. So what do you do? Fortunately, regarding policy-making, it's been some years since I -- though NOT a university-based academic -- have been taking solace from economist Paul Krugman's very wise words: http://www.wws.princeton.edu/~pkrugman/howiwork.html An extract: "Still, I think that the big danger of doing policy research is not so much the drain on your time as the threat to your values. It is easy to be seduced into the belief that direct influence on policy is more important than just writing papers -- I've seen it happen to many colleagues. Once you start down that road, once you begin to think that David Mulford matters more than Bob Solow, or to prefer hobnobbing with the Ruritanian finance minister to talking theory with Avinash Dixit, you are probably lost to research. Pretty soon you'll probably start using "impact" as a verb. Fortunately, while I love playing around with policy issues, I have never been able to take policy makers very seriously. This lack of seriousness gets me into occasional trouble . . . and may exclude me from ever holding any important policy position. But that's OK: in the end, I would rather write a few more good papers than hold a position of real power. (Note to the policy world: this doesn't mean that I would necessarily turn down such a position if it were offered!) . . ." ********* oohi ashu ktm,nepal |
| Paschim | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 06:00 AM
Setting aside money is one good option -- and often it's just the thought that counts. People's interests vary and ways in which they contribute too -- Nepal is such a virgin territory that unless you are donating money to terrorists or something, every buck will create a useful bang, wherever, whenever. Just identify your cause(s) -- and do it. And there seem to be so many silent "doers" who also "talk" on Sajha -- as I discovered casually three weeks ago when I created a thread on "social science library" -- like Sally, Sitara, Dilasha, among others. Please thus kindly refrain from these sweeping accusations like "talkers don't do stuff"…it's not a mutually exclusive relationship…some talkers are doers (they may just not choose to publicize unless relevant)…and often "talking" itself could be "doing"…just imagine keeping silent and not speaking against the King's or Maoists' actions in Nepal in recent days, or not supporting the general drive against corruption. Awaaz counts! Personally speaking, just in the last one year, I have enjoyed combining my active involvement at the macro and micro levels simultaneously -- using my free time to do upstream policy work for the government (that Arnico mentioned in which he was also involved in) with the downstream work at the grassroots (setting up a modest trust fund -- 1,500 dollars per year -- for scholarships for Tharu kids with the help of two English doctor friends). Have also been part of a team helping set up a social science library in Nepal; and am reviewing as I speak assisting a friend's innovative efforts to pilot IT network and access in rural Nepal. There are then opportunities to donate generously to ad-hoc civic movements like Bichalit Bartamaan or other causes that come your way seasonally. With age comes experience, and there are things like spending two to three hours of your free time every week giving advice, and counseling, to younger Nepalis, help them network, give career tips, etc., on email and telephone. The list continues...if one has the will and interest, there's no shortage. Let us all do what we can in our own ways -- small and big, quiet and loud -- without sounding too righteous. Modest publicity is good to rally support, and even inspire others; but when PR takes over, it can make people cynical. Wasn't it Henry David Thoreau who said, "if somebody came to me with the declared intention of doing good, I would flee for my life." Good luck to you Ruck -- nice thought and deed; and indeed everyone else who is planning her own form of input to society. |
| Paschim | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 06:52 AM
Ashutosh isn’t the sort who indulges in peer jealousy, you know. I think he is above that sort of crap, so I'm sure his sole interest is in bringing the "truth" out. So, let me help him. But I do hope he realizes that his "truths" that he "found" by NEVER corroborating his "facts" with us -- the concerned parties -- about the nature of our involvement aren't quite as robust as he might want us to believe. Thus, just some remarks that he might want to kindly note: 1. That we make it sound like this was a voluntary job, done selflessly. No, neither Arnico nor I have ever claimed this. I, Paschim, received NO remuneration for this assignment (and no, this wasn't work-related). Because I am not based in Nepal, I only had my travel-related expenses covered. And while doing this work, for ethical purposes, Arnico took himself off his MIT payroll (in dollars), and agreed to be compensated by I think a lower amount on a national scale in rupees (he knows his details better). As for selflessness, Arnico did this task by squeezing in time from delayed research, while I spent over 10 full days of my personal leave (accrued over 4 months), and nearly 30 after-work evenings and weekends over 2 months that involved substantive exchanges of around 30 drafts and 200 emails. It often meant working 16-18 hour days for us. So much for your "bubble bursting". 2. So, Deuba didn't go to South Africa, and the whole effort was "futile"?! What a farce. Nepal's delegation was led by a Cabinet Minister and the Vice-Chairman of the National Planning Commission along with 2 other NPC members. Whatever Nepal presented there didn't change because Deuba didn't attend. So much for your "spoiling our fun". 3. Yes, I was nominated by Dr. Henning Karcher (on behalf of the UN) and Dr. Minendra Rijal (on behalf of HMG). What is your point? Both of them are not related to me, and both have been acquainted with my work for over 4 years. I was not even based in Nepal, and because of the urgency, they could have hired a hundred other people from within Nepal. But they asked me, and I agreed to take on the task on ONE condition -- that I can hire a colleague to work with me as an equal. Arnico was the ONLY peer with a professional graduate degree in whose substantive grasp I had faith in to do this task, and if he had declined to co-work, I wouldn't have taken up this task. Most short-term recruitment for time bound tasks draw on merit-based peer-referrals and head-hunts. This is an established global practice. So much for this not being through "open competition". 4. What we wrote was not just for South Africa. After seeing the product, the NPC and MOPE wanted this to become a national agenda on sustainable development (that Nepal has internationally committed to producing as part of the MDGs -- Millennium Development Goals by 2005, to be followed later by a detailed strategy). Here's the fun part. "Our" document actually did NOT even go to South Africa, although the occasion served a pretext for its preparation! The document was doing the rounds in the ministries then, and was about to be endorsed by the Cabinet last week to become an official HMG document. So much for your "facts" and judgment on "how little influence the document [that didn't go there] carried"!! Besides, NO document that any country presents makes an instant "influence" at a jamboree, like Nescafe you know. Mitra, I might have taken your sermons on futility and limitations of these policy exercises slightly seriously if it had come from someone who has had an experience anything close, anywhere close. No, quoting Paul Krugman and his web-links does not make YOU Mr. Paul Krugman himself. And doing an internship at the NPC for 3 months 10 years ago (many years before getting your undergraduate degree) gives you very little legitimacy to judge the work of young professionals WITHOUT reading their work, nor infer the potential influence of that work WITHOUT knowing fully about the formal approval process this document went through. Btw, talking of "open-ness" would you mind declaring your own interest on kinship that might or might not have helped you get that NPC internship at the "tender" age of 22? If the above posting by Ashu read anything like a "constructive" rebuttal of claims (that we had ACTUALLY made) it might have been useful. What a pity, yet again. But then, everyday we learn something about Ashu. One must thank him for the public pleasure of this educational experience. The bottomline is this: I and Arnico, both under 30 Nepali men, were asked to join a large team and effort to produce a 20 year Sustainable Development Agenda for the Government of Nepal this summer. We completed that task under a very tight deadline, using our FREE time, and considering the opportunity costs, with negligible (or even negative) monetary reward. And that document that we wrote -- with the help of many experts like Harka Gurung, Bikas Pandey, and all four NPC Members -- was in the very FINAL stage of being a national HMG document following cabinet endorsement. We completed our Terms of Reference with professional diligence; and what worth or influence this document would have had eventually, NO ONE knows. Rest, as they say, is history. |
| jame bonds | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 07:17 AM
Ashu must have been drunk when he wrote the above. In any event, Arnico's short paragraph didn't deserve the Ashu Probe. Ashu Probe consisted of the following: The Truth: Description of the truth as Ashu wants to see. Allow him to explain why he sees it that way And what he's gonna do now that he's revealed the truth. - He's gonna lie back sipping margueritas, thinking about banging senoritas. |
| ruck | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 07:59 AM
My dear friends, I started this thread certainly not make a platform for bashing each other but with the hope that we Nepali can find a new image and new hope for humanity. Being extravagant, greedy and self-centered is out-dated. Imagine the impact we can make if every compassionate Nepali saves coins every day to help the poor in Nepal to rebuild their self-respect and self-confidence not out of pity but out of compassion. So please friends, don't spoil this thread by bashing each other here.. let it remain for the contributers who want to make a little change in their own little way. Thank you all, |
| Poonte | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 10:35 AM
And then there were three... So much for the bitter bickering in this thread. May I advise honorable Ashu, Paschim, Sir Bond, Arnico (+ whoever wishes to tag along with them) to start a new thread if they wish to continue their squabble over who did what, for whom, for what purpose, and how much they gained from it on a personal level? I don't think either Paul Krugman or Henry David Thoreau came up with this phrase, but it is even more pertinent at this time: take it outside, boys! This thread is, as I had taken note of before, probably the best initiative ever taken on Sajha, and I would hate to see it's course being diverted. Savor it for what it is...ANY MORE VOLUNTEERS FOR "NICKLE-TO-A-DOLLAR/DAY" CAMPAIGN? |
| SITARA | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 10:59 AM
Goodness Gracious Great Balls of Hellfire!!!!! Some of us seem to be suffering from contextual unawareness, despite our "Shining" banners and standards we carry of our glorious past! Come on now....take your dog in the manger attitudes and go find another bone to pick! This thread will hardly gratify your bloodthirsty tendencies! Some of us run worse than a pack of feral dogs, yipping and yapping at eachother and foraging on the leftovers of stale animosity...to the point of encroaching upon conserved santuaries! I suggest,that you read the thread title before you start a boxing ring with the strings. Goodness, even the preschoolers that I work with have more grace and courtesy combined with the the ability to determine the appropriateness of a given situation! |
| SITARA | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 11:08 AM
ruck ji; Let me know what books you are buying and for what age. I may be able to help you with that. I will email you hajur. :) |
| ruck | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 11:12 AM
Thank you Poonte and Sitara, I feel bad to see my thread being converted into a boxing ring.. please for heaven's sake , leave this thread for the ones who wishes to contribute their ideas and not for anything else.. Spare us of your egos please.... |
| ruck | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 11:18 AM
Sitaraji, I am starting with buying some nice story books for children aged 5 - 9 ( this is because i had promised kids in Nepal that I would send them books) I am also trying to get hold of my friends who are teachers here in good schools if they get their school donate some used text books for children of all ages and maybe encyclopedias, meanwhile I also intend to buy some stationaries to send to about 20 of my kids in Kavre. :-)) wish me luck.. |
| Paschim | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 11:56 AM
Sitara, Ruck, Poonte et al., I have two postings above. The first was written to honor the spirit of discussions here. The second was a response to a posting that I saw on THIS thread that singled me and a friend out for what appeared as an attempt at sullying our names and work. Isn't it logical that I put forth my response on this very thread? I NEVER enjoy replying to stuff like above. But when provoked or challenged publicly, I do not and cannot hesitate defending myself, even at the risk of being compared to a dog (as above by Sitara?). But I understand your points; and with due apologies for my crime of self-defence, good night. ----- To continue the essence of this thread, if there are more people interested in contributing to the social science library project, pls. send me an email: kautilya100@yahoo.com. More info. below: http://sajha.com/sajha/html/OpenThread.cfm?forum=2&ThreadID=7289 |
| ashu | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 12:03 PM
Paschim, Thank you for your defense, even though I had addressed my posting NOT to you, but to Arnico. Still, in a spirit of kura-kani and to keep one another intellectually engaged , I totally enjoyed reading your posting, especially when you had to present the defense by ridiculing the other side. I also loved your veiled references to my supposed professional and personal competence (little!!) or lack thereof (more!) . . . you know, needlessly uncharitable references are standard tool-kit in your debating strategy, and, by now, I am quite ENJOYABLY used to it, and that's Paschim for me. Keep it up, friend. FYI, I am NOT going to play your game of issuing back-handed compliments, except to reiterate that no matter how any of us chest-thump about having helped draft this policy-paper or that policy-paper in Nepal -- stuff that impresses our parents, relatives and friends and builds our resumes -- the fact remains that we have VERY little influence to change anything for real in Nepal. And that's the SAD TRUTH we have to come to terms with . . . sooner or later, despite our glittering education, polished sophistication, wordlwide contacts and impressive erudition. I, for one, certainly have come to terms, in my own small scale, with the contours of policy-making in Nepal, and I wasn't born yesterday. This was the thrust of my earlier posting, which you narrowly took it as a criticism and criticsm alone of your work; and hence that carpet-bombing on sajha. At any rate, by now, on a larger ote, I have also come to ACCEPT that as long as we are praising one another, then we exist as happy, back-slapping friends, but as soon as anyone even dares to question your thoughts and ideas and activities, you get pretty personal and defensive and start answering NOT by addressing the main concern raised by others but by questioning their motives (even implyng that they are being jealous) and so on. I mean, once you practically accuse the other side of being jealous, is there any point of having any heart-to-heart, respectful debate that illuminates the issues? No. Maybe I have read too many of these reports (something I have stopped doing for some time now) to remain impressed with what they say but largely unimpressed -- again and again -- by what they go on to achieve. You are welcome to disagree, but I for one have learnt to assess a policy-paper NOT by who of what age (under 30 or over 30) write it, but by what effects such a paper go on to deliver after its ideas are navigated through the POLITICAL maze on their way to implementation. If a policy-paper FAILS to make it through the political maze (as in Hillary Clinton's health-care bill of 1993/94), then, let's be honest enough to admit that it's not much of a policy, to begin with . . . no matter how loudly we chest-thump about its supposed importnce. That's all. Finally, you asked: "Btw, talking of "open-ness" would you mind declaring your own interest on kinship that might or might not have helped you get that NPC internship at the "tender" age of 22?" I love the word "kinship" here for its not-so-subtle implication. This is how your mind works, doesn't it? Introduce guilt by association, and disparage the other person. Well, I wish I could say that I pulled some strings to get that temporary job, but the sad, unvarnished truth is that I submitted my resume to Prithi Raj Ligal, the then Vice-Chairman, and he called me for an assignment, to work on a small part of the Ninth Plan. [True, my father later became the Member-Secretary at the Planning Commision, but at the tender age of 22, I wanted -- as I have always wanted -- to succeed or fail on my own terms, on the strength of what I had or have to offer and NOT by riding on my father's coatails.] Speaking of this overwrought "before the age of 30" phrase can I say -- again and again and quite truthfully -- that I worked hard to free up to 200,000 bonded laborers from decade-old practice of debt bondage in Nepal before the age of 30? My point: First time around, it can sound impressive. Repeat it a few times, and it starts sounding comical and too self-absorbed. That'a all. oohi ashu ktm,nepal |
| ruck | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 12:11 PM
Ashu ji, I would so much apprecaite if you could simply start another thread to pour your anger to paschim or purba... whoever... please keep your intellectual brain for a suitable thread. I always enjoyed reading your posting but I think I was being silly... |
| SITARA | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 12:19 PM
Paschim ji.... Please don't take it personally..I have NOT singled you out at all! I understand you are defending yourself.... and you are entitled to it ....(I would too!) BUT, is it too much to hope/ask that our comments (poonte ji, ruck ji......) will discourage any further personal attacks of such vile nature?????????? And no, "feral dog tendencies" does not mean that you are a dog :). I am sorry if I may have offended you but my response was aimed at personal attacks and attackers who thrive on being self appointed executioners at the drop of a posting! and yes...Goodnight sire! It is past your bedtime ! you might want to woo Nidra devi back to your bed before the night runs out!!!! ;) |
| ashu | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 12:23 PM
Ruck-ji, I am NOT angry at Paschim or Purba. Please, do not misunderstand the nature of my postings here. I mean, to honor the name of your thread, "the least we can do" here is to keep the discussions, conversations and kura-kani about Nepal lively, engaging informative and even fun, by bringing out other sides of issues for wider, more fuller considerations. That's all. Thank you for understanding. oohi ashu ktm,nepal |
| kunjan | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 12:27 PM
We all Sajhaites know that you Ashu, Paschim, Arniko and others.....(not necessary to mention San) all are really concerned about Nepal and doing great in your capacity. It should not be a matter of egoism. That's all. |
| Poonte | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 12:29 PM
You DOGS (and no, unlike Sitara, I mean it literally!) still don't get it, do you? Well, Paschim at least apologized--as for Ashu? He's still......arrrrrrrrrgh!!!!!!!! Paschim, I understand your urge to defend yourself, but I still think the proper way would have been to tell that jerk you wanted to defend yourself, and invite him over to a different thread.... One last time, and hopefully you'll get it this time, you "intellectuals," take your squabble some place else! |
| SITARA | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 12:34 PM
Ashu ji With all due respect... Please take a hint and take a step back. It certainly does not become you to nit pick and split hairs! I don't think anyone of us are interested in the workings/makings of the "policy makers" versus "non policy makers" nor their financial sources or resources! INFORMATION: NOT required, desired nor sought!!! |
| ashu | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 12:39 PM
Well, Poonte, I am sorry if you feel that way. Despite having been a member of sajha for two years, I still do NOT have the arrogance or the presumption to tell other people to get off the thread just because I think they might be dogs or cats. :-) I welcome good and bad comments on this and other threads, and that's life on cyberspace. oohi ashu ktm,nepal |
| ashu | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 12:48 PM
Sitara-ji, You have every right NOT to read the postings that you do not like. Please exercise that right. I am sure, you know quite well, as a counselor, that it's easier to change one's own behaviour than urge others to change theirs, hoina ra? I, for one, certainly do NOT see my discussions with Paschim or anyone else here as a fight or a display of egosim or anything like that, though others are FREE to interpret them as whateever they want to interpret them as. At the very least, please take these all as entertainment, and let that be that. Is that really difficult to do without telling others what they should do and don't? I wouldn't tell you what you should do and should not do on sajha. And that's because I respect your right as an individual -- able to make your own choices. That's all. oohi ashu ktm,nepal |
| jira | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 12:49 PM
" Paschim, I understand your urge to defend yourself, but I still think the proper way would have been to tell that jerk you wanted to defend yourself, and invite him over to a different thread.... " ** Lawu! aja uso bhey iskool chutesi gawucharun ma bhaley bhidunta huna la jasto cha pawuney pannch tira ** |
| iXY | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 12:57 PM
Ashu has made a good question to Paschim. He asked to Paschim: Whether you worked there as an Instrument ? or as a trainee? working with well trained Surgeon (Doctor). If you worked there, as instrument "kata chamcha knife ", then, the surgeon will throw you once his job is done. If you work there as trainee, you will say you are ready to graduate, go perform your duties in some other clinicks and we will invite you back when there is a vacant position or when my retirement is a most or I have to transfer myself to another position and I need the brillliant guys like you to retain quality we have developed after hard work of so many years. Blah blah... I am very much satisfied with Ashu'S questions raised on Paschim's work at NPC. Paschim may take Ashu's note negatively, but, time will tell who is right or wrong. In Nepal, you might be used and thrown like kata chamcha knife as it happened to Deoba. Deoba and his cabinet members are now not even worth like kata chamcha knife good for recycling in auction for the use by smaller clinics, but, were thrown like used condomes. Though its harsh, but, its what people feel on that poor guy Deoba. |
| ashu | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 01:01 PM
Jira, I geatly admire your masterly emotional management to let some hot air out of this thread. Well done!! That's the kind of skill I wish I had more of. oohi ashu ktm,nepal |
| kunjan | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 01:01 PM
Ashuji, I know that it's not necessary to remind you that "you should be like this' and 'should not be like this'. After all, You have so long experince of cyber community, As it's your and Paschim's right to defend yourself and express your individual opinions, I also a reader(and also enjoying!!!) of your postings, have right to express what I smell or seems to smell like... just 'sajag' garayeko matra, Ashuji, Upadeshko rupma naalinuhola. Sometimes, fellow sajhaites are free to be 'sachetak' in hot discussions, ki kaso? No Offence |
| Bitchpatroll | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 01:03 PM
Now now now these are supposed to be our best and the brightest ? Why do we have to argue and quarrel all the time ? As RODNEY said, "People ...can we get along ?" And this is the very element that is fking up our beloved nation. PEOPLE WITH HUGE EGOS Its this mentality... I went to the best school in the world therefore my idea is better than yours. They say two heads are better than one but in this particular instance it seems like egoes clash before the heads get togather. Which sure is a huge problem in Nepal. |
| smp | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 01:11 PM
quoting ashu: "the fact remains that we have VERY little influence to change anything for real in Nepal" ashu, are you implying that we should wash our hands off from doing anything or just some things that seem grander than what we can swallow? if latter, who judges what we can swallow? quoting ashu again: "If a policy-paper FAILS to make it through the political maze, then, let's be honest enough to admit that it's not much of a policy, to begin with." ashu, is your argument analogous to this: if a politician fails to win an election, she isn't much of a politician? if so, should we discount attempts people make at anything, many of which fail? are you advocating NOT doing anything? |
| Deep | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 01:12 PM
la....la.....la......feri yo thread pani chadke hinna lagyo......katako kuro kata pugna lagyo...... ghagh ghagh chhan bhaleharu....kaslai ke bhannu.... |
| Logical Sense | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 01:16 PM
Well well well!!!! Again same rheoteric! Who is the 'BEST', 'BRAVEST' and 'MOST INTELECTUAL'!!!! Ruck had very bull's eye view about doing small things in your capacity. I add and concur with him about not making it sound 'BIG', 'CHARITY', 'HELP'. But, make it as 'Partnering with Nepal'. Let us not make it as 'Empty Vessels Sounds Much' (Khahare Kasto Gadgadauncha) rather let us make it 'Phal Le Bareko Rukh Ko Hanga Jahile Pani Jhukcha' (Learned people are always modest). All of us are 'Raja' in our own sense. Let us not get bogged down with what you did when you were 22 years old, or when you went as TOKTEN consultant or any other consultant, just focus on one thing, how to put 'Nepal in GLOBAL MAP'. And I know Ashu, Sitara, Arnico, Paschim, Ruck and many others all of you guys/gals have that goal. We may differ on how to achieve but, if we agree on principal so, solution will come out eventually. Also, I believe discipline not only comes from top(down) but from bottom (up) too. Similarly educational, economical and social developments can come from micro level too. It will get carrried to macro level automatically. Let us talk small which has profound effect. So, ultimate question - did you do your part of 'Partnering with Nepal' lately? Yes Logical Sense did: This year LS contributed in the endeavor of his villagers to upgrade his old high school into 10+2 high school. Most of the work was done by my village friends and relatives, but, I feel proud of myself in bing there when they needed most. I along with my village friends and family will be extremely satisfied when around 100 students graduate from their in next two years, 50% of whom had to forego their higher education for lack of funding to attend 'city' college. Education my dear education is the Key....... Onto Next year's (education and related) agenda................ - iti |
| hard_ | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 01:16 PM
Ruck, Great initiation. Hope you will come up with more of this "applicable n pragmatic" ideas. ----------------------------- a follower of great deeds. And for who the erudites with complications: Visit today's cartoon section here in sajha http://www.sajha.com/sajha/html/links.cfm?width=750&weburl=http://www.glasbergen.com/images/toon.gif |
| jira | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 01:29 PM
Deep! yasto lai chadke hanya bhannu hunna, bankutey hanya bhannu parcha. Remember! dhobi khela ko dauldauley baluwa ma dubya belama ekkasi badhee ayera bankutey hanna parya.... |
| ruck | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 01:29 PM
Sajha welcomes anyone who wants to post anything BUT please have some decency not to divert this thread.. you may always start a new one.. leave this be for people who think "little" and can do "little" LIKE ME!!! |
| ashu | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 01:53 PM
SMP asked: "ashu, are you implying that we should wash our hands off from doing anything or just some things that seem grander than what we can swallow? if latter, who judges what we can swallow?" No. All I am implying is that if we CONTINUE to walk down the path of drafting new and sexy policies in Nepal year after year on all sorts of issues, then our influence will be all the more diminished. That is why, to increase influence, it's time for some of us to pause and take a hard and academically rigorous look at why so many of Nepal's policies fail -- time after time. Are there general lessons that we can learn? My worry is that we in Nepal seem to confuse "policy-activities" with "policy-results", when those remain ( at least, in my mind) as two distinct entities. This is one reason why I had that philosophical objection to the kind of work Paschim pursued in Nepal. Most of the reports, for instance, written by/for/at the National Planning Commission through the assistance of various donors, are good. But the question is: When and if the reports are good, why then do they go on to fail -- either on a political/electroral level or at the level of implementation? What's going on? Are our planners idiot-savants? Or, rational fools? As answers, it's not enough anymore to say that the government is jhoor or that politicians are chor, and all that usual stuff. This is what I was implying by slamming hard on what I perceived to be the dominant "policy-activities" equal "policy results" theme. *********** SMP wrote: quoting ashu again: "If a policy-paper FAILS to make it through the political maze, then, let's be honest enough to admit that it's not much of a policy, to begin with." ashu, is your argument analogous to this: if a politician fails to win an election, she isn't much of a politician? if so, should we discount attempts people make at anything, many of which fail? are you advocating NOT doing anything? ************* Ashu's response: To put it very smply, a public policy, by definition, presupposes public approval. One way to measure that public approval is by seeing whether the policy makes the "political cut" -- at the cabinet, or at the Paliament and so on ad on. If the policy does not make the political cut, hence not make also the public cut, then, it's not much a policy. This was my point. You can introduce an unpopular policy, and ram it down the people's throat, but in a democracy, there's always this danger that voters will throw you out in the next elections. If that happens, your policy too dies with your defeat at the polls. If so, that's the end of your policy. My point is NOT that policies should not fail (they will fail!) but the chances of their failing can be reduced by studying/debating what went wrong in the past and why, much as a pathologist adds to the knowledge about human bodies by studying the anatomy of corpses. oohi ashu ktm,nepal |
| ruck | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 03:54 PM
In my own small way I tried only to share an idea of what I was doing to contribute to the poor children for their education in Nepal but to my dismay, some people on sajha have totally ruined the thread, not with their egos but the pride. With this “save-a-coin” idea, I only thought each one of us can see the changes we can bring in a poor child’s life. Of course there might be many amongst us who can contribute more than the sum we collect at the end of the year but writing a check at the end of the year for a favorite charity is an act of pity while consciously putting aside some coins every day to help someone in dire need is just a baby step towards building a relationship with people of our country and, therefore, an act of compassion. Don't ruin it any further.... |
| SITARA | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 04:06 PM
Ruck ji Your intentions are well understood and appreciated. Those of us non intellectuals and non analyzing types support your effort. Keep it up. :) |
| Logical Sense | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 04:12 PM
Ruck, I am overwhelmed with your passion. Salute my friend, keep the light burning. Also, my two cents to you. There is no need to beg for keeping this thread focused on the issue you raised. We can not and should not dictate what can be and should be written by any posters. But, democracy works! It is automatic that the polluters will realize the fact and will be ashamed of themselves and leave the thread alone. So, back to the main point. Anyone who is going to do any 'Partnering' in Nepal starting TODAY and NOW (don't postpone for tomorrow, tomorrow never comes.....)? - iti |
| SITARA | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 04:17 PM
Ashu ji Congratulations hajur! Your attempts at "correcting' , "justifying" and "proving" have just made us exercise our rights to disagree with you! You outdo yoursel, hajur in abrasive, insensitive and obnoxious behaviour. You could have atleast left this one thread alone... which was started with good intentions! There is much to be said about a person who hangers after the little, mean, petty "victories" of life!!! But hey, if that is what floats your boat and fuels your intellectual engine..... I wish you my positive Diwali energy and hope that you can channelize some of your energy into positive/productive aisles! |
| ruck | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 05:16 PM
Logical Sense, Passion always brings out the best in everybody.. I am not "begging" just reinforcing... sorry if that has offended you or anyone else here.. you are free not to even glance at this thread if you don't want to.... lets give each other some space to breath. |
| smp | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 05:26 PM
ashu, your distinction between "policy activities" and "policy results" and skepticism to equate the two are understandable. and true, one needs to question why despite good "policy activities," "policy results" are not being obtained. unfortunately, this did not come through in your first post, at least for me. rather i took the theme of it to be about how paschim and arnico got to be involved with the project and how you had reservation about that process. having said that though, i would like to again bring up what you said later: "if the policy does not make the political cut, hence not make also the public cut, then, it's not much a policy." if the decision makers and power holders are from the right, no, or very few, policies from the left will be politically viable and vice versa. that does not mean that those policies are not much of policies. true, makers and advocates of those policies could very well do better in terms of making those policies more appealing to both sides but that is not always possible. the merits of a policy isn't always dependent on whether that policy makes the political cut. rather it is more about what it seeks to do and how. political support is too elastic and elusive a concept to judge policies solely by although i do agree that it is an important criterion. besides, from what i read of paschim's email, his and arnico's work was very much politically feasible in terms of politicians and decision makers taking it seriously until the government was disbanded a few weeks ago. and why, despite having been taken seriously by those who matter, those policies still might not bear any "policy results" is, as i said earlier, is a valid question. but much of the answer, i don't think, lies in stopping, pausing or destructively criticizing the "policy activities". but unfortunately, i do not know where exactly the answer is. i leave that to the yodas in this forum such as yourself. anyway, despite some heated volleys of words, and quite acerbic at that in some parts, it's been good reading sajha.com after so long. keep posting, you all. off to my own "policy activities" in a different part of the world than where you or paschim are. smp |
| smp | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 05:31 PM
earlier, i meant to say paschim's post, not email. smp |
| dry | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 06:03 PM
Ruck, Your effort is well-intentioned and very much appreciative. I scold myself for not realizing such a good thing. You have lightened me brother and all those coins i have collected for laundry, i will start collecting some for the better purpose from now on. aankha kholdyo yesle ta mero...good job man..keep it up...i hope you will collect a healthy sum and most of us will do the same thing.... and to all those sajha intellectuals, can't you hear what Ruck said, lets keep better suggestions coming and donot divert this thread to becoming a hodbaji of "ME MYSELF AND IRENE".... get life guys common, atleast somebody has shown some effort to do something for our country...can't you maybe provide constructive suggestions rather then engaging yourself in some nonsense debate.... good job ruck....very happy with your idea.... |
| cardinal | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 06:23 PM
ruck ji, If you are really interested in the coin a day thing , and are solely working for betterment of NEPAL then I don't see why you should care about whether your thread is diverting or not. The divergence of your thread does not suddenly fail your mission. The ideas being discussed here are great but if you feel it does not pertain to your mission, I think you should feel free to start another thread. Because it is the misssion and not the continuance of thread that is important. Desh ko lagi esta hajjarau thread haru kurbaaaan, kaso? |
| ruck | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 07:02 PM
Cardinal Ji, "United we Stand, Divided we Fall" is all I can say... guess this speaks for itself... |
| Arnico | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 07:06 PM
What a difference a day can make in the life of a thread! To Ruck and to all others interested in seeing this thread go forward as a discussion about ways that Nepalis abroad in their own small ways can proceed with making a difference for Nepal: I sincerely apologize about my carelessness in planting a seed that could blow up like this. NOW LET'S MOVE ON. A thread does not die unless we let it. 15-20 more postings about the initial topic, and that hijacking attempt will just be a distant memory for most of us who don't go around opening the entire thread all the time. I would like to bring back one of the main points that I was trying to make in my initial posting: that it is really great for us all individually to do our part. For the time being, for many of us, that does involve startinga khutruke with coins. I will do so too. ...but then, at some point in the future, when we all have full khutruke's, I hope that we can do better than just each of us acting alone... that we can coordinate our actoins, perhaps by using a forum like this as well as other ways of communicating, to do larger projects together and to achieve results that individual efforts added up alone would not be able to do. I am not just talking about saving wire-transfer fees by combining sending money to Nepal... but more along the lines of... instead of many of us helping buy medicine, we could combine our donations and buy an ambulance... or, rather than giving out individual scholarships, at great personal cost of finding the neediest children, we can establish or suport an existing scholarship foundation that can find them for us... or build a school or a hospital... that we together can do things that we cannot as individuals, but that we can all be proud of. The possibilities in the future are limited by our ability to dream, to imagine, and then to find ways of achieving those. For the time being, an obvious way forward is the setting aside regular amounts of money for future good work. Thank you Ruck for suggesting. I am sure that, some time in the future, when many of us are sitting around with full khutrukes... we can respond much more rapidly, happily, and generously when a brilliant idea or an urgent need arises ... if we already have the "do-good-for-Nepal" money set aside and waiting for such opportunities. Meanwhile... let us continue also to discuss ways of doing things that involve little money, but perhaps labor or coordination. To collect together resources that already exist and channel them to something more useful. Sending old college books to a library instead of keeping them in boxes in a friend's basement, for example. I don't htink I am saying anything novel or new here... but I do want to help out with generating enthusiasm and participation here.... Arnico. |
| ashu | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 08:12 PM
Sitara-ji, Thank you for your colorful adjectives, hurled under the glare of Diwali lights. What can I say, except repeat it bluntly and honestly that you have the right NOT to comment on postings you don't like. We don't get everything we want in life or on sajha.com, and that's that. ********** SMP wrote: "the merits of a policy isn't always dependent on whether that policy makes the political cut. rather it is more about what it seeks to do and how. political support is too elastic and elusive a concept to judge policies solely by although i do agree that it is an important criterion." Look, this is the kind of stuff they teach you at policy schools, and they are wrong. In the real world, full of partisan people, and especially in Nepal, the shifting, the fluid and the changing politics IS everything for making policies. The concept is elastic and elusive only to policy-school academics who know this intuitively but find it hard to incorporate politics as a significant variable into their mathemetical models. And the prevalent thinking is: Anything that you can't model doesn't exist. That is why, I say that sooner you accept that reality and understand reasons that may lead to policy-failures (by studying past examples in Nepal's case), the better you can buffer your policies against political shocks. This was my point. Else, one can go on creating and drafting new, sexy and technical feasible policies all the time, and take that as an evidence of results when there is the usual DISJOINT between drafting policies and getting measurable positive results. Drafting policies (A) is a relatively easy thing to do. Getting measurable positive results (B) is very hard to do. Unless we have a way to get B, talking only about A (like we i Nepal do in every Five-Year Plans) is merely reinventing the wheel. That said, without CONTINUOUSLY supportive politics over a relatively long haul (say, for about 4 to 5 years), no academically sound policies matter. It's as simple as that. There is no question of what would have been, what could have been and what should have been. The question is: What is as it is and how can policies make it better. And supportive politics that push a policy all the way to a decent end-result (that can be measured is very hard to achieve in Nepal. One good example community forestry (for its relative success) comes to mind, and until recently the then government was about to do a about-face on that successful example. Look at Nepal's efforts at privatizing state industries, at providing housing for ex-kamaiyas, at making it easier for businesses to get credit and so on. Each of those policy issues started off with brilliantly written papers by Nepali and foreign consultants. But the results have been khattam to mixed. Now, one can say that that's life and move on. Or one can, like I do in my own way -- at the risk of being Mr. Unpopular in some quarters -- demand MORE from those who make/set policies by questioning their approach. oohi ashu ktm,nepal That is why, |
| najar | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 08:16 PM
Ruck ji, your idea is great. Your idea complemented with Arnico's collected effort is "Soon ma Sugandha". Folk, lets coordinate our efforts and head towards a broader, common goal. We can get much more accomplished with our efforts combined. This is just a microcosm--there are so many nepalis/non-nepalis interested in contributing, we just have to spread the word and get them involved. When i was in college, we did a fundraising by selling a raffle (.25c/raffle) as a community service project and people were free to donate more money if they wished. That small effort in a month collected a few hundred bucks that we were able to send to an organizationin Nepal, which had started a school for needy children by contributing their paycheck deduction. Ofcourse, i did not mean to bring this up to praise myself :) --but that selling a raffle can be one idea of fundraising--that way its something fun and you can explain the cause. Thanks Arnico for further polishing the idea. I am all for group effort. p.s----To all the concerned parties, all the poster should be welcomed in the thread to give the opinions as they please--whether it be directly relevant to the topic or distantly related. The defense, discussion, arguments do not digress the interest that we all have. People can always skip their part should they find it unpleasant. As we know the defendants too have contributed to Nepal in various ways. Friends, refrain from calling them names or tell them to do this/that. This is a SAJHA/PUBLIC forum and all of us have freedom to express ourselves as we see it fit. |
| ashu | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 08:33 PM
Najar wrote: "p.s----To all the concerned parties, all the poster should be welcomed in the thread to give the opinions as they please--whether it be directly relevant to the topic or distantly related. The defense, discussion, arguments do not digress the interest that we all have. People can always skip their part should they find it unpleasant. As we know the defendants too have contributed to Nepal in various ways. Friends, refrain from calling them names or tell them to do this/that. This is a SAJHA/PUBLIC forum and all of us have freedom to express ourselves as we see it fit." Thank you Najar for this very sensible opinion. To use a metaphor, Sajha.com is like Kathmandu ko Tundhikhel, owned by the Nepali government (i.e. San, in this case) but OPEN to all, without one group of people telling others what they should do in what one part of the Tundikhel and what they should not do in other parts of Tundikhel, and so on. oohi ashu ktm,nepal |
| ruck | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 08:41 PM
You Win Ashu.. pour out as much as you want doesn't cost a dime.... |
| ashu | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 09:16 PM
Ruck, I win ONLY when you realize -- very clearly and once and for all -- that even though you did start this thread, that gives you NO ownership rights of any kind to tell people what they should post here and what they should not post. Until then, FYI, I do NOT win. :-) ***** That said, on a larger level, to move your thread back to where you started, I must confess to all of you that I -- living and working in Nepal and seeing how much MONEY there already is in Nepal -- am a little tired of all these "let's collect money and send to the poor in Nepal" approach which remains uncritically popular among Nepalis abroad. Expecations are so easily high that some seem to expect and want applause and compliments and uninterrupted attention for merely announcing their decisions to collect money and send it to Nepal. For a change, how about saying: Our country is in a goddamn mess. Let's return, with our education, skills, contacts and ideas to make the best of what we can by persevering against the odds, against the obstacles, by taking leadership and by working hard so that the the kind of Nepal we dream of can be realized WITHIN our life-time? But we can't say that, can we? That's because saying that requires making a solid, long-term and unglamorous commitment to make the task of desh bikas work. And that's boring and can is a bad career move, isn't it? So what do we do? We fall back to writing a few checks here and there, collect a few coins, run the stereotypical scholarship programsin stereoptypical villages and so on and on . . . all in the name of the proverbial poor in Nepal. (NOT that, I hasten to add, there is anything wrong with doing any of that.) ********** To end on a positive note, I salute you for your ideas. oohi ashu ktm,nepal |
| protean | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 09:20 PM
First of all congratulations to Ruck for generating this thread. Your idea is a simple one, but could end up resulting in a very positive outcome. As the saying goes, “thopa thopa milera sagaar bancha", this is certainly a stride in that direction, and therefore, I highly commend you and everyone discussing this matter to move along that front. To everyone, it is a very lively discussion of issues that are very pertinent to what the young of today could be working towards, or how they could engage themselves to facilitate, or enable ways of being the catalyst of progress. What has always got to be remembered is, that change is not instantaneous, and neither should economic betterment and social upliftment be looked as some objective that can be reached overnight. Issues such as implementing public policy as has been alluded to, certainly need to revisited. Perhaps, there are considerations that we need to delve into, and that it's time to amend the way these policy matters are decided. Perhaps, we need to stop thinking within the box and think out of the box for some time. It has been shown time and again that the generally the intellectuals' and practitioners great ideas are either thwarted or simply brushed aside, and end up having no impact whatsoever in our country. I feel that it is not just the bureaucracy, the planners, the system, political environment, and the people in power (and those who choose to elect them) who're to blame, a correlation amongst them. Instead of embarking on grandiloquent visions of "desh ko bikash garne yojanas" without an effective means of executing them doesn't result in success; a more thorough analysis and executive strategy needs to be in place. We got to start thinking and acting differently. The time has dawned upon us not to blindly follow the traditional model of doing things –while devising the policy making and long term plans of the country--, but at the same time being nihilistic, is not the answer to these issues at hand. This forum is a valid testament of the way such an idea can be espoused and put into effect. All of these discussions that are being ensued (at least in this thread) sure prove that there is optimism and call for change in the air. And that's what we should gear our energies towards. We should at the same time bot digress from the fact that small and simple act-- those, which are not thought of as something that would propel major changes, -- do create waves. I think, the time has come now to pursue such activities. It is the spirit with which this idea was brought to light that needs to be encouraged and promoted. This thread, although would digress at times--which should not be taken personally as each should be able to express their opinions, but should not divert and end in personal vendettas-- should be pushed further so that we start acting on this proposed program soon. . It has been time when all of us who are empathetic towards Nepal, should work in a more coherent and focused manner as far as voluntary and community work is concerned. We have to always remember that we are not better than whom we're and/ will be working for/with, and we should never forget that although, this move seems less impacting and is not as an illustrious approach, it's by working with this mindset (of not thinking maile yo kaam garera ke nai hunch ra), that real changes for the better happens. There are some Nepali organizations based in the US (that have started working in such directions) and some library projects based in the US that also work in that direction. Perhaps, we should start to either coordinate to work with them, or start a web based voluntary and contributions (of money, books to name a few) site with that goal in mind. A more concerted effort is certainly the need of the hour. The mission should have a collective voice and a central theme, "that you can make a difference, and your actions and thought counts”. The objectives ought to be very clear and focused. Then, I think, we will be able to work towards such a program. After all, the worst thing to do is not to do anything. Ambulances, computers, heloing libraries, schools, helping the victims of the war and violence in our country are examples. What Arniko proposed is valid, and so is the idea of supporting the social science library which were brought into this discussion thread earlier. Given, the current crisis in our country, acts like these become imperative. So, let's get the ball rolling. Protean |
| protean | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 09:25 PM
I stand corrected: Instead of embarking on grandiloquent visions of "desh ko bikash garne yojanas" without an effective means of executing them--which doesn't result in success-- a more thorough analysis and strategy needs to be in place. We should at the same time not digress ... Protean |
| sparsha | Posted
on 18-Oct-02 10:12 PM
Ashu wrote: "For a change, how about saying: Our country is in a goddamn mess. Let's return, with our education, skills, contacts and ideas to make the best of what we can by persevering against the odds, against the obstacles, by taking leadership and by working hard so that the the kind of Nepal we dream of can be realized WITHIN our life-time? " If I remember correctly, you have said in the past "You don't have to come to Nepal to serve Nepal. You can use your education, skills, contacts, and ideas from wherever you are to make Nepal a better Nepal" or something similar to this effect in the past. I think what you also said through your postings to Nepalis in foreign lands " If you want to come to Nepal for yourself then that's fine but don't come to poor Nepal (just?) for Desh Bikas". Now, what made you write the above paragraph today? May I ask? But we can't say that, can we? That's because saying that requires making a solid, long-term and unglamorous commitment to make the task of desh bikas work. And that's boring and can is a bad career move, isn't it? "So, are you saying "I am doing just this". If yes, then congratulation. So what do we do? We fall back to writing a few checks here and there, collect a few coins, run the stereotypical scholarship programsin stereoptypical villages and so on and on . . . all in the name of the proverbial poor in Nepal. (NOT that, I hasten to add, there is anything wrong with doing any of that.) Even thoug, you're careful to add "NOT that, I hasten to add, there is anything wrong with doing any of that", you have clearly ridiculed, at least that's what I think, the idea of writing few checks here and there, collect a few coins, or any effort by Nepali people in other countries to help fellow people in Nepal in anyway they can by saying " We fall back to writing a few checks here and there, collect a few coins, run the stereotypical scholarship programsin stereoptypical villages and so on and on . . . all in the name of the proverbial poor in Nepal." "come to Nepal for good with your goddamn ideas and commitments. If you can't do that then keep your damn pennies to yourself" this is what I felt you were saying in the above posting. I respect your right to express your ideas but I just wanted to say I didn't like what you wrote here today in this thread. Of course, I am not saying what you are saying "Let's return, with our education, skills, contacts and ideas to make the best of what we can by persevering against the odds, against the obstacles, by taking leadership and by working hard so that the the kind of Nepal we dream of can be realized WITHIN our life-time" is wrong but why discourage people who want to help nepal and fellow nepalis in any noble way they can? Just writing "I salute your idea" is not enough. Why ridicule an idea you salute? |
| Nixon | Posted
on 19-Oct-02 12:54 AM
Sparsha, I understand what you mean. Ashu, also wrote that return to Nepal, after you have money and experience. It is dammn true and realty. IF you really wish to fight with the wrongs and odds, then, return to Nepal under two extreme condition: 1. Don't have money, but has enough knowledge and JAGAR, guts, then return to Nepal. But, don't think of getting married and having kids. They will be obstacle to your goal. You need to feed them, the life is different before and after you marry and have kids. Who is going to feed them? Did you read the story on CP Mainali approaching to US amabssador to send his son to America? Well, KPB was not virgin, and you can have sex but no marriage. Just don't commit a mistake of "pet bokaune kaam" by mistake. 2. Well, if you have enough money, then, come get marry, have kids, send them to good schools as weekly boarder and run your fights with the fu*king politicicans. You can remain honest. Like Pratyush, you will also put in weekly as corrupt, chor fataha, ... to distract you from the track and you can continue to win if you don't indulge in any corruptions or misleading jobs. If you don't fall in those two categories, then, you are just a big mouth who finally become corrupt like those who fought for Bahudal 12years back are now Dhade Biralo. |
| Nixon | Posted
on 19-Oct-02 01:20 AM
If you don't have money and still want to continue to fight with corruption and odds. And, if you get married, then, your marriage will not last long. Either you have to leave your fight, and find a nice job and spend all the time in that job, no extra time left for you to fight the corruption and odds. The politics in Nepal is done either by upper class peoples who has enough money to survive droughts or by extremely cunning and bankrupted peoples "abara (no job, no family, no wife, no kids)" who has nothing to lose. In a country where majority of peoples are under the poverty line, the rich can not get vote, the way a "abara" can get. A "abara" politicians can promise and give many dreams that can never be fulfilled, and unfortunately, he does not have a bit of feeling that to fulfill his dreams, the culprit is resource, not the power. Such "abara" when reach to top realize that political power is not the ultimate resource to fulfill the promises he gave to public during election campaign, thus, realize that he can not remain in power long time. So, he rush to grab as much as he can. This is what happened with CP Mainali, this is what happened with Bhim Rawal, this is what happened with Bamdev, this is what happened with Bal Bahadur KC, this what happened with Chiranjibi wagle and Govinda Raj Joshi. They were all Abara, no experience of importance of monetary resouce, but, always thought political power will fulfill their promise with the public. Once they reached to top, they found empty hand, no means to fulfill, as mentioned above, started feeling insecured and rushed to grab money and money and money.... Paisa shibaye aur kuch dikhai nahi de rahahe. So, its easy to dream, but, its difficult to be honest leader in a poor country. Don't dream of being honest leader if you are married or think of getting marrying "chwak" taruni and having cute kids from her.... That will be costly to your pride and goal. When you have wife and kids, you will sacrifice all your dreams and goals to honesty in their name, head for becoming a great corrupt of the century. Ashu must have realized the hurdles set by limited monetary resource, and his advice should be taken positively. Well, you might say, I have bajeko sampati, bajeko sampati le kati din pugcha, if you don't have your own when you live in costly town like Kathmandu. If you don't fall on those two categories, and if you are not "ABARA", then, forget dreaming impossible honest leader. Well, dreaming is good, but, you should not set it as your final goal, when its impossible to attain. I want to dream to Moon in my pocket, but, ........ I want to dream to be yeti to climb everest. |
| SMR | Posted
on 19-Oct-02 02:33 AM
Folks, Despite some cyber arguments, this thread does seem to send a signal with human touch, which is quite refreshing amid all the bickering and big policy talks. It also raises an important question that I will touch upon later. What Ruck started is a noble idea. Even though the pennies may be pennies in the bucket, it’s the thought that counts too. These small ideas might get bigger, and in Nepalese village even a $100 bill can go a long way. I have done volunteering work in a small village in a remote district, and I know the hardship they go through everyday. (I don’t mean to say that no one has done any volunteering work in Nepal. Please hold your response on this one.) The recent new about a Nepali in the East Coast (an engineer) raising hundreds of thousands $ to establish 13 or so scholarships cannot be considered trivial. Similarly, some doctors taking a rare memogram equipment to Nepal several years ago made a splash. Lately though people in Kathmandu too do play with big bucks and rich people have begun to donate money for various causes. I say, more power to them. All ideas big or small count, and we should not be disparaging them. Big policy stuff as well as small piggy banks do work mysteriously one way or the other. Nepal needs both. A healthy criticism of certain policy paper is one think, but a blanket dismissal of such work, even for Nepal, is wrong. I have done my fair share of work along these line too, both as a reviewer as well as a publisher. Some are garbage and many are quite relevant and useful. I was given an opportunity to review a policy paper looking into a possible e-management system for a municipality in Nepal. It was wonderful. That said, I can understand the cynicism that one may have regarding policy work conducted on Nepal by various agencies and experts. Amid a series of corrupt governments and bickering politicians who are hell bent on grinding the country on the ground, it is very hard to develop any appreciation for more policy work. But with a bunch of rent seekers running around in the valley, what do you expect? On a related note, a Nepali in SF left his job and recently went to Nepal to open an orphanage near Godawari called Ama Ghar, I think. There are 30 or so kids of which more than half are girls collected from all over Nepal. They constantly are need for money. These kids live in a rented house. I am sure even $100 that you can raise here, Ruck, will be appreciated by them. Educationwise, some of these kids are class toppers. Maybe, each Sajha cyber honcho can adopt a kid in that Ghar and take responsibility of educating him or her, or at least partially support them on a monthly basis. Our own Adopt a kid program, if you will. Maybe, a homepage can be launched especially for that cause here on the Shaja.com. Just a thought! About going to Nepal and being a Deshbhakta, it is easier said than done. I have many Nepalese friends, US educated (whatever that means), smart, and well established, who regularly do their Nepal lip-service during the gatherings. Some think about Nepal genuinely and others just love to talk about it. When I went to USAID with a proposal for Nepal one time, I was virtually given a blank check for it, but the requirement was that I had to run it myself. Their angle was that many people had used such opportunity to advance their own career with a very little commitment for the institution. (e.g, CEDA) That meant giving up my career here in this country and perhaps uprooting my family. I am working on stuff with a slight different approach. |
| Nixon | Posted
on 19-Oct-02 03:56 AM
SMR Bhanchan: That meant giving up my career here in this country and perhaps uprooting my family. Tyasaile nepal banaune kura jo chan ni ti sab hattia dekhaune daat hun. Garib, ra middle class Nepali le politics bhanne sapana matra ho dekhne, and tyo pugne wala sapana hoina. tyasaile khurukka afno family banau, sakchou bhane ek dui garib ka chhora chhori lai sponsor gara. Tara bismat ko kura, Tyo babu ram lai V. Thomas la padhayo, SLC ma All Nepal First pani banayo, aba ahile thomas kai khutta banchara le katyo. Tyasaile Abara lai padhau da bichar gara, tyaslai ajhakalcho half cooked garera nachhoda. Natra timrai ghar ma pahila agho laucha tyasle. Sarpa lai dudh diyera hunna, pahile tysko bis nikaler fala, ani balla dudh khuwau, ani chatak dekhau khula manch ma lagera or let him be free in jungle once s.he grows up, so that it does not kill another human being. Don't raise another BRB to become another V. Thomas, but, raise Upendra Devkota and be proud of him. |
| Soleil | Posted
on 19-Oct-02 07:05 AM
Hana, Agra kura garda Gagra kina aaunchha huh bichma? Yo gobre buddhile bhyauna sakena. Hey Vidhya padheka badadami mahanubhav haru, hajur haru maha purush, maha gyani, hajuur haru jasto Desh ko chintak ra sewak aru chhainan yo sansaar ma. Brahmma ji lai dhanyabaad. Ruck le dushkritya garyo. Din ko 5 cents bhaye ni bachayera Nepal ka garib bidhyarthi lai kehi garchhu bhanne utsah le. Yo nikkai thulo aparaadh ho. Ruck ko tarfa bata ma maafi magchhu. Hajuur haru lai aa-aafno mapai dekhaundai ma fursad kahan ra tyo 5 cents lai dhyaan dine? Je hos, Sajha ma ajhai prashasta thaun chha jasto lagchha ra San Bro le mind gardaina hola pani, yeha haru ko alter ego le jati nai bhuke pani. Kripaya beglai thread suru gare kaso hola? Nepali ukhaan chha ni, najaane gaun ko batai nasodhnu. Ruck, bhukne kukurle tokdaina. Keep up the good inspiration. |
| ashu | Posted
on 19-Oct-02 10:48 AM
Sparsha, Enjoyed reading your points. But in the interest of fairness, you must have noticed that I PREFACED my statements by saying: "For a change, how about . . ." "For a change" meant that I was going to think aloud and entertain a DIFFERENT point of view . . . which, as you read, I did. Hope this makes sense to you. You know, since there are NO easy answers to many of the questions are are all asking in our own way, I am just trying to look at Nepal-related issues from various angles. That's all. oohi ashu ktm,nepal |
| SMR | Posted
on 19-Oct-02 10:55 AM
Ruck: Ama Foundation's link, in case if you are interested: http://www.ama-foundation.org/ABOUT.html |
| SMR | Posted
on 19-Oct-02 01:01 PM
Instead of saying “it meant uprooting my family,” some alternate explanations widely used by many Nepalis in the US: I need some practical experience before going to Nepal. A good stable job will help me build my vitae. What I learnt here has very limited application or relevance to Nepal, so my filed of study binds me to this land. I am doing it for my kids’ education. But, I have a plan to spend six months here and six months in Nepal-- after I retire. I know, I know, someone is already typing: “How about, “I need to get a green card, make some dollars here man, and start talking about Deshbikash.” That said, I like what Ruck is trying to do. |
| ruck | Posted
on 19-Oct-02 01:05 PM
SMR, thanks for the wonderful link... hope we can do something similar... for all the positive ones, lets keep this going.. |
| Protean | Posted
on 19-Oct-02 03:33 PM
Enough enthusiasm has been generated in this front and it's time to turn this into a concerted effort. Let's create a yahoogroups called 'least we can do" and venture into this path. The objective(s) could be in the realm of , but not limited to assisting the education of children in Nepal and could be conducted initially with helping with the building of small libraries as Ruck and several others have time and again alluded to. I opine that this idea should not be limited to those abroad ,but should try to engage people in Nepal. I feel then only changes (in whatever degrees) can happen. Ruck as you're the initiator of this idea, I urge you to start this yahoogroup. Few sites, which could be used for your research (besides AMA), are Room to Read (http://www.roomtoread.org/) and READ (http://www.mythsandmountains.com/2000/projects/tour.cfm). It has been mentioned here earlier that of instead of embarking on such campaigns of sending checks from abroad, why don't people just pack up everything and come and help build Nepal? I think everyone can choose what they want to do with and where /how they want to spend their lives. "To each their own". It is not a question of just going to Nepal and help build a nation, but the fundamental question that should be posited is, to what level can we focus our positive energies in different arenas where improvements are needed? If some people (students and others) want to start a project like this, they should be welcome to, and if some of those who want to send some contributions back home (utilizing various means of collecting them),then such a gesture ought to be encouraged,too. What has to be remebered is, that those who’re invloved in activities of such nature are getting into it in the way they're able to -- in their existing situation-- and the way they feel they should be engaged. It is the spirit with which such ideas are brought about that should be appreciated and not dismissed. But, interestingly enough pouring money (and help in kind) with compassion is only touching the tip of the iceberg. It has to be ensured that the ideas and contributions do take concrete shape and are enacted indeed. That's where some of the some projects or ideas attempted seem to fail. The proper execution, transparency, and accountability seem to be some of the elements that needs to be delved into any of these plans (big scale or small sized). Ruck, you might want to put these considerations in your proposed venture. We're aware that there are different ways of skinning the cat. Ideas and actions are necessary in all areas and inputs and contributions are paramount. We've to remember that we can, and will be able to work towards activities with zeal as long as we're passionate about them. And they can be either small scale or grand and they have their own place in society. Therefore, I request Ruck to start to create this group and invite those who are interested to participate in this endeavor. So, start on it soon before the zeal gets dampened. Protean |
| ruck | Posted
on 19-Oct-02 05:59 PM
Thank you everyone for the wonderful ideas you all have shared in this thread. I have initiated a yahoo group “Least We Can We Do”. Friends, to start with, the goal of supporting schools and children’s education in our country is a good place for collective action. When I was working with poor children in the “not so remote” part of Nepal, the condition of the children I worked with was completely unacceptable by any standards of human decency – they were deprived of the very basic things like food and clothes, leave alone books and stationeries. With this thought in mind, lets take this to msn group (like Protean’s suggested) to make concrete plans. I appeal to all the friends who’ve supported the “save-a-coin-a-day” idea to take one step forward and be a member of this group, give suggestions and make plans of what steps to take next. see you here http://groups.msn.com/LeastWeCanDoforNepali Ruck |
| ashu | Posted
on 19-Oct-02 09:37 PM
Sanjog Rupakheti at Trinity College, If you are reading this, could you -- at your free time -- please post a summary here of what you and other researchers found about philanthrophy in Nepal? That will of informative value to all of us -- Sajha readers. Though I like Ruck's idea and others' ideas too, one challenge we in Nepal continue to face is: how to MOBILIZE the tons of money already in Nepal in private hands for philanthropic activities. From what I understand, Tewa, a Nepali organization, uses NO donor/foreign funds, and raises money from Nepalis in Nepal. http://www.catmando.com/tewa/ oohi ashu ktm,nepal |
| Arnico | Posted
on 20-Oct-02 12:10 AM
What Ashu is pointing out addresses a different issue, a different problem, to be dealt with by a different set of people. Yes, it sure is worth learning about, but it side-tracks the discussion here (and thus deserves a different thread). Here we are having a discussion among people who for whatever reason (educational, personal) are at the moment outside of Nepal, but wishing to contribute to a worthwhile cause in ways that are accessible to us. I have no doubts that there is money in Nepal waiting for a cause. But finding that cause is better done by people who are in positions of being able to implement things. At the same time, it is ALSO true that there are many projects in Nepal that are not happening because of lack of funds, and many more that are 100% supported by foreign aid. Wouldn't it be better if the source of aid came from a loyal and reliable Nepali diaspora instead of from governments of foreign countries? Ashu referes to donor/foreign funds. That is NOT the topic of discussion here. The topic of discussion here is of funds from within the Nepali community. |
| Arnico | Posted
on 20-Oct-02 12:56 AM
Ruck, thanks for starting the group! |
| ashu | Posted
on 20-Oct-02 05:37 AM
Well, Arnico, the fact is that UNMODERATED internet discussions such as these ones can spill over in any directions, and it's hard to say conclusively which kura falls within the purview of a given topic and which does not. Unless Sajha discussions get moderated, none of us are in any position to declare who can post what under what topic and so on and on. This is simply accepting the reality AS IT IS, and NOT wishing that things were different. ***** On a related note, though I do applaud the initiatives taken by Nepalis abroad, I wish that they would be more CREATIVE about spending their money IN ADDITION TO the usual scholarship for kids n some village. Some unconventional and severely UNDER-funded instances I see around me are as follows: a) How about sponsoring the law education (at the Nepal law Campus or anywhere else] of students from so-called jan-jati backgrounds so that they can go on to make use of the law for the betterent of their communities ? b) How about establishing fellowships in visual and performance arts (areas that are relatively neglected in Nepal) for young and upcoming artists so that they can concentrate on their work for some time without having to worry about money? c) How about giving support to hold, say, "math and science" camps for the brightest Nepali science and math students? Or, even supporting a REGULARLY anual Software Competition for high school kids? Or even debate camps so that tomorrw's students become more articulate and better at holding public discourse? d) How about giving support to many poor SLC-failed sudents to pay for tutorials so that they can hope to pass the damn exam and aspire to be at least a hulaki? e) How about giving support to young people to pay for trainings on plumbing, carpentry and bijuli-fitting and so on so that they can go to the Gulf countries to earn money to be sent to their parents and relatives? And so on and on. IT's my belief that it's a CRIME that the government does not take the task of educating our kids seriously. This is one area in which we should put our resources to lobby the goverment to do its job and NOT continue to make its life easier by taking its responsibilities on our shoulders and by duplicating the efforts it is supposed to be doing. That's all. oohi "looking for some creativity in these matters" ashu ktm,nepal |
| Arnico | Posted
on 20-Oct-02 09:49 AM
Ashu, those are some very good ideas! Thanks a lot. (sorry, can't write long now, have to run). Arnico. |
| ruck | Posted
on 20-Oct-02 04:22 PM
Criticism cannot dishearten, it can only lead . . . . never loose optimism nor try to foresee the future instead be concern with taking care of the present and together with good friends, we can achieve our goal. Like Gandhi said “What is really needed to make democracy function is not knowledge of facts, but right education” and that is what we should strive towards achieving, educating children in our country today, if only we want to see a better tomorrow . That’s the least we can do, can’t we???? Cheers! |
| Poonte | Posted
on 21-Oct-02 12:27 PM
Thanks, Ashu for some interesting ideas and thoughts related to the thread! :) Well, it's been almost a week now since Ruck started the thread. Plenty of publicity has been made about this--few have pledged and some are still contemplating, while still some others may denounce the whole idea. I, for one, still think it's a good cause to be pursued--it's not only because the thought counts, but I think this is one of those little ways by which many of us can do something. Not all of us are as free, or wealthy enough to get involved in projects of large scales, so this idea of nickle/day would certainly be atractive to many. It's time for some action now! I believe Ruck has started a MSN link (?) called "The least we can do" and we can perhaps mobilize our forces there. ANYONE INTERESTED IN JOINING HANDS WITH US, COULD YOU PLEASE SEND YOUR EMAIL TO RUCK? We need plenty more people willing to join in...I know some of you have already contacted Ruck and (thanks!) and I am sure many more of you are interested in doing so. It's time we geared out rhetoric into action! |
| czar | Posted
on 21-Oct-02 04:02 PM
Poonte, Ruck: I thought a buck a day couln't add up to much, but I was surprised. Here's an excerpt from an article from MSN. ---------------------------------------- To start, all you have to do is take your pocket change at the end of the day and drop it in a jar. If you can do that, and you put away about $1 a day, that's just $7 a week. At the end of the month, you'll have about $30. What's a paltry $30 a month going to do for you? Growing tax-free for 30 years, with a 10% annual return, your investment account will be worth $67,815. ------------------------------------- For those who are interested, the article's URL is listed below. http://moneycentral.msn.com/articles/smartbuy/basics/5307.asp |
| Poonte | Posted
on 21-Oct-02 04:25 PM
czar.. I think Ruck's looking into gathering enough people--large enough so that when cmobined, all those contributions would total a large amount. Yes, it may not still be a lot, but still something every student can afford, hoina? |
| protean | Posted
on 21-Oct-02 04:46 PM
This is a good start Ruck and others. I'll certianly be joining the group that has been created and chip in my two cents (both literally and figuratively) to the cause at hand. As Arnico put it, this is not about analyzing the misappropriation of funds that are currently in Nepal ,but more about using our [Nepali Diaspora's] existing resources to move towards creating a light in the tunnel. Since the government structure has not delivered,as it has purported it would, the onus is on those who want to try to make a difference--no matter the size and/or scope of these plans are. The structure and actions of the executive and decision making bodies should and could improve as we proceed--with increased demand and critical and analytical opinions coming from the public's end. However, just waiting for that to happen would only further delay simple things that could be or might be done. These actions could be happening concurrently. As far discussions on other ways of creatively things are concerend, we can start a thread and also a separte discussion group. That looks like a very valid cause in itself and perhaps could be an extension of this current group's activities if and when these [initial] plans comes into fruition. Anyway, those who want to look at pros/cons of" brain drain" ,please take a look at this old article I had saved. http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=1352810 |
| paramendra | Posted
on 21-Oct-02 05:36 PM
A most positive, creative thread that I discovered only today. Kudos to the participants. I read every message posted. Hola! A few thoughts: (1) There is no one right way to go about it. All ideas are welcome. Diversity is important. Some will retire in the west and still help. Some will never help. Some will talk, and not help. Some will talk, and help even more. Some will "go back," a curious phrase. (2) One of the best ideas I have come across for individuals wanting to help is the Nationwide Scholarship Program. Please contribute. (3) Policy discussions are important. And thanks to forums like Sajha, they can be conducted from anywhere. |
| neel | Posted
on 21-Oct-02 07:35 PM
I concur with Paramendra's assessment of thread--it is positive and creative. By the way Paramendra ji, what is the point behind numbering your points? Do i need to learn them by heart in order to pass some exam? |
| ruck | Posted
on 22-Oct-02 10:56 AM
Thank you friends for your positive replies and all those encouraging notes above. Lets start our journey of "least we can do" . Lets donate books to our schools in Nepal. Most schools and colleges are in need of books for their libraries in Nepal. Lets collect books that our children have outgrown or our own college books that we might not need it anymore and send them to Nepal. Or, we you don't have books lying around that we want to give away, lets BUY cheap book to donate! Books will bring pleasure to numerous children. A gift like a book is like sending a child on an adventure! A book can open up a child's world. Thank you Arnico for offering your help to carry books to Nepal, I will be in touch with you. Ruck |
| protean | Posted
on 22-Oct-02 12:12 PM
Ruck, you might want to check out with the folks at Room to Read which does similar programs. You could get ideas on handling logistics or other suggestions,too. http://www.roomtoread.org Protean |
| ruck | Posted
on 22-Oct-02 08:38 PM
Thanks Protean for the wonderful website. I am so impressed with the room to read org., it's commendable to learn about the kind of services they've been doing to the children in Nepal. I have written to them. Will keep you updated. Ruck |
| protean | Posted
on 25-Oct-02 01:58 PM
Thanks Sitara, Sage, Sally, Poonte, Ruck and those that have shown interest. I agree with all of you that there is no dearth of materials both in Nepali ,and those translated to English. We should consider getting those materials, avaiable in Nepal, to some of the libraries, once we collect some funds here. Few key things we need to remember based on the discussions so far. 1.For now , I would recommend that we start collecting some cash and working towards promoting our simple ideas to those who would be interested 2.Keep our objective of , "the least we can do of collecting quarters/dollars a day," dream alive and not digress 3.Start deciding on a school /library in Nepal whom we're going to interface with 4.Get some pulishing house contacts (suggested by Sitara) in Nepal woked out 5.Get our coordinator(s) in Nepal worked out In the meantime--while we collect funds , and promote this activity here-- we can work with some people in Nepal to get Room to Read (based in Nepal ), to get the books they alerady possess, to the respective libarires that we want them to be taken to. The details to work out seem to be minimal ,and they want volunteers that can help on that front. All, we need are volunteers from our based in Nepal to help in this effort. Have been meeting follks at Room to Read, and I've found a contact in Nepal. His name is Pankaj and his email is pankaj@roomtoread.org. Perhaps,one of us could have someone contact Pankaj and work out details. They seem to have plenty of children and some young adult books. Let's work together and keep this dream alive. Let's also get others invlolved by promoting this through Saja and other web sites where like minded Nepalis can be reached at. Good knowing you all albeit virtually. Protean |
| sally | Posted
on 25-Oct-02 03:01 PM
Do check out Books in Every Home as well. That's www.nepalibooks.org, and it was started by people who have posted at various times on Sajha. We have a space donated for a village library, and have contacts with publishers and writers of books in Nepali. My husband is in Nepal right now (on his own dime) to set things up, buy books and get donations and so on, and we'll also have the ability to follow through after he's back. We're setting up Reader's Clubs and other ways to get the community involved in reading so that it's not just dropping books off and then leaving. Village people of all ages, genders, castes, and levels of literacy are involved--we're trying to make sure the books aren't just limited to schoolchildren but is also available, say, to girls who had to leave school for arranged marriages, or people who've gone to literacy classes, or just people who'd like to read. The only real stipulation is that all books are purchased in Nepal and need to be in Nepali (or an ethnic language if those are available). Room to Read, I believe, does take English books. If anyone would like to know more, pull up the website or contact me thru sajha networking :-) |
| ruck | Posted
on 25-Oct-02 03:16 PM
Hi Protean, Thanks for giving me heather's email add, I have been in touch with her at rooms to read. Below is her response to my email. Lets discuss... Ruck Hi , I just returned from spending 5 months volunteering teachingEnglish and working with an NGO in Nepal - so I can well appreciate your concern for the children and the need for books and schools. Since returning from Nepal, I am volunteering with Room to Read and trying to reach out to the Nepali-American community, to let them know the great work that Room to Read is doing, and to encourage the communities within the US to consider us as vehicle to make a difference. I truly appreciate your offer to help! I am struggling with the most effective way to reach these communities- to encourage them to partner with Room to Read even though these groups appear to already have many non-profits that they raise money for. I think one of the most effective ways, is for individuals like yourself, to promote Room to Read at community events. Do you belong to any Nepali Associations? What do you think would be the most effective way for Room to Read to encourage Nepali communities in the US to get involved in volunteering and fundraising? Book drives are a great way to start - when people send us books we can combine them with the large contributions (for example 50,000 books) from printing houses in the US and send them to Nepal. But, I think one of the most effective ways for the associations to contribute would be to commit to raise money to build a school and library in Nepal. Depending on the location of the school, the schools cost approximately $5000 - $8000 US. When an organization sponsors a school, they get regular pdates, pictures, etc. on the progress and the school is normally completed within 6 months. The organization gets a dedication plaque and of course, after the school is built, you then can visit the school on your next trip to Nepal. If all of the local associations in the US committed to funding a school -we could easily build another 20 schools in Nepal. I would love to see this become an annual event with the associations !Do you think this is something the Nepali community would be interested in doing? If so, what do you think is the most effective way to get all the associations interested? I look forward to hearing about your thoughts on this! Heather |
| Suna | Posted
on 25-Oct-02 03:35 PM
Sally Before this slips my mind, maybe your hubby could visit an NGO called CECI in Baluwatar. About a couple of years ago, this organization had a great adult literacy program and their emphasis was more on the women folk. They also had a few pilot programs scattered throughout the country but their emphasis was in Jumla. BTW, that link didn't work. Could I be of any assistance to you? Drawings?? :). Let me know and I will be glad to do so. |
| sally | Posted
on 25-Oct-02 03:46 PM
Thanks, Suna. It didn't work for me just now, either. I know our Webmaster is doing some stuff on it cuz it'll be officially launched in a day or two, but I don't think that should make a difference. Try it again later. I'll pass on the CECI reference. I know Jumla is hard these days, as are a lot of places, because of fear of Maoists. I hope they're still managing to do stuff. So far we haven't had any trouble. Cross your fingers. Let's talk about the drawings! |
| sally | Posted
on 25-Oct-02 03:56 PM
OK, I just tried it on my computer (not thru the sajha link) and it came up fine, so who knows what's up? Anyway, here's the entire url, and if this doesn't work, folks, just try it from outside of sajha. http://www.nepalibooks.org |
| Poonte | Posted
on 25-Oct-02 04:10 PM
Hmmm....some actions in progress! Yippppppeeeeee! BTW, guys, I think we still need a lot more people to volunteer for the least we can do...keep campaigning hard! a nickle a day, keep the illiteracy away! :) |
| protean | Posted
on 25-Oct-02 04:31 PM
Thanks Sally and Ruck for bringing this up. Sally, I looked up the website. Great work with the web site and a great vision. I think we should be able to work out somehting here. The Food for thought program should be attempted through other Rests. in other parts of US. I know of at least 3 in the SF bay area ,and of some in Colorado area. Too bad, I'm not in the DC area to make use of this scheme -:). As far as the issue with the URL goes, it was because, you had directed the link with a . after the end of the link www.nepalibooks.org.--no wonder it would recognize the internet address. We should try to see how we can work together , and also wait for the details on this project. Let me know, if you need help to build some rapport and awareness of the food for thought program in the Bay area. Probably, could send a blanket cover letter about the intent of the program. As far as education goes, I don't see a point in limiting it to one particular language. The reason we've been able to be aware of and use these immense resources available in the world is because we've been able to be conversant in and knowledgeable of( the) English language. So, I think, the focus should be more on the dissemination of information and the resriction to one particular language. So, if there are books available in English, and there is a dire need of books , we should also see a way of getting these books across to such places. Room to Read seems to already have books in place, and if we can use volunteers in Nepal, and get them to direct these books to the needed libraries, we should work at that. That's probably follows in line with "the least we can do". After all, the more we can facilitate [in our limited capacities], the better it is. So, with this in mind, I'm inlduing the note from Room to Read's contact, Heather. ___________________________________________________________ Here is the Nepal contact information for Room to Read. What Pankaj told me, is that basically all they need is a letter requesting books with a little information about the library (how kids can check in and out the books) what type/level of books are needed (beginner, etc.) I don't think it is much more than that. Pankaj Pradahn Program Director Leena Niwal Adarsha Marg House 57 Thapathali GPO Box 5848 Kathmand Nepal Phone: 246381, fax:528776 Residence: 253516 email: pankaj@roomtoread.org _______________________________________________________ |
| protean | Posted
on 25-Oct-02 04:36 PM
So, I think, the focus should be more on the dissemination of information and * the resriction to one particular language * Should Have Read So, I the focus should be more on the dissemination of information and noy to the restriction to one particular language. :-). Meanwhile, as Poonte said, let's drive this harder. Protean |
| Neel | Posted
on 26-Oct-02 09:43 AM
Members of the least we can do, Friends, It is great that we seem to be 'driving hard' in the spirit of least we can do. There seems to be many ideas propping up and references to other efforts that are already existing in nepal which could contribute to our mission. I think it is time for us to stremaline our thoughts so we don't get diverted from our mission of doing something 'little' in our own capacities. Ruck's NICKEL-A-DAY idea is great. That is how this idea started and gave meaning to the thread. Like Protean mentioned, we can expand the 'least we can do' theme to include things we can facilitiate and mobilize the opportunities that already exist. Nickel-a-day can continue here while we work on things like sending books to deserving schools. Affiliating with Room to Read at this stage would be the best deal. I would not worry about the language issue, we have to DO something and get started before our zeal dies out. Having said that i do not mean we have to do things just for the sake of doing, it is not that. English books or Nepali books..does not matter as long as it is the children who are deprived from basic educational material benefit. It is great that Ruck and Protean have already taken the necessary steps. Ruck seems to have a person in mind, already in Nepal. Let get things going!!! Neel |
| ruck | Posted
on 27-Oct-02 04:46 PM
Hope for education emerging out of heaps of stones Post Report (Kathmandu Post) DHADING, Oct 26:Usha Pariyar, barely 14, is a living embodiment of Nepal’s hundreds of children deprived of a privilege which should be a common right for every child. Daughter of widow Thuli Kanchi Pariyar, a stone-quarry worker in Dhading’s Mahadevbesi, Usha says she desperately wants to go to school but her mother needs her help crushing stones to pay the bills. "I cannot go to school, I have to crush stones and earn money for my family," Usha says sitting cross-legged near a pile of stones. There are about 1,300 working children at the site. The need to assist her mother to earn a living has left Usha confined to the riverbed all these years, when she was supposed to complete her primary education. Though lame in her left foot, Usha spends long hours crushing stones on the riverside. Her elder brother has ended up in Kathmandu’s streets collecting polythene bags. Most people who work at the stone quarry prefer to apprentice their kids to breaking stones to increase the family income. As a result, many boys and girls grow up in the riverbeds without any formal education. Sunken eyes, thin and pale with dust-laden hair, Thuli Kanchi Pariyar bends and sucks greedily at a cigarette to ward off the cold. She has no winter clothes. Now the chill-cold has come, old folks need to warm their bones, but they have to survive on meagre food, which consists of cheap bread and rice that gives little warmth and energy to work. "I eat mashubhat (meat and rice) only during Dashain. I eat bhukey (a kind of bread) with tea in the morning before going to school," says Murali Pariyar, 10, who is the only child in the family attending a local Janajagriti Primary School run by a charity organisation. He says that he too crushes stones after his school is over every day. Back in 1999, Child Development Society (CDS) with the support of the International Labour Organisation/International Programme for Elimination of Child labour (ILO/IPEC), spearheaded a campaign to eradicate child labour in this region with little success. There are still hundreds of tiny-tots crushing stones alongside their mothers. The scene around the Prihvi Highway and Mahadevbesi is particularly striking. Father, mother, son and daughters all sleep in a single room and as day breaks, they wake up to crush stones. These people have come here to earn a living in the years of famines when they had nothing to eat at home. And now they let their children grow up ignorant, only learning how to crush stones. "The stones and gravel they supply make buildings in Kathmandu," said Gunjeswar Neupane, programme supervisor of the CDS. However, with the establishment of a school in the region, these children are taught simple reading and writing. The moral support to the families has worked like magic: every stone crusher now seeks schooling for their kids, an opportunity they had not enjoyed themselves. |
| paramendra | Posted
on 29-Oct-02 11:02 AM
I am so glad San has decided to feature this thread on the front page replete with a graphic. Kudos. |
| protean | Posted
on 29-Oct-02 11:48 AM
Very Original San! Keep up this deed! Hopefully, this will generate more interest towards this cause. Protean |
| san | Posted
on 29-Oct-02 12:13 PM
Giving it an exposure was 'the least I could do' to indirectly help out for now. The credit for bringing it up and proactively working on it goes to Ruck. Keep up the good work! San |
| protean | Posted
on 29-Oct-02 12:57 PM
Great idea of bringing the picture Ruck. Keep the " the least we can do" spirit alive. Congrats to San and Ruck for making this happen! |
| KKM | Posted
on 29-Oct-02 01:43 PM
Logical Sense, impressive piece and ruck I'd like to work with you on this. Not just to walk arounbd with a "twak" but also involve some prominent Nepalis living abroad to establish an institution where giving is the goal...let me know if you want to form a pact. |
| Logical Sense | Posted
on 29-Oct-02 03:07 PM
KKM, I am glad that you liked my piece: (I am really thankful that you dug out the column which got burried long time back - relatively) For those of you who are wondering what KKM might be talking about, I had written long column in Sajha, the topic was 'Can We Make A Difference' http://www.gbnc.org/sajha/html/column.cfm?extraid=54 My message: 1) 'Help', 'Charity', 'Abala Nari', 'Orphan', 'Pidit/Dalit' type of messages should be replaced with 'Partnering', 'Friendship', 'Get Involved' etc which is much more positive and does good in LONG RUN for the parties involed. 2) Working in micro level at your individual capacity brings lots of positive results and helps out immediately and you get the joy of early success. 3) The longer fruits of #2 is more and more people will and should do collective effort to tackle bigger projects which is not possible in the individual level. I am working in an interesting project at present. My belief is there are lots of people like KKM, Ruck or Neel and many others who are eager to be 'Partner' in Nepal and there are many many requirements in Nepal but there is no connection between these two in grander scale. Also, people are hesitant to jump in the band wagon because of 'transparancies' issues and many others. So, a 'Connect' point is needed immediately which should try to solve these issues.... Less talk more work, so, more after I finish the project. - iti |
| KKM | Posted
on 29-Oct-02 03:19 PM
Logical Sense, I not only read your article but forwarded to people I know and have been working on to raise funds (for a different cause of course). What I have learnt is that if people believe in the cause then giving (what and how much) won't be a big issue. In this case (like ruck has started doing), even a nickel from one person can add-up to make a difference in someone's life which otherwise would not have been possible. Good luck in your project. |
| Poonte | Posted
on 29-Oct-02 03:48 PM
Ahem! What a way to end my long commute through misty roads--its was an absolute pleasure to see Ruck's relentless effort to publicize the 'least we can do' effort take another step forward. San bhai, thank you so much!!! I have solicited another volunteer who might be joining the MSN group very soon. He's pledged to donate ALL the coins that he's collected over the years--pennies, nickles, dimes, quarters--to the "Least we can do." He estimates that his "change" may be worth about $200!!!! He's also promised to convince some of his friends to do the same! To all those who havn't tagged along yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR??? Come on, people! Stop feeling helpless about Nepal's destitution--it's about time we all did the least we could do!!!! Go to: http://groups.msn.com/LeastWeCanDoforNepali |
| protean | Posted
on 29-Oct-02 03:54 PM
KKM, good to see your enthusiasm in "the least we can do" thread. There is already a msn group that has been started by Ruck with the view of bringing like minded people with this objective in mind. It is listed below: http://groups.msn.com/LeastWeCanDoforNepali We've about seven people currently in this group . Please try to see if you can excite others to come join this group, and embark on this effort. The least we can do is just a start. While that effort keeps running in the background, we can also try to see if we can gather various means to focus our creativity and passion for such activities. For example, Ruck has already contacted some volunteers in Nepal ,to coordinate with Room to Read --who are simply inundated with books in their location in KTM-- to get some books to children in a village school. We'll be getting updates on that in due time. In the meantime, if we can be more proactive here, we should be provided that we don't digress from the main goal, and keep the " the least we can do" spirit alive. Welcome to the group that is attempting to do something! We should be able to do more if our efforts are concerted. Thanks LS for your analysis and ideas. Won't you be joining in this joint endeavor? Protean |
| sally | Posted
on 29-Oct-02 05:20 PM
What I'd really like to see is a prominent listing on Sajha of nonprofits that individuals here find to be worthy. I've read a lot of stuff here over time--the effort Ashu mentioned to encourage Nepali-funded programs, the social science library posted by Paschim, NK's postings about the dalit empowerment group--and I try to save what I see, but sometimes it gets lost in the void. A clearinghouse would be great, so that people could peruse it and make their own choices, based on their own judgment and their own perception of needs. On Room to Read: I may be wrong, but I have too many misgivings at this point to get behind their efforts. I just don't see how that rockbreaking boy will benefit from Dr. Seuss, or how a farmer or a newly literate woman or a typical kid in Class 6 will benefit from English books donated by well-meaning Westerners who are cleaning out their kids' book shelves. Which isn't to say that no one would benefit. Certainly a few older kids, particularly in English schools, could use the books as self-study tools to supplement their textbooks and enhance their pre-existing English skills, and one could argue that this would expand access to higher education outside the Valley. Which is a worthy goal, and undoubtedly worth supporting, for those who choose to. However, if they DO bring books that people can REALLY READ AND UNDERSTAND to village libraries, I promise I'll turn overnight into their biggest fan!!! And what's more, I'll pledge to help them get books to 12-15 VDCs in Kapilvastu by the end of the year. If they had tons of Nepali books sitting in KTM just waiting for someone to pick them up, they'd be the best possible partner in the world for so many types of literacy efforts ... So I'll keep my fingers crossed that I'm wrong about their focus. In the meantime, let me urge folks who are interested in literacy to check into another literacy organization called READ. The woman who runs it got an award at the ANA convention, and made a pitch in her acceptance speech for everyone at the convention to kick in $20 to build a new library. I don't know if she got much of a response. It would be sad if she got an award, but no funds to help out her cause. I haven't seen a READ library in operation, but the concept is such that, when it's built, it benefits EVERYONE. |
| protean | Posted
on 29-Oct-02 08:06 PM
Sally, some valid remarks. The poitns ought to be well taken , and shouldn't dissuade some participant of this activity to digress. I fail to see what you're really implying here. You go on mentioning all the names that talked about various activities (that were positive) in this discussion group, but failed to list your name. Aren't you also a keen participant for facilitating change in Nepal? I thought so. For, I've seen the link to your husband's website appearing time and again. Correct me if I'm wrong (the readers of this thread including Sally), but I don't see why using books that are already available in Nepal, is a wrong step to take. I think it is the positive stride that counts. If someone is able to point in the right direction, that is something better than just making a case of what should be done, how it should be done, and a certain approach is the only means to an end. You've made your point (of the need of learning) by pointing us to the nepalibooks.org website, you've proven that enabling learning is a worthwhile effort-- as reading and learning are a powerful means to unleash the potential of the future. Then, why are you underestimating the power that can be unleashed by books (be it in English or Nepali)? For that matter, why are you underestimating the level of English skills of the kids? By the way, there are lots of villages and schools in Nepal that are in need of books (any books), and Kapilvastu area isn't the only one . And schools do teach some level of English, and if the books are available that can be distributed, we should see that it gets distributed. I know of schools in my [ancestral] village (far away from the city lights), that would die to get books, and are longing to see a libary built. They aren't being so adamant about having only Nepali books. They want to "READ books". If we raise some money, we should also direct books that are printed in Nepali to places where we can send it to. Let's see if we can work together at this. By the way, we've not even collected money. And we've not even opened any orgnization. We're just taking some strides to help in whatever means we can. We thought checking out some books that are already available wouldn't necessarily be doing something that is wrong. But, thanks for making us aware of what we might face. Tallking about READ, I know Dr. Antonia Neubauer. She is based in Reno, and her org does great work at building libraries in Rural parts of Nepal. They need about $5000 or more (plus villagers support) from the village end and they provide the other half to build libraries. I know of a Nepali organization,NANC ( www.nepalassociation.org), that directs the proceeds (contributions) of its cultural program to READ annually. They do regognize READ's efforts seriously. Thought we were starting of with something that was doable and simple at first. Let's stick to that effort! Protean |
| ruck | Posted
on 30-Oct-02 07:06 AM
KKM, 'Twak' complimented with a broader alliance like you suggest is certainly a great idea. You're most welcome to join our group http://groups.msn.com/LeastWeCanDoforNepali where we can communicate more on plan of action. Thank you for your interest in joining the group. Thank you Logical Sense for joining the Least We Can Do group. Protean, you spoke my mind, thanks!! Lets keep the spirit of "Least We Can Do" going... Ruck |
| Logical Sense | Posted
on 30-Oct-02 03:34 PM
KKM, thanks for sharing the ideas, I adore your perseverance. Yes, ruck I am also proud member of the LeastWeCanDoforNepali group. Let us brain storm how can we keep this drive up and going. I see that points Sally is making and the discussions going on. These are the cautions and pionts to raise but, let us not derail the biger picture here, the main cause and ideas. Many times we have seen great ideas just dies in infancy without even taking a first step. It really hardly matters if our first endeavor fails (in fact lets prepare for it early on so that we will not be disappointed that much). We will learn from our shortcomings and move on, but, let us keep the drive going. Good results is bound to come. I hope more and more people join the drive. I still see only 8 members, that is not that encouraging ..... challenge, challenge, challenge!!!!! - iti |
| slipknot | Posted
on 30-Oct-02 04:03 PM
ruck, let me formally enroll in the roster of people who have stood behind your brilliant idea. knowing you personally as a friend, i am fully aware of the stances you have taken for community service and of the love that you have for the welfare and education of kids. it's in the fields of education and awareness that our ideas resonate, especially with you having "been there, done that" and me, embarking upon a career in it. do not get derailed if someone stabs at your idea, take criticisms constructively, and find strength in the company of those who support you. i do support you. Has ta, namaste. |
| Neel | Posted
on 30-Oct-02 05:48 PM
Welcome slipknot and rashami to the group! It is great that more people are committing to the 'action planning' group we have created. After Ruck started the idea and the generated the interest in this worthy endeavour, the logical step for us was to form this group where we could do some serious communication/brainstorming/and plan on list of things that we can do in the spirit of 'least we can do'. Please come in and join. http://groups.msn.com/LeastWeCanDoforNepali . Like in this thread here, we already have contributions that point to ideas and actions for next step. It still needs to take off. We can continue to discuss things in this forum too, and i hope the continued enthusiam keeps making this thread vibrant. Joining the group will ensure longer term commitment, hence the request. For those who have this question: Its great..how do i get involved??? DO THE LEAST YOU CAN DO-START COLLECTING YOUR SPARE CHANGE IN A PIGGY BANK. and rest assured that whatever you collect will 'do something good' as we get more organized and streamline our mission. Who will organize and streamline the mission?? YOU and YOU and YOU. Can i say once again? Join the group!!! Continue posting ideas on this thread....all with intention of contributing to the cause of education for those children who are deprived of it, back in Nepal. Thank you San for putting up a great picture with the link to this thread..it should help us all, at least for this month, invoke a feeling that 'we want to do something', and 'we can do it' It is amazing that we already have such resourceful individuals interested in the cause espoused in this thread. Debate and discourse is always welcome..we do not have to agree on all aspects of how to go about it. Lets get on the bandwagon of 'concensus approach' that taps the positive energies..creates synergy and achieves better outcomes that debates that go back and forth. Our cause is much bigger and should thwart the differences. Lastly..may i say?? JOIN THE GROUP!! http://groups.msn.com/LeastWeCanDoforNepali |
| SimpleGal | Posted
on 30-Oct-02 07:04 PM
Dear Ruck and Neel, I am surprised at myself for not having noticed this thread earlier! But better late than never, right? :) The cause is truly noble. I am not gearing for the education field, but am teaching as part of my graduate studies. Recently, I did a study in Nepal which is a maiden venture, both of its kind in Nepal, and for me as a researcher. Being a person who has spent very little time in my dear country, I may frequently post about how thrilled I am of getting the opportunity to do the work in Nepal this summer. If I may seem to be going overboard, pls. bear with me. :) Although my agenda of work was not in education per se, it is a field that I am deeply committed to by *de-limiting* education to just "formal" education. And what needs to be addressed parallel to the education of children is the need for the same for those who are physically or mentally challenged. I listened to and observed with dismay the lack of good education, facilities, *positive attitudes* , amenities, etc. for these children. And my commitment has been to help them. The frustrating thing was that no one quite know what was being done for them, or of resources I could turn to in order to be involved. Let me put forth my request here at Sajha to people who know of resources/organizations that would *honestly* direct me and use in turn the resources I may be able to provide. You will be surprised to hear some of the reactions I met with. I actually have them written down in my travel diary: 1. "It's enough that REGULAR, NORMAL kids do not get education, food, clothes etc. Who has the time to worry about the Handicapped ones?" 2. "Why would they need to be educated?" 3. "Well, they're mentally challenged right? How can they be educated? Who has the patience? We have our own worries. Dhara ma pani aundaina time ma. Maobadi ko darr bardai chha. Timiharulai po moj chha ta. Americama basera thula thula kura garna sajilo chha. Come to Nepal and you'll see." And many more. I am glad to see this initiative taken by those (of us) addressed in the 3rd question above. I saw a movie called Moksha where the hero wishes to start an organization that provides Free legal advice to poor people. He writes an article in the newspaper, lauded by his affluent father and his socialite friends for its vision. But the funds he needs to start and support the organization do not come as easily as the commendations for his writing. And that provides the dramatic tension in the film. I am mentioning this to remind myself and Sajhaites not to offer empty praises for the effort, but truly act upon the cause that Ruckji and Neelji have brought to our attention. In peace. |
| SITARA | Posted
on 30-Oct-02 08:24 PM
Ruck and Neel; First of all I believe in social movements, started by individual efforts. Individuals with a sincere purpose and intent to do and make a difference have achieved as much, if not more than NGO and INGOs put together. The episode of 9/11 is a shining example of that! And those of us who choose to believe that we need to belong to an organization to take positive actions, are either in denial or unecessarily cynical. I have seen enough of such sceptics who belittle other people's efforts and it is not a pretty sight. To elaborate further; I work in a poor county in the US where we do not have enough money to buy AC or even to hire sufficient trained teachers. Limited funding hinder any prospect of staff development and even purchase of classroom supplies. Well, guess what we do as teachers and parents: WE DO NOT go running to NGOs and INGOS but get together, Ruck and Neel-like and gather some sincere like minded people to contribute their efforts in advocating for the school; help with fundraisers; donations.... and viola the children get their basic needs met to some extent. AND we are all proud that out small individual efforts have made a difference....however insignificant it maybe. So... ignore the negativism and the attention mongering and let us get on with it. And then there are also those who keep prattling about "what I have done... what I have achieved....what I have observed....noted.......so on!!!" All for social action through individual efforts! |
| Logical Sense | Posted
on 30-Oct-02 08:39 PM
Ali Ironic Bhayenara Sitara jyu Dubai Pyaragraph Ma? Testo Negetivism Kina? I always considered you full of enthusiasm and positive attitudes. Ali Aja Dherai Kaam Bhayoki Kya Ho School Ma? Pheri Sajha Ma Pani Time Bitaunu Parne. Yours admirer - LS. - iti |
| SITARA | Posted
on 30-Oct-02 09:11 PM
Logical Sense ji Positive is as Positive does hajur... But sometimes irony might be needed to neutralize unnecessary cynicism and belittlement! This thread has been used by every tom, dick, and harry (not to mention, jane, sally and mary) to hitch a ride on ........!!! |
| SimpleGal | Posted
on 30-Oct-02 09:43 PM
Sitara, I get the impression that your earlier long posting was directed to me. Am I correct? I understand what you are saying. Yes, individual efforts do count. But it is only through collective efforts that changes are possible. Idealism can only go so far in life. We live in a world of brutal pragmatism, willy-nilly. You say quite proudly that you have made changes in the lives of those children, yet go on to add "however insignificant" it may be. If you truly believed your commitment to have brought genuine change, then why even pay an ounce of attention to whether it is "significant" or not. Because then it would mean you are cognizant of and on some level Care about Who is judging your actions or not. I cited my observations in Nepal to make one major point: The mentality toward the specific people I have been trying to help. Yes, NGO's and INGO's are not the best resources. But there are *honest* bodies of people Collectively working together for many causes. Not enough for these children, adolescents, etc., though. And besides, one cannot strive toward solutions by being blind to the problem. When it comes to physically/mentally challenged people in Nepal, the need and *awareness* to help them is minimal. You need to have been there yourself to see the reality of things. People highlight the Maoist problems, political changes, and so forth. But when it comes to the nitty-gritty issues like education/amenities for the physically/mentally challenge, people are quick to judge it as leaning on the "negative side" of things. Why is it constued as negative? B/c people choose to see it as one. They are too occupied with the NORMAL, REGULAR people in society, to pay any attention to those that may not fit those criteria. Again, to solve any problem, you have to first Identify and Recognize the problem, its roots, its workings, its momentum. Only then, whether individually or collectively, are changes possible. In peace. |
| sally | Posted
on 31-Oct-02 01:03 AM
Simple Gal, very sensible comments!!! On another note: I'm sorry if my contribution to the discussion has been considered to be negativism by some here. I certainly don't view it or intend it that way. And I'm not interested in either "hitching a ride," Sitara, or in doing kutta tanne. I'm a journalist and a mom, and I'm a bit busy, but I felt I could help Ruck and others who had similar interests to myself with some input. After all, gosh, I'm already doing what these guys are talking about, I have concrete connections in rural areas, I'm putting a whole lot more than a nickel a day into literacy and education in Nepal, I've already done some of what is being brainstormed about here (which means I might have some advice that some could view as being a "skeptic," although I prefer to think of it as learning from experience) ... But apparently some people feel that mentioning this is "hitching a ride." To anyone who does think that, please consider this: My husband is in Nepal right now, WORKING IN A VILLAGE. Does anyone go to the villages right now for self-promotion??? DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS IN TERMS OF PERSONAL COMMITMENT? If anyone doesn't get what I'm driving at, please do think about it for a minute ........ I think that fact alone should make it pretty obvious that I'm not exactly into negativism about efforts to make a difference. But if brainstorming can't include a discussion of questions that are legitimate concerns within the int'l development field, and if my comments are going to be seen as "hitching a ride" because I have started a nonprofit myself and nonprofits are somehow bad, no problem, I'll keep my thoughts to myself. Which is probably what I should have done right now. But what the heck. Anyway, Ruck, keep it up. I'm glad to see the volunteerism here. None of what I said is meant to derail anything, I just had to get it off my chest. |
| SITARA | Posted
on 31-Oct-02 06:44 AM
Simple Gal; Was I really referring to you? hmmmmm ..........If, I was, how clever of you to figure it out. Perhaps, you might want to dwell on this one too: I have no desire to elaborate nor explain furhter, what I have already written about the "singnificance" of "our" (parents and teachers) joint effort in making a "difference". So, you are welcome to chew , obesses, and regurgitate upon it; if you so find it palatable. Sally; Quite impressive really, how much you have contributed to Nepalese society. And ofcourse we all know how dedicated your husband is ...... Been reading your postings on his contributions all along. Kudos to both of you! And now, can we please focus on "a nickel a day" ? If you want to contribute, please do so without coating your nickel with layers of grime and grudge! I don't think anychild wants tarnished coins! |
| SITARA | Posted
on 31-Oct-02 06:49 AM
further* |
| Soleil | Posted
on 31-Oct-02 07:14 AM
Hyaaa kati halla gari ra bhanya? La la sabai badadami mahanubhav haru, sabai jana ko points proven. Mane hajuur haru lai. Mero lampasaar namaskaar. Aba kuro aayo feri uhi, wori pari ghumayo majh ma thwaak bhane jai, 5 cents ko. Hajur badadami haru, khali bhukne matrai ki kam pani garne? WE NEED ACTION, NOT REACTION. Hoina, dinko 5 cent pani mahango hunchha bhane kripaya bhukna chhodaun. Peace!!! |
| SimpleGal | Posted
on 31-Oct-02 07:49 AM
Soleilji, A very valid point indeed. :) I rest my "bhukne" case. Yes, we need action--that's the bottom line. Sitara, I saw parts of your posting as referring to me. I responded to them accordingly. But Sally makes some points that seem to suggest that perhaps I was on the wrong track. If I mistook your intention, then my apologies. It's important that all factors and parts of society be reached out in this effort--and was merely expressing my frustration at the lack of awareness to help those who are termed the "Disabled," hence deemed "Abnormal" in our country. This much I will regurgitate!! :) We need collective efforts and not lose the forest for the trees. In peace, SimpleGal |
| SIWALIK | Posted
on 07-Nov-02 02:32 PM
One of the ways could be to inform your "gaun", "tol", "besi" and "shahar" folks to opportunties presented by such organizations as Roomtoread.org. Have them develop community-based plans for schools, library and computer facilities and raise fifty percent of cost and labor: roomtoread.org provides the other half. |
| protean | Posted
on 07-Nov-02 05:31 PM
Siwalik, You struck the chord. One of the least we can do strategies is to facilitate such a process. As has been noted in this thread, this is one of the several ways we can work on. We should start making people/coordinators at some of the places aware of these opportunities that are already in existence. Therefore, the inititative also befalls on the least we can do team to work in that direction. In addition to that step, we should also focus on other ways that can be employed to raise some funds here,generate more interest in such initiatives, and see to it,that these means can be properly utilized. |
| volunteerguru | Posted
on 07-Nov-02 07:04 PM
First of all, I would like to get one thing off my chest. There has been some 'bashing' about organizations like roomtoread.org which provide English books in Nepal and whether they are valuable or not. I would just like everyone to know that Room to Read started because a Nepali-English Language teacher ASKED for English books for his school's library. It is not some conspiracy to get-rid of used kids books - as a matter of fact, the majority of the books sent to Nepal are BRAND-NEW books donated by publishing houses in the US (and I know this because I have seen them with my own eyes). - Mind you, I am not saying individual contributions are not important - I am not advocating that your time and money go to roomtoread.org over READ, or Nepalibooks.org. Frankly, I think any successful library should offer books in both languages (and more if local languages are not Nepali). However, I think it is a WASTE of precious resources starting another organization/volunteer group that basically does the same thing. Why not partner with established organizations like roomtoread.org to take advantage of existing resources and proven processes (like low-cost shipping, processes to identify and select villages for libraries, storage capacity, and employees with PROVEN reliability and experience - they have established over 300 libraries, sent 100,000 books to Nepal in two years with only 1 paid US employee - sounds like they might have something there you could learn from)?? If you just want to create and manage your own non-profit, if that is the only way volunteering your time or donating your money feels right to you - Fine. But, recognize that we truly are doing the LEAST instead of the Most by following a separate process. It's basic economies of scale folks - think of all the time that has been spent here trying to organize, figure out how to get a process off the ground between these two groups. Sally - why not have your husband contact the roomtoread.org folks in Kathmandu - Offer to send your Nepali books to the existing hundreds of libraries all over Nepal? Share some best-practices - your Write to Read program is a great idea. Are you trying to meet with Nepali-book publishers to get donations for your libraries? How wonderful would it be to look back in 6 months and realize that by partnering with existing organizations, there are now 500 Nepali-English libraries? Why not work together instead of arguing over which organization is more worthy? |
| protean | Posted
on 07-Nov-02 08:37 PM
Very Good points that you brought up, Volunteer Guru. Thanks for the inputs. After all, the idea should be to facilitate in whatever ways we can, right? Our idea is not to open a NGO or any of these big oranizations for now. The main thrust of this thread is to brainstorm some ideas, get a core group activated, and start working with the means that are avaialble to us. We'll be capable of doing more later. For now, we still want to work at getting the few cents collected, and try to see if we can work at that. In the meantime, we've to also see if we can get some coordinators involved in Nepal to work with organizations that are already established as you pointed out. The focus should be enabling the learning process of children. But, to make things clear, the motive of this thread has been to do the least we can within our current means and capabilities. We need to get more people working at this for some time with this objective in mind. There has not been lot of reengineering on this. We are trying to work with what we felt at that time. The focus will remain as such and nothing grand for now that tries to capture the benefits of utilizing economies of scale. In the future, we can work at other ways of providing the needed help at the grassroots level. |
| SIWALIK | Posted
on 07-Nov-02 08:45 PM
I see no problem with there being other NGO's. The point is to have efficient ones that actually deliver--more the better. Just a few will not suffice given the diversity or population and geography of Nepal. I plan to get involved in my own district,which needs better planning. My goal is to start with health and education for children. There is always this problem of women being sold to India too. That should be curbed. There is no dearth of issues to address, and I have had to make some drastic changes to my own program here in the USA. Instability does not help me at the moment to make up my mind as to when... But I would definitely like to work in partnership with organizations like Roomtoread. In fact, I have talked to John about it and we are waiting for me to get there to mobilize resources and people. I have also gotten promises from two German professional volunteers who want to come and help me out. So things are rolling.... |
| sally | Posted
on 08-Nov-02 09:23 AM
If Room to Read establishes libraries, I certainly take back any objections I have to supporting what they do. My sense has been that they sent English books to school "libraries" (which, as I said, are frequently non-functional). But if they've created a network of 300 libraries, that's terrific. Our own interest is less in starting libraries than in developing strategies to bring reading into people's lives--if libraries already exist, and if their books are accessible to ordinary community members, so much the better. Volunteer Guru, can you tell me more about the pre-existing libraries? Seriously, it's not on their Website. I agree that starting in one's own district is essential. The reason our project is in Kapilvastu is because that's our area, and so it's easily trackable. If people aren't using the library or participating in reading, we'll know, without any expensive follow-up studies. In essence, it's a pilot project with a heavy research component. (My husband is getting graduate credit for what he's doing.) We've started the library because there isn't one there already, but a lot of what we want to do is find strategies that really succeed in expanding reading and can be duplicated. For that, I think, you have to know the turf--which does mean working in one's own backyard, at least initially. I could see partnering later with READ or Room to Read libraries, or any that might be created as a result of this "least we can do" effort :-) I initially responded to this thread in part because I'd love to know what libraries are out there, who is interested in starting them, what people are doing, and so on. That way, let's say Siwalik starts something in his own area (with the help of Room to Read or whoever), we could later do a Write to Read program there or some other pro-reading activities we've got in the works. Working to improve the "reading culture" in a place where almost no one's parents or grandparents were literate, which means that people never saw reading behavior modeled, is a very big undertaking. It takes libraries, and it takes a lot of other things as well. Let's keep talking!!! |
| SIWALIK | Posted
on 08-Nov-02 09:37 AM
I support sally's knowing the turf argument. That will also help cuz of the native son/daughter syndrome. Things can be done when you work in familiar surrounding. Besides if we have a whole lot of individuals devoted to the betterment of their communities, we can have multitude of examples that can produce some success, which can then be emulated and spread. There is no one right way for this. We have to experiment and see what succeeds. |
| sally | Posted
on 08-Nov-02 10:30 AM
How about this idea? Sajha could "adopt a library" in an area where one of the sajhoids knows the turf. That way, if money is raised for books for that particular library, that person can follow thru over time to see how it's going. Tracking isn't easy from across the seven seas, and it's not like the volunteer "tracker" would have to do a whole lot, but occasional feedback in letters or phone calls is better than nothing, right? Plus it doesn't cost anything extra, which is very "least we can do"-ish. If there are really 300 Room to Read libraries, that's a big sample to choose from. Protean, how about getting locations of libraries and posting them here, so that someone could come forward and say "hey, that's where my sister lives" or something? Would that be doable? Siwalik, if it works w/your program, think about getting university credit for what you'd like to do. It might fit into thesis research or an independent study. It's a hard time to work in Nepal, though, that's the sad truth. We had gotten tentative approval for a university-sponsored trip for undergrads to go to our project site and had a staff volunteer to accompany them, but had to put that on indefinite hold cuz of the political instability. And even bringing books to the village is difficult--the boxes all have to be inspected on the bus, which means a lot more time and hassle. But ke garne, people are living, kids are growing up, and if we wait until "things are better" to start, it might never happen, right? |
| Logical Sense | Posted
on 08-Nov-02 01:41 PM
'Know the Turf', 'Adopt a library' , 'your own district' - Music is ringing in my ears! :] |
| protean | Posted
on 08-Nov-02 06:19 PM
There is definitely a way to contribute in the least we can do spririt. Some may want to do it at their villages/districts/ tole, some may want to start their own organizations , while some may want to start something unique in due time. Siwalik, it's good to know you've worked on getting matters sorted out at your end. Keep us posted on this. The main idea is to be able to facilitate the process of learning in whatever ways we can. In the end, we've to remember to always keep the original spirit alive. Let's focus on ways we can be effective. As LS aptly pointed out, music is already ringing in his ears. Anyway, I've got a list of libaries built by READ that some may want to inquire about. Please check Room to Read Webiste (www.roomtoread.com), or contact them for details on their projects. Hope these are helpful for some of you! ___________________________________ 1. Nangi Community Library Nangi Village, Ward No.2 Ramche VDC Myagdi District Ph:No 069-29311 Librarian-Tek Bdr.Gurung 2. Moti Library Khani Gaun Village Ward No.2 Phalebas ,Parbat Ph: 067-29310 Librarian –Indra Sapkota 3.Thak Library Tukuche Village Tukche VDC Mustang District Ph:069-29415 Librarian-Dilu Tulachan 4. Rastriya Pustakalaya Dattu Village, Darchula Ph:093-29321 Librarian- Dan Sing Megari 5.Junbesi Community Library Beni VDC Ward-4 Solukhunbu District Ph:038-21201,417452/0454 Librarian- Kanchha Lama 6.Matribhumi Library Khatti chok,Birgha Village Ward No.6, Birgha VDC Syngjha District Ph: 075-20831 Librarian-Lok Prashad Pandey Tulsa Pandey 7. Tribhuivan Library Kakaura Village-9 Deudakala VDC Bardiya District Ph:084-29672 Librarian-Hari Kala Paudel 8. Gauradha Community Library Naya Basti, Ward No. 8 Gauradha VDC Jhapa District Ph-023-29704 Librarian-Ambika Paudel 9. Phidim Community Library PhidamBazar, Phidim Panchtha District Ph:024-20107,Campus-20159 Librarian-Sharada Dahal 10. Jana Kalyan Community Library Barbote Village, Ward No.-3, Ilam District Ph:-027-20490,20488 Lirarian-Sataendra Jabegu 11. Jana Chetana Community Library SripurVDC, Ward –8, Kailali Ph:091-29150(PCO) Librarian-Chunda Mani Joshi 12. Sagarmatha Community Library Namche Bazar, Namche Solkhumbu District Ph:038-40010 Librarian- Dawafuti Sherpa 13. Agyole Community Library Agyole VDC, Danda Nawalparasi District Ph:078-40211 Librarian- Tejendra Pd. Aryal 14. Bhanu Community Library Langadi Village, Langadi VDC Parsa District Ph: 051-39000 Librarian-Janardan P. Kanu 15. Tamakoshi Community Library Manthali Village-6 Ramechhap District Ph:048-40091 Librarian- Himal Dhungel 16. Shreekot Community Learning Center Silegada Village-6, Shreekot VDC Baitadi District Ph:095-29356 Librarian- Jaya Nanda Joshi Dambara Kunwar 17. Jhuwani Community Library Bachauli VDC, Jhuwani -8 Chitwan, Bharatpur district Libraries Under Construction 1. Jana Sewa Community Library, Jalpa, Khotang 2. Jalpa Devi Community Library Pakharibas Village 3, Pakharibas VDC Dhankuta Ph:026-29129 Lirarian- Roshan Nepali 3. Sailewshwori Community Library Silgudi Municipality, Silgudi Doti District Lirarian- Shyama Shakya 4. Srijana Library Padaria VDC, Ward No. 5 Siraha District 5. Bhupi Community Library Kobang, Mustang Library Approved 1. Rumjatar Community Library Rumjatar VDC-8, Rumjatar Okhaldhunga District Librarian- Baba Ghale Krishna Bandhu 2. Kamala Mai Community Library Dhungrebas-9, Kamala Mai Municipality Sindhuli |
| protean | Posted
on 08-Nov-02 07:33 PM
Just to clarify matters here, the lists is for READ (Rural Education & Dev) library pojects. Those who would want to follow up with Room to Read can do so through the links that I've already posted in this thread. Protean |
| SIWALIK | Posted
on 09-Nov-02 02:20 PM
ALSO keep your eyes and ears open. There are celebrities willing to help. Here is an exerpt from Times of India. "For some western celebrities taking up causes in India, the fact that NGOs are better organised here is a motivating factor. "The administrative and accounting systems of NGOs are well organised and there is transparency. Celebs feel comfortable about putting money here," adds Haldar of Prayas. For Waugh, it was just an opportunity he was looking for. "I heard his interview where he said he wanted to do something for underprivileged children. I wrote a letter to him. He replied and came to see the home. There has been no looking back," says Shamlu Dudeja, who was instrumental in bringing Waugh and Udayan together. Who gives whom • Steve Waugh: Udayan, Ashray: homes for destitute children in Kolkata • Dominique Lappiere: Udayan, Southern Health Improvement Society, Howrah South Point Home for Handicapped Children, United Brothers' Association, Sambhavana Trust in Bhopal • Mats Wilander, Pat Cash, John McEnroe: GOAL • Ricky Martin, Penelope Cruz, Esther Canadas, Tom Cruise, Antonio Banderas, Melanie Griffith: Sabera Foundation • Real Madrid: The Real Madrid Academy, culled from Nabarun Sangha boys. • Steven Segal: Prayas Juvenile Home • Richard Gere: NGOs working in the field of AIDS What they have done • Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas: Have taken girls from Sabera for a short holiday live with them in LA. Organised gala fund raiser dinner for Sabera. • Penelope Cruz, Tom Cruise and Esther Canadas: Sold their personal artefacts to collect funds for Sabera • Ricky Martin: Sang, played football and had lunch with the kids at Sabera Foundation |
| volunteerguru | Posted
on 13-Nov-02 12:42 PM
A few more clarifications - Room to Read does not have a complete list of established libraries on their website. If you want a list, I would be happy to email it to you. However, it might be easier for the people on this list to let me know what districts, villages they are interested in, and I can let you know if a library has been established there (or if it is on the list to be constructed) For those of you with concerns about whether anyone uses the libraries once established - the R2R Nepalese team works closely with the VDC leaders and the school administrators to ensure they understand how to run a working library. They train them on how to check-in and check-out books, develop library cards, etc. When possible, foreign volunteers also go out to read to the students/hand-out books to get people excited about the library. The R2R Nepalese staff also follows-up with the libraries through visits - to ensure that the library is being used, and to provide more books as requested. They don't just 'dump' books and walk away - because R2R has Nepalese staff in KTM, they are able to develop relationships with villages to help ensure the schools, libraries, etc. have the public support needed to be maintained. I think the best thing about this organization, is that the majority of the field work is done in Nepal by Nepali people. That said, if you want your donated money only to go to providing Nepali-language books and/or to a specific library, R2R can accommodate you. Money donated in the US is 'tagged' and then the local KTM team buys the Nepali-language books and delivers them to the library.R2R has partnered with other organizations in the past to provide ''native-language'' books, but often the other organizations run-out of money or materials, before R2R runs out of English books. I know that people want to help 'in their own backyard,' but I still believe more can be done if we ban together to pool our resources and work with existing organizations to get things done. I also think that if we have a specific goal then it helps people stay committed. Funding the books for a library costs about $100 US. Funding a school through challenge grants costs approximately $5000 US. What if we each commit to funding a library by the end of the year? And or/ the Sajha or each US Nepali Association commits to funding a school by x date? ' Saving your change is a great idea - would it not help keep people motivated if they could look back and say - I funded three schools by saving my change for a year. Or, as a Nepali Association - we funded the establishment of a school by saving our change or a year? BTW - Sally - I really encourage you to encourage your husband to meet with the R2R folks in Nepal to discuss how to take advantage of synergies within both programs. I think it could really jump-start your program. If you are interested, I can help broker the meeting. I am also aware of some libraries/resource centers in the Patihani area that would greatly benefit from your program. Would you like to discuss this "off-line"? |