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NAFA News
UPDATE FROM NEPAL : 6th February 2010
NAFA executive members, Ross and Brenda Hazelwood, Deborah and Rod Setterlund, and members Lew and Sue Tuck and Kylie Gilbert are in Nepal, monitoring and progressing NAFA projects. Highlights to date include:
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Teacher training program. Completion of a very successful program for 10 teachers from remote villages and 10 teachers from VSN Thimi. At VSN all sponsored children's profiles and thank you letters completed.
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PA Nepal, Palpa. Visit to Palpa and meeting with older boys showed all boys enjoying rural life and working well at school.
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PA Nepal, Sankhu. Brenda continues the popular knitting and craft program, to the benefit of the children who are learning many skills including creative knitting without patterns. A total of 12 children are regularly involved in this program. All sponsored children's profiles and thank you letters completed.
- FEAT Program: Three students from PA Nepal and four from VSN Thimi are being
supported to undertake post SLC higher education through NAFA's FEAT program.
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Hearing Nepal project initiated. Sue and Lew Tuck tested a total of 73 Nepali people from disadvantaged backgrounds, for NAFA. As a result 17 people received hearing aids, donated by Sue and Lew, Tawal (14) and VSN School , Thimi (3); 4 Tawal people will receive listening devices; and 30 (Tawal – 19 and Thimi – 11) were referred for medical follow up from ENT specialist. Sue and Lew also provided hearing tests (37) and hearing aids (14) at Kopan Monastery.
- Hearing testing and fitting of hearing
aids; training of senior health worker
Beg to provide follow up assistance; and hearing medicll equipment left with health
clinic. - Visit to Tawal. The 5 members and Joy liaison
officer (Ramita) travelled to Tawal staying three
days. Outcomes include:
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Set up library and science lab equipment in new multi-purpose room funded by NAFA.
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Conducted library orientation sessions for students and teachers in classes 1 – 8 and orientation to science equipment conducted by science teacher for classes 5 – 8.
- Evaluation of the health clinic service.
Visit to goat project and new schools partly funded by NAFA in Ladap and Kutal.
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Site visit to proposed hydro-electric scheme and water infrastructure programs.
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Conducted meetings with HRDC members, school teachers, and health workers.
Rod officially opened the multi-purpose room and the school toilets. NAFA members were treated to an
unforgettable welcome/thank you cultural program
featuring dancing, singing, comedy and a traditiona 'horse
dance' performed only once a year. The dance tells the story of an ancient battle between Tibetan army cavalry and
Tamang mounted soldiers. Students from all classes were
included and it was very satisfying to see how the
confidence and skills of the children has grown over
the past 5 years.
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NAFA/Joy remote area cataract eye clinic at Sipaghat (Kavre district) completed, with 1,053 screened and 163 patients underwent successful cataract surgery.
A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS!
Dr Deb Setterlund receiving the award from Prof Michael Keniger, Deputy Vice Chancellor, the University of Queensland.
NAFA MEMBER WINS PRESTIGIOUS AWARD on 28 May 2009
NAFA is delighted to announce that executive member Deb Setterlund has won the 2009 University of Queensland (Australia) Vice-Chancellor’s Alumni Equity and Diversity Award for her commitment to changing lives and helping others. Deb received the award at a ceremony at the University of Queensland on 28th May 2009. In her acceptance speech, Deb talks about what makes her volunteer work in Nepal possible.
Dr Deborah Setterlund’s Acceptance Speech
On receipt of the UQ Vice-Chancellor’s Alumni Equity and Diversity Award 2009
I am absolutely thrilled to receive this award and would like to congratulate and thank the University of Queensland for taking the initiative to highlight the work that people do to help change people’s lives for the better. We have seen tonight what amazing and valuable work so many people are doing. In accepting this award I would like to say a few words about what makes it possible for me to be in the fortunate position of doing volunteer work in Nepal.
First, I would like to acknowledge the value of higher education. My university education and my academic and professional social work experience has been invaluable for understanding complex situations and the ethics involved in volunteer work, which I believe helps to minimise the possibility of doing harm instead of good.
Second, I would like to thank my husband Rod for his support and the leadership he provides in NAFA. We both feel passionate about what we do in Nepal and treasure the experiences our work brings. Thank you to our daughters Kim and Angela and our many friends for their support and encouragement and for listening to our many Nepal stories, which I suspect they may hear more than once.
I am fortunate to be part of a small but highly effective organisation – the Brisbane based Nepal Australia Friendship Association. With approximately 12 core people but with a large network of helpers, last year NAFA sent over $100,000 to Nepal for health, education and community development projects, which is a wonderful achievement for a small volunteer organisation. It is the members’ commitment and hard work that is the key to NAFA’s success.
Lastly I want to acknowledge the capacity of people in Nepal to remain enthusiastic about their lives despite the hardships they face. I want to pay tribute to the children in children’s homes, who have so few material possessions, but give love and support generously to one another; the parents who struggle against all odds to send their children to school so they can have a better job than working in a carpet factory or breaking up stones by the side of the road; the villagers who walk for days carrying a loved one on their backs so they can get treatment at a remote area eye clinic; and the mothers who work all day in the fields, cook for their family and then come to classes at night to learn to read and write by the light of a head lamp. I want to acknowledge the Joy Foundation and all our partners in Nepal who have the staying power and optimism to continue working with NAFA to improve conditions in their own country.
It is being able to work alongside Nepali people as part of the NAFA team and seeing the amazing improvements in people’s lives each year that makes volunteer work so personally rewarding.
New Year Dinner - April 2009
This year’s dinner which celebrated 20 years of development work in Nepal was a great success. It was a wonderful night of fun and friendship, with a record amount of just over $8,000 raised for NAFA’s projects in Nepal. Thank you to all those who helped – the ‘red shirt’ team, members of the Nepali community, those who donated prizes for the Silent Auction and Pat’s raffle, the excellent dancers and their coordinator Jaya Shrestha, Punam Howard and staff from the Tibetan Kitchen and everyone who attended and helped make the night a memorable one. The ongoing support of so many people is greatly appreciated. A special thank you to Babu Kaji, wife Chhering, daughters Kavita and Sujata and to Amir Hada from the Joy Foundation, for traveling from Nepal to be with the NAFA ‘family’ on this special occasion.
See the Gallery for highlights of the Dinner.
MAY 2009 NEWSLETTER NO.9
NAFA KNITTERS NEWSLETTER
This year we sent 600 jumpers and 700 beanies
(link) - Photos of children and their new jumpers.
We had a lot of fun distributing your jumpers and beanies and the children were thrilled to receive such colourful gifts.
Three big bags of small jumpers were taken on the roof of a local bus to Pokhara where our members distributed about 80 jumpers and beanies to the children of two day crèches. These crèches were set up for the poor families living in the area. This crèche enables the parents to go to work knowing that their small children are well looked after. Previously, the mother had to take the small child to work with her or left the child at home with an older sibling. This meant that the older sibling, usually a girl, missed school so this crèche is essential for these poor families trying to feed their families.
We also took our knitted goods to Snowland, a large children’s home in Kathmandu. The children, ranging in age from 4 to 19, come to these homes under tragic conditions, some are from families who have lost their land and their parents cannot support them while looking for work, while others have been abandoned or have lost their parents due to conflict or accidents. We were shown around the home, the children live in dormitories crammed with double bunks, which they tidy and clean each morning. The rooms were spotless and the beds well made. There is a house mother and she shows the children how to look after their room and the older children help the younger ones to wash and dress. The children lined up on the playground and we distributed the jumpers from the smallest to the oldest. There was a lot of excitement in the air, the children were edging forward to see what we had in our big stripy bags and discussing the colours and patterns of the different jumpers as they emerged from the bags. Ross mentioned that he wished he could bottle the excitement and bring it back home to share with you. This anticipation and thrill of getting a new jumper and beanie makes the effort of knitting and getting the jumpers to Nepal so worthwhile.
We also distributed your jumpers and beanies to disabled children at 5 schools as well as another smaller children’s home. Ross and I went trekking with a Nepalese friend and his two teenage children. He was taking his children to see his village and his wife’s village and for the children to met their aunts and cousins. Each night we camped in a family member’s village and distributed jumpers to the local children. The children were so surprised to receive these wonderful gifts. Their parents are poor farmers trying to support their families on very poor soil. These villages are in the foothills of the Himalaya with extremely cold winters and heavy snowfall. So you can imagine the children’s delight at getting something new, colourful and warm. Naturally the parents were extremely grateful as this was one less item they had to provide for their children for that winter. We found out later that we were the first Westerners to travel through that area, no wonder the children stared at our light hair and blue eyes.
The airlines are very generous in helping us get the jumpers to Nepal, but each year we have a back log and have to pay freight for the remaining jumpers. Due to this we are only able to take jumpers and beanies. We cannot take second hand clothes, crocheted rugs, scarves etc. We need jumpers from about age 2 up to adult sizes as some children start school late and are 18 or 19 when finishing their schooling. We have found that the older girls like button or zip up jerseys and all children (and parents) like the jumpers which are nice and long to keep them warm. If you require a pattern please let me know. I hope the photos show the happiness and pleasure your jumpers and beanies have brought to these underprivileged children. As Ross said, we wish we could bottle the excitement and gratitude of the children and parents for the work you do. Many parents come up to us after a distribution and thank us in their language.
I have put together a short presentation and slide show showing our projects in Nepal, the people we assist, the countryside and Nepal in general. If you would like me to show this slide presentation to your church group or retirement village please contact me as I am willing to show people the wonderful views of Nepal with its beautiful mountains and interesting people.
Felt and unused craft items
While I am in Nepal I spend time with the children at the children’s home. I have taught both the girls and the boys to knit and crochet and they have made many things such as beanies, scarves, pencil cases and carry bags. Some girls have also crocheted tank tops and jerseys for themselves. Last year I took some nylon lace and they made lovely crocheted pencil cases, even going so far as lining them and putting in a zip. I enjoy teaching them these skills and believe once they know how to knit and crochet they will have these skills for life. This year I will be teaching them some basic hand sewing and the first item we will make are felt angels. If you have any felt or other craft items which you no longer use, I would be grateful for them. Please put them in with your next bag of knitting, I would really appreciate this. (I have enough fabric)
Nafa Knitters co-ordinator :-
Brenda Hazelwood: Phone:-07 3207 4774
SPONSOR NEEDED TO HELP KESHARI BECOME A NURSE
26 MAY 2009
NAFA is looking for one or more sponsors to assist Keshari Pyatha and her family with her educational costs over the four years of her nursing course. If you cannot help personally, your club or community group may be interested in assisting this young woman achieve a worthwhile profession which will enable her to help her family and her community. This could be achieved with a one off donation or an annual sponsorship of $500 per year. All donations are tax deductible.
Keshari, aged 18, has shown great determination in her studies from the first day she attended nursery class at Vinayak Shiksha Niketan (VSN) School, Thimi. VSN Principal Mr Surendra Prajapati, recalls that Keshari showed such early self discipline and talent that in grade 3 she was advanced enough to be promoted to grade 5.
In Nepal the chances of girls like Keshari going to school are not good. Only 46.6% of the adult population is literate with just 66% of girls attending school (UN Human Development Report 2007/08). Parents value education but girls are often kept home to contribute to the family income. Keshari’s parents are local subsistence farmers who grow vegetables, rice and wheat in the traditional way. Their priority is family survival which means putting food on the table each day to feed the family of five. Fortunately for the Pyatha family, Keshari was sponsored by a Brisbane couple and her sponsorship continued throughout her schooling through NAFA’s educational sponsorship program. Keshari graduated from VSN in 2006 after gaining a Distinction (86.25%) in the grade 10 public SLC exam.
As her sponsorship then finished she was granted a partial scholarship for grades 11 & 12 with help of the VSN School Principal. She continued to apply herself to her studies in grades 11 and 12 and again graduated with a Distinction, securing 79%. As Keshari had wanted to be a doctor since childhood, she attempted the entrance test for MBBS study, and although she was accepted, her family was unable to pay the costly fees (AUD$10,000 pa x 5 years). However, Keshari is determined to follow her interest in the medical field, and in 2009 enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing course at Kathmandu University, after her parents made the courageous decision to obtain loans from a number of relatives to pay her admission and tuition fees. Unfortunately, it is beyond Keshari’s family to find the money to support her for four years. The yearly fees are AUD$ 2,000 for tuition and AUD$ 1,000 for accommodation and food. Keshari’s family are willing to make sacrifices to pay for her higher education and Keshari herself has demonstrated that she has the ability and determination to succeed in nursing study.
For these reasons NAFA decided to assist Keshari with a $500 sponsorship from NAFA’s FEAT Program (Further Education and Training) for 2009. Keshari needs additional assistance to realise her ambition of becoming a nurse. If you can help Keshari please contact Deborah on 3366 1826 or Brenda on 3207 4774.