CANADIAN SCHOOLS AND NSP
Throughout the past two decades, many Canadian schools have
supported NSP projects in Nepal in various ways. Some schools donated funds and a number
schools have organized major fundraising activities to support the construction of an
entire schoolhouse and sometimes also a drinking water system.
During the past ten years, all those Canadian schools that had donated funds toward construction of a schoolhouse within the southern Mahabharat, have also organized student visits to our project region in Nepal. Among those schools were Upper Canada College in Toronto, Nelson Secondary School and Lester B. Pearson Secondary School, both in Burlington, Ontario, Milton District High School, Milton, Ontario and Smithers Secondary School, Smithers, B.C. We have also encouraged the participating schools to undertake collection of children's clothing for distribution to the poor Mahabharat children, which the students participating in the visits had brought with them to Nepal.
The illustration above shows a student group
walking along a typical southern Mahabharat trail. In addition to the students, there are
porters, cooks and other support staff to provide the necessary facilities for the
visiting students. The entire group averages to about fifty people.
For Canadian teenagers, such a visit is a
learning experience, however, coming from a highly developed country into a primitive
region of one of the world's poorest and least developed countries, for some young people
such a visit can also be a major a culture shock. The visit also provides an opportunity
to compare the good life enjoyed Canadians with the primitive way of life of the Nepalese
hill farmers who just barely survive on the produce of their own subsistence farms.
Although the original intent among the participants was to assist the villagers in some physical way, the students coming from Canada just were not accustomed to engaging in hard manual labor over a sustained period of time. Instead, they devoted part of their time while touring the region to providing first aid to injured or sick villagers and by treating various wounds and ailments of the children. Other favorite activities were taking the children to bathe in the streams in the valleys or play games with them.
We quote some of the comments and observations made by the
Ontario students who visited Nepal: "Nelson in Nepal 1994, provided all of us with a
wonderful experience in global education, one that will carry with us for the rest our
lives". Observations made by the Smithers, B.C. students: "The transition to
ancient traditional ways of life occurs as quickly as a couple of days walk from
Kathmandu". "I chose my focus on the porters. They were all apprentices in NSP
projects, and youngest were of our age. They not only carried our packs, but most
importantly they made good friends, we were treated more graciously than expected...they
helped to make the visit an amazing experience...we were sorry to leave these
friends." "I think the people are the best thing about this trip, and Nepal in
general. You only have to meet them for a second, and you already feel like you have known
them a lifetime."
Observations by a UCC teacher, who organized and led the
very first student visit to our project area in Nepal: "In addition to helping out
with excavation work, the group bathed upwards of 400 children. Everyone was impressed by
the dramatic scenery, nonetheless, it was the kindness and generosity of the Tamang people
that had the greatest impact. The trip proved to be an unforgettable experience. Not only
did the participants acquire a new understanding of the developing world, but they also
managed to make a significant contribution to a project that is helping to improve quality
of life of the Mahabharat people. Furthermore, they returned with a deep sense of respect
for the country they had visited. Nepal may be poor and troubled, but its people provide a
lesson into the way in which human spirit can triumph over even the greatest
adversity."
And by the UCC Principal after listening to a presentation
by the students who participated in the visit to NSP projects in Nepal: "I was
terribly moved by what the students said. I must admit I had a lump in my throat and tears
in my eyes during their presentation, as I have long had a dream that our students could
participate at the grass-roots level, in areas where no-one else has been, in the manner
in which they did. I suspect this will have an enormous impact on their lives as they put
their careers together."
Before we distribute clothing to the children, we always take them to the nearest stream or river to have bath. The children in the illustrations above and below attend the Ghyapring primary school in the Bankhu VDC. The construction of the schoolhouse was sponsored by the Nelson Secondary School in Burlington, Ontario. The Mahabharat children are often a pitiful sight, because many of them are dressed in torn rags as can be seen in the pictures further down on this page. With no source of income, the parents within our project region are simply unable to meet the clothing needs of their children.
However, to provide clothing to all children attending just
one school, approximately one hundred kilograms of assorted clothing may be needed.
Although every student group that came to Nepal to visit the Mahabharat region brought
clothing with them, we were able to meet the clothing needs of children in just nine
communities. Furthermore, the clothing, though of good quality, does not last indefinitely
and needs to be replaced at least once a year.
We are not requesting donations of children's clothing. Although donations of clothing are needed and available, the only way to send the clothing to Nepal is to have people traveling to that country bring it with them as part of their personal baggage.
The poverty that prevails within the southern Mahabharat
region is reflected in the clothing the local village children wear to school. After
receiving clean clothing, it is sometimes difficult to identify them as being the same
children. In all four pictures the children on the left are the same as those on the
right.
This illustration shows the group of high school students and the three leaders from Burlington, Ontario that has visited the southern Mahabharat region in March 2000. This was the fifth visit to our project region by groups of high school students from this Ontario community. The Burlington, Ontario students have also raised funds in support of construction of four primary schools within the southern Mahabharat. This latest group, under the leadership of Dr. Bill Love, also collected and brought to Nepal a substantial amount of clothing for Mahabharat children and medical supplies.