Waking up is not hard to do, in Kathmandu.

Waking up in Kathmandu is a treat, especially when you are a wee bit jet-lagged and wide awake way before everyone else is. I’m staying in Thamel, the tourist district, and ‘quiet’ is not the first thing that pops into one’s mind when thinking of it. However, it is surprisingly quiet before dawn. Then, at first light, natural sounds emerge - of roosters crowing, pigeons cooing, and birds chirping. Inevitably, the human sounds makes their presence known - the coughing up of built-up phlegm, the opening of a metal shop door, the motorbike passing by and the honking of cabs. And after that all happens, the sky is much brighter and the sun is shining on the buildings adjacent to mine. All I feel is total peace and at home. I’m ready to take on the new day.

Transit lounge or bust!

March 19, 2015 Incheon Airport Transit Lounge 4:50 AM

It is quiet here. There are about 12 of us here camped out on these ultra-comfy lounge chairs that remind me of the ones you see on TV in a psychiatrist’s office. Maybe that’s the goal, to get us to lie down on them, get comfortable, and open up to one another. Because that is what seemed to have happened here. When I arrived, after a very long, uneventful but entertaining (movies! movies! and more movies!) flight, all I wanted to do was just find a place to lie down and sleep. I found one that was open next to another woman and asked her if it was available. She smiled warmly and invited me to take it.

After a few minutes she asked “Do you think it is safe here? I mean, do you think our belongings will be safe while we sleep?”

“I think so.” I replied

“Okay then, do you mind watching my things while I make a phone call?”

“Sure!”

I just had to laugh to myself. That quickly, trust was established. I'm not sure if it was because we we were both women, but it seemed like the most natural thing. She returned and offered me some of her muffin. We ended up chatting about where we were traveling to (her to her home country of Pakistan to care for an ailing mother), about our work, and finally, we introduced ourselves to one another. We made a pact that we would keep an eye on each other’s bags. Later, as I awakened from a great nap, she informed me that she had been asked to keep an eye on another lounge-mate’s belongings and to watch another’s child, while those people went to get a shower. Now I digress, shower? Really, you can take a shower here?! This place is like the Hyatt of airports! Free showers, huge transit lounge, art exhibits (can we say Gangnam Style?), lots of good food, and great company! I wouldn’t trade this for a $125 per night lonely transit hotel room for anything. And yes, I was able to sleep! I unpacked my sleeping bag, crawled in, and voila, it’s like camping! Albeit, camping with all the amenities around you!

Right now, I hear the chatter of the young child who is definitely operating on a different time schedule. Every time I have awakened, i could hear him chatting with his mom. Sweet, but oh my, his mom must want to get some sleep! While the airport is pretty much shut down, people are arriving. It’s still quiet, but I’m noticing the snores, the deep breathing, the cooing of a baby, the bings of texts on someone’s phone (she’s popular!) and the occasional fart. In just a couple of hours, the restaurants and shops will be opening, people will be getting up and will start heading to their flights. We will part ways, but the memory of this night will stick with me for a long time. Now I’ll try to get a couple more hours of sleep (or not, as the child is now in play mode big time!), then on to the next leg of this journey. See you in Kathmandu!

Namaste!

Jackie

Where has nearly two years gone?!

March 18, 2015 12:49 AM

I'm leaving for Nepal in just a few hours and thought to myself, "Hmm, maybe I should make an entry in my blog!" Yes, I could be sleeping and building up the energy to weather a 12 hour flight, a 15 hour layover (without a hotel bed to sleep in!), then a 7 hour flight, but no, better to start messing with the sleep cycle now!

I was surprised to see that it has been a while since I last blogged, but it's not for lack of subject matter. You see, there's this thing called Facebook and it has been my go-to site for sharing. Then there's this thing called Twitter... You get the picture. But what I have realized is that my sharing has become condensed. (Although, some of you may be happy about that!). But seriously, there has been so much great stuff going on and I haven't been writing about it.

Well, here it goes!

If you can believe this, nearly 2 years has gone by since my last post. Where has that time gone? What has happened? Since I do need to go to sleep at some point, I'll give you the Cliff Note version. My apologies, but a very, very, Cliff version.

Starting with the DHC NewLife Center, there were two more students who passed their SLC exams in 2014 and currently, another student is getting ready to take his exam for 2015! As these graduates move out of the DHC home and in with family or in hostels, new kids come to live at the DHC home. It's so great to watch these kids grow up and do so well in their studies, and to see the young ones thriving in their new environment!

In October of 2014, a group of friends, my husband and I went to Nepal. Yes, I admit it, we went to Nepal last Fall and I did not even blog about it! Yup, guilty! But hey, I posted it all on Facebook! We did it as a fundraiser for TRIFC, the organization that I have been involved with for the past few years! We spent some of our time visiting various organizations that TRIFC helps to support, including the DHC NewLife home. The rest of the time was spent trekking on the Annapurna Circuit and sightseeing around Kathmandu and Pokhara. Aside from my husband and I, this was the first time that our teammates had visited Nepal. A great time was had by all!

I'm sure there is a lot more that happened, but really, it's time for me to get some shut-eye. Although, it is daytime in Nepal right now and perhaps this is a good way to start adjusting to the time change! Or not...

Stay tuned! I will try to post stories here, like I did in 2006, but this time, I hope I can upload photos. Back then, between load-shedding (periods of no electricity) and an incredibly slow internet speed, it would have taken hours for a photo to upload! But times have changed and believe it or not, there was WIFI on the trekking route last October!

Namaste!
Jackie

Summer 2013 Update

Hi all,

It's been quite some time since I've posted out an update. Lots of change has occurred at DHC New Life Center. Five of the children, now young adults (!), that you have helped over the years have completed their mandatory secondary education, passed their School Leaving Certificate examinations with flying colors, and are now moving out of the home to embark on another chapter of their lives where they will be pursuing their 'Plus 2' education. They will continue to receive support from DHC New Life via their own families and the support of various international donors and organizations, including TRIFC. Following my post below is a recent email from Amrit and DHC New Life Management Board in Nepal. 

2013 Graduates - June 2013

Here's also a link to a recent youtube video that we at TRIFC used for a recent Jolkona fundraising campaign that highlights these five wonderful teens.

Additionally, DHC New Life Center admitted 5 more children. Some with and without disabilities. It's an exciting time for the children and for DHC New Life and I am happy that we can be a part of this.

New children at DHC New Life - May 2013

The children and teens all dressed up for the new school year

We at TRIFC continue to help with Educational and Health funding for these children of DHC New Life Center along with our other project homes. It's really hard to believe it's been 7 years since we've embarked on this journey with the kids at DHC New Life and the kids at DRC. With your help and TRIFC's involvement, we've all come a long way!

Thanks everyone and I hope you are all having a wonderful summer!!!

Best,
Jackie
jackie@trifc.org
www.trifc.org

---

Date: Thu, 4 Jul 2013 12:42:05 +0545
Subject: DHC New Life Center Graduation Ceremony
From: dhcncnepal514@gmail.com

Dear Donors and Supporters

Saturday 29th June 2013 was a day of  celebration tinged with some sadness, as we marked the graduation of Bharat, Ajaya, Sarvana, Shanta and Soma, the first of the family to move from the Care House to independent living,as they commence their College education and now graduate to become valued and loved members of our extended family.

We had a wonderful day with the DHC New Life Board members and neighbours sharing in the celebrations. Shanta is not in the photos as she was unable to make the journey back from her village.She has enrolled in a local College and we all sent her our love and very best wishes.

At this time we also thanks you all for your generous support. Without you there would have been no possibility for these talented and dedicated young adults to be able to continue on with higher education and work towards to fulfilling their dreams for the future.

Warm Regards Amrit and members of the DHC New Life Management Board.

What?! It's 2013 already?!

Dear Friends, Namaste!

It’s really hard to believe that it’s 2013 and so much time has passed since I last posted! Where did that time go? I’ll spare you the details, but I know where it went and let’s just say last year was a doozy!  Kidding aside, as I reflect back on all that happened last year I am reminded again of how grateful I am to have a home, nourishment, clothing, access to quality healthcare, and most importantly, a loving spouse and a supportive circle of friends and family.

So here we are, it’s 2013 and it started off on the right foot with good health, good spirits and an excitement for what’s to come. No matter what is going on in our lives, time marches on and the world does not stop for us. Can you believe it?! It’s hard to fathom that it is already February and on top of that, it has been seven years since that fateful trip to Nepal where I met the wonderful kids that we’ve had the opportunity to serve over the years.

I have not been back since then, but I am there in spirit! Fortunately, with the Internet, we’ve been able to stay in touch and with TRIFC’s help, continue to assist the children by way of healthcare and education funding. As a matter of fact, fellow TRIFC board members, Rose Stevens and Gina Rose, are in Nepal right now checking in on the many TRIFC projects we are involved with and are planning to make a visit to DHC New Life while they are there! Yay!

So stay tuned! Shortly, I hope to catch you up on the happenings with DHC NewLife Center, DRC, our partnership with Jolkona and much more! Thanks so much for all you’ve done over the years! Not only by way of your donations, but for your interest in these kids!

Until next time,

Jackie

 

Follow Rose and Gina here on the TRIFC blog 

We've reached our goal!!

Namaste Friends!

I am happy to report that we have reached our fundraising goal to help fund school tuition and expenses for the kids at DHC New Life Center just in time for the new school year! DHC New Life Center is a home for disabled and disadvantaged children in Nepal that we've been working with over the last year and have been featured in many of my blog posts. I have had the honor of volunteering with most these children back in 2006 when they were at another home. 

Thank-you to all of you who donated so generously via TRIFC and our partner, Jolkona, to help these wonderful teens!! Oh, and did I tell you, all of the kids this past school year scored above 80% in their final examinations and the top 4 in the class were from DHC New Life! Isn't that just wonderful?!

With utmost gratitude,
Jackie

"What if?"

It’s February 6, 2012?! How did that happen? I can’t believe it has been over 2 months since I last wrote in my blog. It’s not like there hasn’t been anything to write about – the holidays were celebrated, the last of the troops came home from Iraq, the year of the Dragon commenced, but the days marched on whether there was something going on or not.

Over the last few days I have been laying low after undergoing a minor surgical procedure. Even though it was ‘minor’, the night before the procedure I thought to myself, “what if?”, "what if I don’t wake up from it?"  Okay, I know, that’s pretty dramatic and morbid, but it was a matter of fact type of question, one that didn't fill me with anxiety or dread for what was to come for I was quite relaxed and confident in my surgeon’s ability to get the job done right. But for those of you know who know me well, it’s not surprising that I asked myself the question, “what if?”

All I could think of was what I had not done. The uncompleted work at my day job, chores around the house, phone calls that were not made, and all the things I ‘should’ be doing to help the kids in Nepal. Well, fortunately, “what if” did not happen, and here I am ready to tackle those things left undone. I’m 3 days post-op, slowly chipping away at the chores and getting around to writing again, specifically about the happenings at DHC NewLife Center (and hopefully about DRC again soon!!!).

So to jump right in, much has been happening at DHC NewLife Center as a result of the generous contributions by friends and Amrit’s hard work. Amrit reported that the kitchen enclosure project, funded by Harumi Guiberson and Alycia Lee was completed. This helps the kids have a warmer area to sit and eat during the chilly winters in Kathmandu. The photos still makes it look like it's still cold, but they also have the help of a heater, provided there is electricity. Yes, load shedding is still on-going in the city where there are power outages lasting up to 16 hours! (See my previous posting about this topic).

Kitchen with new enclosure and curtains - Thanks Alycia and Harumi!

Thanks to Gordon of Sedona and Beth of Seattle, medical needs were addressed as well, with three of the kids sporting needed eyeglasses and one child fitted with a new AFO (ankle foot orthosis) brace to help treat club foot. 

B.BC with his new glasses!

AFO in the making

Testing out the new AFOs

 

Thanks to Chris of Australia and Molly of Seattle, a library, complete with books and shelves, tables and chairs, was completed. It’s a great place for the kids to comfortably come together to read and study. And speaking of studying, more recently, a tutor has been brought in to help the kids with their schoolwork and to help them prepare for upcoming final examinations. This was my Christmas gift to my close pal Sue Newman who has always been a great supporter of my Nepal causes! Thanks, Sue!

New Library at home

Tutoring time

DHC NewLife tutor helping kids with their studies

As you can see, education is high on the priority list for DHC NewLife and this holiday season, past volunteer Mari Hirabayashi of the Jolkona Foundation, partnered with us at TRIFC.org to launch a Jolkona holiday campaign to benefit DHC NewLife. Yay, Mari!! The goal was to raise enough funds to pay for tuition and fees for at least two of the 12 students at DHC NewLife. The campaign was a success and although it reached that goal, the campaign is still open in case anyone wants to donate because there are still 10 students currently needing funding at approximately $422 per child. Amrit is working hard to reach out to past and present volunteers around the globe to help raise these funds and we are sure happy we can be a part of that effort, too! If you’d like to help out, please visit http://www.jolkona.org/projects/158 or submit a donation directly through TRIFC at www.trifc.org

So despite feeling like there was a lot undone when I was asking myself “what if?”, there was a lot that was done (although not by me, but via the hard work of Amrit and his staff!) and there will always be a lot more to do (ok, that would be me - like finding $). I guess that’s what is so great about being alive – there’s never a dull moment. Wanna join me in helping to get things done, especially for the kids in Nepal?  If so, come join me, if not, that’s okay, because I’m sure there’s a cause near and dear to your heart that you support and I’d sure love to hear about it!

Well, until the next blog post, hopefully sooner rather than later, be well! Thanks for visiting and thanks to everyone for helping Amrit of DHC NewLife get things done!

Namaste,

Jackie

Link to post about load shedding 

Hey, I've never been on a field trip like this!

Namaste Friends,

Back in October, my colleague Alycia Lee and her cousin Harumi Guiberson went to Nepal to do some trekking in the Annapurna Sanctuary. Alycia had asked me about volunteer opportunities as they had a few free days in Kathmandu after their trek. I suggested they visit DHC New Life Centre, which they did. They spent three days there and on their last day there, they took the kids on a field trip to Namo Buddha Retreat Center and Monastic College. According to the center's website, "Namo Buddha is a supreme sacred place located in the mountains about 2 ½ hours from Kathmandu. It is one of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Nepal and one of the holiest in the world. It is known as the place where the Buddha, in a previous life as a prince, gave his body to a starving tigress and her cubs."

Below is Harumi's guest post about her and Alycia's visit to DHC New Life Centre and their visit to Namo Buddha. Harumi stated in an email to me "I was a little hesitant about staying three days and two nights at the Centre but after a few hours it was pure joy." Enjoy!

Our Visit to DHC New Life Centre, by Harumi Guiberson  (19 Nov 2011)

We spent the first afternoon playing games all in English.  Thankfully the kids go to private school in which most of the classes are conducted in English, because our Nepali was limited to a couple of words!  The next day we asked the kids to help us find an ATM, internet access and a market for snacks.  Eight of kids joined us and we walked and literally dodged Kathmandu traffic for a couple of hours before settling down in a restaurant for lunch and a break before shopping for fruit, chocolate and snacks.  In the restaurant it was great fun to watch the kids drink out of the community water pitcher without spilling a drop.  Once we were back at the Centre the kids systematically went through the snacks to "fair" share with the others who stayed behind.  On our final day we all piled into a van at 6:00 am to visit the Namo Buddha Monastic Retreat Centre (one of the holiest Buddhist sites) and the world's tallest Shiva (Hindu deity) statue which the kids had heard about but never visited.  The sites were impressive but what would have taken less than a hour here took several hours on the rough and often unpaved Nepal roads.  We topped the trip off with a visit to a local ice cream stand near the Centre.  After dinner we had a sad farewell and left for the airport to return home.  

It's been almost three weeks since we returned from Nepal and the happy times and faces of the children of the Centre are still in my thoughts and heart.  The Nepalese sit on top of the world in a land-locked country squeezed between two giant nations, so it's easy to understand why poverty and illiteracy are so endemic in Nepal.  Yet with so little, Nepal has still been the home to thousands of refugees from Tibet and Bhutan.  Life must be very difficult for the hard-working Nepalese and especially for these differently-abled* kids who I found to be the most sharing, caring and upbeat kids I've ever met.  Beneath their happy, go lucky spirit belies their concern and efforts to get an education and live a productive life.  I'm sure Amrit must keep the goal of living a responsible life foremost in their minds.  Thank you for recommending a visit to the DHC New Life Centre.  A truly rewarding "real" life experience in Nepal.  Namaste.

Harumi Guiberson 

*an expression I heard from Amrit and it really says it all!

PS:  Tourist slogan for Nepal is "once is not enough."  Here, here!  Same can be said for the DHC New Life Center, right?

 Harumi with a couple of the girls**

 Alycia with SP and needlepoint gift made by SP.

 Looking for an ATM

Field trip to Namo Buddha Monastic Retreat Centre

 

 The girls with their house mom

 World's tallest statue of Shiva

 Yum! Ice Cream after a fun outing!

 Amrit (top right) with Harumi, and a couple of the teens. 

To learn more about Namo Buddha click here
YouTube video about Namo Buddha 

**Note: Names of the children not published for privacy purposes. Photos used with permission from DHC New Life Centre.

Are you bored already?

Guess what I did this past Friday night? No, I didn't go out Bollywood dancing - that's usually held on Saturday nights. No, I didn't go on a date with my husband, he was out with a friend (hmmm... he was out on a Friday night just a few weeks ago without me!). No, I didn't sit on the couch watching TV.  Okay, I won't keep you in suspense - I attended a board meeting. Yes, I've heard all the usual questions when I tell folks I attended a board meeting - "were you 'bored'?"or "Oh, you were in the 'bored' room". I must admit that it doesn't sound like a fun thing to do on a Friday night, but it was, trust me, it was!

It was the first meeting I attended as a board member for The Rose International Fund for Children. If you've read my blog before, you're already familiar with the organization. If not, we are an organization whose primary mission is to improve the lives of children in Nepal, particularly those with disabilities.  I must say, it felt like being home with long-time friends. We met at our Executive Director's home, had a wonderful Nepali meal, and got down to business. We even had our board members from Nepal on Skype with us! For the last few years, I have been working towards finding an organization to become sponsors of my Nepal projects. When I found TRIFC, I knew they were it! After over a year of working closely with Rob and Gina Rose, I get to be a part of their organization and I am deeply honored. What a great bunch of people!

So what's it mean to be on a board? In general, it means that you collectively make decisions on how the organization runs, what programs to fund, how you will fundraise and you also monitor progress of your programs. Okay, perhaps that doesn't sound too exciting, but I must say, when you are surrounded by people who are passionate about the organization and its mission, you can't help but feel excited about doing the work, and believe me, it is work! Rob currently spends a large number of volunteer hours each week running TRIFC, in addition to running his business. His wife Gina is also tireless in her efforts. I'm not sure I'll be able to keep up with them, but I'll try!

Now here's something else to get excited about - below are some recent photos taken by my colleague Alycia and her cousin Harumi, of the kids at DHC New Life! They and the children at DRC are what keeps me going! I promised you last time that I will blog about DHC New Life's field trip with Alycia and Harumi. I still plan on doing that, so stay tuned.  Enjoy the photos! There will be more to come!

Enjoying a game of Scrabble - a gift from my colleague Alycia on her recent trip to Nepal.

A fun game of basketball!

Harumi with the girls as they jam to some iPod tunes

Playing a word memory game that Alycia created

Namaste,
Jackie

"Early to bed, Early to rise...

...makes a man or woman miss out on the nightlife."  That's some of the lyrics sung by the band Morphine who I just finished listening to on our stereo.  I chuckled to myself thinking "I didn't go to bed early and I'm still missing out on the nightlife", but am I really? Maybe a little since I'm not out with Doug and his pal, but I'm home, comfortable, and warm. What could I possibly missing out on? Then it got me thinking about the kids I spent time with in Nepal, especially as I read emails tonight from friends supporting various causes which benefit children and young women in Nepal. It made me wonder if the kids feel like they are missing out on something regardless of the time of day. 

When I was there in 2006, I never got that feeling from them. Some of the children were disabled and had some difficulty getting around, yet it didn't seem they felt that way save for one of them who could not go to school because of her disability. Imagine that, missing out on school was a major bummer to those who could not attend! I don't ever remember being too sad about not being able to go to school. Can you? But perhaps my time with them was too brief to know for sure, or perhaps that concept of 'missing out' was not yet in their young minds, despite having every reason to believe that they may be missing out on something.

Over the years, I've remained in touch with them via Amrit. He'd tell me about the various outings that volunteers would treat them to and I realized that because of their circumstances whether physical or economic, they did sort of miss out on what others without these limitations were experiencing.  Again, I don't know if they saw it that way, but one thing for sure, they loved being out and about! They enjoyed the moment.  They treasured it! And being at their care homes, the kids do have the opportunity to experience outings, experience going to school, experience friendships. How great is that!

So, stay tuned, as one of my work colleagues has just returned from a trip to Nepal where she and her cousin volunteered at DHC New Life Centre for a few days and treated the kids to a wonderful outing! I'll fill you in on the details and hopefully will have photos to share as well!!! One thing for sure, I know I missed out on that one!


Thanks for the visit and hanging out!
-Jackie

It's Fall and I'm not in Nepal! The 'Job I Love' reprise.

Namaste Friends,

Back in May, I blogged about the "Job I Love" and was keeping my fingers crossed to get a chunk of time off to visit Nepal in the Fall. It didn't happen, not because I couldn't get the time off, but because of projects at my day job. Yes, my day job trumped the "Job I Love".  Why? Because for the most part, I actually 'like' most aspects of my day job, I like the people I work with, and I really did not want to miss out on the implementation of those projects. And now, after reading some of Jon Acuff's book "Quitters", I realize more completely that without my day job, I would not be able to fund the "Job I Love".  I would not be able to donate to causes I feel passionate about or purchase the computer that I use to write my blog. Granted, if I didn't have my day job, I could possibly spend more time on the Job I Love.  Not! I would probably be looking for another job to keep the lights on and to pay the mortgage.  In this day and age, I'm grateful I have a job at all!

So here I am, blogging again, after what seems like an eternity! Since my August post, The Rose International Fund for Children had a successful fundraiser, raising over $12,000 which will help them to continue supporting their many projects. A couple of these projects include their Braille Book Library and their  Empowerment Program for deaf women, both based in Nepal.  Also since that last post, DHC NewLife's kitchen expansion project was completed to more comfortably accommodate the children, thanks to a couple of very generous overseas donors. And finally, during the months of September and October, Nepalis around the globe celebrated two of their most treasured holidays, Dashain and Dipawali!

So with the passing of Fall will come Winter, when we hunker down, reflect back on the year and hopefully spend some holiday time with loved ones. And since it is getting close to the 'giving' holidays, if you are able, maybe even donate some of the fruits of your day job to a cause you are passionate about (I am shameless, aren't I, but hey, it's not for me!!!).  Here are some ideas:

The Rose International Fund for Children - to help fund projects benefiting disabled children in Nepal.  Indicate in the comments if you want to specifically donate to DHC NewLife. Click here to learn more about DHC NewLife Center

The Bo M. Karlsson Foundation - to help educate young women in Nepal

"4 the 1" - to help end human trafficking. Specify "for WPPC" so that funds will go to this Nepali organization committed to ending human slavery in Nepal. Click here to learn more about WPPC.

Thank-you all for visiting! Happy Fall! Happy Dashain and Dipawali!
Jackie

What can $500 buy nowadays?

Last weekend I attended the Bo M. Karlsson Foundation's Mahilaa Night and "spent" a little over $500! What on earth did I spend it on you may ask. I'll get to that in a minute. Let me first tell you a little about the Bo M. Karlsson Foundation.  It's an organization whose sole mission is to provide funding to young women in Nepal seeking higher education. Plain and simple. Part of their mission statement reads "As we support women in their educational pursuits, our desire is that this also helps them build character and strength, making them self-reliant, confident, and productive citizens in their own country." Yes! That's exactly what Bo & Sonnia Karlsson imparted onto their children and what my dad imparted on me!

Okay, you now probably have an idea on what I spent $500 on. Mahilaa (Women's) Night is the Foundation's annual fundraising event. Seattleites are fond of silent and live auctions and this event was no different but have you been to one of these events with a bunch of your friends, dining on Nepali food, complete with a traditional Nepali dance performance? The house was rockin' and all for the young women scholars who will continue with their studies this year or who will be awarded a scholarship to pursue their dream! So needless to say, although I wasn't expecting to, I spent $500 on a young woman. Plain and simple. To put things into perspective, this amount can fund the yearly tuition and expenses for a woman seeking an education or journalism degree in Nepal! So, I feel like it is money well spent!

So what did I go home with, after all it was an event with an auction, right? Okay, I did get a kimono (been wanting one forever, I think!)  and a private reading/signing by author, Caryl Sherpa, whose book entitled "I taste fire, earth, rain" I am thoroughly engrossed in right now! Her book brings back memories of my first trip to Nepal in 2001, where I fell in love with the landscape, the people, the culture, the spirituality and where the bonds of love and friendship were deepened immensely. 

The event was truly amazing. Although financial times are still hard, many people in attendance were willing to open their pocketbooks, which made for a successful night, if you ask me! No matter how big or small the donation, every bit counts and is appreciated. And if you missed this event, but are itching to get out there and socialize while helping disabled children in Nepal, the annual event for The Rose International Fund for Children is coming up. 
Thanks so much everyone!!!!!!

Namaste,
Jackie

To learn more about The Bo M. Karlsson Foundation visit:
www.bomkarlsson.org

YouTube video for I taste fire, earth rain:
I taste fire, earth, rain

Upcoming event:
The Rose International Fund for Children Annual Dinner
September 15, 2011 6:00 to 9:00 PM
RSVP by August 20th
(425)-881-6231

RSVP Now! The Rose International Fund for Children Dinner & Fundraiser - September 15, 2011

SLC Results are in and it has nothing to do with Salt Lake City!

So you must be wondering, what's SLC? Does it have something to do with Salt Lake City? No. Does it have some talent show (sorry, I'm watching America's Got Talent right now)? Uhh, No. Okay, let's get serious now, what is it then? In Nepal, SLC stands for School Leaving Certificate. The SLC examination is usually administered in the spring (March/April) to all students completing Grade 10. Passing of this exam is of utmost importance to students because it determines whether they can continue on to higher secondary education also known as "Plus 2" or "college", then ultimately, should they decide to and are able to afford it, go on to university. This year, about 500,000 students had planned to sit for the exam in over 1000 exam centers across the country. The exam has been plagued with past reports of cheating, however, this year, it was reported that the government had planned to adopt a 'tough policy' in order to ensure that exams were conducted fairly.

On a more personal level, yesterday, I received an email from one of the children who I met back in 2006. He happily reported that he had passed the SLC and received a passing score of 83% with Distinction. Only 55% of those who took the exam passed it this year, and a much smaller number who pass with distinction! So this is quite an achievement for him and he is so grateful to his sponsors. It is a testament to the dedication of former staff/advisors for DRC, specifically Amrit and Rose Falconer, for ensuring his enrollment in a private school by finding donors to sponsor this young man's education. 

In Nepal, both public and private school have tuition fees. Despite passing the SLC, some cannot afford to continue on pass Grade 10. And likewise, even after completing 'Plus 2', some may not be able to go on to university. It is always a challenge to ensure that children even obtain basic education. This young man is one of the fortunate ones, but it did not come easy, and when dependent on donors, there are no guarantees. Fortunately, there are organizations in Nepal and here in the US that see the value in education and are willing to go the extra mile to help those in need.

Thank-you for visiting and if you want to learn more about the various organizations that do great work on behalf of Nepali children and young women, visit the organizations' websites included in Links.

Namaste,

Jackie

Click here to read an interesting Op-Ed piece about the SLC exam.

And another interesting read: http://neltachoutari.wordpress.com/2011/04/30/1645/

Nepal is Landmine Free! Totally, I hope!!!

Great news today for Nepal! The BBC reported today that Nepal is landmine free! This comes five years after the end of a 10 year long civil war that have cost many their lives and have left many people disabled. However, it was unclear to me from the BBC article if Nepal is free of landmines placed by the army as well as those placed by the rebel forces. So I did a little digging. According to the Landmine & Cluster Munition Monitor's Mine Ban Policy for Nepal, it states that the country's "November 2006 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) committed the government and the Unified Communist Party of Nepal/Maoist rebels to halt the use of landmines, and required the parties to assist each other to mark and clear mines and booby-traps." So that being said, I'm hoping that indeed most if not all the landmines have been located and detonated. And although Nepal has not yet signed the Mine Ban (Ottawa) Treaty (neither has the U.S.), I also learned that in 2009 the Monitor removed Nepal from their list of mine producers.


The human costs associated with wars is felt for many years even with cease-fires or peace agreements. Landmines continue to injure and kill many civilians, but the work that the International Campaign to Ban Landmines has been doing over the years has made a difference in bringing this issue to the forefront. What they've done in Nepal helps us get one step closer to a landmine-free world.


Namaste,
Jackie

Update from DHC New Life Center - June 5, 2011

Namaste Friends - this is the latest update from DHC NewLife Center. This is one of the organizations that we are helping in Nepal. A big shout out to those of you who donated recently to help the kids there - Gordon, Rose, Doug, Erin, Rob & Gina!! 


-Jackie
======================================
June 5, 2011
Update from DHC New Life Center


Dear supporter,
Namaste

This is a brief email just to keep you up to date with how things are
going in our Care House.  The children are all well and have settled
into the new school year.  Thanks to generous donations from people in
Australia, America , New Zealand,France,Switzerland, Hongkong etc we
have been able to pay all the school fees for the whole year and buy
the children the required new school uniforms and text books.  The
children did very well in their school results last year with Mahesh
coming first in his class!  They are very studious.

Our very exciting news is that we have moved house.  The old house did
not have any outdoor area for the children in which they could play or
where we could have a garden but in the new house we have good outside
areas.  I have attached photos so that you can see the new house and
the outdoor areas.  Kindness in Action USA has paid the rent for the
new house which is wonderful.  We have a 5 year agreement (lease) on
this house and while it is much much better than our previous house we
still need to fix some things in it like making the toilet more
accessible, especially for those children whose disability affects
their legs, put in an underground water storage system as we only get
access to government water twice a week and work on the garden so that
we can grow some of our own vegetables.

The other good news is that again thanks to Rose Stevens, who is Vice
chairperson in Kindness in Action and who visited DHC New Life Centre
in February 2011 with Robert Rose, we have an inverter so that we can
have electricity.
In Nepal we have 12 hour loadshedding every day/night (that means no
electricity for 12 hours out of every 24 hours) which makes it really
difficult for the children at night to go to toilet and study, but
because we now have an inverter we have back up electricity which
makes a big difference for the children – we will be use it to power
the lights while the children study and do their homework.

We have 5 years agreement this house, comparatively more comfortable
and has ground , garden but still we need to fixed some infrastructure
for disabled children as well as we need to fixed toilet, we need to
take out underground water because government supply water come only 2
time in a week, it is not sufficient for drinking. In new house we
have space for garden and play ground but need to fixed it and
plantation in garden.

We have also had a number of volunteers come and spend time with us
and that has been really good – the children love to have volunteers
come!

So we are going well and most importantly the children are well and
happy.  Please if you are coming to Nepal come and visit us and please
also keep in touch with us through email.  We value our contact with
our supporters and thank you very much for all the help you are giving
us to help make the lives of the children better.

Gordon Reiter has paid the health expanses which is really great! and
children getting regular health check up 3 times in a year and
Prosthetics like Crutches Caliper  wheelchairs etc.

With many thanks and best wishes

Amrit and everyone at DHC New Life Centre


(Please visit their website for photos and more details about them: http://dhcnlc.org/news.php)

What's an inverter?

I don't think twice about whether or not the lights will come on when I flip the light switch in my house. I turn on my desktop computer and voila, as long as it is plugged in there is no reason why it should not power up if it is in good working condition. For the most part, barring a storm causing an outage, we are very fortunate here in the U.S. to have guaranteed electricity 24 x 7. Not everyone is so lucky.

In Nepal, if you live in the Kathmandu Valley, you could experience 8-10 hours of load shedding each day. This essentially means, no electricity during that time frame, which usually happens for part of the day (longer) and part of the night. It is especially long during the winter when the rivers are running low and the already low supply of hydroelectric power becomes even less.  You may be wondering why a country like Nepal with so many glaciers and rivers would have a problem generating hydroelectric power. I don't know enough to explain the complex reasons and perhaps I'd better leave that up to the 'experts' to explain. But what I do know is that in order to generate more power, dams would probably need to be built and you can imagine what that could mean for the environment and people living close to the rivers if done on a grand scale. Nepal is not alone when it comes to dealing with power issues.

So what's an inverter? That's exactly what I was asking myself when I heard from Amrit that they would be getting an inverter donated to them by Kindness in Action. Some of you already know what an inverter is, but I didn't and this is not surprising since I've not had a reason to need one. Essentially, it is like a generator but instead of using gasoline, it takes battery power (direct current) and converts it to AC power (alternating current) which allows you to run appliances or anything needing electrical power. It's like when you plug in your boom box into your car's cigarette lighter socket using that funky plug adapter (aha! the inverter!). They come in different sizes so to speak, depending on what you would be using it for. In the case of DHC New Life Centre, they will be using it power the lights while the kids study or do their homework.  Being without power affects the everyday person's way of life in Nepal in ways I can't even comprehend, like when to use the computer, when to study, when to do work that requires electricity, everything!

The new inverter that was donated by Rose Stevens via Kindness in Action will help the kids at DHC New Life Centre tremendously. Below is a photo of their new inverter. Anyway, I learned something today with the help of the internet, which I could quickly access via my electric powered computer, on demand. How fortunate are we.

Namaste,
Jackie

Visit this blog for an interesting post about load-shedding in Nepal:
http://blog.com.np/2011/01/27/power-to-the-people-load-shedding-in-nepal/

And here's a recent load-shedding schedule:
http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=pages&page_id=8

Kindness in Action:
www.kindact.org

The Job I Love!

Monday is the day I reserve for my 'other job', the job that I don't mind NOT getting paid to do. It's the day that I try to spend part of the day working on my Nepal projects. Whether it is catching up on emails, updating the blog, or finding ways to support the kids, it's all worthwhile and although at times it may feel like one more thing to do, it's usually at the top of the to-do list, because I love it.

Here's five reasons why I love it and think others who do this kind of stuff do, too: (you know who you are!!)

1) You don't have to be a part of the Gates Foundation to make an impact, no matter how small.

2) You get to ask people for donations and not feel bad about it, because, guess what, it's not for you. (Took me some time to realize this!)

3) You eventually get to go back to the place where it all started for you, see the friends you've made and those who have enriched your life immensely.  (I'm keeping my fingers crossed for that to happen in the Fall)

4) You're never at a loss for a conversation piece at a party because if you're excited and passionate about something, you just want to talk about it!

5) It opens your eyes to the global community that we are a part of and although my focus is on Nepal, it has definitely made me think more globally about everything and become more aware of other organizations trying to do their part!

Lastly...  I know, I said five reasons, but I'm adding a sixth reason. See for yourself...  photos sent by Amrit of three teens from DHC NewLife Center, sporting some new hardware.  This is a snapshot of how our funds have been used over the years.  Their smiles says it all!

'R' with her new leg.  Of note, this young lady said I could be her grandmother when I was there in 2006, and she's right!!!!  My grandkid is growing up!

'S" with her new crutches

'B' with his new orthopaedic shoes and crutches.

Thank-you for visiting!  Until next time... 

Namaste,

Jackie

Happy New Year 2068 - DHC New Life Center update

Happy Nepali New Year - 2068!  No, I'm not wishing you a happy new year many years into the future, but the year according to the Bikram Sambat calendar which is used in Nepal. It starts usually in mid-April and marks the beginning of the solar new year.

With the new year brings preparations for another school year.  Amrit and his staff and volunteers at DHC New Life are busily helping the kids get ready by purchasing uniforms, shoes, and school bags. They are also making sure the children are healthy by taking them in for medical check-ups and providing specialized boots and crutches for the children who need them. All of this was possible with funds sent via TRIFC! If you're wondering who is paying for the tuitions, those are being covered in large part by generous donors from Australia, many of them friends of Sue Driscoll and Rose Falconer. So stay tuned, we'll be working closely with Amrit to determine future needs for DHC New Life Center. More to come in upcoming posts regarding both DHC and DRC, but in the meantime, here are some photos Amrit sent of the DHC kids in their new uniforms!  Thank-you to those of you who have donated to DHC New Life Center. A big shout out to Rob, Erin, and Gordon for your recent contributions!!!

Naya Barsako, Subha Kamana (Happy New Year),
Jackie

Sue Driscoll (Left, pink top), Amrit (Middle, sitting), Rose Falconer (Right, next to Amrit), with staff and teens sporting their new uniforms at DHC New Life Center.

Spiffy shoes!

Really, is it true? Did Mortenson go to Korphe in 93 or 94? Who cares?

How many of you saw the expose on 60 minutes about Greg Mortenson and the Central Asia Institute? I just did and my heart is saddened. Saddened not because of the inconsistencies in his stories (really, do you believe someone being interviewed would admit to being part of the Taliban?), but because of the impact this story will have on organizations trying to make a difference in the world, especially when it comes to helping improve the lives of children.


I read Three Cups of Tea shortly after I returned from Nepal in 2006. A co-worker had read it as part of her book club and was overwhelmed by the story, a story of one man's promise to build a school for an impoverished town in Pakistan. It was this story that inspired me to host a fundraiser for 'my kids' in Nepal and to continue to this day to do my small part. So does this expose change how I feel about helping people half a world away? No, it doesn't. It actually bolsters my resolve to continue supporting organizations and causes that I feel are truly committed to doing the right thing, and in the grand scheme of things, I believe Greg Mortenson and CAI are committed to doing just that. They've had their problems, this is not new. And not to say that they shouldn't do things differently, like at least get some of the royalties from book sales - geez! But this situation also reminds me that you can never be too sure. Do your homework on an organization if at all possible. Charity Navigator gave CAI fours stars and states 'As we prefer to deal with facts and data, and not rumors and accusations, we do not feel it would be appropriate to downgrade a charity's rating simply based on a media report." Read their full report here which includes Greg Mortenson's and CAI's responses to the allegations (under Donor advisory) at http://blog.charitynavigator.org/2011/04/cbs-and-central-asia-institute.html


Let's keep the faith,
Jackie