Build a new school in Gaunshahar, Lamjung, Nepal!
Namaste!
Help me build a new school in Gaunshahar, Lamjung, Nepal for children 3-13 years old. Help me create a valuable foundation for the next generation of world educators and leaders!
Hi,
My name is Marcia Voss and this is my campaign. I am a 24-year-old music student in Germany. I’m a proud dog owner of a 4 year old Mexican street mud. Under my passions for life are hobbies such as traveling, languages, music, arts, dance, animals, nature and Bikrahm yoga.
I have never ever asked strangers for donations nor made an online campaign before, but now I found a strong enough reason for me to ask the world to contribute to my cause.
Recently, I’ve been browsing the Internet for volunteer opportunities abroad and tumbled across a very touching post. In that post a man called Shamser Thapa and his family are doing their best for their poor village in Gaunshahar, Lamjung, Nepal. Gaunshahar is the original abode of the royal family of Nepal, which later relocated to Kathmandu. The small palace and courtyard still host’s traditional festivals that attract hundreds, sometimes thousands of people from all around at many intervals during the calendar year.
Gaunshahar’s population is 1000 and is located in the Lamjung district with a population of 6,611 (stats as of 2011), the village has 1 communal place and only 1 communal school. At this moment there are 75 students, aged 3-13, with class sizes no bigger than 12. In the district of Lamjung the villages have many low-income families, who are struggling in receiving basic education. Most families’ children have basically no chance of education. Shamser and his family, with help from volunteers around the world, such as me, are planning to build a second school so more families have the chance in sending their children to school.
About Heaven Hill Academy
Shamser Thapa is a local teacher and principal who is passionate about improving his community. Not satisfied with the education system, his vision is to build a new free independent school in the heart of Gaunshahar. A school, which will not discriminate between family income and social class status but will take the poorest of the village children alleviating the financial burden on their families and providing them with quality education they could not otherwise afford.
The Plan
To fund and build a physical school for approximately 40 students from the age of 4 to 8 in the heart of Gaunshahar.
The challenges, which lay ahead of us, are:
- Find suitable land in the village
- Source funding to buy the land at an estimated cost of US$ 8,500
- Secure funding to build the buildings an at estimated cost of US$ 12,600
- Gain approval from the education board
- Design the layout of the school
- Have a steady flow of volunteers to assist with the build and reduce costs
- Fit out of the school
- Design the school emblem and create the logo to match our principles
- Secure funding for the day to day running of the school – estimated at US$ 600 per month
- Employee and train 4 teachers
- Identify worthy students and enroll them
- Opening day
Progress up to Date!
22 September 2014
We’ve found suitable land in the heart of Gaunshahar. The farmer, who currently grows crop on the land, is willing to sell so we’re beginning negotiations.
30 September 2014
A generous donation has been received from a previous volunteer. This has allowed us to purchase the land. Once the millet has been harvested, we can start the build!
14 October 2014
We’ve been granted permission from the local authority in Besishahar to open a school for nursery, lower kindergarten and upper kindergarten classes.
21 October 2014
With the help of a volunteer and after weeks of drawings and revisions, we’ve come up with a design for the school which we believe optimises the space we have available.
26 October 2014
A further large donation has been received which has allowed us to purchase a water tank for the school, pay for the electricity wiring as well as start breaking the stones.
27 October 2014
We’ve now started breaking the stones. A family in the village who has land near the school’s location has given permission to use their stone. We’ve employed 2 men local to the village to begin breaking the stone at the quarry. Volunteers have cut in a path into the side of the mountain for access and they’ve started carry the stones from the quarry to the site.
7 November 2014
With the help of the volunteers, we’ve created both a logo and school motto. After brainstorming ideas, we believe ‘Pride in our past, skills for the future’ emphasises our aim for the school; to preserve the traditions of the community and provide future generations with the skills and knowledge to achieve. With the pipal tree being an important focal point in this rural community, it’s also our main focal point with the roots representing the past and the leaves the future.
About Shamser Thapa
Shamser Thapa is a teacher and principle of a school in the small picturesque village of Gaunshahar, Nepal. The village being the original abode of the Nepali Royal family before they were relocated to Kathmandu.
Shamser was brought up in Gaunshahar, the son of a farming family. Schooled in the local public school, their mornings and evenings were spent assisting the family with chores around the farm, leaving little time for studying. Not much has changed in Gaunsahar in 30 years.
Having graduated from the local high school, Shamser sought higher education but with his father lacking the funds to invest in his son’s education he moved to Kathmandu and took a job in a hotel in Nagarkot as a kitchen porter to enable him to pay for his university degree. Impressing the owner with his English, he was promoted to waiter before finally moving to concierge. Working full time at the hotel proved difficult to fit in the time for study, but with his determination, he managed to secure a degree in English Literature and Population after 3 years.
Graduating Tribhuban University, Shamser continued to save until a time when he was able to move to the West in search of employment opportunities, not unlike the vast majority of men in rural communities in Nepal who struggle to find work. Spending a year and a half in Antwerp working and saving, he realised, in comparison to the West, he missed the close knit community of his hometown; the perfect environment to bring up his family and the perfect place where he could make a difference to the future of the community; something he wasn’t afforded in Antwerp.
With ideas for social improvement circling around Shamser’s head, he moved back home. He took a job teaching in a local school in Gaunshahar and was soon made principle. Not resting on his laurels and with the poverty of the village in the forefront of his mind, Shamser continued with small projects borne from the heart.
This story, as well as all the images on Shamser’s websites at www.heavenhillhomestay.com and www.heavenhillacademynepal.org , touched me deeply. Since I had read the story, I cannot stop thinking about the children and their beautiful villages in the mountains of Nepal. With in the years to come I sincerely wish to travel to Gaunshahr to meet Shamser Tapa, his family and the wonderful children we all have helped establish a foundation for their future! Nepal has been one of my longest dreams, for over 7 years now. Every now and again I envision my stay with them already.
In my opinion, education is of high importance and necessity globally. The lack of education around the world is scary. We know that the United States as well as Europe have enough educational problems but for countries to not have even a choice of getting educated is outrageous, in my mind. I am asking you to help me raise funds so we can send Gaunshahar’s and the surrounding village children to get a basic education near their home.
When we archive the goal of $10.000 US Dollars/9390.99 Euros, you have helped build a second school by supplying the funds for all materials needed for building the school, as well as giving the children enough props to start learning such as:
- Pencils, rubbers/erasers, markers, crayons, colour pencils, sharpeners, and etc.
- Exercise books, drawing paper, A4-sized printer paper
- First aid materials (plasters, scissors, wound disinfection)
- English children’s books
- Children’s clothes
- Educational board games and toys
- Radio/CD player
- Old laptops
- Light bulbs and lamp covers
- Cups, mugs, plates or bowls
- Toys
- Cash!
Please be aware of size and weight because all items will be hiked up the mountains. The smaller and lighter the better! 🙂
How you helped build the new school?
Your donations here Donation Button! (Integrate button)
With your efforts, we also accept any and all materialistic donations sent to the address below. Read further to see a full list of items require for the school or see above mentioned item list in short.
You can personality ship items to:
Heaven Hill Academy
Gaunshahar-1 Lamjung
Zone-Gandaki
Nepal
Or directly address to Shamser Thapa.
Sending school supplies
We realize many people prefer to send school materials by airmail/courier than donating money. Whilst any donations of supplies are greatly received, it’s unfortunate that in Nepal the customs charges to have parcels greater than 2kg released from the depot in Kathmandu are extremely high, meaning we have to channel much needed money into releasing them. Should you wish to send supplies directly, please get in touch and we may be able to put you in contact with someone from your country who is coming to volunteer and could bring any items. Alternatively, if there are specific items you wish to donate, we can source them here in Nepal and purchase using your kind donation.
NOTE: When you ship items, make sure you keep a detailed list of items sent in case of damage, loss or theft. Get a durable/heavy duty box and make sure you receive your tracking number. Make sure items in the box are shielded well, cover them with newspaper, Styrofoam or any other gap filling material for safer arrival of package. Best to get package coverage/insurance.
Donations are the best way to help! I will deal with the shipping costs and pack as many suite cases as the airline allows me.
Make a donation
One of the most important parts of our vision for Heaven Hill Academy is the ability to offer quality education free of charge to those children who would not otherwise have access to it. We will be dependent on donations to fund the build, chattels, teaching resources and ongoing running costs (teaching materials, wages, electricity, etc.) initially for the school. Although there are plans to develop an income stream to fund the school on going, this will not be realized until the end of 2015. 100% of all donations received will go directly into providing a child’s free education with nothing taken for any admin costs. We understand the need for transparency when donating to charitable causes, therefore should you wish to donate to the project, we urge you to get in touch and we’ll tell you how your generous donation, however big or small, will be spent.
Make your cause 2016 the children of Gaunshahar!!!!
Save the children and an amazing culture, hit in April 2015 by one of the largest earthquakes in history of the world with a magnitude of 7.8!!!
Leaving Nepal devastated and in need of our support to rebuild!
Image credits: Mercy Corps
Disaster Relief:
MercyCorps: http://nepal.mercycorps.org/
Find below a complete list done by Shamser Thapa of things needed for the new school:
- Stickers
- Pencils, rubbers/erasers, markers, crayons, colour pencils, sharpeners, and etc.
- Exercise books, drawing paper, A4-sized printer paper
- Working gloves
- Old laptops/laptop speakers
- English children’s books
- Children’s clothes
- Educational board games and toys
- Radio/CD player/audio speakers
- External hard disks
- English educational cartoons and nursery rhymes CDs
- First aid materials (plasters, scissors, wound disinfection)
- Chalk and duster
- Old photo and/or film camera
- Overhead projector
- Small flag of your own country
- Light bulbs and lamp covers
- Blackboard paint
- Solar boiler or solar panel or solar cooker
- Toys
- Unwanted children’s football boots, t-shirts and shorts.
- Old working mobile phones
- Watches and clocks
- Cups, mugs, plates or bowls
- Seeds of herbs, vegetables or fruit which we can plant
Dear Contributors,
This campaign I started begin of 2015 and will continuously run till the goal has been reached. All your generous contributions made here through my website will cumulate in a PayPal account especially created solely for this campaign. Only I have access to the funds. See top for fund count. Once the goal is reached, I will send the money directly to Shamasar Tapa’s account in Nepal via direct deposit/PayPal transfer.
It is very important to me to make the biggest impact possible with the funds collected. The excitement for me lies in establishing a partnership with the Heaven Hill Community for future educational travels, volunteer opportunities, international friendships and relations to better the world where we can.
As some of you know, I’ve lived already in 6 countries (Germany, Australia, Mexico, States and France) and visited 15 countries. Throughout my travels I have seen and heard a lot. Mexico was my first real encounter with poverty and strong social conflict. Seeing people squished in the tiniest places just to have a roof over their head, seeing stray and diseased animals on a daily roaming the streets, empty buildings of unfinished projects, and the hustle to have a meal per day on the table for each member in the family and then consider it normal. Seeing the different social behaviours when strangers/tourists enter the country unaware of the cultural differences is very provocative, in mind.
Tourism has become a trend and I am not for the trend of travel. If everyone traveling would share their money accurately, consider how you can positively take your vacations while helping the natives and volunteer some hours in building relationships, institutions (such as schools etc.) or other useful deeds needed at the place of your visit, we all would profit from a higher standard of living and friendships globally.
One of my dreams is to make the differences between human cultures and societies just a tiny bit smaller by actively participating and learning different cultures, languages, mindsets and behaviours. I believe if we all work together, with each other, everyone involved will benefit from a life long very valuable journey of progression.
This campaign is the start of my efforts to fund raise and help on a global scale. Writing you this made me realize I want to do this for more people. There are so many causes I feel very passionate about and it would be amazing for me to get your continuous support on the goals we all share.
In the past I have helped a few friends in Australia fund raise to save the Kimberly Mountains among other cause driven events. One thing I do daily is sign petitions and make pledges for a better future through websites such as causes.com, greenpeace, sierra, world wildlife fund, compact.de and many more. I’ve never done any fundraising or campaigning online in this manner before and hope I am doing well with it, which will show through your support.
My research on volunteer opportunities is and was extensive. There are so many ways to volunteer and help globally. One can go through an organization that will place you to work or find private volunteer projects. Heaven Hill Homestay is a private volunteer opportunity that I chose, to be able to have a more intimate experience with the natives of Nepal.
With this information and campaign my hope remains that it touches you on a humane and heartfelt level to donate the highest amount you can. The more collective spirit, the quicker help can reach the village children of Gaunshahar, Nepal.
I sincerely thank you in advance for reading, sharing and donating to this cause!
Risks & Challenges
The challenges I am facing with this campaign are:
- The amount I want to raise, will take time, effort and collective spirit! Your help!
- I will solely do the updating of this campaign on my website and the facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/nepalbuildaschool/
- This campaign will run till the goal is reached!
- Donations from other countries other than within the EU are subject to currency exchange rates and fees.
- Through out time I will organize fundraisers as much as it is possible for me to push the campaign goal.
- Travel to Nepal is only possible after my BA (in 3-4years from now).
- I will gradually use multiple platforms to accept donations throughout the process.
See below for ways to follow this project and me.
All updates and information on the upcoming events for this campaign will be posted on:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/nepalbuildaschool
My website:
www.mokkaspectrum.com/my-campaign
www.mokkaspectrum.com/news/
Other Ways You Can Help!!!
Donate–BECOME A SPONSOR FOR A GOOD CAUSE!!!
Spread the word about this campaign– MAKE SOME NOISE!!!
Share with your friends and family–MAKE SOME NOISE!!!
Share it all over your social media–GET THE WORD OUT!!!
Volunteer–BE THE CHANGE!!!
Volunteer at Heaven Hill Homestay
by Shamser Thapa
Hello, my name is Shamser. I am the principal of an academy of learning in Lamjung, Nepal. My family has a homestay located in a beautiful part of North-Western Nepal on the top of a hill with stunning views of Annapurna, Fishtail, Manaslu, Peak 29 and Lamjung. My village is called Gaunshahar and is the original abode of the royal family of Nepal, which later relocated to Kathmandu. The small palace and courtyard still hosts traditional festivals that attract hundreds, sometimes thousands of people from all around at many intervals during the calendar year.
Besisahar is a small town in the valley below and is the starting point of the famous Annapurna Circuit trek. Know that you can also get your trekking permits from Besisahar. We have both accommodation in our homestay as well as a newly built traditional Nepali eco roundhouse made from stone and a straw roof. Both accommodations have western style bathrooms; hot shower available, Internet and plenty of blankets. Our food is sourced from almost entirely local ingredients. We can accommodate vegetarian diets as well. We can also teach volunteers to cook Nepali food, such as chapati for breakfast and Dal Baht as a main course.
We welcome all new volunteers with Tikka and Garlands. Whilst staying with my family, we welcome any help you can give. As the principal of the local school I welcome volunteers that help the children in any way they can, especially with handwriting practice, learning English or even just playing with them or teaching them games.
Don’t worry if you have no special skills. I will give assistance with any work that needs doing. This might be painting, building work, cooking or whatever you can offer. A few volunteers started their own novel projects, which were most welcome. Volunteers helped build a clay cob oven, a chimney and ideas of our vegetable garden. You are welcome to use our outside clay oven to bake or cook (we can make pizza). You can buy some ingredients in Besisahar. One volunteer set up a very small library (children’s book donations are welcome). Other volunteers helped build the house we live in, and our beautiful garden. Two recent volunteers taught some nursery rhymes and games to our school children during assembly. If you know anything about permaculture, we’d love to learn so we can grow more of our own food. We’ve collected laptops from volunteers, which have enabled us to run computer classes for free with the children from the village.
We ask volunteers to pay only a total of 5 USD a day to stay here. This cost includes two meals, tea and coffee, free wifi and cold shower. We have a local shop if you want to buy snacks, drinks and other items. We ask volunteers to give four hours help a day in any way you can. The rest of the day is yours!
—— General Volunteer Schedule ——
First day: Settling in and introduction for volunteers to my family and current projects. (Volunteering activities during the day, depending on the nature of the activity)
Friday: Campfire (weather permitting in the winter) in the evening with the volunteers
Saturday (rest day): Nepali class / 4 to 5 hours trek to the forth, ruined Royal Palace and jungle and village visits etc. / free time
For bookings and volunteering contact Shamser Thapa at booking@heavenhillhomestay.com
More info at
Or visit
http://www.workaway.info/169379873767-en.html
For more details on the volunteer opportunity!
GPS
N28 12.698 E84 21.908
To follow the story, like my Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/nepalbuildaschool
To follow me on social media enter Mokka Spectrum in your search!
Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Soundcloud
Thank you for your continued support!!!
Namaste!