Newsletter 2013
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The year 2013 has been a busy and fruitful for the Himalayan Trust in Nepal. The normal integrated project activities on education, health, environment, cultural preservation and upkeep of the school sectors in Mt. Everest region of Solukhumbu continued with the coordination, cooperation and support of all the concerned stakeholders and donors. EDUCATION
School Assessment and Teacher Training The Himalayan Trust Nepal Committee members visited many schools in Solukhumbu to interact with teachers, parents, guardians and district stakeholders and observe the physical condition of the schools and provided feedback and suggestions through reports. In addition to Nepal Committee visits, many Trust officials from New Zealand and UK have visited the school and observed training program. English Medium Teacher Training Program In April, 79 teachers from 14 schools of Khumjung, Namche and Chaurikharka VDS took part for English medium teaching training program for 15 days. Himalayan Trust Nepal and REED Nepal team conducted the training program with volunteer support from New Zealand and Australian teacher trainers. Jim Strang coordinated the training program in Chaurikharka. English medium teaching, desired by the local community and a challenge accepted by the teachers, is a new program for the Himalayan Trust. Here the resources of the donors and energies of the trainers are translated into action to materialize the success of this pilot project. There is no private boarding school in Khumbu. The aim of this project is to retain the students of community schools from leaving the villages at an early age for English medium schools in Kathmandu or elsewhere. Early childhood retention will ultimately help to preserve local language, culture and tradition. The parents in the mountain region will be relieved from expensive education in the name of English medium school elsewhere. The students will be equipped with good English knowledge so that they may not face difficulty in English curriculum while in colleges or universities after schooling. The prime objective of the Himalayan Trust has been to train the teachers in coordination with REED Nepal, NCED, District Education Office and its local partner organizations in improving the quality of teaching in the schools of Solukhumbu for academic excellence. From this school session 2014, Secondary Teacher Training Program will be held in Salleri Solukhumbu right after the completion of SLC exam through REED Nepal. Over 120 scholarships are given to students of Solukhumbu district in higher secondary and in bachelor level on various subjects. Most of the students study in Kathmandu on the subjects that are not available in Solukhumbu. Kabindra Rai from Khumjung High School stood Solukhumbu District Top in the SLC result of 2013. Similarly, Radhika Tamang from Mount Everest Boarding school stood second in the District. Himalayan Trust Scholarships
A comparative table of student enrolment for stationery distribution in 2013
63 schools are grouped into 7 clusters as under
HT Nepal meetings In 2013, three official meetings were held. In addition, a number of informal meetings were conducted during the visits of Himalayan Trust Nepal guests from overseas countries. The meeting held in January 2013 approved many petitions from schools for maintenance, furniture, roof sheets, toilets and upkeep work of the schools, community drinking water and community cultural site renovation Himalayan Trust Nepal Committee members, Thukten Sherpa and Mrs. Dawa Phuti Sherpa visited New Zealand with their spouse Mrs. Ang Doka Sherpa and Mr. Ang Pasang Sherpa of Lukla Paradise hotel. They were in Australia in connection with their sons’ graduation ceremony. The four Sherpa visited the north and south island of New Zealand widely on the invitation of Himalayan Trust New Zealand Board members. They were the guests from Nepal during fund raising event of Himalayan Trust New Zealand in Christchurch and Auckland.
Kunde Hospital Dr. Kami Temba always attends the formal meeting of the Himalayan Trust Nepal well representing Khunde Hospital and its peripheral health clinics. He presented yearly medical reports to the committee members and sent the same to the Sir Edmund Hillary Foundation in Canada. Monthly medical report of Kunde Hospital is always sent to District Health Office in Salleri through mail runner. Discussion took place over the students who are receiving medical scholarships from Sir Edmund Hillary Foundation Canada. Dr. Kami opined that in future, there should not be any problem as there are several young Sherpa students in medical University for future sustainability of doctors at Kunde Hospital. Under Dr. Kami Temba’s supervision, Kunde hospital has been efficiently managed and delivered health services for over 9,000 patients in Mt. Everest region during 2012/2013. Kunde Hospital is serving remote Khumbu region through the financial support of Sir Edmund Hillary Foundation Canada. The local people and beneficiary groups have highly appreciated the support in the region. Medical services provided by Kunde hospital can be viewed in the website of the Himalayan Trust Nepal.
Solu Hospital Phaplu
DPAC Meeting Golden Jubilee of Trust built schools Appointment Overseas visitors 60th Anniversary of ascent of Mt. Everest The guest of honor, Tengboche Rimpoche graciously attended the celebration of Mt. Everest Diamond Jubilee at Khumjung School and Hillary Park. Khumjung celebration was attended by the Ambassador of New Zealand, H.E Jan Henderson, Hilary Carlile, Deputy Chair of Himalayan Trust New Zealand, Roger Goodman and the Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism. The local stakeholders Pemba Tshering SMC Chairman of Khumjung School, Khumjung School teaching staff, students, Dr. Kami and Dr. Lhakpa Norbu and Pasang Dawa, Chairman and vice chairman of Khumjung Alumni Association took active part in the celebration.
In Kathmandu, world famed mountaineers were honored on this special historic occasion. Hilary Carlile, late Sir Ed’s niece (Deputy Chairman of the Himalayan Trust) and Amelia Hillary, Peter Hillary’s daughter represented late Sir Edmund Hillary and grandson, Tashi Tenzing represented late Tenzing Norgay at this grand celebration in Kathmandu. The importance of first human victory over Mt. Everest will ever remain as long as the Mount Everest is there. HT Nepal AGM
The AGM discussed and reviewed over the project activities. Approval of Audit report 2012/2013, appointment of auditor and budget amendment for the fiscal year 2013/2014 were endorsed by the meeting. Similarly the budget of Himalayan Trust scholarships for 2013/2014 fiscal year was approved in the meeting. The meeting also discussed and agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding between the Himalayan Trust Nepal and REED Nepal an NGO for conducting secondary teacher training program in Solukhumbu district from April 2014. The Himalayan Trust Nepal Annual General Meeting passed a resolution of thanks to all the donors who have supported the Himalayan Trust over decades. A Committee member, Tashi Jangbu Sherpa thanked Himalayan Trust New Zealand, Richard Blum of American Himalayan Foundation, Zeke O’ Connor of Sir Edmund Hillary Foundation, Canada, Larry Witherbee of Hillary Foundation USA, Ms Ingrid Versen of Sir Edmund Hillary Stiftung Germany and HT (UK) for their continued support. AHF Meeting AGM in New Zealand CPAC Meeting The mid-term evaluation of the Himalayan Trust projects in Solukhumbu district has been carried out by Social Welfare Council of Nepal in December 2013. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WITH THANKS The Himalayan Trust Nepal acknowledges with thanks the financial support of the following organizations for its ongoing projects in Solukhumbu district. Himalayan Trust New Zealand and its major funder NZMFAT Namaste and Tashi-Delekh! |
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