Newsletter 2015
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The year 2015 has been one of the busiest years for the Himalayan Trust Nepal (HTN). In addition to its normal project activities, more time and energy were spent on relief activities and inspection of schools for built back better purpose. Many schools supported by Himalayan Trust are damaged needing to be rebuilt with earthquake resilience block. Khunde hospital needs to be rebuilt for better safety in future. The Himalayan Trust Nepal (HTN AGM) held on 6 September 2015. Tender bids for school teaching materials being opened at Trust Office in Kathmandu Visitor As in previous years, the HTN had the pleasure of welcoming number ofoverseas guests including Ms Mandy Stark and Ms Mridu Vats from (MFAT) Dr. Mike Gill, Peter Hillary, Dr. John McKinnon, Dianne McKinnon, Genevieve Strang, Dr. Susan Heydon, Mike Dillon, Prue Smith and Andy Sparrow, Dr. David Murdoch and Dr. Lynley Cook from New Zealand, Chairman, Agostino Da Polenza of Benoit Chamoux Foundation and Deputy Chairperson, Jan Byranes of Grand Circle Foundation Boston were some of the guests visiting during their personal trip to Nepal. Prue Smith visited to the office during these past fiscal years in connection with Nepal AGM, with MFAT officials and with its Chairman, Dr. Mike Gill, before and after the earthquake in Nepal. CHAIRMAN’S VISIT TO BUNG IN APRIL 2015 The members from Himalayan Trust New Zealand and Himalayan Trust Nepal made field visit to Solukhumbu in April 2015. The members include: Dr. Mike Gill, Prue Smith, Micheal Dillon of Australian Himalayan Foundation, Ang Rita Sherpa and Pasang Lama Sherpa from HTN. During this visit, the team had visited the Sotang and Bung and made an observation of the newly built health post in Sotang and Bung and also the original Bung clinic built back in 1989 by Sir Edmund Hillary HTN MEETING FOR PRESENTATION OF ITS 5-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN SCHOOLING SUPPORT FOR SEMI ORPHAN CHILDREN The last year earthquakes that struck on April 25 and May 12 killed over 18 Nepali and foreigners in the Everest Base Camp. In order to provide education for the boys and girls that they lost their father in Everest, the Himalayan Trust and Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) signed memorandum of understanding to support the children. Presently, there are 24 students from primary school to higher Secondary and in bachelor level fully supported by the Chamoux Foundation and over 16 students supported by Himalayan Trust New Zealand, American Himalayan Foundation and Himalayan Trust UK. With a view to explore the best and suitable school as possible, the HTN and NMA officials have visited Bright Horizon Children’s Home, situated 12 kilometer away from the west of Kathmandu, near the idyllic village of Matatirtha (mother earth) and have decided to enroll its future students in this school
A glance of English Medium teacher training program at Chaurikharka Secondary School, April 2014
SECONDARY TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM This program is in its second year and is conducted through the service of REED Nepal. Jim Strang, one of the board member of Himalayan Trust New Zealand, is an advisor to the training program with the Australian Himalayan Foundation (AHF). The teacher-training program in Solukhumbu district usually commences at the end of School Leaving Certificate SLC examination in April. HIMALAYAN TRUST NEPAL SCHOLARSHIPS Scholarships are usually chosen by the Himalayan Trust Nepal on merit basis. The Himalayan Trust New Zealand, American Himalayan Foundation, Hillary Foundation USA and Sir Edmund Hillary Foundation Canada are the major funders of the scholarship programs. Besides HTN budgeted scholarships, there are also special scholarships offered by individual donors for the higher education of children of their guides. These scholarships are of huge support to the students and parents of villages helping lift the financial burden of attaining the education required for good jobs.Scholarship is open to all for Solukhumbu student. The number of scholarship students in higher secondary level and University level has increased from 100 to over 140 over the last few years. DISTRICT PROJECT ADVISORY COMMITTEE (DPAC) MEETING 2015 As mentioned in the project agreement by Social Welfare Council (SWC), the Himalayan Trust has been conducting district level meeting with stakeholders of various government departments in Solukhumbu for discussions, interactions and feedbacks on its ongoing projects. The DPAC meeting was attended by district level government agencies and the members of Himalayan Trust New Zealand and Himalayan Trust Nepal. The members from Himalayan Trust New Zealand include the chairman Dr. Mike Gill and the general manager Ms. Prue Smith, Ang Rita Sherpa chairman, Mr. Pasang Dawa Sherpa the vice chair and the secretary Mr. Pasang Lama Sherpa. CPAC MEETING The Central Project Advisory Meeting of the Himalayan Trust was held in Kathmandu on 9 December 2015 in the presence of various representatives from the line Ministries and Himalayan Trust officials EARTHQUAKE The overall effects of the initial mid-day earthquake on 25 April 2015 (7.6 magnitude) and its continued aftershocks varied greatly across the country. Areas close to the epicenters suffered significant damage, while other areas in the country were nearly unaffected. EMERGENCY WORK UNDERTAKEN BY THE HIMALAYAN TRUST NEPAL In response to the earthquake disaster in the Solukhumbu district, Himalayan Trust Nepal held an emergency meeting on April 29thto evaluates the situation of Solukhumbu, to identify immediate long-term priorities. Himalayan Trust Nepal coordinated with partner organizations, District Disaster Management Committee (DDMC), District Education Office (DEO), Chief District Officer (CDO), donor agencies and local school management committees to respond to the disaster from frequent shocks. On 10th May another HTN meeting was held as a follow up on the discussions of the previous meeting. The desired outcome of the discussion was to appoint a Project Manager and engineers on fixed term contract; discuss the current situation with DDMC, CDO and DEO. HTN are to coordinate reconstruction from Salleri up to the top of the Khumbu region. There will be a single report for the rebuilding effort and it is expected that additional support staff will be required. For immediate relief,total of 992 tarpaulins were delivered to earthquake victims in Solukhumbu. In the first week of June, a number of sleeping bags and tents were also sent to the most affected area of Solukhumbu district. The HTN also coordinated with other local stakeholders for distribution of relief materials. Mr. Jeff Cane, Ms. Rachael Carter and Mr. Lhakpa Sherpa visited the spots to assess the preliminary damages of the Himalayan Trust supported cluster schools in the Khumbu and Solu regions. A project manager, Dr. Mingma Norbu Sherpa, civil engineers Mr. Rup Bahadur Rawal and Mr. Sunil Shrestha and Himalayan Trust Nepal Training Coordinator Mr. Mahendra Bahadur Kathet, Mr. Ishworman Rai and HT district coordinator Nava Bhujel worked very hard walking for many days to reach valley of Solukhumbu district to assess the damages, create plans for Temporary Learning Classes (TLC) and prepare structural designs for future reconstruction project. As per the team’s assessment, most houses were destroyed in Thame and Thameteng. All people were engaged in rebuilding and repairing of their homes to have completed before the start ofmonsoon season. Thame, Phortse, Pangboche and Monju witnessed acute shortages of skilled laborers causing delays in the repairing of school. Because of this, school ran classes for a number of weeks in tents. The demand for skilled, semi skilled and general workers were huge not only in Solukhumbu but throughout Nepal. EMERGENCY RELIEF MATERIALS The immediate needs were tarpaulins and tents for schools and the residents of Solukhumbu. The meeting of the Himalayan Trust decided to send the relief materials as soon as possible. Tents and tarpaulins were in high demand and ran out of stock in Kathmandu. The HTN managed to get few hundred tarpaulins. Over 200 tarpaulins were supplied to the District Disaster Management Committee in Solu; 630 tarpaulins were sent to Kunde Khumjung Relief Group for distribution in three VDC of Chaurikharka, Namche and Khumjung; 150 tarpaulins from Himalayan Trust Nepal and 150 tarpaulins from Himalayan Disaster Relief Volunteer Group through Jemima Diki Sherpa were sent to Junbesi to be distributed by Himalayan Yeti Club of Junbesi in and around the area of Junbesi, Beni, Bakanje and Thuptencholing. Relief materials received from Himalayan Trust (NZMFAT) were distributed to Goli Gompa, Kunde Hospital, Khumjung School, Junbesi, Garma handicapped school, Sotang School, resident of Waku, resident of Kerung and Lukla Gompa monks. The materials were distributed by representative of REED Nepal and Himalayan Trust Nepal through District Disaster Management Committee in Solu.
Camp beds for Sotang school student (as per most affected list of DDRC) Recipients from most affected victims of Waku, Kerung and Bung. Relief materials received from Himalayan Trust UK were sent to Goli VDC of Solukhumbu to be distributed by REED Nepal trainers in Chaulakharka, Goli and Bakanje area.In this event of national disaster, a feeling of solidarity was seen amongst the Nepali educated youths of rural and urban areas. A sense of oneness has emerged with everyone joining forces to help the needy people in their respective villages and districts irrespective of caste, creeds, religion or any political affiliations. The role of the Nepalese army and security forces has been praiseworthy. The participation of youths had given the country a sense of unity in times of instability in the nation. The solidarity of the international community to help overcome the natural disaster of Nepal was highly commendable. Presently, Himalayan Trust Nepal has been supporting the repair work of many schools and help building Temporary Learning Class (TLC) and designing structural designs for reconstruction of the worst hit schools of Khumjung, Namche, Chaurikharka, Juving, Taksindu, Waku, Beni, Salleri, Tamakhani, Goli, Salleri and Bakanje VDCs of Solukhumbu district. Most schools have completed building TLCs and areoperating regular classes by the third week of June 2015. OUTPUTS
Building and maintenance of Temporary Learning Class (TLC/Toilets)
Repair of some of the schools for (TLC) after the earthquakes
BUILDING BACK BETTER PLAN One Project Manager and Co-efficient Consultancy Firm represented by three structural engineers were hired as consultants on a fixed contract to assess the earthquake damaged schools and to help organize school and local SMC in rebuilding the school, making temporary learning centers to operate classes in its project areas by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the District Education Office of Salleri. Quality education is the key for Nepal’s recovery and we must ensure that it continues to be a priority in the emergency response and long-term recovery plans. HTN’s technical team represented by two civil engineers, project manager, teacher’s training coordinators, district program coordinator and two Himalayan Trust New Zealand independent education consultants assessed 32 schools of Solukhumbu. Among the 32 schools, 26 schools got support to build TLCs. The HTN technical teamin extensive consultation with the local communities, school management committees, teachers, district education office, department of Education, partner organizations identified two best models of designs to the schools of Solukhumbu. The first most prefer one is the Load Bearing Wall System for ground floor block and the second design is RCC (re-enforcement) system for two floor blocks. The planning team on the basis of field research, community interest, availability of building materials, climatic condition, number of students and Nepal Government/Department of Education’s policy helped design earthquake resilientblock. The designs, once approved by the Department of Education and Department of Urban Development and Building Construction will be made available to schools and the donors for further discussion and implementation. Himalayan Trust Nepal is actively coordinating with potential donors, partner organizations, Department of Education, District Education Office, SMCs and local communities in the process of planning and implementation phases of the building back better schools. Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Department of Education (DoE) and Himalayan Trust Nepal has been signed on 14th December 2015 for reconstruction of permanent schools building under the turnkey project in earthquake affected Solukhumbu District. Fourteen (14) schools will be reconstructed permanently consisting of seventy nine (79) class rooms with WASH facilities wherever necessary and school stakeholders including teachers/students and construction related workers will be capacitated about the prevention of the natural disaster. List of school to be rebuilt in 2016:
School to be rebuilt in 2017
Funding commitment received from the following donors for the reconstruction of schools and Khunde Hospital KUNDE HOSPITAL Dr. Kami Temba doctor in-charge at Khunde Hospital 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. ANNIVERSARY OF SIR EDMUND HILLARY STIFTUNG GERMAN SUPPORT FOR PHAPLU HOSPITAL In April 2015, Phaplu Hospital turns 25 years since Sir Edmund Hillary –Stiftung Germany supported through Himalayan Trust Nepal.During this occasion, the chairwomen of Sir Edmund Hillary StiftungMs. Ingrid Versen and her board members were present in the celebration at Phaplu Hospital.
CDO of Solukhumbu presents letter of appreciation to the Chairwomen of Sir Edmund Hillary -Stiftung
Sherpa dance performed by the welcoming committee and district personalities paying respect to late Sir Edmund Hillary Dr. Soosita from Phaplu hospital organized the camp
Newborn babies Hand prolapsed
HTN AGM in 2015 Himalayan Trust Nepal |
