Big News for TFN Students: Receive Prestigious International Scholarships (Story of Transformation 14)

These are extracted from TFN newsletter

We are really thrilled to share that two of our students (taught by Teach For Nepal Fellows) have received full scholarships to pursue  international high school education at United World Colleges (UWC), an international network for high schools. This year UWC Nepal committee had 4 full scholarships available to them. Three of them were open for competition among Nepalese students who had completed grade 10 (passed SLC) this year. Of the three spots, we are really excited to share that 2 spots went to most deserving girls taught by Teach For Nepal fellows.  

Anita Tamang

Anita Tamang, originally from Nuwakot, lost her mother when she was in grade six. After about a year, her father remarried. At that point, she says, "My father began to appear indifferent to me." He also started using drugs. It became really difficult to live there and "I ran away from home," says Anita. She came to her aunt (sanima) in Kathmandu. Her aunt worked at other people's house for living. She found Anita work as domestic helper. Anita began working as well as going to Siddhi Mangal Secondary School, a local public school. It was very difficult to go to school and work but her aunt supported throughout. 

After taking the SLC examinations, "I went to my cousin's place and was working in a mask factory." After earthquake, it was difficult to live in the city. She says, "I went in my village after earthquake. My village is also totally damaged by earthquake. I stayed there about 1 month and helped the villagers from my side." 

When  results of the SLC were announced in July, she  had graduated top of her class with with 74% but had no means to continue further education. 

"Rojee miss (Teach For Nepal Fellow) encouraged me to apply to Samaanta Foundation, an organization that selects talented SLC graduates of public schools and provides scholarships to pursue high school. She got selected and was studying in grade 11 when opportunity to apply to UWC came along. She applied. 

She recently learnt that she has been selected to pursuing international high school degree at UWC India. 

On learning about the scholarship she says, "I had ever imagined such opportunities would open for me. I am here because of my struggle and the support I receive from my aunt's family and my Rojee mam." 

​

(TFN Fellows Rojee Maharjan and Sagendra Shrestha teach at Siddhimanage Seconday School)​

​

Juni Deshar

Born as a third child in a low income family with very limited land among farmers' community in Chapagaun, Lalitpur - Juni was a bright child. 

Her mother had no education. Father had left school after grade 3 to start working as helper and later a driver. When it became really challenging to support the family, like most young men, he also left for middle east to earn living and provide for family. But had recently returned back to Nepal when health challenges prevented him to continue working there. 

Juni was sent to local Jyotidaya Cooperative School (a local non-governmental, non-profit community school) from nursery where she completed secondary school this year with distinction in the SLC. 

When the opportunity to apply for UWC scholarship came along and supported and mentored by Teach For Nepal Fellows (Bhawana Shrestha and Seetu Shakya, who are teaching in the school for the third year), she gathered all the courage and sent in application.

After multiple rounds of interviews, she was selected and will pursue high school in UWC - Germany.

Juni is the second student in the last three years from Jyotidaya to be awarded UWC scholarships. 

*****

In Spite of all the hardships and challenges, these achievements re-affirm our belief that an inspiration role models as a teachers can fundamentally transform the lives of children, open new opportunities and possibilities for the kids regardless of their place origin or circumstances of their life.

(news on US Embassy, Nepal page)  https://www.facebook.com/nepal.usembassy/posts/923927904310936?pnref=story

She made me apologize for what I had asked her to write...

Fellowship of Teach For Nepal; I completed it seven months back, now I am an alumni of Teach For Nepal working inside the classroom. It may seem like I have learnt all the lessons as a teacher, a mentor in those two years and now in my third year I am just using those learning so easily and gracefully. 

Oh! oh! not exactly.
I am learning each day even now. I try new things even now. I continue some and leave most of them. Even now I do mistakes, but important is I learn lessons from each of them. The most important lesson that I have learned joining this fellowship is to continuously reflect up on what we do each day before going to sleep, then to cherish even the smallest of the achievement and promise to learn from every mistake I do and learn a lesson. Yes, of course, not to repeat it as well. :)

What we do as mentor is try to link the education that children learn at school with their real lives. We try to make them realize that how important is it to come to school as they can learn so many things on how to make their life worthwhile and to achieve their dreams.
I tried to do the same thing but sometimes even doing that we may do mistake. I did the same mistake recently. Sometimes we look at the majority and don't realize what the minorities on the other side will do who don't have that issue. 

Most of the children whom I teach have their fathers at gulf countries working hard to sustain their life. They do hard labor just to become able to send their children to school and to solve their family's hand to mouth problem. Keeping the same thing in mind, I asked the students of grade seven to write a letter to their father who is working abroad describing about their improvement in their study and their daily schedule.
Yes, if we look at one side, this was the most relevant question for my grade seven. But what I failed to do was I didn't think about what those students will do whose fathers aren't abroad or who don't have their fathers. This I realized so late, when I started checking their copies. 

One of my students doesn't have father any more but I don't know how it slipped away from my mind. But what she wrote really shook my heart and I felt too guilty. Though she took that normally, I can feel how bad she had felt from what she wrote. 

Later, I asked her to forgive me for my mistake and here I am writing this just to share that let's not just look at what majority of students feel, sometimes the feelings of minorities do matter a lot.

Honored as the best writer of the year by YJAW

When this year has only few days left to end, I have a very good reason to be happy about. I am very thankful to Young Journalists and Writers blog of Pakistan, for recognizing me as the best writer of the year 2015. This has really inspired me to keep on writing.

Out of the blue XII

I owe you for your unconditional love

I am obliged by your trust.

The smile that you bring each day on my face,

has helped me remove all my distress

You are there on my rain and shine:

hunger for your love never ends with any dine

with you, every day not just ends

in a fraction of second, a new memory begins

I try every moment to steal;

the sights you stare,

your touch and your care,

every emotions you feel,

every things you deal.

मेरो एकतर्फी माया

म उसको पछि, ऊ अरुकै पछि
मेरो पछि लाग्ने अर्को नभएको नि हैन,
तर खै किन मन उसकै पछि नलागि मान्दैन ?
ऊ भने किन किन मलाई आफ्नो ठान्दैन ?

हरेक दिन म उसलाई हेर्ने गर्छु ।
उसकै लागि कयौ लुगा फेर्ने गर्छु
तर पनि अह,
ऊ म तिर नजर फेर्दै फेर्दैन ।
कहिले काहि त लाग्छ उसले के खोजेको हो कुन्नी ?
म जत्तिकीलाई नि नहेर्ने कति बैगुनी ?

म हरेक दिन उसले पछि लाग्ने नानीलाई हेर्छु
उसको आनी बानीलाई हेर्छु ।
“हैन, मभन्दा फरक त्यो कसरी छे ?”
यता उता मुन्टो फर्काएर ऐनातिर हेर्छु
“ब्यारे, नाकको छेउमा एउटा कोठी भएर मात्र,
कहा म कम छु त्योभन्दा नत्र”

कहिले काही त सोच्छु
उसले एक नजर मतिर हेरे के पो हुने थियो ?
अंगुर अमिलो भन्लान अरुले
तर म उत्तर भेट्छु
उसले मलाई हेरेको दिन त सबै सक्कि गो नि
मायामा यहि त हो रमाइलो
चोरी चोरी हेर्न पाउनु
मैले हेरेको उसले चालै नपाउनु ।

सपनाको व्यापारी

आज पनि ऊ आयो
मीठा मीठा सपना देखाउँदै
कल्पनामा मलाई डुबाएर
ताज महलको जग बनाउँदै ।

हिजो मात्र उसले मलाई
देखायो सपना शिन्दुरको
उसले भन्यो,
“सारै राम्री हुन्छ्यौ तिमी
त्यो रातो शिन्दुरमा,
मैले दिएको हरियो पोते जब आउँछ तिम्रो गलामा । ”

अँ ।
त्यो हरिायो पोते पनि
उसले मलाई सपनामै दिएको थियो ।

शिन्दुर, पोते उसले दिएको
त्यसमाथि तिलहरी मैले थपेँ,
अनि हेरे ऐना ।

रातो साडी, रातै चोली
अनि बाबाले दिनु भएको घुम्टो ओढी
म चढे डोली ।

वर पर नजर डुलाई
हेरे मैले घुम्टोबाटै

अनि तर्सिए ।
सारै राम्री सोचे थे आफू
तर सबै तिर त्यस्तै त्यस्तै
सबै रहिछन् उहि रुपमा
अनि त्यस्तै नै पहिरनमा

म आत्तिए ।
कतै मेरो राजकुमारले मलाई धोका त दिएन ?
म संग मात्र साटेका सपना अरुलाई त दिएन ?

म झल्यास्स व्युझिए,
दिवा सपनाबाट ।
मेरो अगाडि मेरो सपनाको राजकुमार
व्यापार गर्दै थियो,
शिन्दुर र पोतेको ।
अनि भन्दै थियो अर्कीलाई
“ तपाई यसमा सारै राम्री देखिनु हुन्छ । ”

Unexpressed sweetness

I am in love with this song. I have stopped counting how many times I have already listened it and I don't know till when it will go on. I thought to share the feelings that aroused inside me while listening it. 

Some feelings can never be expressed, whether it be love or be hate. Some moments can never be erased whether it is of smiles or tears. I want to be in your moments of smiles and in your unexpressed love. Sometimes it is better to plunge into the moments and never express rather than to share it. I want to be in your moments that you feel every time. I want to be in your smiles. But let that be unexpressed. Sometimes it is better to just smile alone rather than to disclose.

Let me be the best swimmer; I want to swim in those deep eyes and find the treasures beneath them. Let me have a marathon of your moments where I can just feel you. Let me be a reader who can read those unwritten and untold monogrammed words so precisely and make my own meanings.

So words are sweet just because they are untold. 

Sides of me

Photo Credit; dailyzen.co.uk

No, you may not find me the way

you have pictured me in your mind frame

You may not always find me in that sparkling skinny outfit

or always joining heavy embroidered team

I may sometimes be in minis

or sometimes in heavy dark hoods

Some days I am on sneakers

and some days on high heels

I may not reason all your judgments

I may just blame my rudeness on my mood swings

You may have to go through several comments

Raised some times by your mind

And some times by the the world

as I have many flaws

I may not take you on my decisions

I may not abide by all those provisions

You may sometimes feel me pervert

I am made up of so many flaws

I may breach a lot of clause

Importantly,

No I don't know all those caviar

I may always hang on with my papers

Rather than holding a recipe book

So, in those cases will you dare to be by my side?

Do you still wish to be my partner not a guide?

I respect both your answers.

If you can't handle this side of me

I would never feel lonely on being me

If some how you have a positive reply

You can see my another side

Whatever I would dress

You would see a bold personality of me

Whatever I would cook

I would do best

Thinking our taste

How many flaws I would have

I will always be true to life

Whatever decision I would take

I would never sacrifice our relation in any mistake

If you promise to treat me equal

I promise to be yours, till I dwell

When a boy behind band baja (band horns) dares to face the crowd (Story of Transformation 13)

                                              Follow your dreams, find your destiny

When I asked one of my children what he wants to be in future, he replied, "I want to be like Pratap Das."

Pratap Das 

What is there in this man? I thought to myself. I knew him just eight months ago when he was participating in Nepali Tara Season 3. I used to live with my grade ten children then. They were preparing for their SLC examination. Though they had their exams, they were so excited about the day when Pratap would be on TV singing and they would wait for him just to talk to him after he would return. It was the first time that anyone from their village and importantly from their school had reached that platform. I didn't have much knowledge about him or his life.

After the results of SLC, I saw him giving small gifts to all of them for their love that they had showered him even during their most important exam. That was one point where I thought of knowing more about him. Then I noticed that all the times I have seen him, he always has that smile on his face that hides his entire struggle, which he has shared with me recently.

Eight months ago, Pratap Das was just a common name. No one knew him, except for some of his friends who would force him to sing a song for them or for some couples who would invite him with his band and horns for their revelry. Now, Pratap is a name which people take with praise and see him as one of the rising stars in Nepali music industry. Most of the people know only the present Pratap but the journey that he has walked on just to find a right platform for him is inspiring and worth sharing.

National daily features him as a rising star

Yes, being born around the musical environment, Pratap was already into music even before he actually knew what he really wanted to be in his life. He remembers it was in his school when he was in grade five; he first stepped on the stage to sing. Much supported by the appraisals of his principal, Rameshwor Deshar, he started singing in the functions of school.  

When most of the people face problem in their home to be a singer, Pratap was an exception who was lucky to get a musical environment at home and support in school, then the question arises what led him hide his singing talents?

The answer is simple but yet complex at the same time. He was from the family involved in music but not from the prominent singers. Music was their source of living. They would do it all for the money. His family business was to play band horns in the revelry. His father used to play clarinet and he used to join him with euphonium. "I remember going double shifts to play the band horns in marriage ceremonies even while I was at school. I left so many classes due to that. It was so important for our survival," shares Pratap.

After his school, realizing his interest he thought to choose music as his higher studies. That went in vain when he reached his first day at Lalit Kala Campus and felt music was just the name there, so many political agendas had to be taken care of there rather then just learning music. With despair, he quits the college. Then joins,  Kalanidhi Indira Sangeet Mahabidhlaya. With a wide grin in his face, he shares there I found my real inspiration, my guru Dhan Bahadur Gopali and from then onwards he has been learning music there and now is in his fourth year.

His desire to learn more on music and grow on music led him to participate in Kalanidhi Sangeet Idol, which he won. The victory gave him some more confidence and he thought of competing in the national level singing competing, Nepali Tara Season 3.

Pratap singing along with the his juniors at his school's function

But this journey wasn't also an easy one. He was going through a lot of financial crisis and the result of that was he had to quit his study in the  first year of his bachelors level which he was doing hand on hand with music. He shares, "Nobody understood my pain that I had to work so much just to earn some money. It was a very hard decision for me to take whether to choose study or to continue music at that moment.  In the mean time, I saw a quote, follow your dreams, find your destiny on a copy and I chose to continue music and quit my study then, which I have decided to continue again now."

Also 'Nepali Tara' wasn't the first platform he went for, he gave audition for several other singing competition and was rejected.  He remembers that he wasn't confident even after the selection in his earlier rounds. Eventually his confidence started to boost up and he treasures the moment when he had sang the song of Rajan Ishan humbly improvising in his own way and was praised by his mentor James Pradhan. This inspiration worked and he was there till top 5. Though he couldn't win the title, he is happy that he is now receiving other singing opportunities which he may not have had if he hadn't participated there.  

He happily shares, "I have closed all other ways in my life. Music is the only way I want to walk on and I will be walking till the end."

My last question for him was. There are so many children who has seen him singing in that stage and want to be like him what suggestion would he give for them. He answered, "It all depends on the environment. The parents should create the environment, which is very rare. A child may try to create it but he will be successful only when their parents support them. We must let the child follow his dreams and find his destiny."

I wish Pratap a very melodious career and a successful life ahead.

मुस्कान

"तिम्रो मुस्कान मेरो लागि

खुसिको प्रतिबिम्ब हो नि

तिम्रा सारा दुख अब

सबै मेरो भो नि" मैले सोधे "साचै होर ?"

नपत्याए झैँ गरि  उसले गर्यो प्रतिप्रस्न

 " विश्वास छैन ? देखाऊ मुटु चिरी?"

Legacy for our Children

Photo credit; clchild

Few days back, I was on a public bus. A woman was sitting next to me with her toddler. It seemed that her baby had just started to utter some words in an impenetrable way. First I thought she was trying to say 'mummy' and didn't care much. Later, I realized, it was something different. She was trying to say 'madise'. I thought I was mistaken but may be I had a strange look listening that, the mother with a smile said, achel ghar ma dherai yehi bisayema kura huncha, ani nani le pani yehi bhaneko bhanai garche. (Now a days, there are so many discussions about Madhesh, so she picked that word from that) And that gave me a bang on my head and it started juggling with the term 'madhise' she was saying. She should have picked the word 'Madheshi'. That hinted she had only heard the derogatory term used for Madhesh in her surroundings.

With this, I thought of knowing what my children are thinking on the prevailing context and asked my students (aged not more than 12) in one of my classes. As talking about the political issues with small children is a bit difficult, I was trying to wave the words in an understandable way. But before I could say anything one of the boys said, "miss madise haru le ta hamro desh khayo ni hau?" (The people of Madhesh engulfed our country). Then I asked him to justify his answer on which he said, "I am telling what I have heard miss." Then I said him demanding rights don't necessarily mean engulfing the country. As a citizen we all have equality and have right to voice for our needs."

Then another asked, "In the name of their right, don't they have to think of pahade's right?" Umm…thank you for your question but your question has a mistake, it's not about pahade's right or madheshi's  right only, no one has the right to harm other's right for the sake of owns. What is important is whether we demand our right or use our right we must think about others rights as well." I said to him. Then the question and answer shifted towards rights and ways on getting our right and so many other issues like the blockade, shortage of goods and so on. I tried to satisfy them with balanced answer neither talking in favor of Madhesh nor Pahad but about the importance of right to everyone. That conversation made me realize that, those children were not speaking their point of view but were taking out just those things that they have heard these days.

I teach the students of hilly area, so the point of views were against the people of terai region and what I am sure is if we talk with the children of terai region, we will definitely find the point of view against the people of hilly region in the present context.

Most research on human development agrees that the historical era in which late childhood and early adolescence are spent is also one of the most important determinants of a child's development. Social constructivism is a paradigm in developmental psychology that characterizes learning as a process of actively constructing knowledge through an interaction between the knowledge they bring to a situation and social or cultural exchanges within that content.

I remember most of the friends of my batch even now intentionally or unintentionally calling 'dhoti' whenever they see someone from the terai origin. We picked up the term as we were grown up on the same culture and surrounding when we were child. The context changed and we grew up but our tongue still slips and we use the term. This may seem so small in the context of what problem the nation is going around today in the name of pahad and madhesh but this certainly has a role in igniting the fire of anger and hatred among us and resulted what we are facing today. The turmoil of madhesh is not new, though it is probably the longest one in the country's history. What I feel is if we had got the right information about these issues during our childhood, the situation wouldn't have turned worse. Now, we are repeating the same mistake.

Here, my point is not that we should change our perspective. But what is important is we must respect each other's perspective and also respect each other's identity. Most of all we must be careful when we are talking in front of or around our children on how we are speaking and what kinds of words and language we are using. One for their development and the other is that it is their right as a human to get the right information. Later, it's on their hand how they interpret it but our responsibility is to foster a good learning environment for them. 

We are tired of all these blood sheds, aren't we? So let's not do the mistake that our guardians did. We have already sacrificed a lot and to make it good, we are ready to sacrifice more for the future of our children. Let us create a generation where they can respect each other's existence. If we don't think about it now, definitely our children are going to see more blood sheds when they grow, which may not be only on the case of madhesh and pahad issue, but also on dalit, janajati and the issues of other minorities groups.

Preacher Billy Graham, rightly says, "The greatest legacy one can pass on to one's children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one's life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.

Help her in teens; She will make you proud when you grow old

Parents naturally want their best for their daughters and so does my mom.

A decade ago, during my teens,  I  used to feel that my mom had a very different issue to be concerned about. She was really very worried about my study not because I was bad in my study. Interestingly she was tensed because she had heard somewhere that those daughters who are very good at their studies suddenly start falling as soon as they enter puberty. I thought it as a myth and my mom too feels it now as she feels that her daughter just maintained her position even after puberty and says that was just a pointless fabrication.  

Recently I heard the same thing from some mothers. Instead of being happy in their young daughter's achievement, they were making remarks like, "choori le ta sano ma gari halche ni, pachi bigri halche chalan nai yesto cha. Thoulo bhaye pachi kt haruko padai bigrincha ra sano ko padai ko matlab nai hudaina." (Why should we be happy on our young daughter's achievement? They are sure to ruin when they hit their puberty. There is no use of appreciating their worthless achievement now) I was saddened with their statement.  

Photo Credit; menstrupedia

I thought for a while with no concrete logic. I didn't try to even interfere them as I didn't have logical arguments against their strong belief. But what I did was come home and searched about the research and findings. That really made me curious. Has this myth ping ponged back and forth all over the world? Do girls really fall on their study after their puberty?

After reading some research what I found was this and that was worth sharing. 

A research paper published by Shannon E. Cavanagh, Catherine Riegle Crumb and Robert Crosnoe on the topic Puberty and the Education of Girls says that it not the puberty but the timing of the puberty affects the academic achievement of girls.

Those girls who have early pubertal timing, that is generally before 12 may (not necessarily) have major social psychological changes resulting grade point average and probability of course failure at the start of high school.

Specifically, early pubertal timing has three main social psychological consequences in adolescence.

First, early pubertal timing affects girls' perceptions of self. By virtue of their earlier transition to adolescence, early maturing girls are more likely to be physically out-of-step (i.e., greater breast development and curviness) with agemates at a developmental moment when both the body and social comparison increase in significance. Thus, early maturing girls maintain a negative self-appraisal, and this, in turn, can heighten their risk for psychological distress and depression (Ge.et. al. 1996; Graber and Sontag 2006)
Second, early pubertal timing is linked with girls' peer relationships. Because early maturing girls and their peers attribute greater maturity to them than is warranted by their age, early maturing girls are more likely to select and/or be drawn into less normative friendship groups, ones that include older boys and girls and are characterized by riskier behavior and lower academic achievement ( Cavanagh 2004: Haynie 2003).
Finally, as a consequence of its effects on girls' psychological well-being and relationships with peers, early pubertal timing is associated with higher levels of problem behaviors, such as drinking, smoking, and sexual activity. That is, early maturing girls are more likely to be embedded in social contexts that offer them opportunities to engage in riskier behaviors. Because these girls had less time to integrate the coping skills needed to manage the new tasks in adolescence, they negotiate these opportunities often without the socio-emotional resources they need to make healthier choices. (Cavanagh 2004; Haynie 2003; Jessor and Jessor 1979).

Looking into these facts, what we can confidently say is that it's natural to see the changes and feel the changes. What is unnatural is to be overlooked. If we do know that daughters are going to have these natural disorders then its better to take care of them, appreciate them, make them feel that they are being matured and they have someone whom they can share their every thing.

Photo Credit; cloudfront

When I read these, I really thanked my mother for being so kind to me in my teen age, for being my friend. I just could share every thing with her. If parents want their daughters to overcome these myths and have them maintain their good attributes, it better they start from now so that when time comes, daughters would freely come and share whatever they are going through and can study with free mind and concentrate on whatever they are doing.

Let me share another interesting fact from a recent international study made by UNESCO and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) named, Literary Skills for the World of Tomorrow  suggests that girls are reading better than boys through age 15. According to the report, girls had higher reading scores in every one of 43 countries surveyed. The study was based on tests involving 4,500 to 10,000 students in each country. Interestingly, the report also suggests that boys are reading less fluently because of "a lack of engagement." Statistically, 56 percent of the boys read only to get information, compared with 33 percent of the girls. However, nearly half of the girls said they read for at least thirty minutes a day, compared with less than one-third of the boys.  

So guardians, especially mothers, be proud that you have a daughter and do appreciate her achievements and buckle up your shoes to help your daughter during her puberty. Your daughter is definitely going to make you proud.

P.S. Here in the booklet http://www.health.wa.gov.au/docreg/Education/Population/Youth_Health/HP010367_girls_and_puberty_booklet.pdf

are some important things that every girl child should know and even some good ways how parents can share without any hesitation, all the changes about puberty in a way their young daughters can understand.

The Present Condition of Nepal (From a child's eye)

I gave my grade eight students to write about how they see the present context of Nepal as their Dashain Homework. Here is what I found Sabina Dahal has written. I was so thrilled to read it. One the way she has looked at the context and the other her writing style. I am really very proud to be her writing guide. Here is what she writes.

Nepal is our motherland. It's land of glorious victory. Our country has passed so many bad times but we didn't give up easily. We are known as brave Gorkhalis in the world. Our country is the birthplace of Lord Buddha i.e, the land of peace.

It is actually true, my country is a peaceful land but in this present time, each drop of blood of people in my country, is being valueless. People are dying day by day. Schools are not running regularly. There are so many questions in people's mind. "How will our nation go ahead?" People are fighting with each others. People of my country are being violent. It's not because they want violence but it's because they don't want to bear torture.

After almost six decades, our new constitution has been made. Most of the people are happy are celebrating, but some people are not satisfied so, they are doing unwanted things to show their disagreement. People are forgetting their relationship of brothers and sisters of a motherland Nepal and blaming each others.

Nepal is facing so many challenges and problems. Our neighboring country is giving us pain. There is blockade at boarders of India and Nepal. There is crisis of petroleum products in Nepal. This is bothering people very much. The daily life of people totally disturbed. The greatest festival 'Dashain'  is coming nearer but there is no excitement and smile among people.

The pain given by the earthquake of 2072/1/12 is not still relieved and other so many problems are hurting people. Nepal has dipped in the ocean of tears. No one is happy and taking the relaxing breathe. People are wondering here and there to find out the solution of these problems. If we really want to solve these problems in my opinion we must start making some efforts by ourselves. We must search for alternative ideas. We should again give birth to the feelings of brothers and sisters of own mothers among the people of our country.

I love my country Nepal. I think due to these problem we Nepali have become united. India was our good neighbor but it has betrayed us now. So that, we are being together to face this challenge which creates the feeling of unity. People are saying "We love Nepal." Yes, we really do it. The time has come to be strong and to prove ourselves and show to others that we are not weak. So, let's put hand in hand and give courage to each others in this difficult period of time.
   

She transformed the day she became a mother (Story of Transformation 12)

Being a mother is not what you gave to have a child, but what you have gained from having one.

Girl with evergreen smile, Sita Katwal

Recently, I met her after approximately two years. She, a carefree girl who used to love shopping, chatting and talking aloud. We used to be room mates. Oh, not only room mates we were more than that. Working at the same place and also staying together, we used to be together 24/7. I must say her company never bored me. Her laughter was so loud that it used to fill the room. I guess even the people next doors used to listen what we used to talk about. So, loud she was. Always holding her cell phone with her, she was always ready to receive the call. She used to scold every other day to her best friends if they miss any of the days to call her.

When I met her this time, she was holding her two months son on her lap and trying to make him sleep. Yes, I could see her big wide grin in her face just as before when we used to be together, 

Apart from that, I found so many things have changed. She has grown a lot, much more matured. In short, she has transformed a lot. 

Aatharva, Sita's sweetheart

I noticed how carefully she was handling her child. She was no more care free; the way she was touching her child, dealing with him… ahh…I was overwhelmed to see that. I had never thought that she would be so…so careful in any thing. (I really mean it as she was so careless about most of her thingsJ)

When her baby had a short nap, she was so desperate to share her feelings about the day she became a mother.  "Bhawana di…kasto garo bhayo tyo din" (Sister, it was too difficult to give him birth).  yeah, it would definitely have been difficult for her as she had to wait for unsuccessful long hours for normal delivery and then had to be operated. She remembers that it was her most rewarding as well as her most frustrating experience. How much painful the day had been of her son's arrival, she has never stopped feeling content these days. She shares her life has a purpose now. "Whatever I do, I think of my child. I think the pros and cons even when I eat as my son will be affected." she shares so joyfully.

Our moment...

To my surprise, she has her cell phone, but she doesn't care much. She now can be found apologizing to each and every one for not being able to receive the call as she was busy with her baby. With more joy and laughter after the birth of her son Aatharva, my soul sister Sita is enjoying her unique time of her life- motherhood. I could see she had not just given birth to a new life, but she had gained a rebirth of herself. I was so surprised to see, how she had grown up so quickly. A girl who never cared about how her day after would be, was now already being concerned about her child's school, which really had some years.

Even in that short meeting, I could touch her fleshy but beautiful hands and feel how well she has been able to manage her plump body, which she hated before. I could smell the warmth she showers to her baby. I could hear her babbling talk with her son. I could feel her happiness. All in all, I could realize how changed she is now.

I still remember how she used to exclaim, "didi mobile bhayena bhane ta ma k garchu hau?"( I would I live without my mobile phone?) And today I could see how she had overlooked her mobile phone.

Looking at her, I can surely say that being a mother is the most amazing transformational experience a woman can ever go through. 

I just wish she would keep on growing as a mother and may always lead a content life. I only think one thing she should not change about her, that is her big bold laughter. It inspires others to laugh in its own unique way. Others I won't mind whatever she changes. ;) 

Six months after Nepal earthquake: school children suffer from fears and anxieties

Published on http://www.aworldatschool.org/global-youth-ambassadors/entry/Six-months-after-Nepal-earthquake-children-suffer-fears-and-anxieties-2371

Six months after the earthquake, children face other insecurities in Nepal. Of the 8897 people who were killed in the devastation six months ago, a third of them were children.
For some people, the earthquake may be just a memory now - but the children in the hardest-hit zones are still facing insecurities and problems.

Abhishek from Chapagaun, a grade nine student, had just turned 13 when the earthquake struck and damaged his shelter. Although he has returned to his school, which luckily was not badly damaged, he is still sad because he sees his future as bleak.

He used to be top of the class and was very confident about becoming a doctor. But, after the earthquake, it was noticeable that he was not able to concentrate on his studies. 

Abhishek said: "On the one hand our family is facing financial crisis and on the other hand, we four families with seven members each are now living under the same tent, which has created a lot of mess in my life.

A temporary learning centre in Nawalpur Picture: Manoj Pandey

"When I sit down to do my homework, either I become distracted with the fear about our finances or get disturbed by the people who are busy in their own work."

This is a great load of insecurities for a child who has recently become a teenager. Abhishek is just one example. There are thousands of children who are going through the same insecurities.

Since the earthquake, many organisations like UNICEF have helped over 100,000 children continue their education and helped to provide psychological support and health facilities. But there is a lot more to do.

Although the government, along with other organisations, worked on building temporary learning centres made up of zinc and bamboo, the dream of quality education seems just a dream if the process of rebuilding isn't completed soon.

Teachers are finding the temporary learning centres are not as effective as their schools. They do not have enough good teaching materials and they have to speak loudly so that hundreds of students can hear their voice.

Children have become disturbed. A report by UNICEF and partners three months on from the earthquakes revealed those children's fear and anxieties at losing their homes and living in tents.

Most of them are afraid, as they are in the vulnerable zone which is frequently hit by landslides and floods in the monsoon season. It's very sad that nearly 900,000 homes were destroyed in the earthquake, leaving thousands of children homeless.

Mahakali Secondary School lies unused
Picture: Prakash Shrestha

In this context, monsoon not only brings heavy rains and triggers landslides but also increases the risk of water-borne diseases and worsens the sanitation conditions.

In these six months, although people are working to return to their normal lives, many survivors - mainly in mountainous and hard-to-reach areas - still need urgent help according to a UN report.

Recently I got an opportunity to talk to a secondary level science teacher - Bikash Deshar of Nawalpur, Sindhupalchowk - about the conditions in schools and for children after earthquake. Here is what he said.

Tell us about your school and how was it affected by the earthquake?

The school where I teach is Nawalpur Secondary School. There are 15 teachers and 458 students. We lost two students in the disaster. One student was a primary-level student and the other a girl in grade six.

Living conditions for earthquake
survivors in Chapaguan

All the students are now living in temporary shelters as all of them have lost their homes. 90% of our school was damaged and now we are teaching at temporary learning centres.

Are you facing any problems at the temporary learning centres?

After the earthquake, the number of students at our school increased. The nearby schools of the village were totally damaged so we started teaching in temporary learning centres. Although it was good that many children returned to school, the centres have no proper and permanent walls. The noise disturbs both the teachers and the students and they cannot focus on what they are doing.

Do you think this problem is going to end soon?

No, I don't think so as it will take a long time to complete the task of reconstruction. It seems that it will definitely take two or three years to make the school as it was before.

What are the other problems children are facing?

At school, children get the care from teachers and support from their friends, so it seems that they are trying to go back to their normal life. While some of them are still fearful about the next disaster, most of them seem to have overcome the fear of disaster but are still insecure about their financial and household problems.

Are there organisations working with them on these issues?

Plan International and Oxfam are the main organisations working here. Plan International has mobilised the youths of the village in the reconstruction and cleaning after the disaster and created a source of employment for the villagers. They provide $150 as their monthly stipend.

As the big Nepalese festival of Dashain and Tihar is soon, when people need more money to celebrate, Oxfam has started a road construction programme where they provide $160 to the workers so that they can celebrate the festival. To increase the students' attendance in school,Teach For Nepal had started a mid-day meal programme and provided some stationery to students.

Is there any help from the government?

The government fulfilled its promise by providing $150 to people for their temporary housing. Apart from that there is no effort from the government. Permanent shelter is very important to protect people from other disasters and health issues.

What do you think should be done to improve conditions?

Although all these efforts are being made, I think these are not sufficient in the long term. I think some income-generating skills should be given - training should be provided so that people can at least start their own business or work.

Otherwise, financial insecurity will increase and the work of reconstruction will take much longer than we had imagined. And this will further increase other insecurities.

The Grassland

Hedges and the shrubs

rural or suburb,

beauty stitches its loom

yet with no flowers there to bloom

welcomes you with its charm

you too will embrace with open arm, the grassland.

A letter to me on my first day of teaching

                                                                                                                                        

source: m.rgbimg

                                                                                                                               April 16, 2013

Dear Bhawana,

I know you are too excited today. Yeah! You are nervous as well. I know you haven't slept the whole night for your first day at school and you are going on all these roller coaster rides. I am writing you to suggest you to to cool and calm and also yeah do enjoy the day.

You are neither going to get this day back nor you are going to get these feelings back so make it your best, give it your hundred percent. When you look back you will treasure this day. Before I say you anything, please go and check are you ready with every material that you have planned for today's introductory class? Be ready with it first. You may forget later and run without taking it.

Have you got it all? - Good, they are all ready.

Bhawana, remember your school days, how you used to think when a new teacher would come at your class? Of course, some would make a good impression on you on their very first day and some may not. You slowly had a liking for some of them later on but some you really didn't like even a single day. You too will be judged by your students. Some may like you, some may not. But don't panic and don't stress on that. It doesn't matter whether they like you or not. You are there for a change and yes, they definitely will remember you one day when they will reach their dream. The dream; that you make them visualize.

Don't you remember all your teachers now? Yes, you do. You feel that all those teachers whether you liked them or not have an influence on you.

So are your children. But yeah, do make them realize that you are not the one with the stick on your hand; you are with them to shower them loads and loads of love and care. Your children need that. Have you found out about them? Some of them are orphan, some are too poor to afford a good pen and most of them have many family and social issues. They are having a very miserable life. Do make them realize that you are with them to share their happiness and sorrows, to understand them.

You are going with a commitment that you will give your two years in that place. Bhawana, be patient and work. I am reminding about your commitment because every day is not a Sunday. You will see rain and shine both. Control your temper; you may get mad because children are not going to do the assignments you give. They are not going to go through your instructions. They are not going to follow the classroom rules. They may make funny excuses which you know all will be fake. How much you try some will still be there talking in the last bench while you are teaching, some will still bring zero even you concentrate on them so much.  

But never give up. Make them feel that you expect from them and you have a hope for them. Also make them realize that they can do it. It seems difficult and definitely needs a hard work, but they would surely realize it. One day they will understand, they will finally start listening you, start writing at least some words. They will start doing their assignments. First know them, their interest, hobbies. I suggest you to be their friend and a guardian. A friend who would know them all but also a guardian, who would guide them to show them their way. Make them realize why education is so important for them. Why coming to school is so mandatory for them.

I know so many questions are there within you now. Don't worry about them now. They all will get answered one by one. You may face problems but you will find their ways to get out too. You will learn each day. Reflect each day, learn from each mistakes.

Umm! I am pouring out a lot. I need to halt as you need to reach school on time. Just a reminder for today and everyday. I know you may make mistake and children are smart these days, they will definitely catch you but do remember apologize. Don't hesitate to say Sorry.

Best of luck for the day.

                                                                                                                            Warm love

                                                                                                                             Future Bhawana