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Visit to Duble

During a recent trek I have been in Duble for some days and looked if and how the solar panels and stoves, that we sponsored in the beginning of the year, are being used.

The people are happy with the panels and the stoves. In the houses where the stoves are used is only a very little amount of smoke. In those houses even I had no smoke problem, while in other houses I often fled into the fresh air after some minutes. I already expected that the 21 Watt solar panel installations would provide sufficient light, but also the people with a small solar tuki were happy with it. The users find that the tuki provides just enough light and it can tide over two days without sun.
Besides the inspection of the solar panels and the stoves I also could have a look at the Pakhe drinking water project, which had been completed two months ago. The people were proud to show what they had constructed with the financial help of Stichting Nijmegen Sherpaland.
Illustrated journal of my stay in Duble.

Donation to the school

On the occasion of my visit we gave the school a new volleyball and an elektronic keyboard (Casio CTK-230). The teachers called it a piano. It is powered by 9 Volts from a transformer or from 6 alkaline batteries. As there is no electricity at the school and buying batteries would be a problem, we added a 5 Watt solar panel, a 12 Volt lead battery, charge controller and a 9 Volt voltage regulator.

Domini Sherpa

During my visit to the Jana Jyoti Primary School I was told that one of the sponsored children did not attend school for about half a year, because she had been falling and could not walk properly anymore. That was Domini Sherpa, who already had a walking problem, because she cannot bent her right knee. With her father she had been to the hospital in Okhaldhunga, but doctors could not help her. Her father had carried her to the school and she was standing there leaning on a stick. You could see that the leg was hurting. During the next days this problem did not leave my mind. Normally a child recovers quickly from a fall and a bone fracture should have been detected in the hospital in Okhaldhunga. The objectives of the foundation do not mention medical care, we care for the education of children. However to get education you should be able to attend a school.
At parting from the porters, in Sangutar, I asked the father if he was interested in bringing his daughter to Kathmandu for a medical examination. Depending on the result we then could decide about a possible treatment and in what extend Stichting Milijuli could sponsor that treatment. He gladly accepted this proposal and I gave him money for the travel expenses. Back in Kathmandu I will prepare for their visit and go to Chitwan according to my travel plan. While I am in Chitwan he will bring Domini to Kathmandu.
If you are interested in my first acquainance with the Nepal Orthopaedic Hospital in Kathmandu and in Domini you can read the project page.

A watermill in Bhotechaur

Bhotechaur is a neighbour village of Duble. You pass the village when you go south on your way to the bus station in Sangutar. In Bhotechaur, a group of 38 households like to build a watermill, 'pani ghatta' in Nepali.
However, as usual, it takes a long time to collect the money needed to finance that dream.
At the spot, they have in mind, there is sufficient water during the wet season.
They guess that 350 Euro will be enough to buy and transport all the materials.
I promise to send that amount of money as soon as I am home again.

Further information on the project page.

Kombi school 'De Pas' in Helden

Together with Anita and Jan I have been in Helden at the Kombi school 'De Pas' to explain to the students why and how Stichting Milijuli is helping children in Nepal.
I returned from Nepal less than a week ago. So, I could present the very latest information, such as about Domini Sherpa.
I am not a teacher and my only experience in front of a school class was telling about rock climbing. However that is an interesting hobby for children. I did not expect that the kids would listen so attentively to this issue and would thinking for solutions to problems that were mentioned.
As an item of the Christmas activities, that were organised some days later, the children organised a fundraising party for the Jana Jyoti school in Duble, which brings in 355 Euro.
We will contact the school teachers in Duble for an advice how to use this money for their students. Of course we will report back to the children of De Pas.
Children and parents, thank you very much for your help.

(Ton van der Kop)