In March 2016, Pem Doma closes the larger sister of Yanghi, completing her education at HIMS. She wanted to take a two-year course in the tourism sector. The parents of both children have been living in the mountain village of Duble for some time. This would mean that Yanghi would only remain in Kathmandu. Given her young age, we had to look for a different solution.

The quality of HIMS had deteriorated sharply over the past 2 years and internally at school we as a foundation did not find a good solution.

A child should grow up in a family situation. We went looking for an alternative and found it at the Dutch foundation Sathiko Sath. Following an interview, Anita has visited the following persons in December 2015:

-Ratna Kaji, manager of the Sathiko Sath houses and the

-Little Angels’ School: Address: Hattiban, Lalitpur. Website: www.las.edu.np

The first impression was very positive, both at school and in the home, there was a friendly atmosphere and attention for the children.

Ratna and his companions did everything they could to offer the children a warm home. After school they receive extra lessons, if necessary, there is a small playground behind the house with a vegetable garden.

Yanghi has been tested by her new school and can enter into class 5.

In order to arrange everything for the future of Yanghi, we have drawn up a contract in which we as foundation Milijuli transfer an amount to Sathiko Sath every year. Every year, the costs are reviewed.

In the beginning Yanghi had to get used to it, but after a few weeks it went nice and she found her turn.  In the first quarter, she has an A or even A+ for all subjects, the highest rating. So that is very good news.

August 2017

Nepal, too, is faced with huge wage and price rises.
An awkward side-effect is that the school year runs from 15 April to 15 April, but the tax year runs from 15 July – 15 July. The adjustment of school fees runs per school year and is therefore always known before 1 April.
The school fees for the current school year are as high as for the previous school year. The adaptation of the rentals of the dwellings is laid down in contracts and is therefore also known. However, the rest of the items are adjusted in relation to the fiscal year.
Unfortunately, the exchange rate is currently unfavourable to us. This means that the costs will be slightly higher this year.

2021 Yanghi Sherpa and Little Angels’ School (LAS)

As in the Netherlands, online classes have been started in Nepal. This took place in the months of June and July. A major problem immediately arose for the children who live in remote villages where no internet access is available. They were unable to take online classes. Although they have their textbooks, it is impossible for them to learn without guidance. Worse still, they just go back to the day-to-day activities of their family, such as housework, cooking dinner and of course working the land. Ratna and the Nepalese board try to solve the problem of the absent internet in the remote villages. But if there are no cell towers, it really stops. Ratna follows the performance of the children who follow their lessons online. Their participation is also registered by the LAS. Ratna also has the children who can follow the online lessons send all their homework to him in ‘cc’. For Yanghi Sherpa we have found the following solution. We bought her a good laptop through Kame and every month they buy a larger credit with which they can call on the internet with a special box.

2020

While the Covid virus is around and traveling to Nepal is impossible, we try to stay in touch as much as possible via messenger and mail contact

Yanghi Sherpa is at Little Angels’ School (LAS) via the Sathiko Sath foundation.

For the 2019/2020 school year, all LAS children have transferred. All schools in Nepal are closing and expect to start again at the end of August. Most children do not have a laptop or internet, which means that they cannot follow the online classes that may be offered.

The problem now is that the kids can’t take the monthly test, especially the quarterly final test.

The lack of these tests makes it difficult for the (LAS) teachers and students in Nepal because the students cannot go to the next class.

The Nepalese government has announced a complete lock-down in the second half of March. From that time on, all schools were closed, including the Little Angels’ School (LAS). Yanghi has been sent home and will stay with her parents in Duble for as long as it takes. The LAS has organized classes via the internet, unfortunately this does not work as they have no computer facilities and in many cases no internet signal.

The school exam period was in April, so no exams were taken. It was recently decided that all children may move on to the next class, except for the children in class 10, because of the final exam.

Fortunately, there have been no infections at our hostel and Ratna (supervisor in hostel) and his family are in good condition. They also haven’t heard of any COVID infections in the other children.

Ratna expects the LAS to reopen sometime in August or September. It’s still very unclear.

The Corona virus in Nepal

Although the number of known infections in Nepal is currently very low, the Nepalese government has decided to follow the ASEAN code of conduct, precisely to prevent further infections.

At the moment this means the following for the children of Sathiko Sath:

• With the exception of class 12, all children have been sent home by Ratna.
• All children from class 1 to 9 are automatically (without exams) promoted to the next class.
• The SEE exams for grades 10 and 12 have been postponed until the government deems exams safe again; for the time being, the period between mid-April and mid-May (month baishakth) has been referred to.
• A travel ban between provinces within Nepal has come into effect. The exact impact is not yet known to us.