Sparse news in lock down

Communications are obviously more challenging during the lock down period and news is less frequent.  After nearly 4 months with travel restrictions in place, we’re happy though to share that some children from villages nearer to the school in Mustang are able to return.   For our girls whose families live in even more remote areas such as Dolpo and Rukum in the impoverished western regions, they are unable to get back to school due to the strict travel restrictions still in place. 

The nunnery school is doubling up as home for both girls and boys who come from local communities as well as our lamas and staff from the monastic school. 

In Pokhara, those girls who don’t have families to go to, and who couldn’t get back to Mustang before lock down was enforced, are also doubling up at the boys school.  All these children and staff are safe and well, have enough food to eat and are getting through the lock down period as best they can.  

It takes quite a lot of effort to clean and get the Mustang school building and grounds open again after the winter period and everyone took their share of tasks for the cleaning effort……..

Even though all building projects are on hold this year due to the lack of availability of labourers, there’s still a lot of heavy work that has to be done to make sure the school doesn’t suffer flooding during the monsoon season.  It is seemingly an endless effort.

Ground is being levelled to reduce flooding and to channel excess water away from the new buildings.  Everyone has to help…… 

There’s still time for fun – thank goodness.  Last month during Saka Dawa festival, our older girls staying in Pokhara enjoyed a visit to the sacred Ghar Gompa.

Few formal national curriculum lessons are taking place  because most children haven’t been able to get back to school from the more remote locations and schools are not officially yet open again in Nepal.  Buddhist studies are continuing for children who have managed to get to school,

And finally, by no means least.  Our children are amongst the luckier ones.  Whilst the facilities may seem basic compared to what our western children enjoy, they are in a safe community, have access to toilet facilities, soap and water and have 3 good meals per day of nutritious food.

There are many in surrounding communities who are so much worse off.  The school has been doing some humanitarian work delivering food and soap to desperate people in the villages surrounding Pokhara …..

…and we’d like to extend this work  to needy families in Mustang.  I’ve started a new fundraiser and am aiming to try and raise £350/$400USD, which would enable the school to buy enough food to feed many families for several weeks.

Please please can you help us to help others in desperate need? 

With no welfare state, and no day work available at all for the past 4 months, no running water at home let alone no soap for hand washing, many can hardly feed their families nor have the luxury for even the most basic hygiene practices.

All donations, however modest will help enormously to buy rice, soap and other essential supplies.  We promise that as always, no deductions will be taken from the donations by Altevette Project nor the school – only a small international bank charge which we can’t avoid.  Your donation will go directly into the local economy and help people desperately in need.

Please help us – even a donation of the cost of a cup of coffee can buy 3Kg of rice for a family.  Please be generous to help those desperately in need.

Here’s that link again.  Please, even the cost of a cup of coffee will be welcomed….. THANK-YOU