MYSMALLHELP NEPAL CONGRATULATES ANITA GURUNG

CONGRATULATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!  TO ANITA GURUNG





Anita Gurung is the first girl who successfully passed SLC (School Leaving Certificate) among the children being supported by MySmallHelp, Nepal. She was successful to secure first division with 75%. So she is very happy these days and excited about her future study.  MySmallHelp team is also very happy about her and congratulate her with best wishes for her bright future.

Anita has been shifted to new apartment as she had to leave her previous place where she had completed her school level. As she is a grown up child she has decided to study sociology in one of the private college.She aims to help poor and orphan people as she can feel their pains closely. Understanding her feelings and condition MySmallHelp, Nepal is  supporting her with full effort for her bright future.Anita is also very much thankful to MySmallHelp, Nepal for being her guardian and taking take care of her.

Third blood donation event of MSH Nepal

Third Blood Donation Camp organized by MSH, Nepal

1st July, 2011

Seeing the importance and shortage of blood in the blood bank, MSH Nepal has set its objective to organize the blood donation camps four times a year. So, last Friday on 1^st July 2011, MSH Nepal has conducted the third successful event of blood donation Camp at Quest International College at Gwarko, Lalitpur. More than 30 students at Quest International College rolled up their sleeves and donated blood as part of a joint venture between Red Cross Nepal and Mysmall Help, Nepal.

In spite of the rainy day, it was lovely to see the students and MSH members get so excited about being able to make a donation. About 43 pints of blood was collected during the event. Due to rainy weather, some of the candidates were disqualified to donate as their pressure goes down the normal point.

The students were so happy to do something so worthwhile and thanked Red Cross and Mysmall help to come to the college and make it so much easier to donate in a comfortable and accessible environment. Similarly, Kolin Shrestha, Director of Quest International College said: “It is very rewarding to see these young people motivated enough to make these donations. This is the third time that we have run the blood campaign at the college and we will always be happy to be involved in this type of programme, and to help our students to become more socially aware and responsible.”

The MSH staff worked steadily to encourage students to make their donation, to give them some support whilst doing so, taking photographs, and assisting students to fill out their consultation form. Other three interns of MSH Nepal were busy in arranging refreshment suite where apples were cored and chopped, bananas, biscuits and boiled eggs plated up, and cartons of juice issued to the donors after they had donated. As a reward, and what turned out to be a somewhat surreal experience, the MSH team was escorted to the top floor of the college where students run a mock restaurant as part of their training. The students who had moments before been jovial and carefree were now immaculately suited and booted and on their best behavior as they served up delicious chicken soup and hakka noodles and tended to our every need as a diner.  Overall it was a very satisfying day with many students promising to encourage their friends to donate next time.

My feelings during visit to Nepal.

By Joanna Young

Namaste, namaste; it feels like my hello and goodbye to Nepal was just as quick as that! I have spent the last six months in the land of Never Ending Peace and Love and was privilieged enough to be visiting Mysmallhelp. It's with a heavy heart that I have to say my farewells to lots of beautiful children and wonderful people who have made my stay so enjoyable. Watching the children mature and grow in confidence is priceless, and seeing their faces when they receive letters from their sponsors, or unexpected parcels from Brownie groups in England is really special.

Most recently they've been given some new toys with funds raised through justgiving.com and they were trying to teach me some Nepali dancing (which was perhaps a highlight for me but less so for them!). More funds will be put towards buying them new shoes and clothes for those who are growing the fastest! A visit from two kind hearted trekkers, Jim Andrews and Matt Rai (London & Derby) led to a one off generous donation and a new sponsor; it also led to a rapid and enthusiastic football game that went so fast I have no idea who won!

Just a week or so later was my final night visiting Marybert School and Orphanage where I found the children drawing me lots of beautiful farewell cards, and supplying me with a a multitude of hugs. We enjoyed singing, eating, and then a final powercut together (which I was quite thankful for as it hid my quivering bottom lip). Visiting the children at Marybert is a humbling and beautiful experience; at times it can feel like you're in the presence of angels whilst at other times it's clear to see there is mischief to be had! They're a beautiful bunch of puppies bumping into each other, falling over each other and ultimately always seeking warmth, love and nourishment. That's easy for us in the UK, a bit harder to pull off in Nepal. So, if you fancy doing your bit... log onto www.justgiving.com/childreninnepal or get in touch with Mysmallhelp and commit to being a sponsor, safe in the knowledge that your funds go to helping the children we know who need it most. With love. Jo x

Our last few days

Our month with MSH in Peru has gone so quickly and I cannot belive that we will soon be packing our bags and leaving Ollantaytambo. We have had such a busy last couple of weeks securing places at a nearby specialist school for disabled children for several of the children MSH and Awamaki have contacted during the disabled outreach campaign.

The four children who were to be the guinea pigs for the scheme last week were Sayury,Luis Alberto, Lourdes and Jasmira. None of the children were attending school because their families did not have the money or resources necessary to send them. All four of the children arrived promptly to meet us to set off for school. When we arrived I was blown away by how lovely the school was, it is set behind a wall, with gardens and the classrooms are idyllic looking thatched huts. There is play equipment and even a cow and chickens! The school was set up by a British NGO and is the only one in the area for disabled children. It provides lessons in life skills as well as more traditional skills such as maths and reading and provides vital services such as physiotherapy. It also provides milk and lunch free of charge for each child, every day.

It is hard to over emphasise the difference the school makes to the children’s lives by giving them a place to socialize and play, gain confidence and independence and learn. Without this school, the children would spend their days at home or at their parent’s work place.

The manager of the school kindly accepted Alex and I to volunteer at the school. We have each been assigned a classroom and have really enjoyed helping the teachers in any small way we can. The school day starts with games for all the children like passing a ball round a circle or a game that involves a cat that even after several goes still remains a mystery to me! The children certainly enjoy it though! In the class that I have been helping in, the children have been learning letters and numbers and doing practical things like drawing pictures for mothers day.

Apart from helping out at the school we have been frantically trying to help Leander with the administrative tasks she needs help with before we leave. We have also taken over the home visit schedule for Alex, a little boy with cerebral palsy, from the Awamkai volunteers. Alex is 13 and is so bright and responsive but spends his days lying in bed because he does not yet have a wheelchair and his mother is often out at work. One of the things the partnership is working towards is getting him a wheelchair which is a prospect I find so exciting as he might then be able to go to school which I know he would benefit from immensely. Awamaki have also arranged for him to have a special chair made for him in the mean time which will allow him to sit up and engage more with his environment.

I have enjoyed so much working with the disabled children out here, learning about the way their illnesses affect them and getting to know them all. I have had great fun playing with them and being able to engage with them. Most of all a lot of them have a great sense of fun and playfulness, as children do, which is a very rewarding and fun environment to be around.

Our first day at school

Another early start today to meet Julio the bus driver and three disabled kids; Lourdes, Juan Alberto and Jasmera in Ollantaytambo square and picking up Sayury in the next town along. It was to be their second day at the amazing Rainbow school run by a charity called ’Kiya Survivors’ in Urubamba which was especially set up for disabled children.

It was Alex and my first day today and we were amazed by how lovely the school was; like a little oasis in the middle of the town with classrooms for different activities and a garden. We started the day with games and introductions which were followed by ‘work’ sessions and lots of play. The children then have lunch before home time at half past one.

Alex helped in the ‘life skills’ class who were making pretty pen pots to give as mother’s day presents this weekend. I helped Sayuri to do colouring and the other members of her class with their letters and learning. The children at the school vary in age from 3 to 20 and all have different disabilities but they are all catered for by the teachers. Sayury ,who has cerebral palsy, had a brilliant day, managing to get herself onto the slide and making firm friends with a little girl of a similar age who can’t speak or hear.

We are looking forward to another day at school tomorrow, it was such a rewarding and fun day.

Sports Day with Anita

Last Wednesday we had an early start so that we

could get to Cusco for half 9 in the morning. After hitch-hiking in a luxury tourist bus on its way back to Cusco, we met Nelly, the MSH Social Worker outside Uriel Garcia school. We followed her inside the school stadium where the entire school were assembled all dressed in their sport teams' gear and decorated with face paints and fancy hair-dos.

Anita is a ten year old girl who is in a wheelchair due to cerebral disabilities. She loves drama and last time we met her at her home she did a confident performance of a poem for us finishing with a bow. She and her little sister were there to take part in the parade and her parents were there too to watch them. We spent several enjoyable hours in gorgeous sunshine with Anita and her family watching the various dances and performances including a rather accurate rendition of Thriller and several rounds of fireworks.

Then it was our turn! Alex and I went onto the sports field with Anita and her team mates and walked the lap of the parade. I held a volleyball and flowers and Alex pushed Anita trying to stay in time with the shouts of the coordinators which resulted in some abrupt halts and several spurts of sprinting. Anita’s family were so welcoming and generous; her little sister ran off to put my jelly carton in the bin and her Dad disappeared and returned with a hat for Alex when the sun was at its hottest.

Anita’s Dad works really hard as a mechanic but they can’t afford the 20 pounds a month it would cost to get Anita to physiotherapy three times a week. Nelly has also recommended that Anita needs a laptop to help her at school because although she is just as quick at learning as any of her classmates, she struggles to write quickly. I really hope MSH can help her with these small things that would really make a difference.

Primary Teacher's Training Program Conducted by MSH, Nepal

The Primary Teachers' Training Program was successfully conducted on April 15th and April 16th 2011 by the MySmallHelp team in Sanjiwani English School at Dhulikhel, Nepal. There were 30 participants from various schools and there were three teachers  responsible for the format and execution of the program - Sabina Thapa, Sachi Guragain, Geeta Pradhan and Roshni Khatri. The teachers conducting the training are well-established in the primary education sector and have attended and conducted such sessions in the past. The program ran over two day and the duration was approximately six hours each day.

The training session was initiated with an opening ceremony, where the participants and guest were welcomed by the principal of the school, Mr. Indra Basnet. The introduction highlighted the structure for the two days and also the  continuing importance of such training sessions in the education system in Nepal.

 For the rest of the session, the participants were divided into smaller groups, in order to facilitate a more structured discussion. Further activities were also organised such as reciting poems, playing games and creating job charts, in order to demonstrate the importance of putting theory into practice.

The overall feedback was that the training was very effective in allowing each participant to gain knowledge on how to create a better learning environment. The different techniques used by the trainers have also helped the participants realise their own potential in the classroom and different ways in which they can reach children of different learning capabilities. Sanjivani English School have also committed to publish the results of the training session in their local newsletter to highlight the success and importance of such training sessions in the future.

The program was concluded by Mr. Indra Basnet, where all the participants, the trainers and MSH were heartily thanked. Based on initial observation, MSH also feel that such a training facility will be beneficial on a regular basis and look forward to organising more events in the future. MSH will actively seek to obtain written feedback from the teachers and also monitor progress with an interview with the participant teachers by arranging meeting with them in three months time.