Dear Supporters of HUGS Nepal,

Greetings! Season’s Greetings and A Great and Exciting Year ahead in 2013.

Eversince the inception of Make Learning Possible in 2011, the little land that has ben set aside for the school in Namkheli Village of Nepal has been busy with activities as the villagers combined their effort to make learning possible for their children. This was especially so after the funds were raised in April 2012 – Thanks to the organisers of HUGS Nepal Charity Dinner @ The American Club (by Emily Chang, Eileen Lim and team) and Charity Lunch @ The Raindrops Café.

Since then, three trips have been made to the village to see the progress of the school. The first two by Lester Leong, in April and July 2012, with Agnes Kok, Alvin Ten and Ian Lee. The final visit of the year was with Sox Tok, Alison Chan and also Agnes Kok in December 2012.

During the December 2012 visit, we witnessed the Opening Ceremony of the School, Manjushree-SINGA school. The name is significant as Manjushree represents the God of Wisdom in Nepal, while SINGA represents our Singapore Lion, the combination represents the close partnership between the two countries.

On the Opening Ceremony…

The Opening Ceremony included ribbon cutting by the District Education Minister, Ang Furba Sherpa (representing Be Human Nepal), Agnes Kok (representing Project Happy Feet) and Sox Tok (representing Make Learning Possible).

The event was also attended by important members of the village and they were entertained by an Inter-School Dance Competition, organised by Manjushree-SINGA school. The participants were from the nearby primary schools and secondary schools, showcasing the beauty of the Nepalese cultural dance, the Sherpani Girls dance, as well the creative modern dance of the youths.

It was also during the opening Ceremony, where the students were presented with their new uniforms. The pride that wore on their parents face was priceless. Some of the parents have been working hard in the construction phase to ensure that the building would be completed so that their children would have a proper classroom to study in. This is truly a school that characterised the phrase, “It takes the whole village to raise a child.” And in Nepal, they truly have the “Kampung Spirit” to start a school.

On the school infrastructure…

The physical structure of the  school now boast of  two buildings – one for the classrooms while the other for the administration of the school, including dormitories for teachers and volunteers. The team worked closely with Furba to ensure that the facilities were sufficient and condusive for learning. And Be Human Nepal readily committed to refurbish any areas that requires improvement, so that it can benefit the students.

On Education…

The education phase had began with the filling of the gaps in the teaching of the English Language.  As Nepali is generally the language used in the community, the teaching of English would be a little challenging especially in a village school. And so, this is an area we hope to lend a hand to. Understanding English is important for the students should they participate in the Tourism industry, which is a big part of their economy. But as we push forward with the learning of English, we must remember not to let our students lose their roots. Afterall the Nepali languge and their local dialects, their culture and tradition are what make them a true Nepalese.

Because you cared..

Make Learning Possible is thankful to all that had made this possible – Be Human Nepal, Project Happy Feet, HUGS Nepal and all of HUGS Nepal supporters

Because of you, you have MAKE LEARNING POSSIBLE for the children of Manjushree-SINGA primary school. A new year had began for these students who will one day craft out a future of their own with the knowledge they have gained.

Thank you with a thousand HUGS from the Children of Manjushree-SINGA Primary School.

Project Happy Feet would like to thank Sox and Lester for their tireless efforts as volunteers in making learning possible in Nepal and bringing education to the children and hope for the community of Namkheli Village in the Himalayas.