Year: 2016

Connecting to Nangi through The School Inside Whilst working at a summer school in Europe this summer I learned about ‘The School Inside’. It is a voluntary run online school that connects with learners through Skype to give English classes with fluent speakers of the language. These either supplement the lessons they already receive or are the students’ sole access to English instruction.  One of the teachers I was working with has been volunteering with them for quite a while and shared some of her experiences, which all sounded really special.  I had been searching for volunteer work which fits...

Sharone visited Nangi for the first time in 2000 as a volunteer. She recently returned and shared her experience with Dr. Mahabir Pun in a letter. Dear Mahabir, “I hope your travels are off to a good start. Keep me posted on your New York plans and if it works, would be lovely to visit. Here are my brief impressions to share with HEF: In the spring of 2000 I had the honor and joy of spending 7 weeks in Nangi, volunteering in the school and tree nursery. Over the past 16 years, every month that passed brought memories and...

A long time supporter of HEF, Sherwood, describes how he first heard about HEF and met Mahabir Pun. When did you first hear about or meet Dr. Mahabir Pun? My wife and I met Mahabir in Nangi Village in 1995, when our Annapurna trek was washed out by torrential rains, and we took refuge in several classrooms of the Nangi school, where Mahabir taught…serendipitous. We stayed several days to dry out, then finished our trek up to Kopra Ridge. While in Nangi, Mahabir expounded on his plans for the village. We thought that he had more simultaneous ideas than most...

Zachary, from North Carolina, USA, volunteered in June 2016 in Nangi village. He taught wilderness medicine skills to guides, porters, community trek lodge staff, students and local healthcare providers. He shares a meditative page from his journal: 21 June 2016 “Today has been one of the most incredible of my life. It started out fine, woke up and got ready to teach. The day was rainy and crappy all day, but at sunset, it cleared. Completely, totally cleared with the sun and clouds in the lower elevations. Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri, Annapurna south and Annapurna were all visible together in an unbroken line....

I received an email from Tejendra Magar who is a teacher and community leader in Khani Gaun. He told me about the school he started in this remote district. This is not a HEF project, but I wanted to share his story. He tells a compelling story of how one person can make a difference. He is looking for volunteers to teach in the school and he can be reached at: tejendramagar@gmail.com Khani Gaun is most remote village -5 of Adhikarichaur village Development Committee (VDC) Baglung district of Nepal, inhabitant of an ethnic group (Magar). Their primary profession is agriculture and...

The school building construction of Shree Kanyadevi Lower Secondary School in Pokhari village, Barpak of Gorakha district is almost complete. The school was destroyed by the earthquake. The roof has been placed and the cement plaster of the floor of the rooms and walls are also complete. The villagers completed the work just before the start of the monsoon season. Now the villagers will start the inside work and furnish the rooms. Thank you to the many people who donated funds. You have changed lives.

Over the last few months, Nangi students, guided by their teacher Toya, have been working with an organization called The School Inside. Read about their extraordinary journey to improved English skills through internet learning here.  

Hemkumarie: “Namita is one of the former student, who was really dedicated to for study. She also was born and brought up in a peasant family in this Nangi village. She wants to share her sweet and bitter experiences. Namita speaks: My mother works household work as well as farming work. My father is a laborer. He was able to provide me the Bachelor level education with the money from labor work. From my childhood, I was interested in the study and I was intelligent as well .so I kept on holding 1st and 2nd position in each grade. I was difficult...

Hemkumarie: Sangita Pun who was born in Ramche village in a peasant family. She started her education at Deurali Lower Secondary School in Ramche Village. She completed her SLC and graduated 12th education from Himanchal  Higher Secondary School. She tells her experiences that happened in her life. Sangita speaks: “I start my school life from Deurali Lower secondary school in Ramche .The bygone days were happy. After completing lower secondary level education, I joined in Himachal higher secondary school and continued my study. I work as treasurer in Junior Redcross  Circle and participated in different programs .I enjoyed the moments very...

Hemkumarie: Next former student is Pablar. He was also born and brought up in this Nangi village. He is the only son from an educated family. He completed grade 12 education from this village school. He is now in the B.Ed. 3rd year in Pokhara . He wants to start his life story from one point. Pablar speaks: “Time is changeable. There are countless bends and turns in the life of man. There are many rises and falls in the life of man. The life is sometimes full of laughter, sometimes full of sorrow. Sometimes , I realize my childhood...