The following is an edited excerpt from a recent volunteer’s letter sent to the HEF team in Nepal. Crystal taught a way-finding and GPS class to the guides working for the Annapurna Dhaulagiri Community Trek Project http://nepaltrek.wix.com/nepalcommunitytrek Volunteers, such as Crystal, make a difference. Think about bringing your skills to our school and community villages. Contact Dr. Debra Stoner: debra@himanchal.org Namaste Chitra, I wanted to thank you and everyone in the Nangi village and HEF for the amazing experience I had at the Nangi village teaching the compass/ map/ GPS guides course, helping out in the school and going on...
TEE FOR NEPAL RAISES $6000 USD FOR HEF.
Ajay Rai, a friend of Mahabir Pun and fellow UNK graduate, formed a non-profit organization called Tee For Nepal Help Foundation from his home in San Antonio, Texas. The goal of the foundation is to generate funds to support education in rural Nepal through the game of golf. After learning of Dr. Leonard Skov’s persistent efforts to raise funds through Himanchal Education Foundation, Ajay decided to make a difference and organize a golf event in the Nepalese community. On August 8th, 2015 the inaugural golf tournament was held in Omaha, Nebraska. Families joined the golfers to socialize that evening with over...
BRIEF REPORT OF COMMUNITY MANAGED ECO TRAIL
Prepared by Chitra Pun, Field Manager for HEF. I am very happy to get an opportunity to acknowledge about Community Managed Eco Trail and its progress in 2014. We held a meeting of communities’ in Khibang village on the 25th December 2014 to distribute money that was earned during the last tourism season of 2014. In the fall season, there were more than 200 trekkers who trekked in our area. In the meeting, people participated from Banskharka, Dandakateri, Nangi, Aula, Tikot, and Khibang villages. In these villages, community dining halls with a home stay and community lodges for trekkers are run...
Korean Students Donate for Earthquake Relief
On July 18, 2015July 18, 2015By Ron KonecnyIn FoundationTags Contribute, donation, donations, Dr. Mahabir Pun, Dr. Tae - Ho Song, drying house, earthquake, Engineers Without Borders, EWB, foreign aid, former volunteer Nangi, fund raiser, fund raising, HEF, HEF donation, hydro generators, KAIST, Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Mahabir, Mahabir Pun, Nangi, Nepal building damage, Nepal earthquake, Nepal earthquake relief fund, Professor Tae - Ho Song, solar power, solar water pump, wood heated drying house
Students from the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) raised and donated $6129 USD for earthquake relief. They are supporting the rebuilding of a school in one of the districts affected by the April 2015 earthquake. The KAIST student group, Engineers Without Borders (EWB), took the initiative and spearheaded the fund raising with the KAIST Undergraduate Council and International Scholar and Student Services. KAIST is a prestigious Korean university and the most respected Professor Tae – Ho Song heads the team. Working with Dr. Mahabir Pun’s Nepal Wireless organization, Dr. Song brought teams of 15 undergraduate and graduate engineering students to Nepal...
Articles Worth Reading
On July 1, 2015July 1, 2015By Ron KonecnyIn FoundationTags controversy, earthquake, foreign aid, fund raiser, HEF, HEF donation, Mahabir, Mahabir Pun, Nepal building damage, Nepal earthquake deaths, Nepal earthquake relief fund, Nepal government, Nepal healthcare, Nepal politics, Nepal Prime Minister, Nepal Relief Fund, News, politics, Relief Fund
David Citrin, PhD, MPH wrote a well constructed article about disaster relief in Nepal for Humanosphere. Read it here. Melody Schreiber, a program manager at International Reporting Project, wrote about the earthquake effects on the Nepal health system. Read it here.
More Small Donations…
On June 24, 2015June 24, 2015By Ron KonecnyIn FoundationTags Contribute, donation, donations, earthquake, fund raiser, fund raising, HEF, HEF donation, Mahabir, Mahabir Pun, Nangi, Nepal earthquake, Nepal earthquake relief fund, Nepal government, Nepal politics, Nepal Prime Minister, Nepal Relief Fund, News, politics, Relief Fund, small contributions
In lieu of gifts for a 60th birthday party my husband requested family and friends make a donation to HEF’s Earthquake Relief Fund. A jar was placed on a table with reminders of the earthquake….in small donations of $20, $30 and $50 USD…over $1300 USD was raised. Small donations add up to make a difference.
Small Donations Matter
On June 12, 2015June 12, 2015By Ron KonecnyIn FoundationTags Australia volunteer, Contribute, cupcakes, donation, donations, Dr. Mahabir Pun, earthquake, former volunteer Nangi, fund raiser, fund raising, HEF, HEF donation, Mahabir, Mahabir Pun, Nangi, Nepal earthquake, Nepal earthquake relief fund, Nepal Relief Fund, News, Relief Fund
Kate, a former Australia volunteer, sent this message to HEF along with her daughter’s donation for the Earthquake Relief Fund. It shows that small donations really do matter. “My daughter, Sarah, ran a cupcake stall to raise money for earthquake victims. She raised AU$446 which converts to US$340. We hope this helps a little. Thanks, Kate. PS I volunteered in Nangi about 15 years ago and it was a wonderful experience. I would love to bring my children there someday.” This amount of money is about the average annual income for a family in Nepal. Think about the impact…one cupcake...
Earthquake Relief – Controversy
On June 2, 2015June 2, 2015By Ron KonecnyIn FoundationTags Contribute, controversy, Dr. Mahabir Pun, earthquake, Nepal building damage, Nepal earthquake, Nepal earthquake relief fund, Nepal government, Nepal politics, Nepal Prime Minister, Nepal Prime Minister's Relief Fund, Nepal Relief Fund, politics, Relief Fund
The Nepal government set up the Prime Minister disaster relief fund mandating all earthquake relief money from any organization either Nepal or globally based be directed to the fund. This is in a country where thousands of non-government agencies have operated aid programs for decades without government supervision. The goal was to coordinate all funds arriving into Nepal for disaster relief into one program and avoid duplication and/or waste of services. Controversy has developed amid speculation and concerns for it’s ability to monitor, distribute and assess such a monumental task. Dr. Mahabir Pun wrote to the Nepal Chief Secretary, Lilamani Poudyal, concerning the...
Earthquake Devastation in Pictures & Numbers
On May 21, 2015May 21, 2015By Ron KonecnyIn FoundationTags Dr. Mahabir Pun, earthquake, fund raiser, fund raising, HEF, HEF donation, Mahabir, Mahabir Pun, Nepal building damage, Nepal earthquake, Nepal earthquake deaths, Nepal earthquake relief fund, Nepal government, Nepal politics, Nepal Prime Minister, Nepal Prime Minister's Relief Fund, Nepal Relief Fund, politics, Relief Fund
American Nepal Medical Association posts regular updates on the field disaster relief work in pictures and texts. Dr. Mahabir Pun wrote: “Just to give you an idea of how big the damage is, I have given the summary of the damage as follows. They are still collecting more information.” Source: Nepal Government website No. of Nepali people died – 8,604 No. of people injured – 16,808 No. of foreigners died/injured – 70/50 No. of foreigners missing – 111 No. Government buildings fully destroyed – 768 No. of houses fully destroyed–488,789 No. of houses partially destroyed – 267,477 No. of schools fully destroyed –...
Earthquake Recovery Update
Dr. Mahabir Pun was recently asked about recovery projects in Nepal and reminds us the country is still experiencing unsettling aftershocks resulting in a paralyzed economy. “It is too early to decide what to do for the recovery project. There are several earthquakes happening everyday in the range of 4 to 6 scale. Therefore, most of the people too scared and are staying outside their houses during the day and night. The roads are almost empty and the shops, schools and offices are closed. Even if the doors of some government offices are opened, people are not working or there...