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Hands InOutreach

Winter 2008

“Can’t help but wish”While it’s still dark, SusmitaGhumiere’s mother Ganga, care-fully lays out her blanket on a smallpile of flat bricks that serves as aplatform. This is her spot. Slowlysetting out the same odd trinketsshe offered for sale yesterday, herroutine has been the same for sev-eral years now. Tins of shoe polish,some wooden mani beads, blackcombs, watchbands, a flashlight,two pairs of shoes, three small mir-rors, and an old wind-up alarmclock. After her bits are out on viewshe’ll sit cross-legged for hours as

An educational sponsorship program for Nepalese and Tibetan children in Nepal

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2008 From the Director

Dear Friends,

Though the future is still uncertain, the people of the Kathmandu valley are freedfrom the threat of armed conflict. The many factions of the coalition governmentagree on very little. In a practical sense, the government has little to do with the livesof its citizens. The people go about their daily lives making the best of whatever situa-tion they have. Carving out a day-to-day existence generally uncomplaining in theface of great adversity and sometimes little hope of change.

Under increasingly difficult and overcrowded conditions, our small staff of two,Ram and Palmo, continue to do a remarkably brilliant job running around the city vis-iting schools, children and families. The conduit they diligently provide betweensponsors and children makes HIO quite unique. Ram and Palmo are truly present inthe lives of our sponsored students offering guidance, encouragement and support ina place where no social safety net exists. They’re truly the backbone of HIO and we’reeternally grateful for their commitment and dedication.

In October our volunteer Board met to evaluate new and current projects. Ourexciting new Parent Education Project at the LMV School will begin a six-month termin February. Illiterate mothers of our sponsored students are learning basic skills inmath, Nepali and English language, discussing issues of parenting, hygiene, nutritionand business practices. Through a supportive nurturing environment, our hope is toimprove the overall quality of life for many desperately poor families.

For 2008, we increased our grant to the UCEP vocational training center to alloweight young women and two young men the opportunity to gain practical skills inauto mechanics, tool and dye making and printing. Through an ongoing ISIS fundedhealth-care initiative, three HIO students will complete their orthodontia treatmentsthis spring and five more will begin. ISIS also generously provides HIO funding forcritical family support, regular dental exams for all our students and most impor-tantly, the cost of our staff in Nepal. Many of our older students are still volunteeringon Saturday to help in the ISIS group homes for displaced children, along with help-ing at the Bal-Kendra Children’s Center and the Bal-Mandir orphanage.

This year we’ve significantly increased our commitment to the Bal-Kendrachildren’s literacy center, partnering with the German welfare organizationCare/Fair. Located close to the fetid Bagmati River, Bal-Kendra provides freeclasses to the young children of this very poor neighborhood as a stepping-stone toward attending local government schools.

Our efforts to improve lives are given with generosity, compassion andcare. As always in this tricky gumbo of providing responsible foreign aid, werun the risk of causing an inadvertent dependency. This is a risk we mustassume as we both gain and lose ground in a troubled country. To all of youwho so generously support our small program, it’s a blessing and a comfort toknow that you’re behind these children who live so very far from our homes—they truly know this and are amazed by your kindness and ever grateful for yourgift. Me too !

Namaste and all good wishes...

2

Hands In Outreach Board Members

Ricky BernsteinElizabeth Bengtson

Danny DoverGary Jost

Howard LefenfeldMarcia Lieberman

Hans RuppelMary Swartz

Nepal Staff

Ram Gopal Adhikarirgadhikari@wlink.com.npram_hio@hotmail.com.np

Palmo Tsering Tamang

tjendraklama@hotmail.com

Ricky Bernsteinpenrose@vgernet.net

413 · 229 · 7993

On the cover: Susmita and hermother Ganga outside theirsmall Kathmandu rented room.(Photo: Ricky Bernstein)

Former HIO sponsored student Hari Poudeldid so well in her machine tool class the UCEPTraining Center offered her a job as anassistant instructor. (Photo: Ricky Bernstein)

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people walk by, most catching a localbus to somewhere. She has a brightlycolored thermos of tea and is neatlydressed. Composed and calm amidstthe clutter and chaos in this place ofmotion and noise, she appears as aguru in meditation. “When sales aregood,” she says, “we can make up to300 rupees,” around $4.50. It’s a twelve-hour shift and she’s here everyday with-out complaint. The small room whereGanga lives with her husband, youngson and Susmita, is only a short walkfrom the chaos of the bus park, but farenough away to feel peaceful.

By six in the morning the areaaround the Lalitpur bus park is alreadyquite active. During the winter monthsit’s still dark and temperatures hoveraround freezing. With no central heat-ing in buildings or homes, the sun pro-vides the only real measure of lastingwarmth. For people who know of noother way, the discomforting chillseems unapparent. Children walk sock-less in flip-flops, shop keepers opentheir tiny stalls blowing on their coldhands while young boys walk from hereto there with metal baskets holdingsteaming glasses of sugary Nepali milktea—cha. Walking provides a degree ofwarmth and many are on the move asdark shadows caught in the headlightsof passing busses. Dogs bark fightingover scraps of garbage; motorbikes raceby with their high-pitched horns blar-ing; taxies look for riders or standmotionless, waiting in long quest forrationed petrol. Trucks plod along gen-erously spewing their noxious plumesof blackened diesel exhaust. The air isthick with noise, gas fumes, sweetcooking aromas of exotic spices, thesmells of rotting garbage, coughing,laughing and everywhere the feel ofdust and smog. Thick and toxic.

I’m totally convinced Nepalis mustbe the most innovative auto mechanicson the face of the earth. God’s chosenones for keeping vehicles alive. Buses ofall sizes congregate in this area, mirac-ulously held together by prayer andmagic. Rickety skeletal contraptions ofpaint peeled steel and scratched glasslooking like WWII relics. They lumberalong all roads in the valley with an

intrepid boy perilously leaning out theentry door actively yelling out the desti-nation of his bus. I know he’s actuallysaying something in Nepali. But to myunknowing ears, it sounds like he’sscreaming “bar-ruh, bar-ruh, bar-ruh,bar-ruh,” trying to convince any onewho can hear him to jump onto his busand no other! When all or no one hasstumbled on board, he energeticallyraps the side of the hulk several times,signaling the driver to hit the gas.

By eight the streets are packed.More of everything. Taxies, trucks, bicy-cles, buses, young men on motorbikes,streams of women huddled underpashmina shawls, boys and girlsdressed neatly in uniforms of blue, grayand red on their way to school. A nearconstant din of honking horns fromevery direction. Though it’s no longerdark, in the absence of sun, there’s athick haze of cold dense fog. Candlesburn in nearly all the roadside shops formore light, while small piles of trashburn by the roadside for warmth aspeople huddle around small blazeswith outstretched hands. It feels like atotally bizarre scene from the cult filmBlade Runner, — times ten.

Susmita age 14 is a seventh graderat the Lalitpur School. Her fatherDhurba, was a factory worker but losthis job after a serious illness. With someelectrical training, he finds old lampsand flashlights and tries to repair themfor sale on Ganga’s bus-park blanket.Quiet and diligent in her studies,Susmita comes home every day afterschool at eleven and busies herself withhomework, cooking and visiting her

mother. We remove our shoes beforeentering, as is the custom for mosthome visits. The room they’ve occupiedfor many years is painted a cheery aquaand has several windows. About twelvefeet square, it’s quite cramped for afamily of four, but astonishingly cleanand neat. Where so many families areliving in filthy, dark, wretchedly poorconditions...it’s such a wonderful sur-prise to see this place.

Susmita’s mother, briefly home fora visit with us, fixes tea and offers bis-cuits. She has a warm engaging smileand speaks modestly of her past. She’ssewn many of the brightly colored out-fits worn by Susmita and I wonder ifshe might not make a better livingdevoting full time to tailoring. Gangawent to school until the eighth gradebefore marrying and dropping out at15, slightly older than her daughter isnow. I wonder why her family’s livingcondition is so remarkably different—so much better and more healthy thanso many other poor illiterate LMV fami-lies. Ganga agrees to come to the LMVadult class. It’s a sacrifice for her to missthe two hours from five to seven in theevening when the class is held,“because the bus park is so busy andpeople might buy something,” she says.Susmita walks us out and Ganga headsback to the bus park while we head offdown the road. I can’t help but wishthat others lived at least as well as thisfamily. Can’t help but wish.

Ricky Bernstein

Susmita doing daily homework (Photo:Ram Gopal)

Susmita continued from page 1

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Her Mother Thought Otherwise

“Better to gain skill looking after the cow and find a village hus-

band when you turn 14 or 15.” This was how Kanchan’s father

explained why he thought going to school was a waste of time

for her. This was not to be. By all accounts, Kanchan Chauhan is a very special

young woman. Most of the children we sponsor are of average intelligence.

Nearly all from poor illiterate families who work at hard menial jobs make

just enough to pay for rent and two meals of rice and dhal.

Born in the eastern part of Nepal where the hills rise

toward the Himalaya, Kanchan’s parents are subsistence

farmers. Married young, her mother had no schooling and

before long, was tending to four small children. Kanchan’s

father felt strongly that there was no need for her to have

an education. Her mother thought otherwise. As Kanchan

says of her mother, “Long ago in her childhood days she

went to her husband’s house instead of school, and she was

determined not to ruin our lives by depriving us of an educa-

tion. Seeing my mother’s determination and encouragement,

it was possible for me to take a step forward in an effort to

build a bright future for myself and my family.”

When Kanchan was eight, her mother arranged for

Kanchan to take the difficult entrance exam for the

Kathmandu-based Budhanilkantha School, given throughout

the country. As part of their charter, this elite school offered

full scholarships to poor rural children with academic

promise. To her great surprise, Kanchan passed and was

awarded one of the scholarships. Throughout her tenure at

school, Kanchan excelled academically, usually at the top of her class. As

she says, “After that, my father started having faith in his daughters.

Though it took quite a long time for me to prove to my father that girls

are equally capable as boys, it had a life-time affect on him, changing

his old way of thinking for good!”

After successfully completing class 10, Nepal’s high school equivalen-

cy, Kanchan’s teachers encouraged her to apply for a prestigious schol-

arship offered by the Pestalozzi Foundation in the UK. Though the

competition was fierce, Kanchan again prevailed and was selected for

the two-year fellowship for study at Hastings College. “Attending class-

es with students from all over the world has helped me to discover

different views and understand other cultures. This has made me equal-

ly aware that I am Nepalese and must contribute to the building of

my nation, especially at a time like this when the political crisis is so

great. My great thanks to Ram-dhai and HIO for encouraging and

motivating me during the hard times. And especially to my sponsors

Ken and Jossy for giving me this opportunity to build a strong future

through education.”

Ricky Bernstein

Top: 11th grader Kanchan justbefore leaving to study in the UK.Bottom: Kanchan with Jossy andSabita (Photo: Ricky Bernstein)

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Sisters Priya and Priyanka, youngstudents at the LMV school, withtheir mother, who works as adomestic helper. Mrs.Thapa, terriblypoor herself and already raisingPriya on her own, adopted Priyankaby giving her a home and lovingcare.Though her life is a great strug-gle, the LMV class is a delight for her.(Photo: Ricky Bernstein)

A Second Chance

Our most successful new program involves the parents of our spon-

sored children at the LMV School. It began as an idea the HIO Board

had considered for quite some time—to allow illiterate parents a

chance to learn very basic educational skills such as everyday working math,

how to read and write their names and how to navigate a basic contract

agreement. The effort, now called the LMV Parent Education Project has

grown in popularity beyond our wildest thoughts.

We decided to fund a pilot initiative for 3 months to see if the idea was

viable. Starting with one late afternoon class per week, the group of women

attending became so excited they soon asked to meet every day after school.

At first the mothers came alone, but soon it was necessary for them to bring

along their younger children. And then it became necessary to bring along

their school age children because they also needed

some supervision after class let out at 4:30. We added

an additional teacher to supervise activities for the

younger siblings and for the older LMV children to

have competent help with their homework. Gita

Sitaula, an exceptionally wonderful and exuberant

English teacher, organized the adult literacy curricu-

lum for this new HIO program and led the classes.

Thus far the initiative has been a resounding success.

In February, after the winter holiday, the classes will

again resume with a new expanded curriculum.

In our recent LMV home visits, nearly all the

mothers we asked are planning to attend the new

session of classes. Gita Sitaula will supervise the pro-

gram and remain the primary teacher. When we

spoke about the program, Gita was overwhelmed

with emotion. She was astonished at the passion

these mothers displayed at the opportunity to

learn what they’d been denied in their youth.

Having married young, nearly all had no opportunity to attend school.

“When the class ended at 7pm, many didn’t want to leave,” she said, “the

experience was so positive for them.” For the coming session, Gita is planning

to continue with basic Nepali language and math along with discussions on

health, hygiene, parenting skills, women’s rights under Nepali law, nutrition,

and basic English conversation. If the program continues to go well, we hope

to organize the effort as a model for the illiterate parents of children in oth-

er HIO affiliate schools, who wish to participate.

With the economy in shambles and unemployment running near 60%,

will basic literacy significantly help? It’s anyone’s guess, but certainly a small

step in the right direction. At least it’s a way to build confidence and support

among the women and a measure of hope. Two hours off the road with a

chance to learn, listen, trade stories and do something just for themselves. A

chance to understand the markings on their children’s grade sheets for the

first time. Maybe even learn enough to read a story book to their children.

Ricky Bernstein

Urken Bhote— better known as “Urche” (Ur-chay)—seemsto have always had a smile on his face. Even as a 10-year-old sheep-herder living with his family in the remote far-

western region of Nepal known as Dolpo, the photo of himin 1995 shows a bubbling young boy exuding enthusiasmlike a hot spring. It’s no wonder that the four trekkers, whocamped out in his village for just one night that year,became so fond of him. Within just a few hours Urche hadmade new friends through his instinctive ability to connectso warmly with people from different backgrounds and cul-tures, a natural gift that continues to serve him well today.Danny Dover, David and Zach Brandau (father and son), andJerry Ward—friends from the USA—were instantly smitten.They had come to Dolpo for its unique culture and starklybeautiful Himalayan valleys. But meeting Urche that dayadded a whole new dimension to their journey.

While packing up to leave Urche’s village the next morn-ing, a radical idea surfaced: would it be possible to sponsorUrche in a boarding school in Kathmandu? If he went to abetter school, Urche would have opportunities he could onlydream of in isolated Dolpo. This outlandish plan took shapequickly after talking with Urche’s mother, who gratefullyaccepted the offer. It would be up to Urche and his motherto make the long and difficult journey to Kathmandu whereenrollment arrangements would be made ahead of theirarrival. They would have to trust four strangers who hadcamped in their village for just one night.

Their trust paid off, and Urche was enrolled at the DorjiSchool to start Class 1 at age 10. It was a world he had never

known. He didn’t speak Nepali, the official language ofNepal, nor had he ever experienced urban life. But hequickly made friends and thoroughly enjoyed learningwithin his new environment. Urche is now finishing Class12, and one of the best-educated young men from hisremote region of Nepal.

Urche blossomed into an instinctive and compellingleader well rooted in the compassion and generosity of hisBuddhist Dolpo culture, with an unwavering commitment tobeing of service to those in need. He continuously expressesa deep gratitude for the gift that he was given through hisHIO sponsors, and the desire to somehow pass that gift ontoothers. His sponsors continue a close relationship with HIOto this day. For the past thirteen years they’ve traveled toNepal many times to visit with Urche and his family, stayingin close touch through countless letters, emails, and even

phone calls.Several years ago while still in school, Urche and

two friends founded the Buddha Jyoti Himalayan YouthClub (BJHYC), a small youth service organization. Theybegan with small projects such as distributing usedclothing to the poor and serving a special holiday mealat a home for disabled children. Soon Urche and hisbest friend, Mingmar Lama, officially registered BJHYCas an NGO (non-governmental organization.) Theyrented rooms at a busy intersection and started offer-ing classes in computer skills to students who couldn’tafford it. They always relied on donations and keptnothing for themselves. A European tourist who metUrche, for example, was so impressed that he gavethem three computers. Others gave cash. Theyscrounged up some used furniture and somehowalways paid the rent.

Then, just two years ago, BJHYC briefly teamed upwith a Dutch NGO to start a home for brain-damagedboys. The Dutch organization soon left, leaving Urcheand Mingmar fully in charge. They rented a beautifulhouse and named the new home “Maitri Griha”—“Lovethe mentally ill”. Again they worked tirelessly, cleaning

and painting and furnishing until Maitri Griha was spot-less and inviting.

Today, Maitri Griha is a warm and safe home foreight physically and mentally disabled boys. Urche andMingmar found them all—on the streets, in hospitals, orchained to bedposts in homes where families didn’t knowwhat to do with them. With these boys and two support staff,they’ve created a loving family atmosphere. The mission ofMaitri Griha is to provide an alternative environment forthese boys to learn enough basic physical, social, and men-tal skills so that they can eventually return to live with theirfamilies without being such a burden—and perhaps withless of the stigma so commonly associated with the disabledin traditional Nepali society.

Rooms upstairs have been renovated and are rented outto Western tourists and students for short stays. The rental

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Urche, at right, when Danny first met the family in their remoteDolpo village. (Photo: Danny Dover)

The Story of Urche and “Maitri Griha”

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income helps support Maitri Griha.Often the guests end up as volunteers,and come back on return trips toNepal. The guest book shows a list ofvisitors from a dozen countries, manyof whom have written about theirexperience at Maitri Griha in glowingemails and blogs to their friends.

Urche wears many hats and his lifeis not easy. Just the daily grind of livingin Kathmandu can be draining. He’snot only a full-time student attendingto his studies, but the co-director ofMaitri Griha. When his father died afew years ago, Urche became patriarchof his family because of his education.So he must somehow find a way to helpsupport his mother and three brotherswho have no viable incomes. Alsobecause of his education, many peoplefrom his village who share a kinshiprely on him for favors or advice. Andyet, Urche will never complain about his responsibilities.On the contrary, he will tell you at any moment how trulyblessed he feels. That his life is an unbelievably fantasticdream, and his trademark smile says it all.

Urche and his HIO sponsors have had an unusuallyenriching relationship, truly becoming family. His sponsorshave had the immense satisfaction of seeing their invest-ment in his future multiplied many, many times over.Urche’s commitment to community service has even been

an inspiration to other HIO students. It has been an extraor-dinary experience for HIO to have such a gifted, dynamicyoung man within its program.

Danny Dover is a long-time HIO sponsor, Board member andfrequent traveler to Nepal.For more information on Maitri Griha, visit: www.matiri-griha.org/en/ or write to Urche at: ukchoemarpo@hotmail.com.

“Donubahd”Very special thanks — “don-u-bahd,” in Nepali — to former HIO Board

member Ralph Hammond who served as our chief education advisor with

tireless energy for the past 15 years. A former elementary school principal,

Ralph retired early to devote his great energy full-time toward fostering

literacy throughout the developing world. A very active Rotarian, Ralph

traveled frequently to Nepal organizing very innovative literacy programs,

some of which were adopted by the Ministry of Education. As long-time

HIO supporters, Ralph and his wife Jean made it possible for Bishnu Maya,

their sponsored student, to come to the US for study at Middlesex

Community College near their Massachusetts home. Ralph energetically continues his health and

literacy initiatives through Rotary and still supports Bishnu’s efforts as a pre-dental student at Mt.

Holyoke College. We owe Ralph a great debt of gratitude for his excellent service over the years

and his presence on the Board will be missed.

RB

Urche goofing around with some of the Maitri Griha boys. (Photo: Danny Dover)

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“Have a fantastic day,” was an expression Bob

Schawelson ended all conversations with and some-

thing he meant from the heart. The HIO community

lost a very dear friend when “Dorji Bob,” as he

liked to be called, passed away last year. After a

long life of giving, Bob was truly at peace with

family and friends gathered around him.

I first met Bob in 1995 one evening at the Hotel

Vajra where we both were staying. Sitting alone at

dinner, we struck up a friendly conversation. Bob,

who was visiting the sacred Buddhist Kopan

Monastery, asked what I was doing in Nepal. After I

described the workings of HIO, Bob seemed very

intrigued and asked if he might accompany me on

some home visits the next day. As we went from

place to place the conditions of the families we vis-

ited affected him visibly and profoundly. Living comfortably, as most of us do here

in the west, the conditions in which these fellow human beings existed was alto-

gether foreign to him. He wanted to help immediately and signed on to sponsor

several children. Before long, he and his wife Sandy were up to six or seven spon-

sored kids, whom he made every effort to visit on all of his subsequent trips to

Kathmandu. Bob was a delightful person who

communicated prolifically in his later years,

both by post —the old-fashioned way—and via

e-mail. All of his correspondence was filled

with genuine messages of acceptance, under-

standing, compassion and love. The essence of

his Buddhist teachings he felt compelled to

share. For those who had the pleasure to

know him, Dorji Bob Schawelson is dearly

missed.

“His wit, wisdom and generosity touched

us all and that is how he would want to be

remembered. He will be reborn soon, so we

will be touched by his spirit again. By the

way, he would have wanted you to know

that he is doing fantastic wherever he is,”

says Bob’s daughter and HIO sponsor Deanna

Byck. There’s no doubt that his enduring

spirit was a blessing and continues to shine.

Tashi Delek.

Ricky Bernstein

The richness I have enjoyed is in the many relationships with all of you.Each of you has contributed to making my life richer, better and moreenjoyable. Our lives are not made up of large dramatic moments andactions (although those do happen to us at times), but of the small ordinary routine things we do on a daily basis. Just greeting someone can be a source of joy. A smile results in a smile back and friendliness produces friendliness. We are all equal and we all have the same wants andneeds and insecurities. Remember — it’s not the destination that isimportant but the journey to get there.Someone once wrote, “live your life so that when you are born, you cryand the rest of the people rejoice - and when you die, the rest of yourfriends cry and you rejoice.” Perhaps in some small way I have done that,and if so, wouldn’t that be an accomplishment?Perhaps somewhere, sometime a small memory of something I said ordid will come back, and when that happens I’ll continue to live in somesmall way. In my belief however, our meeting — whenever it happened wassomething that had to happen…it was not an accident. As a Buddhist Ibelieve in rebirth, not reincarnation and I feel that although we may neverbe aware of our present relationship, we will meet sometime again in thefuture. It has been a long wonderful life. Thank you for being a part of it.

“Dorji” Bob Schawelson with some of his sponsored children.(Photo: Ricky Bernstein)

From a letter Bob wrote to his friends the day before he passed away.

TThhee FFaaccee ooff HHIIOO

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Almost ten years ago, we began to focus our attention onmore sponsorships for girls and young women because oftheir vastly unequal opportunities in Nepal, and also becauseit has been established, beyond dispute, that the education ofwomen is a key factor in lifting societies out of poverty.Helping to provide education to young women would benefitNepal in ways beyond the obvious. At that time, Ram was oursole in-country staff person, monitoring our hundred-plusstudents by himself. But as we increased the number of girlsin our sponsorship program, and as some of them began toreach adolescence, we realized how valuable, and even nec-essary, it would be to add a woman to our staff. Not only dowe assist our students with their academic work, but wecounsel them in many other ways. Since so many of our stu-dents have illiterate parents, and are usually the first in theirfamilies to attend school at all, they need guidance, someonethey can consult with about problems at school, and oftenabout personal issues.

HIO is a unique organization, not least because of theway we work. We have no office in Kathmandu. Rather, wework “in the field,” instead of behind a desk. Our staff movesaround, going where the children are, in direct, face-to-facecontact. We visit and learn the circumstances of their familiesand home life. We are well acquainted with the schools theyattend, as well as with their teachers and the school adminis-trators. This degree of personal contact and close oversightenables us to know each sponsored student intimately, andalso to make evaluations about whether a student is in theright class, the right program, or even the right school. Noneof this would be possible if our staff assessed our students bymerely looking at their report cards. But it also requires spe-cial skills and qualities in our staff.

Our first woman staff member was Tsering Yankey, whomwe hired as Assistant Program Coordinator in 1998. Yankeywas a young Tibetan woman from a refugee family who hadattended one of our affiliate schools in the 1990s. She knewall the younger girls at her former school, and for whom shewas like a big sister. She had a particularly strong aptitude forworking with these girls and they could come to her on mat-ters about which they would be reluctant to speak to a man.

Yankey and Ram divided up the home and school visits,and worked together efficiently and smoothly. She was mar-ried to a young Tibetan man who had gone to Canada, andwe knew that after some unspecified period of years shewould join him there. Suddenly, in the summer of 2005, shelearned there was a brief opportunity for her to get papers toemigrate to Canada, where she is now living with her hus-band and taking classes.

Replacing Yankey, who was beloved by us all, wouldclearly be difficult, but we now understood far better thedemands and dimensions of the job. It required someone

whom our young people could trust and relate to, but alsosomeone mature enough to have authority with them, withtheir families, and with teachers and principals. I wrote to theprincipals of our affiliate schools and to other people in thefield of education or social work, in the search for candidates.The response was very slight, further narrowed because wewould only consider someone who had no plans to move tothe West, as so many young Nepalis were doing. A candidatewas recommended to us, and I also remembered a youngwoman I had met the previous spring in Kathmandu, PalmoTamang, who had impressed me and seemed well qualified.

On my next trip to Nepal, Ram and I spent an afternoon

interviewing the candidates. We decided not to share ourthoughts with each other after the interviews, but to keepthem to ourselves overnight, to give us each time to think.When we finally compared our impressions the next morn-ing, it turned out that Ram’s choice, Palmo Dawa Tamang,was also mine.

Palmo has a B.A. in Humanities from TribhuvanUniversity, and has also taken courses toward an M.A. Shespeaks English well. Previously she taught at a private, pri-mary school in Kathmandu and at a secondary school in theTerai, Nepal’s southern belt. In the Terai, she worked for the

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When we compared our impressions, …Ram’s choice, Palmo Dawa Tamang, was also mine.

Palmo reading Beth and Chris’s letter to Sabina on oneof her many home visits. (Photo: Ricky Bernstein)

Expenses at a Glance

School Tuition 60% ($50,600)

Family Support Services 3.5% ($3,100)

U.S. Administrative Overhead 2% ($1,650)

Grants

Tuition

Stravel

family

staff

Btravel

NAO

OSAO

Total Budget for 2007 approximately $85,000, sponsoring 110 students

HIO Operating Budget for 2007 approximately $21,000Special thanks to the ISIS Foundation for their continued and

valued support by funding staff salaries, family support services, and medical/dental services for our HIO children.

Board and Staff Travel to and from Nepal 5.5% ($5,100)

Nepal Staff 12% ($10,200)

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Grants 16% ($13,400) Nepal Administrative Overhead 1% ($860)

SSppeecciiaall GGrraannttss ffoorr 22000088

PPaarreenntt EEdduuccaattiioonn PPrroojjeecctt will run for

another 6 months to a year at the

LMV School after a very successful

3 month pilot. $6,000.00

UUCCEEPP sponsors 10 scholarship students (8

young women and 2 young men) for

practical skills classes in auto and motor-

cycle mechanics, printing, and tool and

dye machining. $11,000.00

BBaall--KKeennddrraa partners with the German

social welfare organization Care/Fair to

fund the overall operations of the chil-

dren’s center. $5,000.00

MMaaiittrrii GGrriihhaa home for mentally disabled

boys is a nurturing and protective haven

for 6-10 boys, who can now learn basic

social skills that may allow them to live

with family members. $2000.00

Indreni Service Society, a sponsorship organizationpartnered with Save The Children. Her people, theTamangs, are one of Nepal’s Tibetan ethnic groups.Palmo’s family come from the Terai, where her hus-band, Tejendra, worked for a social welfare organiza-tion with an American affiliation. After threats fromlocal Maoists, they moved to Kathmandu with theirseven-year-old son, Boisang.

One of the great advantages Palmo brings to ourwork is her warmth with the younger children, some ofthem the same age as her son, and some evenyounger. She draws them out in a way that sets themimmediately at ease, and it is delightful to see her playwith them like an older sister. I watched her invent agame for the children while they had to wait in thecourtyard of one of our schools, and soon she hadthem all laughing happily. However, like a mother, shealso guides them, using her authority gently, butfirmly. Though only 25, Palmo is poised and mature,and conveys a sense of quiet confidence.

She has a strong understanding of the role thatfamilies play in their children’s lives, and is a skillful inter-mediary between parents who are often illiterate and have

Palmo helping to cook a morning meal at the home ofRabina Urau. (Photo: Ricky Bernstein)

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Who We Are: Hands In Outreach is a small non-profit 501(c)3 educational sponsorship program for Nepali andTibetan children in Nepal. Our mission is to assist the young people we sponsor to become self-reliant and productivecitizens. Our approach is grassroots — direct, personal and unbureaucratic, and our long-term sponsorship aid isbased solely on economic need without regard to caste. Our focus is helping female children who have the leastopportunity for education. We encourage direct communication between children and sponsors, hoping to build an enriching cultural network that fosters global community.

little understanding of how schools function, and their chil-dren, who are increasingly separated from their parents byeducation. Some of Palmo’s valuable observations and per-ceptions about these impoverished, uneducated familieshave been integrated into the Parent Education Project at theLMV School. Palmo advocated, at the outset, that even if une-ducated themselves, parents should take more responsibilityby visiting their child’s school once a month or nearly thatoften, as a requirement for sponsorship.

From the start, while first “making the rounds” with her,I was impressed by her acute observation, an impressionnow solidly confirmed. She is highly perceptive. On homevisits, she quickly and accurately notices ways in which ourpoorest families could make even small improvements intheir living situation by better planning, as in learning howto review and budget the very little money they have. In onecase, a family’s gas cylinder, which they needed for cooking,ran out. The family then spent more on firewood as areplacement than it would have cost them, with careful bud-geting, to get another cylinder, which would have savedmoney in the long run. Moreover, the wood produced moresmoke in their very tight space, as well as more dirt. She isalso keenly observant about sanitation and hygiene; wher-ever a family can make a slight improvement that may helpthem protect their children’s health, she offers gentle sugges-tions. She is very perceptive, recognizing ways in which thesedesperately poor people, who often live hand-to-mouth, cangain a slightly greater degree of control over their lives. Inreviewing the situations of these families, she has shownsensitivity to their circumstances, but also good judgment.She makes sound appraisals on a case-by-case basis, offeringor advocating help when truly needed or appropriate, yetwith her keen discernment, she does not allow herself or usto be taken advantage of.

Soon after joining us, Palmo wrote to say that she hasnever known another organization like ours. The way wework, not from behind a desk, reading papers, filling outforms, or interviewing students in an artificial environment,but “in the field”—in the classrooms, in the schools, and inthe homes, makes us directly and immediately engaged. Thejob requires personal skill, perception, understanding, andalso very good judgment. Palmo, capable and thoughtful, isan excellent addition to our team, and we feel extremely for-tunate to have her working alongside Ram. For both, theirwork is a vocation or a calling, rather than a mere job—it is atrue benefit for us all that they are both personally involvedand deeply committed to our mission.

Marcia Lieberman is a scholar of Buddhist art, author and fre-quent Asian traveler.

“Me and the Time”In the beautiful dawn

when the birds chirp,

I found myself in the beautiful morning

observing the sun.

And I want to fly like a bird

to give the message to every heart,

Wake up ! Wake up !

The new day has begun.

In the busy afternoon

when the bees are working,

I found myself in the beautiful flowers

waiting to share nectar soon.

And I want to fly like a bird

to give the message to every heart,

that the day is short.

In the evening

when the sun is gone,

I found myself in the twinkling stars

twinkling high above the earth.

And I want to fly like a bird

to give the message to every heart,

Please wait! Please wait!

The sun will come again.

Bijeswori School’s star student, 6th grader

Norden Lama, wants to be a journalist.

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Honor a friend, a family member or yourself with a

Hands In Outreach membership, and a renewal of your

kind support. Your donation of $35.00 or more will help

sustain our efforts toward literacy in Nepal, providing

worthwhile opportunities for children in need.

A Gift of Membership can be given throughout the

year for birthdays, anniversaries, memorials or holiday

gift giving. To acknowledge your contribution to Hands

In Outreach, we will send a note to your gift recipient.

Your Membership contribution will be used effective-

ly to give many children a measure of comfort and secu-

rity. Our aid continues to focus on literacy and vocational

training, as this may be the only way to break the endless

cycle of poverty in one of the poorest countries on earth.

While her mother lives in a far-away village, cheerful Aspara lives with her “auntie” in a small room near the LMV school.

(Photo: Ram Gopal)

Give a Gift of Literacyand Renew Your HIO Membership

Name

Address

City State Zip

Telephone

Email

Please write your check to Hands In Outreach and mail to:Hands In Outreach1504 Silver StreetSheffield, MA 01257

nn Member $35

nn Friend $50

nn Supporter $100

nn Advocate $250

nn Benefactor $500

nn Patron $1,000

nn Saint $2,500

nn Please send more information about

sponsoring a child’s education, donating

stocks or making bequests

Please call Ricky Bernstein at

413-229-7993

for additional information.

Support the Karen McQuillan Children’s FundYour contribution will help sustain our work in Nepal.

Your name will not be given or sold to other mailing lists.Hands In Outreach is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowedby law.

!

Very special thanks to: Jean Hammond for production and Michael Flower for image output.