We're raising money so the Nabin Primary School in Nepal can purchase land to accommodate a new building and the children's first playground
Update Dec 28, 2010:
We made it! Over $11,000 raised in just 40 days. Words cannot express my joy. Thank you for sharing in this experience with me. But even though we reached the goal, we are still accepting donations through January to benefit Nabin Primary. Maybe we can reach $12,000? [scratch that! Maybe $13,000?]
For those new to the site, please read below for my story on how all of this came about. Thank you to everyone - your generosity and support has made a difference in the lives of many Nepali children. Namaste!
-Joe
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"Namaste" is the common greeting in Nepal. It means, "The Spirit within me recognizes and honors the Spirit within you."
In all my travels, I don't think I've found a better greeting than "Namaste." It is a gesture that goes beyond "hello." It conveys respect, equality, and a sense of togetherness - the same feelings that led me to start this effort.
In all my life, I have never felt so humbled as I did in my two visits to the Khanal Tok area of Nepal. The residents have little, but they are some of the most generous people I have ever met.
And it is because of this generosity I have been shown by the villagers that I'd like to try and make a positive impact on their lives, as they have positively impacted mine. My goal - to raise the necessary funds so that the village can purchase the land needed to improve their primary school.
Here is my story:
Through my friend, a Buddhist monk (he goes by "Lucky Monk"), I got to know Khanal Tok, tucked away in the hills east of Kathmandu. I made two visits there, and each time I was treated like a family member. Every house we stopped at along the way took us in, offered us some food and drink, and even offered me a place to stay for future visits. I felt welcome from the start.
It was during my first time in the area when our group visited the Nabin Primary School. We were welcomed by the students and faculty with song, dance, and some of the biggest smiles you could imagine. We took a tour of the school - two small one-story buildings, each with a few rooms. Each room hosts one grade level where the students and teachers sit on the floor. In one of the buildings there was a library/computer room, which I estimate is the size of the average living room in the U.S. It was an incredibly modest set-up, but the teachers and students were clearly enthusiastic - they make it work.
It was after our visit to the school I learned that the World Bank has pledged to help the village with the school. The World Bank loan project would construct a new school building, and an older building will be torn down and turned into a playground (currently the children don't have one).
However, the World Bank cannot help until the village owns the property site. This land (50 meters square) is privately-owned and would cost the village around $11,000 USD to purchase. In Nepal, the majority of the population lives on about $2 USD/day, so purchasing this land is no small feat.
Deadlines are key. The World Bank intends to cancel the project if the land does not belong to the Nabin Primary School by March 2011. Knowing that raising this amount of money is much more achievable in the States, I came home with a mission.
I wish everyone could experience the same hospitality I received from those who have so little for themselves. Their generosity encourages me daily, and it was a lesson in kindness that I will not forget. Please consider joining with me on this mission.
Namaste.
Joe Curtin
jpc.curtin@gmail.com
Namaste Nepal updates.
Update on the Project
May 2nd, 2011
Namaste Friends -
I wanted to share some good news with you. Although I currently live in rural Bulgaria, I can occasionally get online, so on Easter Sunday I skyped with my friends in Nepal. It was such a wonderful moment, getting to see the people I know best there (including little Mr. Ashok). During this conversation I was given some great news: "The school purchased the land."
I knew this was going to happen after our fundraiser, but to receive confirmation that the school now owns the additional land...such a great feeling. I wanted to share this news with all of you. So now, the wheels are in motion to develop the new building and playground for the kids.
Thank you all again, so very much. Already, in this span of a few months, a big difference has been made.
Joe
Namaste once again, Nepal!
March 25th, 2011
The money has been delivered! Earlier this month I returned to Nepal to deliver the money from our successful fundraiser. Due to a passport problem, my trip was cut down from seven days to three, but three days was plenty of time to make sure the school received the funds.
The day after a late arrival in Kathmandu, I met up with my friends from the village and we began the 90-or-so minute drive to Khanal Tok. It was quite a scenic drive. The last time I was there, it was a bit cloudy and hazy, but this time the skies were clear giving great views of the Himalaya. Imagine standing at the top of the hill and looking out where you would see clouds, but instead, you see mountain peaks. Absolutely Amazing.
After arriving in the village, I spent a little time at Nabin Primary School, where I was welcomed once again with tikka (paste on forehead) and mala (flower wreaths). I met the principal of the school, Arjun Khanal, and sat with other members of the education committee as they made preparations for the following day's "program". Little did I know what would be in store.
I had a pleasant evening with some old friends and new friends. My little buddy, Mr. Ashok, remembered me and we had a lot of fun together. There was also a small party held at the home of the principal. After the party, I was directed to sleep in the only bed in the house. I will say it over and over again...the Nepali people are some of the most generous people I have ever
met. I was quite humbled. "A guest is a god in disguise" is a common expression in Nepal. Perhaps that helps explain why the Nepali are so hospitable.
The next afternoon it was time for the program at the school, and when I arrived I was shocked to see many villagers, students, teachers, and village leaders together. In just one day this was all put together to honor me and the success of the fundraiser. Just absolutely overwhelming. I was greeted with several mala, so much that there was no space between my chest and chin, and was given a prominent seat in front of the principal's office. Many speeches were made, in Nepali, by various leaders, and although I could not understand all of what was being said, I could easily sense the gratitude and appreciation in the voices. In one speech, I learned the money we raised in this fundraiser exceeds what the school receives from the government in one year!
In between speeches, some of the students had prepared songs and dances. And before and after all of this, many people approached me to personally say thanks. It was a powerful moment - here are people who probably only know a few words in English, but were compelled to approach me and shake my hand. I was then asked if I would like to say anything to the crowd (with the help of Sunam, Ashok's uncle and my translator). I wanted to keep it simple, and I think I came up with something pretty good:
"Nepal is beautiful because of the Himalaya, but it is more beautiful because of the people."
I think that sums up exactly why I started the fundraiser to begin with - the beautiful people of Khanal Tok made me, a stranger, feel like one of the family upon my arrival last fall. This fundraiser was a way for me to pay back some of that kindness.
Again, just an absolutely overwhelming experience.
Certainly, the ceremony at Nabin Primary was a fitting way to wrap up what turned out to be an incredibly successful fundraiser. Please take a look at my picasa picture
site (http://picasaweb.google.com/jpc.curtin/ReturnToNepal#) for pictures/video from the return trip, and perhaps through the visuals you can sense some of the emotions I was feeling during this wonderful time in the village and at Nabin Primary. I treated this ceremony as a thank you for everybody who gave to the fundraiser - people scattered across the U.S., Canada, Japan, and Taiwan, all from a variety of backgrounds, many of whom had little or no connection to Nepal, but simply wanted to help. It would not have been a success without YOU. Nor could it have been possible without the help from the amazing people at GiveForward - especially Erica, Desiree, and Ethan. So grateful for the GiveForward team!
Next week, I depart the U.S. for Bulgaria, where I will spend 27 months serving with the U.S. Peace Corps. I will not be able to return to Nepal anytime soon, but am planning another visit a few years down the road. I look forward to the new challenges ahead, and feel so fortunate to have been a part of something truly special these past few months. Roughly a year ago I traveled to Taiwan to visit some friends, and never could've imagined all of this would come from that one trip.
Thanks, everybody. Namaste!
Joe
One Final Push
January 29th, 2011
Dear Friends
In one week the fundraiser for the Nabin Primary School will be over. What a journey it's been. I remember returning from Nepal in November, sitting in my hotel room in Los Angeles, wondering how on earth can I even begin to get some money together to help the school purchase the land. And to now sit here at my computer, looking at a fundraiser that has exceeded its goal by nearly $2k...it is such an overwhelming feeling. Thank you.
As the past few weeks have gone by, I've done more research as to the best means to get the check to the school. The more I read, the less I was comfortable with mailing the check (even an insured FedEx/UPS package). It seems the average package sent to Nepal has about 50/50 odds of actually arriving at its destination intact. The mail system in Nepal, as my friend Saroj describes, "is not well".
To avoid the risk of the money not getting into the right hands, I decided to return to Nepal to personally deliver the check. On Feb 22 I depart for Nepal, and I will return to the U.S. on March 3. Yes, going to Nepal is a long (and expensive) trip, but I certainly owe that to everyone who has helped out to make sure the school gets the money. I have been so blessed - a friendly benefactor has offered to help cover my travel expenses (approx $1500), and my family is able to support me a bit for my timeout there. I'll be in Nepal just only a week, but I look forward to spending more time in the village and at the school (and seeing my little buddy, Ashok, of course).
A lot of things have come together in order to help make this fundraiser a success. One of those things is my departure date for Peace Corps. Originally, I was slated to leave the U.S. for service in early January. I envisioned running this fundraiser as best I could from an internet cafe somewhere in the Third World. But then, Peace Corps pushed my departure date back, to the end of March. Originally I was a little disappointed when the date moved because the tentative location for January was Asia, not far from some friends. But looking back now, the date moving was a blessing in disguise, and I now have the ability to return to Nepal and see this project through, from start to finish. (By the way, I finally learned where my home will be for the next two years - Bulgaria!) Like my benefactor friend told me today over lunch, nature has a way of showing us the right path, even if our original plan turned awry. Certainly the case here.
This fundraiser will end on Friday, February 4th, and my hope is to hit the $13,000 mark before it's all over. I had set a new goal of $12k after hitting the initial target, but that was quickly surpassed. Although we've raised enough to purchase the land, I'm happy to have raised some extra funds to support the school. Please help me reach the new $13k goal by sharing the project with a friend, or posting the project on your facebook page.
Thank you all for your generosity, and for making these past few months an incredible experience.
Namaste!
Joe
P.S. Keep an eye on this site in March, as I will post pictures from my return visit to Nepal.
We did it!
January 5th, 2011
As you might have seen on the main page of the site, on December 27 we surpassed the goal of $11,000. A very generous donor, one I met personally, told me he was touched by the Press & Sun article and wanted to help. I was in tears as, together, we watched the total donation amount change instantly from $8,101 to $11,001. The next day when I woke up, I was afraid it was all a dream, but it was not. We made the goal!
So now what? Well, my plan is to continue raising as much money as possible, as we have about just one more month to go on the fundraiser. It all goes to benefit Nabin Primary. People have continued to be so generous...I have a strong feeling that $12,000 is very do-able.
Alas, we did not win the Holiday "Giveasaurus" challenge, but the winning cause was well-deserving - a man hurt in an attempted robbery of his own store.
Namaste Nepal received more good press, too. On January 3, the Wall Street Journal published an article about this fundraiser and my efforts to try and help the nice people of Khanal Tok. I am extremely honored, and so glad the project can become known to an even wider audience. Here is the link to the article:
http://on.wsj.com/gGegHw
Also, after the WSJ article appeared, I was contacted by the GiveForward founders and they featured our work in the GiveForward blog. You can read that here:
http://bit.ly/ed6hYj
What a way to start the New Year, eh? I'm so thrilled to be at this point - having reached the goal over a month ahead of our deadline, and now any extra money raised is just icing on the cake. Thank you all, again, for being so supportive and making my goal a reality.
I'll leave you with some words from Lucky Monk. Interestingly enough, his birthday fell the same week we reached the goal.
"Very Very namaste from my heart. Thanks a lot for your Chrismas gift...Although it isn't for me but i feel that i share the joy with you and Khanal tok children...When you or us visit it again in near future they will give you a big hug. How beautiful picture is it."
Yes, what a great picture it is, to see how just in 40 days, people from all over the world came together to make a huge difference in the lives of children in rural Nepal. A very very namaste to all of you. Thank you so much.
Joe
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
December 26th, 2010
As I write this note, we're about 40 days into the fundraiser and have already raised $7,794 (that's 71% towards the goal)! Thank you to everybody - your donations, your help spreading the word, and your moral support has made this project get closer and closer to the goal. I remember the first few days of the fundraiser, wondering if I would even surpass $500. It's truly been amazing seeing all this support.
It's been a particularly memorable Christmas for me, as this will be my last Christmas at home for the next couple years. And just seeing the Nabin Primary School fundraiser take off in the way it has...what a gift.
Earlier in December the project received another boost from a local TV news station, Time Warner YNN. I was interviewed about the project and the clip was repeated over their 24 hour news programming, and their website hosted a longer version of the interview. Check out the "related links" section of the fundraising site (left hand side) to watch the clip.
As every day passes, I grow more and more optimistic that we can reach the goal. A number of people have pledged contributions and promised to help spread the word, and some local schools already have some activities planned in January to help out the cause. But even though future support is coming, I will continue to work and get get the word out.
Also, the Giveforward.com people have a holiday "Giveasaurus" contest. The fundraiser on Giveforward that receives the most contributions during the holidays (22nd - 31st) will win $500 towards their cause! This is a great incentive, so if you know of anyone interested in helping, perhaps you can give them a nudge before the New Year and maybe we can win the contest.
I recently received an email from one of my contacts in Nepal. His name is Saroj, and he's the uncle of little Ashok (the boy I'm seated with in the picture at left). I'll leave you with his words:
"hello friends. have a happy christmus. i hope this christmus bring a happy and smile life to all over the world."
Thanks for all you've done to bring "smile life" to this little village in Nepal.
Merry Christmas, and namaste.
Joe
51% and growing!
December 8th, 2010
Today, December 8, marks Day 21 of this site being official. And would you believe in that short span of time together we have raised $5,573? It is absolutely unreal. At this time last week we had raised just $1,455. Thank you so much to everyone who has donated and helped spread the word about the Namaste Nepal fundraising project!
The Press & Sun-Bulletin article about the project (see left hand side of the site, underneath the pictures) proved to be a huge boost for our fundraising efforts. Every day I come across people who have read the article, and they always have such positive and supportive comments about the fundraiser.
Even though we've reached 51% quickly it doesn't guarantee that rate will continue. I won't rest on my laurels. I am still pushing to get the word out as best I can. I have a tentative plan for an interview with a local tv news station this Saturday, and I'm hopeful that will reach a new audience of potential supporters. Also, many friends have helped spread the word via word-of-mouth, email, and Facebook, and I can't even begin to calculate how big an impact that has had. Thanks again!
My friend Thi offered a good suggestion - let's calculate the value per square foot of land to put things in perspective, and show how big an impact a $5 contribution could make. The land the Nabin Primary School is purchasing is about 27,000 square feet in size. That means the value of every square foot is about 41 cents! Therefore, a contribution of $5 is another 12 square feet of land the school can buy. If you know someone who would like to help but feels a smaller amount won't have an impact, you now have direct evidence to the contrary!
I've been absolutely blessed with the support from everybody. Thank you. Please continue to spread the word, and together we'll reach that $11k goal.
Namaste
Joe Curtin
Nepal Project update - 23% of the way there!
December 4th, 2010
Dear Friends,
I have some exciting news to share. In the span of just over 2 weeks, we've gone from $0 to $2,530 with more donations coming in daily. That's 23% of the goal attained! The biggest day so far has been December 3rd, where we received over $750 in donations.
I have been absolutely overwhelmed by this strong start. Many of my friends, former teachers, and former coworkers have contributed to this project. Also, I've received a number of donations from friends of friends who have been incredibly generous. So many of you have contributed through donations and/or spreading the word, and it's been an absolute blessing. Thank you all!
In the December 4 edition of the Press & Sun-Bulletin (the newspaper in Binghamton, NY), there is an article about the project. I'm thrilled - what an opportunity to spread the message even more. If you are interested, you can read the online version here:
(If you have any trouble with the link, check out the project website and I will link to the article there, as well).
There is still a long road ahead, but this start to the project has surpassed even my most optimistic targets, so I'm encouraged even more to get the word out and reach the goal. I have tentative plans to go talk to students at local schools about the project, and I will also be tackling some other ideas (many contributed by you) to help raise the money. And if you have any friends you think of that might be interested in helping out our project, please pass on the link.
Just as the project was launching, I received a message from the principal at Nabin Primary School, Arjun Khanal. He is also working locally in Nepal to raise some money for the same purpose, and these are his words to me:
Hello Joe Curtin -
I'm Arjun Khanal Principal of Nabin Primary.
Thanks for the process to collecting fund for purchase land and building to our school. we r also trying for collecting fund. we r talking with District Education Officer for fund and we get positive response from their side. we also talk with World Bank project. But is quite difficult to success.thanks
Indeed, it will be a challenge to reach the $11,000 goal. But with the generosity of people like you, it is indeed possible. Thanks for your support! Let's continue to spread the word as much as we can.
Lucky Monk always ends his emails with the words, "Be Happy." And so, my friends, be happy, and know that you've made quite an impact already. Thank you.
Namaste
Joe
Hugs for Namaste Nepal.