One Child Sponsorship Program

One Chepang Child Sponsorship Program: INVESTING $150 A YEAR FOR EDUCATING CHEPANG CHILDREN

        

Background Information

Chepangs are one of the most marginalized indigenous groups among 59 officially identified indigenous ethnic communities of Nepal. They are inhabitants of steep sloppy land of Dhading, Chitwan, Makwanpur and Gorkha districts of Nepal. Chepangs are ancient tribal people  who developed their own socio-economic and cultural characteristics and are classified in mongoloid group. They are one of the deprived and underprivileged group in Nepal, who are still in semi nomadic stage and are struggling for survival and the basic human rights .

Abstract:

Immediate cause of vulnerability for Chepangs is their lack of education and basic needs. The Nepal Chepang Association (NCA) reported that more than three quarters of all Chepangs are illiterate and that only 1% of Chepang women know how to read and write, compared to the national average of around 50%.

The remoteness of Chepang settlements is regarded as one of the main reasons behind these low literacy rates. Most Chepang villages have only a primary school and students need to travel four to five hours every day, usually over sloped and difficult terrain, to attend secondary level schools. Due to a lack of financial means, few Chepang students can afford to stay in hostels closer to educational facilities. Even though secondary education is officially free in government schools, some School Management Committees are said to collect fees, making education unaffordable to most Chepang students.

A general lack of awareness of the importance of education among Chepang parents and the high prevalence of illiteracy also constitute a big obstacle for the education of their children. Faced with serious challenges in maintaining their livelihoods, many Chepang parents take their children out of school to help with household, agricultural and wage work. As a result, the dropout rate is very high among Chepang school children.

One Chepang Child Sponsorship Program will help our Chepang Children to continue their education after grade 5 in nearby villages. This will help them to get educated and aware about the social, political and general rights that every citizens should get being Nepali in Nepal.

Let us be a part of Self Sustaining Campaign to support Chepang Community and make them self reliant as the education is the greatest thing in life. Sponsoring one child from your side will be the biggest contribution to the Chepang community. it will change the whole dimension of that Chepang Family. If a child is educated it will obviously help them to get aware about their basic fundamental rights and educate the entire family. Same child can be a backbone for the family to earn and support the whole livelihood of that family.

Problem Statement:

The major reason behind Chepang children going off the school is due to their incapability in attending grade 6 after their primary level education. so if we could support these  childrens from grade 6 to SLC ( School Leaving Certificate Level) it will help in one way  or the other. If we could support these childrens and make our own group of wise people we can mobilize them in community upliftment in near future.

Mission: Educating at least one chepang child from 25 household of Korak VDC Jimling ward no 3

About the Project: INVESTING $150 A YEAR FOR EDUCATING CHEPANG CHILDREN

The major reason behind Chepangs lagging behind is due to education. If we could enlighten some member of the chepang community they will obviously be a role model in the community and help in the community upliftment. so the main focus of this project is to educate chepang children. The simple process to educate the Chepang child is to sponsor a child annually in Government school.

Above All, INVESTING $150 A YEAR FOR EDUCATING CHEPANG CHILDREN: Enlightens the whole Chepang family

HOW ARE THE STUDENTS SELECTED?

The sponsorship will be based on merit that children’s achieve in their results. Top 5 students from grade 4 based on their final examination will be selected and write their case studies, through home visits, consulting neighbors. We assign women's groups to select students from their midst, whom they think are particularly needy or deserving of being sponsored. So only one of the meritorious as well as needy student will be selected from that community school so as to make the Chepang child sponsorship worth spending in Chepang Community.  We accept both boys and girls.

CAN I SPONSOR A GIRL, PLEASE?

Yes, girls are at a particular disadvantage in Nepali society, but we cannot promise you a girl. Members of our women’s groups fully understand the need to educate be girls, and choose girls and boys in equal numbers, because everyone has the right to an education. We have decided to respect the women’s choices and we seem to get an equal number of boys and girls to be sponsored.

HOW LONG IS MY COMMITMENT?

The sponsor promises to support the child for five years beginning from grade 5 - until the child has passed the SLC- the national school leaving exam given after 10th grade.

WHAT IS MY COST?

As a sponsor you will be asked to contribute $150, on March 1st as the new sessions of Nepalese students begins on month of April.  To sign up for this year, $30 is payable now to cover the cost for this year for administrative costs like going for field visits, collecting data, case studies, printing, printing photos etc.

HOW IS MY CONTRIBUTION SPENT?

The child's family will use the sum to pay for school uniform, supplies, and if applicable tuition, and good nutrition and clothing. The rest of your contribution is a stipend to the family as encouragement to send the child to school instead of work. 15% of your sponsorship fee is kept aside for administration.

HOW CAN I FOLLOW MY CHILD?

You will receive an update on your child twice a year as well as photos, and if at all possible letters. Our staff in Kathmandu visits your child four times a year, when the family receives one quarter of the annual stipend. Our staff member meets with the child the family and the school to assess your child’s progress and the family situation. If there are problems our staff member tries to help solving them and acts as a resource. She or he also takes pictures and assists with letter writing. A short report is prepared after each visit.

HOW CAN I ESTABLISH A PERSONAL CONNECTION TO MY CHILD?

You are encouraged to write letters telling her/him about yourself, your family and your world, monetary assistance is also welcome. You will also be taken to their home visits during your preferred vacations and experience rural setting and marginalized indigenous Chepang cultures. You will be assisted by our members for trekking, sightseeing, and given information’s about indigenous knowledge’s information’s practiced in Chepang Community.

HOW DO I GET STARTED ON MY SPONSORSHIP?

Upon sending in your contribution, you will receive photos and a profile of the child and the family. The amount of detailed information we have on each family and child at this point varies a great deal. 

One Child Sponsership Program

   

Immediate cause of vulnerability for Chepangs is their lack of education. The Nepal Chepang Association (NCA) reported that more than three quarters of all Chepangs are illiterate and that only one percent of Chepang women know how to read and write, compared to the national average of around 50 percent. The remoteness of Chepang settlements is regarded as one of the main reasons behind these low literacy rates. Most Chepang villages have only a primary school and students need to travel four to five hours every day, usually over sloped and difficult terrain, to attend secondary level schools. Due to a lack of financial means, few Chepang students can afford to stay in hostels closer to educational facilities. Even though secondary education is officially free in government schools, some School Management Committees are said to collect fees, making higher education unaffordable to most Chepang students.

A general lack of awareness of the importance of education among Chepang parents and the high prevalence of illiteracy also constitute a big obstacle for the education of their children. Faced with serious challenges in maintaining their livelihoods, many Chepang parents take their children out of school to help with household, agricultural and wage work. As a result, the dropout rate is very high among Chepang school children. One Chepang Child Sponsorship Program will help our Chepang Children to continue their education after grade 5 in nearby villages. This will help them to get educated and aware about the social, political and general rights that every citizens should get being Nepali in Nepal.

Let us all be a part of Self Sustaining Campaign to support Chepang Community and make them self reliant. Sponsoring one child from your side will be the biggest contribution to the Chepang community. It will change the whole dimension of that Chepang Family. If a child is educated it will obviously help them to get aware about their basic fundamental rights and educate the entire family. Same child can be a backbone for the family to earn and support the whole livelihood of that family.

AN EXPERIENCE WORTH SHARING

School is quite interesting, especially if you are staying in a residential one. The pleasure of conducting events and participating in programs with the challenge of keeping a strong grip on your academics is quite appealing. Later, during school breaks, you sorely start missing the thrill of all of it. And, then, you feel the need to do something productive, challenging, enriching, and satisfying. I have been involved in countless community service programs here in Caldwell College, and it gives me deep pleasure to help those in need. My experiences have been much rewarding for me and I believe that my endeavors have also made significant impacts on others’ lives.  

I come from Nepal, a country that shelters a larger part of its population in lower standards of living amidst startling economic hardship. Also, the weakening economy of Nepal, crippled by numerous strikes and “Bandhs” (closures), corruption and instable government doesn’t help either. Brought up in the light of such surrounding lives, I am well aware about this dire situation and I reluctantly have to accept what I've experienced throughout the years when I learned about those dreary conditions people closer to me must face.

On the contrary, with all these opportunities that I have access to here in United States, I am living a life that everyone wishes to have, at least for the better.  However, this has not filled me with pride and a sense of achievement that everybody thinks one gets when raised above others with regards to living standard but instead there had been a sense of guilt that was killing me, slowly, and asking me to bring a change to my place and make a difference in my country.

I had no idea what I wanted to do. After days of consultations with my friends about the possible options that can significantly help to reduce poverty in my country, I finally set my mind. One of my friends from high school in Nepal brought this amazing idea of helping his own community that has been slowly shifting from nomadic lifestyle towards a more settled one. He suggested that I bring all resources together and teach the community to start poultry farming, since forest is the only source of their food and this doesn’t suffice their needs. Due to their lack of income source and the difficult terrain they live in, their access to the markets is painfully miserable. Allowing them to self-sustain through a reliable process such as poultry farming (they already have some knowledge about raising chickens) will certainly prove to be an insightful method in empowering them in the long run.

This resolution incited me to make concrete plans for the project, and the start would only mean that I needed to arrange a fundraiser. I started drafting out the proposal and circulated them in various departments. To my amazement, much-needed funds and moral support poured in a matter of few days. I will never forget how anxious I had become before spreading the word out.

There were times when I didn’t know what I was doing and when I almost gave up on the project. But the positivity that floats in the Caldwell College’s premises has always groomed me in a way that strengthens my soul to set out for all endeavors. The inspiration for this project was no different in that matter. All the faculty members and my friends lifted my spirit with their encouragement and support. Everything was coming together in place, and one day, I was set to fly to Nepal to visit my home and get my plans into action.

Yet, no matter how much the enthusiasm I felt for this work, organizing this massive campaign was not an easy task. I used to get up very early during those cold winter mornings and walk for hours uphill and downhill, explaining to people about the campaign. Once on the field, I would immediately start work. And on top of that, I had to take utmost care to ensure that the project ran smoothly and fairly. To attain success that I so craved for, I could not afford any slip-ups.

On contrary the work I did during the project  was in no way comparable to what I did before in preparation of the project. One of my main hurdles was getting together the funds necessary 
for the project. 

I remember the times when I  trailed sponsors from door to door not only  during my breaks, but also while school was  running. It was difficult for me to make some  people believe that I was really trying to conduct “Poultry Farming” in my country Nepal. In the  process, I never knew how all these circumstances would teach me loads about the  differences between idealism and pragmatism, expectation and reality.

In the end, I am proud to say that I did break the “poverty line” a little. I am even happier to report that my friends still remember me. I know this because they have frequently sent me cards back home and came to visit me in Kathmandu after a seven-hour walk followed by a five-hour bus ride. Overall, my time with “Self Sustaining Campaign” was quite an interesting and enriching experience for me and I believe it has been more for those people in the mountains. I completed two editions of the project quite successfully and take pride in noting that I actually enjoyed staying in that remote village during that winter break. Apart from all the service I did like habitat for humanity, Midnight Run and tutoring in other vacations, the organization of “Self Sustaining Campaign” really stands above all because taking it to a completion was productive, challenging, enriching and satisfying.

Thank You

This “Self Sustaining Campaign” was processed under the guidance and vision of Professor Noone, Business Department, Caldwell College. Everything was ready, the proposal and a plan for fundraiser, and I had

the motivation. I started asking for help around the Campus. People here at Caldwell are so amazing that I only had to ask, and there were so many helping hands, people helping me in any way possible. I was explaining my project to people around and surprisingly there were more and more people involved everyday. Caldwell College is a nice community and I am really glad to be a part of it. It feels home  here.
 There are certain things that we have in life but we can’t understand it all, mainly because understanding is not necessary, or even possible. Same thing happened to me. I was there trying to understand why I was doing this campaign for these mountain people but the answers were not there. I still don’t have it. As far as I know, I simply wanted to do this project without worrying about the consequences. Last but not the least I want to specially thank all these people for their help and support for this “Self Sustaining Campaign”

• Dr. Nancy Blattner

• Sr. Kathleen

• Donald O Hagen

• Dr. D Noone

• Nancy Roth

• John Dellapenna

• Mary Ladany

• Edie White

• Rosanne Gourmley

• Joanne Reamer

• Megan Moran

• Colleen De Trioa

• Alphonse

• ISO

An Idea Lives On

After days of consultations with my friends about the possible options that can significantly help to reduce poverty in my country, I finally set my mind. One of my friends from high school, Bishwas Chepang, brought this amazing idea of helping his own community that has been slowly shifting from nomadic lifestyle towards a more settled one. He suggested that I bring all resources together and teach the community to start poultry farming, since forest is the only source of their food and this doesn’t suffice their needs. Due to their lack of income source and the difficult terrain they live in, their access to the markets is painfully miserable. Allowing them to self-sustain through a reliable process such as poultry farming (they already have some knowledge about raising chickens) will certainly prove to be an insightful method in empowering them in the long run.

This resolution incited me to make concrete plans for the project, and the start would only mean that I needed to arrange a fundraiser. I started drafting out the proposal and circulated them in various departments. To my amazement, much-needed funds and moral support poured in in a matter of few days. I will never forget how anxious I had become before spreading the word out. There were times when I didn’t know what I was doing and when I almost gave up on the project. But the positivity that floats in the Caldwell College’s premises has always groomed me in a way that strengthens my soul to set out for all endeavors. The inspiration for this project was no different in that matter. All the faculty members and my friends lifted my spirit with their encouragement and support. Everything was coming together in place, and one day, I was set to fly to Nepal to visit my home and get my plans into action.

A Source Of Inspiration

I come from a country that shelters a larger part of its population in lower standards of living amidst startling economic hardship. Brought up in the light of such surrounding lives, I am well aware about this dire situation and I reluctantly have to accept what I've experienced throughout the years when I learned about those dreary conditions people closer to me must face. On the contrary, with all these opportunities that I have access to, I am living a life that everyone wishes to have, at least for the better.  However, this has not filled me with pride and a sense of achievement that everybody thinks one gets when raised above others with regards to living standard. There had been a sense of guilt that was killing me, slowly, and asking me to bring a change to my place and make a difference in my country.

Last summer in May 2013, I bought a ticket to fly back home. I was set to go home after three and a half years, and then, as exciting as it sounded, I was thrilled with the feeling of seeing my family, friends and the community where I was raised. This did not relieve me from the concerns and worries I had for the semester that would not end until four months. I just could not keep myself from being excited about my impending visit. One Monday morning, while I was working on my assignments in the Caldwell College library, a thought passed my mind. It erupted out of my desire to serve other people and get a real-hand experience to develop a healthier perspective. It has to be said that it was the space and learning environment the Jennings Library boasts of that nurtured the passion of a daydreamer like me. This particular morning, the dream to make a considerable difference to a struggling community in Nepal spread all inside me like a wildfire.  I wanted to do something- I wanted to bring a change.