Mission Nepal October 2013 (by Irene Pujatti)
As soon as we arrive in Kathmandu , we perceive at once that day will be intense, full of surprises and a lot of satisfaction .
At the hotel , we expect our friends of Beppe and Rossana Mantovan , Bolzano , with its precious contribution we have made an important project in Chitwan in the south of the country , a beautiful school attended by 800 pupils.
The inevitable Dhalbhat and a tasty sweet Masala Tea to welcome us into the flavors of Nepal to organize before the departure for the village of Benighat , a 4- hour drive from the capital.
Although we have been countless times in Nepal , this year we arrive at the day very special for the local culture . We are still in the period of Daisin , one of the major festivals of Nepal , which corresponds to our Christmas . The capital city is empty, because you are returned to their villages of origin , to reunite with his family. Many shops are closed and the streets are unusually empty.
Very odd , for the period , is also encounter rain, which will not leave us for several days. We read then that is the end of the Indian monsoon , the longer the last fifty years ... we are in October and usually ends in early September!!!
However, nothing stops us , we have a busy schedule of activities and then it's off to the village , towards the Happy Home ! What a thrill it is the first time we stay there, together with the children that have opened in January this beautiful new facility ! They are all to greet us with a moving feast of Tika , the traditional gesture of good luck which gives us Mr. Kandel , the father of Ravi, president of Co.y.On , we collaborate with the association for 10 years. We participate with all joy : volunteers , children, our Nepalese friends and the house itself , is his first wish of good opening .
In the following days , it seems that , in addition to the monsoon, it got a real tornado all the volunteers and the children of Hanuman, is revolutionizing bring into action all the rooms to clean , tidy , to intervene to fix the plants not perfect ... especially the plumbing , which gives serious problems in some rooms and must be arranged with other interventions in the next trip . But that beauty is indeed a Happy Home : spend the next few days with the children after a first timid proximity , literally climb over us , to give us a good morning and play with us.
We check all their stuff ... great washes linen , clothes , cleaning, purchases of basic necessities and in the evening , great hot shower and then sleep in their soft beds. Hour after hour, their smiles will open and begin to learn more about their characters, the sweet Danyal , the kind Suman , the lively Rohan , the " terrible " sweet Sushila . We live together these days , trying to make them understand that they follow the house rules is essential to preserve this Happy Home , their new home. They will have to take care of their things , help each other as brothers of one big family. It is not easy to get used to feelings not all known . They grew up without the love of a family for a long time, I'm just on a daily basis with people who take care of them, but they are learning and especially not realize right away that there are safe.
They are the first of 10 children living in the home and attend nearby schools . A professor follows in the afternoon, their education and a didi - housekeeper - takes care of them and make them something to eat.
In those days we meet other children to plan their entry into the Happy Home as soon as the festival ends , even to recover as soon as the gaps in their education.
Luckily we are many hard-working volunteers and all super : Silvana and Anna are the girls play and then crafting bracelets with great energy organizing a " battalion " against the germs of the bathrooms ! Giancarlo , it helps to fix the water pipes so that everyone can finally make a hot shower ! Others settle children's rooms , organizing their things and their books in order and prepare the colored box seats for children who come into the house in the days following . In a large room , we distribute clothes and jackets , nice homage to Italian supporters . It looks like a great bazaar and we note that even the younger children become flirty at the sight of a beautiful pink t-shirt or boys full of smiles when show off their new quilt that will keep them warm in the cold winter Nepalese around the corner.
Unfortunately, the first few days are dedicated to the rain and so we have to revolutionize the program. We visit the small school on the shore of the river, to see the new project and we anticipate a visit to Chitwan , south of Nepal, to check the work of the newly built school . Luckily on the third day a beautiful sunny day with us for a small trek to the Salang School, a beautiful route through small villages and an area with beautiful trees . The rain made it difficult to land which is still very slippery. With some trepidation , we return to the Happy Home illuminating the path with torches.
Despite these difficulties, we carry out our visits to schools, in particular arise where we go to visit the new one, the Godam School. For now there is only the ground , but soon we hope to see you start digging ! However, we must first go in 2 neighboring schools , who will support this new project and is unfortunately on this occasion that we remain dissatisfied with the work still to be completed at Irang school . We find untreated, with some work to be completed despite the promise to fix everything months in advance. We just have to discuss with the school board and community representatives for you to understand how important it is to take care of what is being built for them, for their children and also to respect the efforts that we face to accomplish these projects. We return with their promise that everything will be fixed as expected. We are confident , especially since they spoke with the principal of one of the best schools in the area , the Multiple college Benighat
It's important that school boards to teach the students , their families and the entire community to preserve these projects in order to improve their environment and have opportunities to develop new programs for the kids , as we have seen in some schools by us.
Haimè days pass quickly and we must return to the city . How sad to say goodbye to the kids, even though we know we will see them before we left for Italy. It 's impossible not to become attached , even if it 's only been a few days.
In the days after we split up : the group of our friends in Bolzano depart for a trek in the mountains Hymalaiane ; some volunteers take the opportunity to indulge in a visit to the most beautiful surroundings of Kathmandu and we follow the activities of the association , with purchases of Nepalese handicraft items , we meet those who must carry out the work at the Happy Home and worry of the last tasks before departure.
There is also a race to the far Ramechaap School, for the opening ceremony of the enclosure wall and toilets : adventurous journey , jeeps along the dirt roads and ramshackle trucks on up to the top of the hill, where stands this imposing school painted red . Upon our arrival, we are happy to verify the perfect condition of the school and the completion of the new work, excellently executed . Applause and party and then travel to Kathmandu.
The hours are hectic , to be able to return to the Happy Home for the past controls and above all for the greetings to our young guests, before the return flight. And ' to them that goes our last goodbye to you soon!