Spring in Nepal - an update from the PoD Charity

Hi everyone, time for an update from PoD Nepal! We recently celebrating the Nepali New Year and it is now officially 2070 (the summer of 69' is long behind us!) which also marks the start of the new school year. We were all delighted to hear how well all our children did in their annual exams, in fact many of the children from the Asha Foundation came top in their class, and every one of our children have moved up a year. Congratulations!!!

Handing over the donation at the Street Kids

It's always a bit slow going back to school, inevitably the school books have not been printed, the calendar is late and everyone has that post festive feeling, but things are slowly starting to get back to normal. There's a new batch of children at Ward 6 and Annapurna Primary that are starting to settle in, we are nearly past the crying every morning when Ama drops you off stage!

We were fortunate enough in Nepal to be given quite a large charity grant this month thanks to some amazing individuals fundraising for us. So with the help of the current volunteers and Phil (the placement manager) I have been set about doing some good with this money.

The first thing we have done is to buy a new carpet for the children of Ward 6, one of our day care centers. The current carpet they have is quite old and tatty, it still has a little bit of life left in it, but the staff at the center wanted to move that into another room, which currently is just bare concrete and get a new one for the main playroom where the kids spend most of their time. We were more than happy to lend a hand, as it makes such a difference as the children spend most of their time on the floor, it will also keep our volunteers happy as the new carpet is quite a bit thicker which will keep their bottoms warm in the winter months.

After this we then visited the Street Children's Rehabilitation Center which is currently home to 11 at risk children. We are supporting them with a years worth of gas for cooking, meat, fish, eggs and vegetables. You'd be amazed how much food these little guys get through, but we thought it was important to provide decent food to help with their nutrition, growth and development. I have also donated some tea as Ama is always offering the volunteers tea every day we go there!

With the headteacher at Shree Krishna

We then went to Shree Krishna Lower Secondary School where they were in need of a new whiteboard after the previous one was damaged. They are in real need to furniture for one classroom  as well (I visited this week and the children are sat on the floor studying as they had no desks or chairs) but unfortunately we currently do not have the funds to provide this, however I have added it to our 'wishlist' for the future.

Me with the chairman from the Asha Foundation

Our last stop of the day was to the Asha Foundation where we have offered to pay for a years rent of their farmland. This is the donation I was most excited about as it means they can save thousands of rupees each year by growing their own vegetables. To this date, they tell me they have never had to go to the market for vegetables. Our aim is to make Asha as sustainable as possible. They recently were donated a cow, which is incredible as it means the children get fresh milk every morning and curd (yoghurt) every afternoon after school. After discussing with the chairman we would also like to introduce some chickens and a few goats, but before we buy them we need to make sure we have the funds to care for them and keep it going.

We are also continuing the support at Annapurna Primary School and paying for the whole school to have snacks each day as many of the children do not get fed before they come to school, have no food with them and are expected to wait until the evening before any food.

It's been a great month for the PoD Charity. For more information on our work in Nepal and how to join our team, look at our website or contact Gemma in the UK on 01242 250 901.  If you would like to help, but don't have the time to come in person right now, you can always make a donation to the PoD Charity and help fund our work here.

S.O.S. Bahini - A short Film

This is a short film about one of our projects here with PoD Nepal. SOS Bahini is a refuge and home to over 60 girls in Nepal. They provide a safe and loving home, education and ongoing support to many girls from a variety of different backgrounds.

Our female volunteers often get involved in Bahini by holding conversation English lessons, dance or art classes.
(You can sport Michaela, Shosh and Susie in this video!)

Volunteer Experience - April 2013

In the middle of my time in Nepal, I decided to join 4 other volunteers on the first PoD Volunteer Experience.  Over the 2 weeks we were able to visit lots of different placements and organized a wide range of activities.  We also had time to fit some sightseeing in and enjoy being in the beautiful lakeside town of Pokhara.  

Swimming in Begnas Tal

To start the week off, Chrissy took us to many famous sites.  First stop was Begnas Tul, a neighbouring village with a stunning lake.  We were able to hire boats and row across before jumping in for a refreshing swim in front of a spectacular backdrop of the Himalayas.  We then drove on to the waterfall Devi's Falls before moving on to the  Buddhist Peace Pagoda which, overlooking the City, provides fantastic views of Pokhara and the surrounding mountains. 

Our solar system!

The next day the volunteering began.  Our fist stop was Annapurna Primary School where we spent two days making paper mache planets which collated to make a homemade solar system!  In between the arts and crafts we also got the kids involved in games such as duck, duck, goose and french skipping, whilst also sharing out some yummy snacks.  On the Wednesday evening, we were then taken to Silk Road, a favourite bar and restaurant of the PoD volunteers, to learn how to make Mo Mos - a traditional Tibetan dish.  Although they didn't taste exactly how they usually do, the evening was incredibly enjoyable.

Two of the children from the Street Kids Center

On the Thursday, we took the children from the Street Kids'Rehabilitation Centre (one of PoD's projects) to a small theme park - "Cha Cha Wee".  After the very exciting bus ride, the kids enjoyed going on all the attractions.  Their favourite was undoubtedly the dodgem cars, showing some promising future drivers!  The play area was also a big success, with everyone joining in (including the volunteers!)  The next day we took them to the International Mountain Museum.  The kids became very interested by the exhibition, even taking their workbooks along to write down their favourite facts.  After the museum we had just enough time for some more snacks and a climb in the trees outside. We then returned to our accommodation to learn how to make Dal Bhat from Bindu - the owner of the hotel.  This gave us a real insight into the culture of Nepal whilst also providing us with a delicious meal - Mito cha!

Hannah and her team at Shree Krishna School

After a free weekend which many of us spent white water rafting, it was straight back into volunteering at Shree Krishna school.  As it was a secondary school, we decided to put on a sports day to kept the older kids entertained.  Along with the traditional races we also introduced some fun ones including a dress up race which left everyone in stitches!  We returned the next day to set up a treasure hunt with educational questions hidden around the school's grounds.  Although some of the questions mysteriously disappeared we were able to improvise and pull it off, providing another interesting day for the kids.

The next day we visited an Orphanage on the outskirts of Pokhara called "The Asha Foundation".  We reused the treasure hunt idea which the kids enjoyed and then played bingo with some cards we had made earlier.  We also introduced them to French Skipping and set up a table tennis game in the dining room, before giving them a bag of clothes donated by another volunteer. 

The last day of the experience was spent with the Street Kids at their home.  As some of the children were at school in the morning we played a few quiet rounds of bingo before going back in the afternoon to do some drawing and other arts and crafts.

Sadly, after another active week the experience came to a close.  However, most of the group found it so enjoyable that they decided to stay on for an extra 2 weeks!  Overall, I found the whole experience incredibly worthwhile.  The fact that we were able to work at so many placements in such a short space of time showed me the fantastic work that PoD do.  The inspirational kids that I met have made a lasting impression on me and it was so rewarding to see how much they gained from the time that we spent with them.  I would recommend the experience to anyone thinking of taking part as it gives you a real taste of the work that is being done and can continue to progress with the help of future volunteers.    

By Hannah Bottle, volunteer in Nepal for 8 weeks 2013. 

If you would like to join the next Volunteer Experience on September 20 2013, then please email Gemma in the UK head office gemma@podvolnteer.org.  Click here to see more photo from the Volunteer Experience in April.

A Northener in Nepal

With Purnay, one of the Street Children from a center PoD works with

Celebrating Holi festival

After travelling for more then 24 hours without sleep, enduring flight delays, cancellations, lost luggage and having virtually no sleep, the first thing that hits you when you arrive in Kathmandu is the sheer craziness and mayhem of the place. Bikes, taxis and busses, with luggage and people piled high on there roofs and spewing out of their doors, all jostle for position on the city's dusty and dilapidated dirt-track roads. It's fair to say that even the most experienced traveller gets that "what was I thinking?" feeling when contemplating the prospect of spending three months in this crazy country. The ironic thing however is that, the one thing that unsettled me most when I arrived in Nepal, that being the total mayhem and disorganisation of the place, is now the thing I love most about this wonderful country. The hilarious willingness to close schools the week before exams because of strikes and hour long waits for drinks in bars only add to your admiration of the Nepalese people and the way they embrace life by taking things, (and indeed themselves,) a little less seriously.

Any feelings of doubt whatsoever disappear the next day when you leave Kathmandu for the calm of Pokara and within a week, thanks to Bindu and the girls along with Chrissy and Phil, you are not only settled into your new home but well on the way forging long lasting relationships that will allow you to make a real difference during your time volunteering in Nepal.

The bridge I cross every morning to get to Balam

Teaching at Shree Bhalam primary school, PoD's furthest placement from lakeside, means taking an hour long bus ride the outskirts of Pokhara and then crossing a huge suspension bridge to get to work. The bus ride is probably one of my favourite part of the day as, despite being groped, given Nepalese kids to hold and travelling with boobs in your face, it is a real chance to see how the real Nepal works and how its wonderful inhabitants interact with each other. At school I spend my time teaching English to kids across the school. When I arrived in school I was given a timetable for my classes and now plan and teach my classes completely independently; PoD placements allow us all to be as independent as we like so you feel although you are really making a difference where you are and are being appreciated by both your students and teaching colleagues alike.

There is a great network of support here in Nepal, whether this be from the PoD team or the other volunteers here; there is always someone to discuss your day with and we all enjoy sharing ideas and techniques with each other at the end of the day. The social scene in Lakeside is also amazing, along with some great nights out, the central location of Pokhara means we have been able to enjoy trips to Chitwan national park, Lumbini (Buddha's birthplace,) weekends rafting and weeks in Kathmandu. One of the highlights has definitely been watching the sunrise over the Himalaya during one of our treks!

Living at Bindu's is amazing; Bindu, Janice and Julia welcome you into their home from your first day and are always on hand with a wealth of local information and funny stories! There home is the perfect balance between hotel and home-stay; you are welcomed into their family, eat and socialise with them, however are still given the freedom to come and go as we please. Bindu is always on hand to deal with whatever Nepal can throw at you, be this water and electricity shortages to bringing you soup when you are ill.

Top of Poon Hill, a three day trek I did with a friend

In short, my time in Nepal has been awesome, having made some amazing friends and met some amazing people; it will be a shame to leave. I feel I have made long lasting relationships, not only with the other volunteers here, but also with the teachers and students I have worked with every day. I really feel I can leave Nepal having made a positive impact on the people I have worked with; this has only been made possible because of the wonderful people of PoD, (Gemma and Chrissy in particular,) their meticulous organisation, support and friendliness mean my whole trip has been hassle free from start to finish. I know its a cliché but, forget any worries you have about coming to Nepal, when you arrive throw yourself into the culture and you'll never forget it; I cant wait to return! 

Happy Holi!!!

Holi is a Hindu religious festival held in Spring, and it's one of my personal favourites! It is known as Phagwah or the Festival of Colours and if you have a look at our photos you can see exactly why. 

Every year, for one day the whole country turns into one big party. You simply have to leave your front door and you will be greeted with people dancing, throwing waters bombs and rubbing colour on your face. It celebrates the new season and commemorates good harvest and fertile land. The significance of the colour is to say goodbye to the bleak winter and hello to colourful summer.

It is a great day where everyone comes together, no matter what age, gender, caste, wealth and play together. 

Yesterday myself and the volunteers braved the town, within 3 minutes we were covered head to toe in colour! We then made our way up to the Street children's center to play with them. Little did we know they were waiting for us and on arrival dumped buckets of water all over us! For the next few hours we chased each other around throwing colour and water bombs and having a great time! 

Wandering back through the town had a real holiday feeling, there was music blaring from every bar, partied on the street and colour filling the air! 

Great fun had by all!!

Update from Nepal

Hello from Nepal! It's been a long time since my last blog post, (sorry!) but I am back online!

At Annapurna Base Camp

I recently took a holiday from PoD and took the time to trek to Annapurna Base Camp with a few friends. You can see photos here. We did it in 8 days in the end and it was incredible! To be completely 360 degrees surrounded by the Himalayas is like nothing I have ever done before. Living in Pokhara (a Lakeside town where we have all our placements) you forget how diverse Nepal is and that within just a few days you can be in a completely different climate. We trekked through forests, single  tracks, farmland, villages, valleys and snow! and through the rain, sun, hail and storms - incredible! This was part of my training for when I trek to Everest Base Camp in December to raise money for the PoD Charity. If you would like to sponsor me then please follow this link.

In other news, PoD volunteer is once again starting to get busier after the Christmas period. We currently have 5 amazing volunteers with us working in a variety of our placements.

Giving the donation at APS

The PoD Charity has been supporting AnnapurnaPrimary School  (APS) provide lunches for the entire school. We discovered that nearly all the children in the school were coming for the day with no breakfast and no packed lunch, they would then have to wait until late in the evening for their only meal! Now thanks to the PoD Charity we have been able to provide yummy nutritious lunches for the entire school. (Many thanks to all those have donated.)

Most our afternoons have been spend at our favourite StreetChildren's Rehabilitation Center. Generally we get the around 3.30pm in time for the children getting back from school. A quick change around and wash and the kids are ready for their snacks (watch out, Ama, them mother there serves the sweetest tea and will not take no for an answer, a few of our current volunteers don't like sugary tea so they have seen me trying to drink 4 without anyone noticing!!)

Some of the cheeky chappies at Balam

Jeff, who is with us for three months is working in or rural school in Balam. He has been getting to grips with the Nepali way of life and has settled in very well. Due to lack of funding, Balam recently lost two of their teachers which means at any given time in the school at least one classroom has no teacher. So that's where we help out. Jeff has been helping with the English and Grammar lessons for Grade 1-3 and has been coming up with some new and exciting teaching methods rather than the rote learning that the children are used to. The highlight of his weeks are musical Wednesdays when the whole school participates in singing and dancing!

We are getting excited about our first Volunteer Experience group arriving in two weeks and have lots planned for their time here.

For volunteers who are coming out soon, we are out of googly eyes (it's a tragedy!) and coloured card. If you have the time/space before you come, we would love some more for our PoD supplies, I've never been able to find anywhere in Nepal we can buy them. 

If you would like to join the PoD team in Nepal please contact Gemma in the UK Head Office on gemma@podvolunteer.org

Snapshots of Kathmandu

Although all of our placements at PoD Nepal are based in Pokhara, when you first arrive and when you leave Nepal, you will have some time in Kathmandu, the crazy capital of Nepal!

Recently, Donna Murray, a photographer from Aberdeen volunteered with us and took these amazing shots from Kathmandu.

Pashupatinath, Kathmandu

Monkeys chilling at Swyambuth

Boddhanath, the biggest Stupa in Asia

Kathmandu Durbar Square

This is a Sadhu, a holy man who lives in Pashupatinath

Swyambuth

Boddhanath

Kathmandu Durbar Square

Boddhanath