Articles from Alumni Newsletter Autumn 2001

Santosh Shrestha, POCT Scholar who is now in her first year at People’s Dental College, Kathamandu, Nepal, has written in to share what she calls her ‘LIFE LONG DREAM’ with those who know exactly how it feels.

I had always nurtured this dream of doing something worthy enough for my parents to take pride in me. I wanted to achieve my education from the best schools and colleges that I used to hear about from the people who had made their way to the city from the remote village I belong to.

But the harsh reality of my poor financial background used to hit me hard whenever I had such dreams. Nevertheless, whenever I managed to squeeze some time out of my household chores, I would dream of being surrounded by my family, friends, relatives and well-wishers, all praising me and congratulating me for my achievements. How my parents would look at me, their eyes glittering with pride and happiness.

But I knew that my dreams would always remain dreams and that very soon I would end up like those women in my village whose desires die the most dreadful death amongst social customs and poverty.

Belonging to a remote village in the western Nepal, far away from the modern technological world, I used to attend an ordinary government school.

And life passed me by with my dreams on the one hand and the great reality on the other until the day a stranger who had come to my village asked me my name and started a conversation about my family. I thought no more of him than as a curious stranger dragged by his curiosity to my village. So I could not believe my eyes when I found the same man talking to my parents when I got home that evening.

True to Nepalese culture, I was asked to leave the room when my elders were having a conversation. I was completely unaware of what he talked about to my parents.

To my surprise the next day I was asked to take an examination in which I did my best. Then, even more surprisingly, I was told that I had got a scholarship and very soon would be going to England to study. It all happened so suddenly that I found myself totally shocked, a mixture of emotions going on within me. On the one hand , I had this great opportunity to make my dreams come true. On the other, I had to go to a strange land leaving my family, friends and my village that was the world to me.

Finally, with great hopes I left for England in 1990, but unfortunately I was sent back to my country after being there for a year. That really shattered me as I was beginning to feel that at last I was achieving what I had always longed for. Being sent back when I had just begun to see the light in the tunnel left me with nothing but my shattered dreams.

I then got admission in Gyanodaya Bal Batika School, one of the best schools in Kathmandu. I passed my 10+2 examination from Siddhartha Vanasthali Science College after which I had to go through a tough time choosing my career. In my experience, getting admission to a medical college is very hard. Medical institutions are highly selective even in a developing country like Nepal. Besides the placement tests, the high cost makes it even harder to go to a Medical College.

Eventually, after a lot of hard work I was successful in my placement test. Though I was eligible to be admitted to a dental school, my economic background was again a hindrance. I became frustrated and lost my hopes. My parents consoled me, and made enough money to get me admitted. Besides, I also had the funds from POCT. So with the promise to my parents that I would repay all the money they had borrowed for my education and would also look after my four siblings after my studies, I was finally admitted to the college.

I have been at People's Dental college, Kathmandu for six months now. I still have three and a half more years ahead and the fees for these years still threaten me. Along with my dream, I hold my siblings’ future, which may become sacrificed in order to support mine.

I have still not stopped dreaming. Dentistry is difficult and challenging, but I hope that one day I will become a good dentist. I hope to complete my course in 4 years followed by one year of internship. After I finish my studies I have great commitments to fulfill towards my family, my village and my country. I heartily thank POCT for helping an economically backward Nepali citizen; for helping me to get a good education. I am thankful to my parents, who helped me in all my hard times and always comforted me though they had their economic hardships to go through. I am grateful to all those people who have helped me to come to this stage. I hope I succeed. If not, I too will be counted among those women who have to live on their husbands’ salaries to feed themselves, trying to find their existence in this rapidly changing world.

SCALING HEIGHTS

The group of students who were at Gyanodaya Bal Batika in Kathmandu, including the writer of the above article, are now pursuing their further education in different colleges in the city. They are actively involved, either with the Pahad Association (the Pestalozzi in-country Foundation of Nepal) or with the Pestalozzi Centre at Budhanilkantha School, Kathmandu. For example, Abhishek, on whose report the article on page 3 is based, is now the Assistant Treasurer for Pahad, while Ishak, having completed a course in computing, is now training POCT scholars in computing at the Pestalozzi Centre in Budhanilkantha School. A number of the POCT scholars of Budhanilkantha School are student members of Pahad.

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A REPORT ON THE NEPALI FOUNDATION (PAHAD) SCHOLARSHIP
by its Chairman, Major Rai, who is also a voluntary POCT supporter

This brief is on how the Nepal Foundation has shaped its modus operandi regarding the Scholarship Process. To understand the members’ attitudes and aspirations one has to look at Nepal’s people not from outside but from within. We have a small nation consisting of many indigenous minorities and larger groups of immigrants later. Each group displays unique characteristics of language, method of worship, physical and ethnic traits and customs. The historical events that created this multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-linguistic nation have now stabilised since Nepal became a united country under the Shah dynasty 233 years ago. However, the primordial forces which caused the immigrants to forge-on to better and more fertile lands for farming or work environment goes on unabated.

Modern Nepal is their legacy. The dominant Indo-Aryan people are prominent in all fields of endeavour. Other groups, loosely covered by the term "Indigenous People" and "Dalits" are also evolving, each at their own pace. The more advanced groups are trying to adapt to present day needs and seeking a place in the mainstream of national life. Many other groups are however, still backward and blissfully unaware of how far the world around them has moved on. Nepal is also a deeply religious country with a long tradition of giving of alms to the needy in the hope of salvation in the next life. Today, many individuals and organisations have turned their attention to facilitating education to the poor children in their areas as part of their "dharma". They are not necessarily involved with its quality but the financial contribution itself is enough. Many of these well meaning people are to be seen briskly marching through various shrines and smearing the vermillion "tika" on their foreheads as a sign of having collected yet another credit... So, we are not the only do-gooders on the block!"

In the end we agreed that we would not search the whole country for suitable candidates. We decided that:

One day in the future, all our scholars will be housed and educated in a "Pahad Village" under our total supervision. Until we build that village our scholars will be staying at their own homes and attending their local schools. The children would also be brought together for a few days’ training during school holidays to inculcate the principles of Head, Heart and Hands.

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The Pahad Association’s First Scholars

The first 4 scholars to be selected by Pahad have just begun their scholarships in their local schools.

Uma Raini is 10 years old and she has just started Class 3. She was nominated by Major Rai, the Chairman of Pahad, and is from Solukhumbu.

Bel Kumari Thapa is 9 years old and has just started Class 4. She is from Syangja and was nominated by Ghanashyam Ranjitkar, the Honourable Secretary and Treasurer of Pahad.

Ravi Purkoti is 12 years old and has just started Class 4. Ravi is from Kaski and was nominated by Ghanashyam Ranjitkar, the Honourable Secretary and Treasurer.

Lal Bahadur Rai is 11 years old and has just started Class 4. He was nominated by Major Rai, the Chairman, and is from Solukhumbu.

POCT SUMMER CAMPS

There have now been 3 Summer Camps for POCT scholars aimed at creating in them a commitment to the Pestalozzi philosophy in an atmosphere of friendship.

Nepalese: Santosh Puri, a Budhanilkantha School POCT scholar, is seen here demonstrating the use of a micro-hydro power unit to POCT scholars from Doti at the Summer Camp for Nepalese students last year. Santosh has just begun the 2-year IB in Science at the Pestalozzi Village and Hastings College.

Indian: Manjiri Chunekar ran and generously funded the first summer camp for the Indian scholars at Gurukul school in Maharashstra in April 2001. The scholars enjoyed a long weekend of education and entertainment, including learning about the Pestalozzi philosophy, acting in English, singing round a fire and cooking.

Tibetan: Edward Allen and Roland Teare, university students from UK who volunteered to help with this year’s Tibetan camp in Dharamsala, India, sum up their experience: "The weekend was a very productive one, and particular credit should be given to the students as they were missing their weekend to participate. We achieved what we set out to do - to inform the students about POCT, and their role within the organisation. We were greatly aided by the efforts of Dasmat, Prabash [POCT scholars from North India], Sonam [POCT Co-ordinator at TCV] and Dolkar [ex-housemother at Pestalozzi Village], and Sonam was the main organising force behind the weekend."

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Since the day I left Pestalozzi
Hikmat Khadkha, ex-IB student and Hon. Secretary of Pahad Association, discusses life after Pestalozzi Village

Leaving Pestalozzi Village in June last year was traumatic for me - I had wished the day would never come! It was particularly difficult for me because almost all my classmates were going to university and I was not. Things seemed to have ‘sorted out’ for them, while for me they hadn’t. What was worse, I was completely ignorant about what my next step would be. I was not looking forward to life ahead as I took off from Gatwick.

Whilst still in the UK, a private school in Kathmandu had been in touch with me about teaching there. As I wanted that very job, my first step after returning home was to approach the school. The Principal seemed very pleased to see me. She had a copy of my e-mailed ‘bio-data’. We had a lengthy conversation. She had just decided to give me the job when I ruined it all by telling her that I wouldn’t be permanent and would go to university when possible. She said that she had been looking for someone who saw teaching as their career, not just a ‘pastime’. So I lost what I had nearly got. It was a frustrating start!

I was desperately in need of a job and I knew I would be no good for anything other than teaching. So I approached two of the top ranked schools in town, GEMS and Rato Bangala. There was no response to the latter, but the former got back to me. I was invited for an interview at GEMS followed by a demonstration class. I got the job even though the school’s policy was to employ only university graduates. I was lucky there, I think. GEMS was a big school where I spent a good one year teaching around 250 pupils in years 6 and 7. Towards the end of the year, however, things didn’t seem too favourable for me to continue into the new academic session. So I resigned on good terms. But I stay in touch with my old friends there, particularly the students. I miss them very much and they say they miss me too!

I reapplied to Rato Bangala. This year the response was positive. They invited me for an informal interview with the school’s Director and Principal. We talked for half an hour and I got the job! Unfortunately, it was the day of the Royal Family massacre in Nepal. So the whole process of starting was delayed, of course.

I joined Rato Bangala School in June this year. I like it there very much. It’s a big name in the Kathmandu Valley. It’s also one of the most expensive schools here, where the children of the rich study. At Rato Bangala, I work with 6 year old children, full time. I am a co-teacher. My other partner and I look after 26 children, 13 boys and 13 girls. It was a challenging job to begin with but I am getting used to it now. What is good about working at that level is that the school’s entire philosophy is child-centred. Also, at the end of the day, although it’s hard work, there is a tremendous amount of job satisfaction to take home from the workplace.

Apart from my regular full time job, I am doing two private tuitions at the moment. I have done several other private tuitions before. I was lucky to have Himvan Shahi as one of my tutees. Himvan is the son of HRH Princess Shobha, the only alive sister of the present Nepali King and one of the survivors of the palace killings.

Teaching has kept me busy ever since I have been back to Nepal. I have been (and seen myself as) a teacher, although without formal teacher training of any kind. I am managing it all right.

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Nitin Khatavkar, the Secretary of the Indian Pestalozzi Students Trust (IPST) has written in with a short sketch of the organisation and its activities.

I returned to India in June 2000 after spending a long, long time in UK. I must say it has not been at all easy settling back in India, but I am back and here to stay. However, as I am still going through the settling in phase in India, I have not been able to devote much of my time to the IPST cause.

A new committee was selected recently and I took on the role of the Secretary (not knowing really what I was supposed to do) of IPST. Since then, I realised that there was a need to increase the funds to help more children, so I decided to target this area where I believe I can really contribute.

Apart from the other Secretarial duties (I am still finding out what they are), I decided to write a brochure to increase awareness of IPST and what it stands for (thanks to the Nepalese Pahad Association, from whose newsletter I was able to get the background). My aim is to distribute the brochure and recruit more members (not connected to PCVT) to help us run IPST and raise money. By talking to people we deal with daily we can spread the word. I will be doing a presentation on IPST to all the employees of my current company. Some interest has already been shown in helping and donating money.

The success and growth of IPST will be through the efforts and dedication of all the members and not just one person. The work must be a team effort and at IPST we are beginning to share the effort in the main areas of work, which are:
1.Selection of children
2.Checking up on the background of each case
3.Monitoring of performance and follow up with individual children
4.Raising funds and awareness
5.Finance management

The top three activities are the most time consuming and hence are areas where we need help from all sorts of dependable people. Currently, Sabir, Manjiri, Arvind, Yashpal and Rajaram are mainly involved in these activities, leaving me time to write this article. (Now I have just realised that this is also one of my duties as Secretary.)

The work done by the previous committee has been commendable and the new committee aims to carry on where they left off. The objective is to continue to help children from primary school to higher education. As a team we agreed to enrol some high powered, well-known people on IPST to raise credibility and awareness. We are currently planning to obtain legal status where any monies given by donors will be tax exempt. We are also planning to set targets this year for the number of students to be sponsored and amount of funds to be raised.

It is extremely difficult to achieve what we want due to our other commitments, but we at IPST believe that through dedication we will achieve our goals.

The POCT and Foundation Students

The ‘Indian Pestalozzi Students’ Trust’ looks after 39 students, in Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra, of whom 20 are funded by POCT. POCT also supports a further 4 North Indian students.