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An avid traveler, Tom is no stranger to leaving his comfort zone, but Nepal and Everest will be a first for him. However, this trip will be unique as it was originally conceived to be a celebration of Tom’s 65th birthday. In 1953, the year Tom was born, Sir Edmund Hillary hiked to the peak of Mt Everest, forever cementing his name into the triumphs of human history. After visiting 26 countries in his life, for Tom turning 65 needed to be something of personal significance. Combining the historical milestone with his personal one, Nepal was an obvious choice according to him because “it’s the adventure, it’s the celebration” of hiking Mt Everest.

However, Tom sought to find even more meaning in this trip, recognizing the “many blessings [that] have been bestowed on my family,” asking himself, “how do I use this in the best way possible?” Tom wanted to give back to Nepal, to the country and community that would provide him with this opportunity for personal adventure and celebration. In a place in his life where he can give back, Tom actively looked for organizations that would provide for the most in need Nepalese. After discovering HCC on Guidestar, and impressed by HCC’s high rating, Tom decided to donate to HCC because HCC “wasn’t the largest [organization], but perhaps the most deserving.”

Tom’s been prepping for his hike a year in advance because even trekking a portion of Everest is a huge physiological feat. He’s completing a steady regimen of cardio and wearing an altitude mask to increase his lung capacity, dropping 50 lbs so far in the process. He’s also prepping by getting the word out about his mission and inviting others to be a part of it by donating. He’s currently raised $1,600 and is expecting to receive north of $3,000 in donations. He’s making it simple for people of all financial means to donate and providing 3 tiers of donations to come with a digital photograph from his Everest journey. A $30 donation gets one photograph, a $50 donation gets two, and a $100 donation renders six photographs. Tom is still accepting donations, and any potential donors can message the whereintheworldiswat, which will document Tom’s Nepal trip. To see more of Tom’s photography, check out PVminer Pixs Facebook page.

When asked about how one could begin making a difference in the world, Tom suggested to “look for your passions,” when wanting to make an impact. Finding your own way in making a difference takes a “conscientious, cognizant thought process,” but Tom points out that “everybody has a talent.”  With a little bit of creativity, everyone can find a way to combine something they love with spreading love and care to someone in need.

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Dear HCC Family,

We would like to take a moment to celebrate our accomplishments and the life-changing impact that sponsors and staff have achieved together. HCC has now been changing the lives of children in Nepal for over 17 years.  In just the last year and a half, we’ve watched us accomplish so much, and we’ve witnessed firsthand, over and over again, the life-changing impact of our work.

Since 2015, we’ve tripled the number of orphaned, abandoned, and destitute children that we serve directly through our programs, and have started to provide services to families, schools and communities throughout 8 districts, exponentially increasing the reach and effect of our programs. Such programs now range from educational scholarships and kinship support for single-orphaned children to WIFI connections, libraries, and teacher training in rural schools, to mentorship programs for orphaned and underprivileged children led by our own HCC youth, including in the areas of mentorship and academic counseling, health and hygiene workshops, and child trafficking awareness campaigns.

As we continue to strengthen and build on the successes of our Signature Program in Kathmandu out to rural Nepal, the core HCC values and goals of compassionate leadership and giving back to society are being realized.

Together, with our HCC youth, we are now developing and implementing innovative and integrative new projects that meet some of the most pressing needs of at-risk children in Nepal today. We can all be proud that we are building such a strong foundation for our youth to stand on, and a better world for our children to inherit.

Here are some of our achievement highlights over the last year alone:

– In March 2016, HCC graduated our first group of 10 students from university and HCC programs. 8 students graduated with university degrees, and currently, 5 students are pursuing further education, including in digital animation, psychology, MS in pharmacology, and MS and MA in business administration and finance.

– Over the last year, HCC has employed 3 graduated HCC students to help develop and run our programs. Khil is our Program Operations Officer, Laxmi is our Administrative Coordinator, and Mun Maya is our Program Coordinator.

– HCC youth in Kathmandu are currently in the process of registering an independent non-profit, Himalayan Children’s Charities, Nepal, with a projected registration date of July 20th, and a tentative first general assembly meeting scheduled for September 15th, 2017. The HCC youth are taking on roles of leadership within the organization, including on the executive board, and as general members of the Nepal-registered HCC organization which will be an official partner of HCC, and help to manage and run HCC programs on the ground in Nepal.

– HCC currently supports 8 university students, 9 college students (grades 11 and 12), 2 graduate school students, and 3 students in postgraduate and technical degree courses

– Since the devastating earthquake of April 25th, 2015, HCC has provided life-saving support to over 100 children survivors.  Currently, through our Earthquake Orphan Scholarship Programs, we are supporting 86 children in the Dhading district, 4 children in the Nuwakot/Rasuwa districts, 1 child in Dolokha, and 5 children in Sindhupalchowk (starting from this new school year in April/May 2017). These programs include educational scholarships and family support for those children who are able to stay with surviving parents and/or family members, as well as for boarding school and hostel fees for those children with no family or unsafe living situations.

– As of April 2017, HCC has connected 6 schools and a food kitchen in rural Dhading and Makwanpur districts with Internet connection and has launched a computer literacy training program for these teachers and administrators in order to bridge the enormous achievement gap for students at these rural, public schools.

– HCC is printing 10,000 copies of an educational comic book, which is being distributed to children and schools throughout the vulnerable central hills of Nepal, in order to raise awareness and help curb the alarming rate of child trafficking from the region.

– HCC youth-led initiatives are underway to build two libraries in the Gorkha and Sindhupalchowk districts, with nearly 2000 books collected already, and early childhood literacy programs under development.

– Khushi Ghar, HCC’s youth home in Kathmandu, is thriving as the stable and nurturing home base for HCC students, and functioning as a catalyst for the experience of family and home life, as well for learning of important life skills. At Khushi Ghar, the 50+ students in HCC’s Signature Program are busy with mentorship and leadership courses, participation in community service projects, exposure visits, extracurricular activities (including music lessons, sports, dance, and art), individual academic/career/emotional counseling, and family fun and celebration.

– HCC currently has four grants out for consideration and is looking forward to further broadening of our support base. These pending grants include two with UNESCO Florence, as well as nominations for consideration for the World Of Children Education Award, as well as with the OpenIDEO Peace and Prosperity Challenge. 

–HCC is continuing to explore partnerships and grow relationships with a number of organizations and groups, in order to collaborate in bringing more opportunities and resources to children in Nepal, including with: the US Embassy in Nepal, the Society of Nepalese in Hawaii, CauseVision, Nepal Children’s Organization (Nepal), Creating Possibilities (Nepal), the Foundation for Underprivileged Kids (Nepal), the Umbrella Foundation, the Maya Gold Foundation, iTrek Nepal, and the HCC International Youth Council.

Our programming and community building work here in Nepal is going well, and we are expanding our reach and support base across the US and around the world. This is an exciting time to be a member of the HCC family. We each play an important role in this family, and looking forward, we need each and every person reading this to bring what you can to the dinner table. Have time? Volunteer! Have money? Contribute! Have an audience? Share our stories! Now is the time to make a difference!!!

Together, let’s be the ones to teach children, in each and every corner of the world, that they matter and are deserving and capable of achieving their dreams. With your help, we can leave a legacy of empowered young people who are thriving, living a better life and giving back to their communities.  

Thank you again for helping to make the work of HCC possible, for sharing in our vision to end the global orphan crisis and for your continuing support in making the world a better place.

With Love and Gratitude from Nepal,

Susan and Bruce Keenan

Sadie Green

Hira and Dinesh Sapkota

Mun Maya Rawal

Khil Bahadur Thapa

Laxmi Karki

Rachel Cunningham

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All levels welcome! Admission is FREE, but space is extremely LIMITED, so RSVP today! CLICK HERE to reserve your spot! We can’t wait to see you there!!

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From Left to Right: Pushpa, Harsha and Bina on their first day as volunteers with Orchid Garden Nepal

One of the cornerstones of HCC’s “Leaders Training Leaders” educational philosophy is the importance of giving back to the community. HCC students have always thrived on the notion of using their skills, talents, and hearts to transform the lives of those in need. After appearing for their Secondary Education Examination (SEE), students Harsha, Pushpa, and Bina are continuing the HCC practice of giving back to the community by performing volunteer work with Orchid Garden Nepal.

Bina helping in the classroom at Orchid Garden

Orchid Garden Nepal is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization that seeks to provide and protect the rights, welfare, and health of disadvantaged and discriminated children in Nepal. Orchid Garden serves vulnerable and neglected children aged 6 months to 9 years old by providing services as a daycare, early education center, and day hostel.

Pushpa helping in the classroom at Orchid Garden

For the next three months, Harsha, Pushpa, and Bina will be volunteering in Orchid Garden classrooms for two hours a day, assisting teachers and helping Orchid Garden students with their studies. Harsha, Pushpa, and Bina will have the opportunity to learn about working in a classroom setting and have networking and work experience within a local nonprofit organization. They will not only gain confidence but also essential leadership skills, complementing their own ongoing education. “I am thankful to get this opportunity to volunteer right after school,” noted Harsha on the benefits of this experience.

Once a month, and in coordination with Orchid Garden Nepal, Hira, HCC Director of Hostel Services and Student Coordinator for HCC, will be monitoring the work and progress of Harsha, Pushpa, and Bina. The school management was thrilled to have our three students volunteering, and hope that they will continue to work with Orchid Garden in the future. Through their hard work and dedication, Harsha, Pushpa and Bina exemplify the goals of HCC to educate a generation of compassionate and intelligent community leaders.

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