I am Pushpa Bam and I recently finished my SEE (Secondary Education Examination). For a break and as a graduation gift, three of us (Harsha, Bina and myself) were given a chance to go to Pokhara with visitors from the Maya Gold Foundation. We were about 12 people including eight people from the Maya Gold Foundation and four from HCC. We enjoyed it a lot.

On the first day, we reached Pokhara at 7 pm. We ate our dinner and went to sleep very soon because we were tired. On the second day, we ate our breakfast and went to Fewa Lake for boating. After that, we went trekking to Peace Pagoda. We went to the Tibetan refugee settlements and bought some souvenirs for myself and other students at Khushi Ghar. The Maya Gold Foundation gave me a small bag, necklace, and pendant, and I also gave some souvenirs to them. We also went to Davis Falls. We took some pictures and roamed around. Davis Falls was so good to look at; I enjoyed the wind and the flowing water. Then we went back to the hotel and ate our dinner. On the third day, we made a plan to travel by boat for an hour, eat lunch and visit the international museum but we were late so we did not go to the museum and instead, we went to Gumba in Hemja. In Hemja, some of us went shopping and also visited nearby Gumba. Later, we took an early dinner as we had to leave for Kathmandu early the next day. On the fourth day, we ate our breakfast at 7 am and left for Kathmandu. On the way, we stopped by the Begnas Lake for an hour, and it was a lovely lake. We reached Kathmandu at 7 pm.

I had an amazing time in Pokhara. It was a beautiful and clean city. And I got to know the Maya Gold Foundation more closely. All of you were good and caring people. Thank you for giving us this chance to visit Pokhara. I loved going out of Kathmandu valley for four days. It was a good break for me.

The post Student Update: Pushpa’s Pokhara Trip appeared first on HCC Nepal.

When student Phoebe Ramaty first heard about Himalayan Children’s Charities through the Maya Gold Foundation, she was looking to get involved with an organization that helped people, especially orphaned children. HCC turned about to be just the match, and Phoebe ended up raising over $600 for HCC by selling clothing, toys, and candies at the Winter Faire held at her school, Mountain Laurel Waldorf School in New Paltz, New York. We interviewed Phoebe about what interested her about HCC and her advice for rolling up your sleeves and making a difference.

How did you first hear about Himalayan Children’s Charities?

I heard about HCC through the Maya Gold Foundation, which is based in New Paltz, N.Y. I was looking to do something that helped people and was really interested in working with an orphanage. Luckily my Mother knew a board member at the Foundation who she arranged for me to meet – Noelle Adamo.  Noelle suggested that I got involved with HCC and she gave me the contact information for the charity.

The Maya Gold Foundation seeks to collaborate with carefully selected NGOs in Nepal.  They work to provide essentials to children in need and opportunities for cultural exchange between youth in Nepal and New Paltz.

Why did you want to use the Winter Faire at your school as an opportunity to fund raise for HCC?

A lot of people attend our school Winter Faire so I thought it would be a good way to raise awareness about the children in Nepal. I made a 3D poster where I showcased several stories of the HCC children and also information about the charity and its founders and staff. I also thought having a tombola raffle would be a fun way to fundraise as a lot of the “customers” are children!

What did you sell at the Winter Faire to fundraise?

I sold clothes, books, toys, chocolate, candy – you name it!    The clothes were sold separately on a rack next to my table and were not part of the tombola raffle. My brother and I donated our old books and toys. I bought some chocolate and candy to make sure children wanted to come to my stand. My parents had lots of clothes samples as they work in Fashion/textiles so that was where I got the clothes from.

What kind of information about HCC were you able to convey to your fellow students?

Some people asked me what HCC was so I was able to tell them.  As well as that, I had my 3D poster on the table with lots of information about the individual children and their life stories. I talked to several parents as well as children. I also had fliers that I was able to hand out to anyone that showed interest. I hope I spread the word of what life is like for children in Nepal compared to us here in the USA. 

Why did you want to support HCC specifically? What about the work of HCC is meaningful to you?

I want to support HCC because of the work they do to save children from disadvantaged backgrounds and empower them through education and mentoring. Also, I like how HCC is willing to partner with other charities like The Maya Gold Foundation.

What advice would you give to other students who want to support organizations that work for causes they believe in? How would you suggest becoming a student organizer?

My advice would be – don’t be afraid to contact the organization you are interested in. I am sure they would welcome your interest and help.To become a student organizer, find out what the charity needs and think of ways you can help. It may not only be raising money but also raising awareness of their work. Let people know they exist and share the stories of the work they do. Think of ways you can spread the word. Try to coordinate a fundraiser or go around to your local stores and see if you can get them interested in donating supplies. Get a group of your friends together and brainstorm for ideas – they may also like to help when they know what you are doing.

Interested in hosting an HCC event at your school? Reach out to us on our contact page for more ideas.

The post Student Organizer Raises Funds and Spreads the Word for HCC appeared first on HCC Nepal.

Hello! My name is Mun Maya Rawal and I am a graduated HCC student, and currently pursuing my master’s degree in Business Studies. I currently work with HCC as an Administration Assistant.

Part of my job is assisting with the Dhading Children’s Initiative. Since the 2015 earthquakes, I have traveled to many wards of the Dhading district. Dhading is one of the most earthquake-affected districts in Nepal. Many people died, while others became homeless, widowed and orphaned. HCC in collaboration with FUN Kids Nepal is working for the welfare of the children who became orphaned during the natural disaster. I am glad that I get an opportunity to work with HCC and DCI children. I enjoy working with these children because it makes me feel like I am doing something worthwhile with my life.

Being myself is the biggest challenge. My best self or true self is the one that is honest and always willing to learn. I feel proud to be myself and never tried to hide who I am and where I am from. I am the girl who stands for what I believe in and likes to be responsible for myself. Yes, I believe we only find happiness when we are able to be our best selves and that involves bringing out the best in others as well.

I believe that everyone is affected by different situations which will forever be significant in their life. My life has changed for the better since I moved to HCC. HCC is the social, non-profit organization where I grew up and learned all the life skills lessons. It’s been 12 years, yet feels like yesterday that I joined the HCC family. I am so thankful and blessed to have them in my life. In fact, I am lucky to have so many great things about life-good health, amazing family, a safe place to stay and the best education. Now, I can proudly say that I am a big sister, mentor, and leader for my younger HCC brothers and sisters in so many ways. I look forward to spending time with my HCC family every day. Spending quality time with them is just one of the ways I show them how much I love them.

When me, Laxmi, and our brother Narendra from Dhading first reached remote villages in Dhading in August 2015 (by foot!), the situation there was heartbreaking. Many people were still in trauma and I could see sorrow and sadness in the eyes of each child. Tears rolled down my face while interviewing them because their stories were very touching and painful. It was not easy for me and my team to interview them and collect their stories. Still, we were successful in getting detailed information about the children and their situations.

The situation of Dhading kids and that of mine was similar. I also had lost my parents at their age. My story could be an inspiration to them. Beside this, I focus on giving back to society and through  Dhading Children Initiative, I would be fulfilling it. Above all, I enjoy working with children and this is the perfect platform for me. I believe that my story and achievement will motivate them to work hard in life and do something for themselves and society.

The post Guest Column: Mun Maya’s transition from HCC Student to HCC Staff Member appeared first on HCC Nepal.