A new project  – support on construction of a Buddhist gompa

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Shortly after the big earthquakes, ProNepal supported the construction of a technical laboratory in the local secondary school ( see the link) of Saimarang (where is Saimarang ?) . Recently the local community asked Pronepal for a financial support for the completion of the Buddhist SANGEY CHHYOLING GOMPA in Saimarang.

Gompas are Buddhist ecclesiastical fortifications common in historical Tibetan regions including parts of China, India, Nepal, Ladakh and Bhutan.

Design and interior details vary from region to region; however, all follow a general sacred geometrical design of a central prayer hall containing a murti or thangka, benches for the monks or nuns to engage in prayer or meditation and attached living accommodation. The gompa may also be adjoined by any number of stupas.

Construction of the  Gompa is a vital community resource that is designed as a cultural hub as well as can be promoted as a tourist destination.

Some important objectives are summarized as:

  • To develop the monastery as an educational centre to spread philosophical principles for the Buddhists monks.
  • To make a common place of prayer for all the local people where the majority of the people are Buddhists.
  • To use the monastery to preserve, conserve, maintain and bestow the ancestral and cultural rites and rituals for the future generation.
  • To make it a major tourist spot and develop and promote Saimarang as a tourism area which will eventually help to increase the income of local people.

With the mutual cooperation of local people along with the Buddhist Spiritual Monks (Lama Dharma Guru), the construction of Gompa started nearly 2 years back and is in still under construction. Due to the financial problems, the construction is now in halt.

Although the construction of the statue of the renowned God, “Guru Rempoche” inside the Gomp is finished along with the formal inauguration by a small prayer ceremony, there are still many works to be accomplished.

At present, a small open space is constructed offering sitting opportunities to visitors and locals. Moreover, three small sized rooms have been constructed for the purpose of keeping religious instruments as well as work as storage rooms.

The space built in front of the Gompa is open and needs to be fenced or compounded by a wall, as anyone can enter the Gompa area easily especially the pet animals which may disturb the rituals or any other gatherings taking place inside the Gompa.

Then there is a need to build a hall with a truss in front of the Gompa which should have a capacity of nearly 150 peoples so that social functions and religious rituals can be organized safely without any disturbance.

And at last, the construction a garden around the Gompa offering space for some beautiful flowers and spices to be used for religious rituals is still in pipeline.

The whole project will cost about 47.500 €, the local villagers and the people from neighbouring areas have already completed works for about 26.400 € until today. In order to carry out the remaining works further, the villagers require financial help and have approached ProNepal to support this project.

The executive board now decided to allocate 15.000 € for this initiative. As soon as the first tranche of the money will be transferred the villagers can restart with the construction works.

In September some members of the ProNepal organisation will visit Saimarang and discuss further issues and steps with the villagers and the management committee.

Drinking water supply for Jamune: work has been completed

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In January 2014 the water supply network´s project of Jamune and its scholastic centre was presented by the NGO Pro Nepal to the Autonomous Province of Bolzano; we received a financial support of 60% commission on the estimated amount.

Works and projects have been planned and we were about to finance a leftover 40% of the amount.

Unfortunately, due to the two earthquakes in 2015, we were forced to interrupt the planned project, because other needs took priority over it.

Despite the distance, our local partner SEO (society for each other) agreed to manage the project and the works, which began in autumn 2016 and lasted until December.

The final balance sheet and all the other papers were delivered to the Province of Bolzano just in time in order to get the payment.

During the earthquakes most of the buildings fell down, therefore the scheduled latrines haven´t been built and the final cost of the labour was 37.000 euro instead of 47.200 euro. In March 2017 Jamune was visited by a member of Pro Nepal and the President of SEO to make an inspection in order to verify the outcome. Two water tanks and the public water taps were checked. Because of the interrupted water inflow, the two water tanks were empty, therefore technicians solved the problem in a short time.

We worked hard on this project and put great care into it, but we´re glad that the village and the scholastic centre, which hosts almost 300 schoolchildren, can finally get running water.

All efforts have been made, therefore the fundamental right to water has been shielded with our strength, facing difficulties and obstacles, attaching importance to its meaning.

see the link start of work

The experience of a volunteer at the Aishworya Children’s Home in Kathmandu

 

My experience in Nepal lasted one month.

I arrived at the Aishworya Children´s Home on 24th September 2016, after a troubled journey by cab.

I was excited and I couldn´t wait to see the children. They welcomed me with open arms and introduced themselves even shaking my hand. The were very curious and wanted to play with me. They were singing, dancing and playing without any toys or stuff; they didn´t need anything but themselves: I was really impressed.

Besides, they were interested in my fair skin and used to style my light and blond hair.

A family, who manage the Insitute Aishworya Children´s Home with other volunteers, hosted me in its flat.  I had breakfast every morning; I used to eat biscuits and drink a cup of tea which was tasty. At a later time, I started to walk almost 25 minutes towards the Institute.

Orphans and children who left their poor families are very young (between 3 and 15 years) and live in this structure where they are helping each other, joined up into a “kin group”.

They can attend classes, receive a good and basic education and learn English very well which helped me to interact with them: I was really impressed.

It´s useful for little kids to improve their language skills, therefore the English language is being taught in the kindergarten too.

I´ve never had the chance of meeting so many autonomous boys and girls before.

Especially the little girls who can cook, clean up and look after the kids in a quite spontaneous way.  I had the pleasure to help them doing their homework, playing, cuddling the babies, whereas the grown-up taught me something about the local cuisine.

Despite the big cultural differences, I got used to eat rice and other dishes, such as Dal (lentils) and Bhat (rice) with potatoes or other vegetables, which is the most important and loved meal in Nepal.

Later they used to spend one hour in their rooms just praying.

By day just the little kids, the teenagers and those who´re sick used to stay in the Institute. The others came back from school at 4 pm and could snack on something which looks like our traditional crisps. We cooked them in boiling water and ate them afterwards: it was such as a spicy noodle soup!!!!

On 1st October, the “Dashain” (the most important Party in Nepal) and the “Institute´s birthday” took place within the Institute itself: it was a great Party. The ladies dressed up put on makeup, and we all got a  benediction on the forehead: the “tikka”. On this special day, lots of guests gathered together for this event and brought different kinds of dishes and meals, such as meat and cakes. Gifts were given out to the children who sang and danced: it was an enjoyable and unique day.

We shared my last week with Julia, a friend of mine who came from Italy to stay with us. Unfortunately, time flies… It was hard to say goodbye ….the last day. We really got along well and have grown quite fond of each other.

How time flies!

Nepal, the Institute Aishworya Children´s Home, the children and the Nepali gave me a great opportunity to share these amazing moments I shall never forget.

Lena Dibiasi