Newsletter – Summer 2014

Hello Everyone!

Namaste from Nepal! In Kathmandu Valley, summer has started with rising temperatures and the beginning of the monsoon season. This should bring us more water and more electricity for the new few months.

The first semester of the school year is fully under way which will engage the children academically for the next four months. In late September, the month long festival of Desain begins, and it will be the time when all of our children return to their villages for this period. We emphasize community bonding as our children are being trained to become community leaders for the future.

Meanwhile we continue the construction of a new dining room for the children, which will replace the present outside porch dining we currently are forced to us. This is being funded privately but any help in this would be a wonderful contribution. But currently, we simply need more support for our basic needs. See below.

Remember, helping others outside our own families and nations helps bind humanity as one people, a demonstration to show other nations, other peoples, and other races our love which contributes to achieving unity and world peace.

Children News

2 GIRLS SPONSORED TO ATTEND NEW DELHI HOUSE OF WORSHIP

Pictured: Mark and Karen Herrmann, Major sponsors NECO Home promotes women’s equality and opportunity. And in this regard, we will be sending two of our senior girls to attend the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment program (JYESP) at the Bahá’í House of Worship in New Delhi, a two month program of work, study and social action.

The principal aim of JYSEP is to empower the young people in the age group of 12 to 15 to understand the purpose of life and to become conscious participants in the process of their own growth and development and that of their peers and friends.

The program also helps them to analyse the constructive and destructive forces operating in society and to recognize the influence these forces exert on their thoughts and actions. As sponsor Karen Herrmann says: “I think this is a perfect example of a project that we could really promote for a specific fundraiser and would open the door to people, who once they are involved may become regular contributors.”

We’ll provide more news of Nilam and Doma’s journey as it unfolds.

Construction Update

NEW OFFICE ALMOST COMPLETE

On the second floor of the Unity Building is our new office. With government bureaucracy and tons of third world paper work, we’re forced to create the space and staff to handle this work. Prior to this, a small room was used in the Bhatta residence, which not only poorly served the administration needs of the orphanage, but proved to interfere with the space and privacy of the family.

Office construction money has NOT been taken from NECO funds. Rather, Mr. Bhatta has paid from his personal account the construction and decorating of the office. Bills are still due. We still need curtains and office furniture, as some of the desks and tables you see in the photos are borrowed.

We also use this facility to teach and train our senior children computer and office accounting.

Land Purchase Update  – NEW LAND PURCHASED

Our President, Bishow Bhatta recently purchased land adjacent to the NECO  Home property which will serve to teach the children gardening as well as providing the orphanage with fresh, organic vegetables… at a great savings.

Timothy, Ishwor and Ash Bahadur performing gardening work on existing compound.

Corn and other vegetables planted by the children… their first time.

The present dining room (above) is located on an open porch, which is not only congested but extremely cold during the winter months.

After the dining room is relocated, this space will be furnished with furniture to be used as a quiet reading, study, and social area, in addition to being used as a reception for guests.

This area is being used to build additional space for a kitchen, which is totally funded by the property owner. However, plans are to add an attached dining room in the future, and hopefully before next winter. The dining room would also serve as an additional study and social area for the children, so it will be a multi-purpose building. So we seek special contributions for this project estimated at about $4,500. To honor the largest contributor, we plan to name the dining room after them.

This is an image of what the finished kitchen will look like with a built-in wall buffet that will be attached to the proposed Dining Room. The children can be more efficiently and hygienically served and sit in a warm environment, especially during the winters. Wash areas outside will be constructed for personal washing and dish cleaning.

Power Cuts

As the monsoon approaches, power cuts have been reduced from 12 hours a day to 10, and continuing to drop.

Water Shortages

Despite general increased water supply, the municipality only provides so many liters of metered water to each home. Our large number of people exceeds the water quota. So this continues to force our children and staff to walk 2 km. daily to fill buckets of water for drinking, washing and bathing.

Urgent Help Is Now Needed

Because of funding, rising costs and inflation, Neco Home is in financial difficulty as we are unable to pay for past due bills. See chart below.

​We need help to pay off these bills so that we can move forward with our other projects. Help is really needed at this time.

Remember also that future major funds are continually needed for education, school transportation, food, clothes, shoes, medical and dental care, internet services, general repairs for hostels … on a regular basis. So can you help? Whatever you can: $5, $10, $25, $100, $1000 … or more…  to help continue this outstanding program.

As you know, unlike most orphanages in the world, we are NOT devoted to simple childhood survival. So our expenses are higher. Our focus is on education and moral development to break the cycle of poverty, both physical and spiritual, and to create leadership in each and every child.

Visit www.virtuesproject.com.