Thangpalkot Children's Fun Tents

<About Myself>
My name is Alice Park. I was born and raised in South Korea. 

My father was born in July, 1950, at a evacuation shelfter, only 45 days after the Korean War had just begun. When I father was growing up, It was so difficult for his family to get by, my grandparents had to choose only one child (out of 7 siblings) to send school and my father was 'the lucky one' to get educated.  

He excelled at secondary school and went to one of the top universities in Korea. After studying chemistry engineering, he got a job at a manufacturing company where he worked for 28 years until he recently retired.
For his work, he travelled the world extensively. We have a collection of cups from all over the world at home- his way of remembering every country he has visited.   

Thanks to my father's hard work throughout this life, I grew in a warm, safe enviroment. I got to study art & design in Italy and the UK as I always wanted. After my study, I was able to work in numbers of wonderful companies in the UK and Hong Kong.       

But I often wondered, 'What if my fathrer didn't get a chance to go to school in first place?', 'What if there was no school for him to attend?', 'Without his access to the basic education at the age he needed, would I have been able to be where I am?'  

In 2010, I randomly planned a 2 weeks holiday to Nepal. Coming from working in a luxury industry in Hong Kong where was literally a center of materialism, Nepal had so little in same measure. 

That's when I met a team of Committed Nepal. Through Committed Nepal's program, I got to travel to this wonderful village called Thangpalkot.

A humble, welcoming and caring village with little resources but so much giving from their heart, where people offered a stranger the warmest part of their homes and the best food from what they have. 


<Thangpalkot the village>
Thangpalkot may seem like one of any other mountain villages in Nepal. With population of 2635 people, the village is located at about 1700m above sea level. Most of the 653 households in the village used to live off by growing rice and vegetables.

Apart from its breathtaking scenary of the village, you only get to know what is so special about Thangpalkot when you start to know its people.
Their daily lives at field might be burdensome but their devotion for community development and children's better education was something I found just so special.


<Committed Nepal, the NGO>

Committed Nepal have introduce 'Education My Right' campaign - Social Business for Education & Community Development' in Thangpalkot village since 2009.

The center of this campaign has been around the development of 'fishery' in Thangpalkot, which was peviously unused communal pond but after years of trial- it became an income generating community business, which started to sponser village children's free education in the village.

(to know more about Committed Nepal's great works, please visit the website: www.cminepal.org or FB page https://www.facebook.com/cminepal) 

<How we have worked together for Thangpalkot>
In 2010, I volunteered to join Committed Nepal team to conduct an Art & Craft progam at 4 schools in Thangpalkot. It was first time for many children to use paint and brush, origami and scissors and glue (for crafting purpose!).  As public education system in Nepal does not concern Creativity' much in their curriculum, myself and 4 other volunteers from Korea, the UK and the US  tried to bring in some colorful, creative experiences for the children in the village.  

<And how we work together even more>
After participating the Art & Craft volunteer program with Committed Nepal, I got to know more about Nepal's public education system and what's essentially missing for children in Thangpalkot- Books. With text book being the only resource for their education, children in the village were so eager to learn, but there was no good platform for it.

As a daughter of extensive reader, I grew up surrounded by many great story books, classics, interactive books and encyclopedia. My family generously offered USD 20,000 to initiate the project and so many friends from all of the world have donated money and books.
 
With everyone's generocity & Committed Nepal's coordination- 4 children's libraries in Thangpalkot, Gunsakot and Bhotang area were able to open for more than 1,500 children in this area.
 
And every year, we went back to the villages to reward 'The Reading Stars' who read the most during one school year. <And the Earthquake happened>
Unfortunately, at about 12:30pm, on sunny Saturday afternoon of 25 April 2015, many things have changed for Thangpalkot and its people. 

A 7.8-magnitude mega-earthquake struck Nepal and Sindupalchowk District, where Thangpalkot village belongs become THE worst affected area from this disaster. 

Thangpalkot Chillauni School After the Earthquake.Thangpalkot Raithane School- Before the EarthquakeThangpalkot Raithane School After the Earthquake

<And this is what I would like to do with your donation>3 schools and 4 libraries in the area has completely collapsed and it will take at least 1.5 year to rebuild. While adult (including teachers of the schools) are busy trying to build new houses and source food, children in the village are left with no parents talk to or no school to go to. 

While 'Psychological Trauma' or 'Theraphy' is a very foreign idea in Nepal (especially in rural villages), children in the village are left  with horrible memories of the earthquake, loss of their friends and home, constant fear of aftershocks while not fully understanding what has happened and what is happening in their lives. 
Also, there is a high possibilty that after these children missing 1-2 years of school year could result them  dropping out of school entirely as they will start becoming labors in their household.     

We would like to build 3 'fun tents' in Thangpalkot VDC where each tent will function as a Elementary, Secondary, Higher Secondary school until the permenant schools gets rebuild. 
 
The Fun Tent will provide:
- Theraphuetic Art & Craft programs
- Sports programs for stress relief
- Programs on sanitation and health
- Temporary Library function for education
- 1:1 counselling sessions by local volunteers

The Fun Tent will operate like this:
Children in Thangpalkot area will be divided into 3 tents (Elementary, Lower Secondary, Higher Secondary), according to their age group. Program contents will be modified considering the age group of each tent.

The fun tent will firstly run during regular school hour until the regular curriculum condition (textbooks, local teachers) is ready. Once the regular classes restart, the fun tents will serve as an extra curriculum activity center before and after the regular class hours.

Raised Fund will cover:
- Materials for the tents
- All class materials  
- Books for 3 different age groups 
- Volunteer teachers' food & shelter
- Transportation & Operation cost 


<Please support this cause>
NCTSN (National Child Traumatic Stress Network) has published an following article for the impact on children after the earthquake.

1) There can be widespread separation-anxiety in children and adolescents following the event.

2) Depression, associated with posttraumatic stress reactions and disruption to living circumstances, often occurs after major earthquakes.

3) Ongoing problems may include: marital discord; substance abuse; delinquent, aggressive or withdrawn behavior; and complaints about physical health, including headaches, stomachaches, rapid heartbeat, tightness in the chest, and appetite and digestive problems.

4) Children and adolescents lose trust in the safety and security of the world, and in the ability of adults to protect them.

5) Specialized trauma- or grief-focused mental health services can help children and adolescents recover from the psychological consequences of an earthquake.

This is a very critical time for the most vulnerable group of the community. Even the children who may look unharmed could carry a great fear and anxiety which in long term, can be developed into more serious illness.

With your donation, The Funt Tent will provide a comfort and care and a smooth transition to 'the normal' school years. Even a small donation could offer a big, positive step to a child's future.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Alice Park