Progress Report from December 2000 to April 2001

8 April, 2001

Dear Member,

This is our third progress note since our formation in late 1999. The fund has raised £9,000 in total and is about to complete its fourth project - membership is over 200 with 140 standing-order contributions totalling almost £250 per month. Significantly, we have also recently applied for registration with the Charity Commission for England & Wales

Progress since November 2000 (3rd & 4th Projects)

On December 7, 2000 a small function was organised in Kathmandu by our co-ordinators, HELP NEPAL Network - Nepal. A sum of £1,200 was granted to Sarsawti Primary School, Bijayanagar, Pyuthan, towards the reconstruction of a classroom building. For our 4th project, £600 was handed over to Lion’s Club, Lalitpur, to conduct a Hepatitis B vaccination programme at Sharada Primary School, Pashupati, Kathmandu.

The vaccination programme has since been completed, involving 125 schoolchildren in a 3-stage proces. The school reconstruction is in its final stage. In line with our policy of encouraging local participation in our undertakings, in each case, our assistance was matched by local fund-raising efforts and voluntary labour.

Further information is published on our website at www.helpnepal.co.uk including details of our first two projects - the construction of a library at a high school in Dunai, Dolpa, and a de-worming campaign among the Chepang community in Chitwan.

Others

At the Kathmandu function of December 7, Dr Raju Adhikari, President, Nepali Association in Victoria, Australia, donated £400 to help stock the Dolpa school library.

On January 14, a ‘get together with a purpose’ evening was organised in support of the fund at Pooja Cottage Restaurant, Wembley. Free musical entertainment was kindly provided by Sapan Rai. The function raised a net £500 from some 100 attendees.

The globalisation of our efforts continue. HELP NEPAL accounts are up and running in Belgium, Finland, New Zealand and Nepal. and HELP NEPAL - USA has been registered. Our website also lists various other contacts.

The enclosed brochure can be freely distributed. Please also find enclosed an invitation to an interaction program organised by the fund. Finally, we reaffirm that all administrative costs are borne by the committee members.