Nepal 2010

In 2002 I flew out of the airport in Kathmandu wondering what the future of that little Kingdom might be. Twenty of us had been there for a few weeks. What we saw was not encouraging. There were tens of thousands in the streets protesting their King’s rule over them. There were communists in the hills running an insurgency that seemed to have no end. While we were there a school of hundreds of boys went on strike and were wondering when the security forces might show up to put down their act of protest. It was not hopeful.

The last seven years have been remarkable. In a country that verged on open war a new pathway was found. When the rest of the world was lining up on different sides of the War on Terror, I like to think that Nepal chose a new way to address conflict. It was remarkably simple; they invited all the fighters into the tent. Then they ran an election that replaced a monarchy with a fledgling democracy.

Today it is true that the parties are grinding government to a halt and that there will likely be protests in the streets over the next month. However, Nepal has averted all out war between Maoists and Monarchists with intelligent negotiation. I wonder how many other conflicts of the 20th century might have been non events if this fledgling path had been followed.

In the midst of all of this there is a courageous little school Shree Mangal Dvip. It is run by a group of monks and teachers who look after the education of kids from Northern Nepal. In Nepal many of these Sherpa kids are the least likely to achieve an education and the most likely to fall into the poverty or mountaineering trap that comes along with it. They are the folks whose parents have lived through war and Everest tourism. They want something better for their kids. The school is supported entirely by international donations. It is occasionally staffed by folks who like you are coming to help. This in the poorest and hungriest country in Asia; as SMD points out 48% of kids are underweight in Nepal and few of us have heard of this problem.

This year we are going to Nepal. We hope that you will join us on the journey. There will be extraordinary laughter and joy with these people. There will be lessons to learn, and to teach. There will be friendships made and the commitment that flows from them.

We hope you join us in the dream.

Nigel

Back 07.02.2010.