TWO NEW CHILDREN JOIN THE HOPE CENTREKumari (7) and her sister Primila (5) recently arrived at the Hope Centre. Both are disabled involving back, legs and eye sight but the latest news is they have settled in with much support from the other children. We are now supporting 34 children. |
To everyone who has helped us We are really heartly grateful to NEW FUTURES NEPAL and DWA-HOPE CENTRE family as they help us to change our life. The Hope Centre has provide us proper education, good health, teach us how to use our rights and perform our duties in a good manner and in a proper way and help us how to live with a positive thoughts and adjust in society. From class Nursery to class-10 and till now, really days in a Hope Centre were very unforgettable and valuable events in our life. Everybody from Hope Centre and other elder people, ur teachers has support us to build up our career, to be independent. Thus our life became healthy and successful life.Not only these, we also find our very co-operative friends, brothers and sisters with whom we share our feelings of joy and sorrow. Nobody knows that how we would be today if we were not in Hope Centre, our life without the support of Hope Centre would be very dark and without any destination. We would not be in this position today if we were not in Hope Centre at that time. here is vast difference in our past and present life. Hope Centre has changed our life and fate. So, we are very thankful to everybody, Hope Centre and as well as to New Thank you, Anita Lama and Nirmala Bhandari, Hope Centre,Kathmandu |
‘The Hope Centre goes green’
Briquette cookerMany homes in Nepal traditionally use open wood fires for cooking however this causes respiratory problems, increase the risk of fire and has consequences for the environment in terms of air pollution and deforestation. As an alternative the use of kerosene stoves was introduced and encouraged in Nepal. However since 2002 people have been experiencing hardships due to shortages of kerosene and subsequent rising prices of cooking fuel. The Hope Centre was no exception to this so we began to investigate the option of alternative cooking devices for the home.
In discussion with the Foundation for Sustainable Technologies (FoST) in Kathmandu Solar cooking was initially explored. However this was not considered to be a viable option for the home and briquette cookers were suggested.
The briquette cooker used in the Hope centre runs by burning briquettes made from waste products. The briquettes can be made from a variety of waste materials including clothing paper, rice husks sawdust etc. Briquettes can be made by using your own waste products, purchasing cheap ready mixed waste products or by buying ready made briquettes. The Hope Centre uses a combination of these.
  The new briquette cooker and vent for cooking fumes was installed in October 2008. The result, a cost-effective source of fuel and environmentally friendly way of reducing household and other urban waste.
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Solar LightingThose of you who have visited Nepal will know that many areas do not have electricity, while those that do, such as in the capital Kathmandu, have frequent power cuts due to insufficient generating capacity for the number of people requiring supplies. Although Nepal has plenty of areas which could produce hydro electricity it does not have the finance or resources to harness this power source and electricity remains expensive and unreliable, for many a luxury they can’t afford.
The Hope centre was receiving electricity supplies due to its proximity to the capital Kathmandu however power cuts were frequent and we overcame this buy using an emergency generator generously funded by one of our supporters. More recently however the power cuts became longer and more frequent due to reduced water levels of the few existing hydro electric plants and the increase in demand. As result load shedding was introduced meaning that last year between October and June (the dry season) civilians and business experienced day power cuts of 16 hours per day! The Hope Centre was no exception to this and the children and carers struggled to continue their daily activities, the children as result were getting up at 04.00 am to study prior to school as it would too dark on their return after school to do their homework. This was especially difficult for the two older girls who were trying to revise for their School leaving exams. In addition Tilak (the manager) in the home was only able to use his computer for limited periods. Communication via e mail between New Futures Nepal and the home was more difficult as the nearest internet café is an hour’s walk. Whilst the generator proved it worth the increasing cost and shortage of fuel meant its use had to be rationed.
Whilst the situation eased with the monsoon in June and July it is expected that this situation will continue each year until Nepal is able to generate enough electricity. Even with foreign aid it is thought this may take at least 5-10 years. As a result New Futures Nepal began to look at alternatives and discussed the situation with the manager, solar lighting sources in Kathmandu and a supporter in the UK who had experience of installing solar lighting in developing countries.
  We decided on a system which would provide 120 watts of power, enough to run 12 lights and the computer. To cover the cost we held a specific fundraiser at the Kathmandu restaurant in Bristol. Thank you to all those who supported the event as the home now has an efficient, cost effective reliable and sustainable source of electricity.
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