National 3 (Spotlight Weekly)

Help From Overseas

Foreign-based Nepalese share the pain of their compatriots

By SANJAYA DHAKAL

Even a small idea can turn into a successful one if there is enough perseverance and honesty. When Britain-based Nepalese began to explore ways to help their poor compatriots living in rural Nepal, they came upon the idea of raising regular funds from among themselves.

In 1999, at the initiative of Rabindra Mishra, London-based Nepalese journalist, they decided to collect small amounts regularly from among themselves and distribute it to help in the socio-economic development of rural Nepal. It led to the setting up of Help Nepal Network.

Mishra, who believed that the Nepalese living abroad could also help and participate in the development of their motherland, promoted the concept of collecting one pound one month from every like-minded individuals.

Though it may seem a tiny project, the collective efforts have started to pay off. The network now straddles different countries including Britain, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Belarus, Austria, Belgium, Finland, Thailand and Nepal.

Recently, the network provided monetary assistance for the construction of building of Kamala Primary school in Simpani Subedi VDC of Lamjung district and for the Hepatitis 'B' vaccination of students of Gram Shiksha Mandir, high school of Kappan VDC of Kathmandu district.

The network provided Rs.200,000 for the construction of the Kamala school building and Rs.67,500 for the vaccination. It also provided 100 pairs of clothes for the victims of Myanglung fire. "Though the amount provided is small, it is the symbol of emotional support from the Nepalese living overseas," said Arun Singh Basnet, chairman of the network's Nepal chapter.

The network, which was established with the motto of "Nepalese for Nepalese", has already helped in the construction of several school buildings in under-developed districts like Dolpa, Pyuthan, Dang and Parbat. It has also helped in the conduction of health camps and providing medicinal assistance to needy people. Till now, the network has already provided assistance worth more than two million rupees for several projects.

The network targets its assistance to the grass-root sector so that the help can directly impact on the livelihood of poor people.

STUDENT POLITICS
Show of Strength

Students' organizations are girding for next month's elections

By BINITA PANDEY

Student organizations hoping to maintain their supremacy over institutions of higher education have been forced to wait a little longer, as Tribhuvan University rescheduled the union elections for April 23. The polls, which are held every two years at TU colleges, were originally set for February 26.

There are 64 government colleges and 222-affiliated college under TU. Although the primary duty of the unions is to raise issues of student welfare and to promote quality education, they end up working for the political parties they are affiliated to.

Student leaders do not think that is a bad idea. "Involvement of students in politics is necessary. If there are no student organizations, democracy will die," said vice-president of Nepal Student's Union Mahendra Sharma.

Agrees Ram Kumar Basnet, vice-president of All Nepal National Free Students Union: "Politics is the backbone of the country. Educated people should not be kept far from politics. Students are the future of country, tomorrow's politics is in the hand of today's students."

Student leaders accuse the TU of rescheduling the polls without consulting them. The elections affect the academic calendar of TU, raising questions over whether they will be held at all.

In the last elections, Nepal Student Union (NSU), affiliated to the Nepali Congress, won 82 percent of the campuses. Because of the split in the party, NSU is divided into two groups.

There is a lone government campus where students do not have a union. Shanker Dev Campus had not had a union for the last two years, but students do not want to see it as a role model.

Since all political parties have their own student wings, they want to show their strength through campus elections, especially when national and local polls still remain out of sight.

(Pandey, a student of journalism at R.R. Campus, is an intern with SPOTLIGHT)