If you have been reading my last post “Giving a future to Amit” you already know what the story is about. Many women here in Nepal when they are abandoned by their husbands are going through a very difficult time especially if they have children. This is the story of Kalpana and her son Amit which I have been writing about last week and it is the story of Sangita and her three children Rohan, Roju and Roshan too.

When I was organizing the school for Amit a Nepali friend of mine brought a woman to me with her three children. This is when I saw Sangita for the first time. Her story is very similar to Kalpana’s as her husband left her and her children about two years ago. Also she knows where he is he refuses to help her and take care of his children as now he is married to another woman. Unfortunately the Nepali Government and laws are no help at all in those cases even when the whereabouts of the father are known.

Sangita can hardly maintain herself and the children with her construction job. Ten hours a day at least she is carrying stones for the builders in a basket that weighs easily a 40 kilos only wearing some worn out flip flops on her feet. A bone breaking job and on top she has to look after her children which are with her on the construction site because she has nobody who could look after them.

When I heard her story I contacted my friend Anish from VolNepal and asked him if he can help me to help Sangita and the children. Without a doubt he joined me on this project and was able to help me with some useful tips in order to get all the three children to go to school. I arranged another meeting with the school where just a few days before I brought little Amit to. As I still had some donation money left I could sponsor another year in school for one of the children. A second scholarship my friend Anish made possible through his organization VolNepal with which he does a really wonderful work in Nepal. And after some talking and convincing the principal of the school agreed to give one scholarship for free so all the three kids are able to go to school.

I am really happy that we have achieved such a great goal. In less then a week we have been able to get four children into school. Helping them and their mothers, giving them the hope that some day they will have the chance of a life in better conditions as they are in at the moment. Thanks to the donations of some of you and thanks to the help of VolNepal. I really would like to encourage you to have a look at their website or follow their actions by liking their Facebook page as I think they are doing a amazing work helping children, women and all those who are less privileged. If you ever would like to do some volunteer work in Nepal and maybe combine this with exploring this beautiful country as well, I only can recommend to you to contact them. You’ll not only be in good hands but without a doubt you’ll have a unforgettable experience that really will broaden your horizon.

Namaste

Like their story there are hundreds, maybe thousands in Nepal. Kalpana is only 23 years old and already has a almost hopeless future. Three years ago her husband abandoned her and her then only 3 years old son Amit. More often than not those women and their children are ostracized by their community and family when this happens. This is why many women disappear or commit suicide when their husbands die or abandon them as without a husband they have very little chances of a dignified life. Without the possibility for a well paid work they are left to their own faith. This is also true for Kalpana and Amit. While she is lucky to have found a family running a small hotel in Pokhara giving her a little job in their establishment, the money she earns there is hardly enough to buy food and cloth for her and her little boy. To pay a proper education and thus the prospect of a better future for Amit is out of her reach.

I found out about Kalpana and Amit by accident. A Nepali friend told me about them and so I decided to make the six hours journey by bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara Read the rest of this entry »

With every step I take I can feel the air gradually getting thinner. I do walk slowly but I’m breathing as if I am running up that steep snaky slope in front of me. The lack of oxygen is really becoming an issue above 3000 meters. Approximately 14 days takes the shortest route to Mt. Everest Base Camp from the airport at Lukla at 2800 meters. A rescue helicopter needs about 30 minutes for the same distance if weather permits. 14 days of strenuous 5 to 7 hours walks, rice with lentils and ginger tea, frozen toilettes but as well some of the most stunning views on this planet. This is the roof of the world and I am surrounded by rocky, icy giants standing over 7000 meters tall.

Balancing over narrow tracks caravans of Yaks and porters carrying deliveries into the remote mountain villages are my daily travel companions. Everything has to be transported by animals or humans. Many of the bags and boxes I spot on the backs of the porters have written “Everest Expedition 2012″ on them. The climbing season to the worlds highest summit starts in April Read the rest of this entry »

The last weekend I had been invited to assist a typical Hindu wedding. Those weddings last for three days and are really fun. At least this is true for the guest as the couple to be married has to assist al kind of ritual ceremonies throughout the day. All this while the men are dancing to the music of a wedding band, guests eating in the for the occasion erected tent and chatting to the other members of the family. There where about 300 guest attending and I was really happy to meet two fellow photographers taking pictures of the ceremony. Even they could not speak English very good they where able to put me in the right locations at the right time as there is so many things going on and it’s hard to guess where there is the good spot to take some pictures. The wedding itself is an intense explosion of colours, sounds and smells. The women are dressed up in beautiful colourful traditional cloth with loads of jewelry. The whole day they burn incense sticks and fires for the couple while priests say prayers in their sing sang language.

In the Lonely Planet Guide book they advise you not to take the local buses to cover long distances when traveling in Nepal. But what you gonna do if you are traveling with a family of ten Nepalis? Well, take your chances and after my experience with the local public transport I can confirm that the guide book is right. I don’t get easily afraid, but a bus ride in a completely overladed, trashed vehicle over a bumpy dirt track they do call highway with oncoming traffic at full speed along the edge of a cliff is not for a weak heart. Anyway I did survive the ride and the trip was well worth it in the end. We went to Hatauda about 100 km south of Kathmandu which took us a bit more than five hours. There we arrived in the evening at Mariyas sister’s house. Entering there I already could smell the lamb meet they where cooking. I am not a big fan of lamb and my excitement even got more deadened as they told me that it was a lamb’s head they were cooking especially for me. No chance to say no though without offending the hosts. Did I wanted to experience the authentic Nepal? There it was… The house had only one room so after the dinner we all sat around the bed until falling asleep.

Read the rest of this entry »