ASHA is the Nepali word for “HOPE.” When we think about what motivates us to serve,we are drawn to this word, which is the name of my current mission, The Asha Project. To us, hope and opportunity are really at the core of the Rotary’s mission. Providing hope and opportunities to people in Nepal who are less fortunate is what motivates us.
Hope and opportunity brought me to America 45 years ago and I always wanted to do something for those less fortunate people in Nepal. Now, my son has joined me as an E-club member in our district to assist with this project. We will be taking our 3rd humanitarian mission in early February 2017. While there we will also celebrate the Silver Jubilee of our humanitarian work in Nepal.
For over 25 years, Rotary Club of Branchburg and District 7510 has been working to provide hope and opportunities in Nepal through many international grants,scholarship funds, micro-credit loans, training programs,and collaborative partnership projects with many community organizations to create a new network of people.
We formally created The Asha Project in response to the April 2015 earthquake in Nepal. In March 2016, we traveled to Nepal with the goal to rebuild homes. When we visiting a rebuilding project, we spoke with many people in the community and they told us that they were interested in opportunities to work cooperatively with other organizations.
We realized that house building was not enough. For a country that has spent decades dealing with political turmoil and economic instability, we recognized that simply resetting life what it was like prior to the earthquake was only the beginning.
This is why the three pillars of the “ASHA” project are: building homes to help create stronger families, creating $100,000 microcredit loans for a prosperous future and to grow micro-businesses, and providing scholarships for under-represented ethnic groups through our Rays of Hope scholarships for a brighter future.
We are furthering our collaboration by sending eight Rotaract students to volunteer in Nepal during their winter break. We also recently welcomed a student from Nepal to complete his Masters program in Health management as part of the Global scholar program. We are also working on several digital divide computer projects to connect these students with the outside world as part of the Rotary District 3292’s Total Literacy Project.
With our patience and persistence, we have been able to complete many humanitarian projects in Nepal. With greater collaboration and cooperation with many other non-profit organizations we hope to build homes, provide micro credit and scholarships for the people of Nepal. With everyone’s support, hard work and dedication many children in Nepal will have opportunity to be what they wish to become. Let’s spread the message that though Rotary we can provide “HOPE AND OPPORTUNITIES” for millions of people around the world and that’s what Rotary has done through the Rotary Foundation in the past 100 years.
Sebastian’s Story
● Did you meet anyone who intrigued you or left a strong impression on you, and why?
actful moments in my own life.
THIS HOLIDAY SEASON; take a different approach.
This is a campaign to promote the reading culture among children by providing books through an easily accessible library system in Schools in Nepal as well as provide books to students to read. Every school going child will have easy access to read their favorite books- inspiring stories with beautiful illustrations and pictures. Everyone has a dream to read a favorite book in their childhood which helps them to recognize their own strength to do something in life.
But in many parts of the developing countries books are not part of a child’s early experiences. For parents who cannot read or struggle daily to care for their families, books are not a priority. With this project we hope to bring story books and literature to children and to classrooms is something we Rotarians can to improve access to basic education and literacy.
“When you’re a part of Rotary, you’re really making a difference, both locally and internationally,” Dr. Maharjan said. “When you think about all the wonderful things Rotary has accomplished, who wouldn’t want to be part of one of the most successful humanitarian organizations in history?”
“It was fun to be able to do those things together, and it’s nice now because we can bounce ideas off of one another,” Anil Maharjan said. They have already completed three humanitarian missions to Nepal. They are planning their 4th Humanitarian mission in early February 2018.
Father and Son team has been working on the Asha Project in Nepal to provide scholarships, micro credit and home building for the earthquake victims since the major earthquake in 2015.
As members of the College’s Rotaract Club, students are given the opportunity to serve the community and learn about leadership, civic engagement and responsible citizenship. For additional information about Rotaract at RVCC, contact club advisor Nemanja (Nik) Nikitovic, Nemanja.Nikitovic@raritanval.edu.
The Asha Project changes lives. Helping to rebuild homes and delivering school supplies impacts the people of Nepal immediately for the better. The Nepal Earthquake that struck Nepal in May, 2015 killed over nine thousand people, injured more than twenty-two thousand, and left hundreds of thousands of people homeless. Whole villages were leveled. The Asha Project works to help these people still struggling to rebuild. ASHA means “Hope” in Nepali language.
Sebastian is one such person. He recently travelled to Nepal to serve. While there Sebastian helped deliver school supplies. Many children now have a better chance of getting the quality education needed for them to succeed in life. Sebastian sowed the seeds for the future of Nepal. One of the highlights of his trip took place about an hour outside of Pokhara. The children waited hours in the hot sun waiting for over forty bags of school supplies. After waiting for hours the children looked weary. It was almost a test of endurance for them to sit there.
The connections made between Sebastian and the people he helped, in many ways, are more important than the supplies given out or the construction. The overwhelming kindness shown by people like Sujan Regmi, who helped organize the trip in Nepal, made the trip possible. Sujan performed every act with joy, from orchestrating where volunteers would eat to making sure they could attend church services. The warm welcomes made the service no work at all, but acts of love.
As Sebastian put it,“We sat down and began waiting for the bus and occasionally snapped some pictures of the people around us. Two young girls began to fill around 20 empty liters full of water. After a few moments I joined in and began helping them. The one aspect of this act of kindness was that there was no formal thank you’s, no picture taking, no formal ceremony ( which were all good and healthy); just a human helping another human. This moment was why I went on the trip; I have found that on this trip the informal acts of kindness not recognized by all seemed to be the most impactful moments in my own life.”
The Asha Project brings people together to change lives. The help that volunteers give improve the lives of children in Nepal, and it imparts deep connections to those who give their time and energy. Please reach out to the Friends of Nepal – NJ or The Asha Project to see how you can participate. The Asha Project is putting together a English illustrated book entitled “I CAN DO IT” Ma Garna Sakchu” to distribute to Nepalese students to learn English. If you like to support this project, please
The trip was not all work. The people were proud to show him around with excursions for sight seeing. It may not have seemed like work at all. As Ryan said, “I remember giving the students the school supplies and the smile that came to their face really made me happy in the inside.” He took to heart what he learned from Antim Gurug in Parbat, “You could go to a movie and have 3 hours of joy, but helping others is a happiness that will last a lifetime.”
Even though the earthquake happened years ago the city of Kathmandu remains devastated. All the people work hard to put back together their lives and the place where they live. Each person does their part, no matter large or small, and helps. The gratitude for the help and school supplies deeply impressed Ryan. The experience showed him that people can be brought close together, and no matter the extend of tragedy life goes on. There are still reasons for joy.
At Kusma, the adorably chubby Nishu skipped to me and asked ‘Didi, hamilai kina maya garnu vako waha haru le? ‘
The shy kids were watching her play with them with envy from the corner, clutching the school supplies they’d just received tight and I could imagine Nishu’s heroic gossip at school the next day.
Day One: Welcome program to our Guests and attendance at the 9th Rotaract District Conference.
Having the exchange program helped us cultivate more meaningful, life-long relationships unlike hanging out with friends only when they’re in the mood. The endless programs and traveling, waking up early when no one wants to be cheerful, eating dinner together after an exhausting day, and everything in between was in stark contrast to today’s texting among ‘friends’ whose experiences often remain superficial. I thought it helped us become better communicators and more cooperative, assertive, flexible, resilient, patient, grateful, compassionate and forgiving adults and yes, we are Facebook friends! We took many pictures together and it struck me the way our active cameras offered a lens on the value of our culture and the way we live our lives. And yes, it also caused some of us to smile more.
Rotaract Club of Newroad Pokhara.
The Asha Project 