Chepang girls: beyond 5th grade

 

For Chepang girls from the southern hill areas of Nepal, school

was over after fifth grade. Yes, it's a 7-hour roundtrip walk down the

mountain to secondary school, but they could handle that. The real

issue was the money. After elementary school in Nepal, an education

comes at a cost that is beyond the reach of their farming families:

$200 per girl per year. The consequences for these girls can be early

marriage (sometimes as young as 12), a destiny of field work

or day labor, or even being trafficked to nearby India. Along

with their poverty, the Chepang are the one of the lowest members of

one of Nepal's lowest castes, the Janjati.

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  $200 provides a year's scholarship, $200 a year's worth of lunches

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NCP met these girls for the first time in the spring of 2022, and

felt a need to help. Through special fundraising, we were able

to send the five graduating girls from that year's 5th grade

class on to secondary school. Eleven girls graduated the next

year, and more this past year. Of course this is not a one-year

commitment for each girl, but a promise to keep them in

school through 10th grade, which is far as secondary school

goes in Nepal. We also want to offer six months of vocational

training beyond this.

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Currently, there are 27 girls needing assistance. $200 covers

school fees for a year - another $200 provides a daily lunch for them. 

(We heard on our 2025 Learning Tour that they can't afford lunch

@ .75, so were going from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. - and walking 7 hours

roundtrip - on a breakfast of rice, salt and chilies.)

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Supporting these girls is over and above the on-going

commitments of our Give a Girl a Chance program in Nepal and

elsewhere, so we are inviting people or groups to lend a

hand - anything from one-time gifts in any amount to pledges

to support a girl for all five and a half years. (There is a monthly

contribution option on the donation page linked above.) One girl's

expenses for tuition and lunch comes to $33 per month. Checks can also be

sent to NCP at 117 Nature Road, Blue Ridge, VA 24064. 

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Message from one of the girls to NCP:

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Dear David Sir and everyone at New Community Project,

Greetings from Nepal! I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to express my

heartfelt gratitude for your incredibly generous support towards my education. Your support

means more to me than words can express.

   Thanks to your kindness and belief in the power of education, I now have the opportunity

to pursue my dreams and work towards a brighter future. Your contribution not only

eases the financial burden but also serves as a source of inspiration and motivation for

me to excel in my studies.

   With your support, I am able to focus wholeheartedly on my education, knowing that

there are people who believe in me and my potential. 

   I pledge to make the most of this opportunity and strive for excellence in everything

I do. One day, I hope to pay forward your kindness by supporting others in their

educational journey, just as you have supported me.

   Once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your unwavering support

and belief in me. Your generosity has made a profound impact on my life, and I will

always cherish your kindness.

 

With sincere appreciation,

Sneha Praja 

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