Our good friends at Kodao have put together this piece on the devastation caused by Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan.
The Philippines will always hold a special place in all of here in Meaningful Volunteer. Please give in any way you can.
Update on School for Andy in Nepal
The School for Andy in Nepal is making great progress thanks to the wonderful efforts of Hema Gurang and Heather Evans.
The walls are finished and the roof will be added in the coming days.
It is only a matter of weeks before the school will be up and going.
Remembering Andy Manley Three Years on
Three years ago today Andy Manley died in a tragic house explosion and the world lost a beautiful soul.
Andy legacy has continued on with the construction of two schools around the world.
School for Andy I was built in the small rural village of Buyaya in Uganda. The school in home to a preschool, a training center for women looking to learn sewing, and a base for malaria net distribution.
School for Andy II is currently under construction in Nepal. It will provide preschool education, computer training, and a center to help stop the exploitation of young Nepalese children in the sex trade.
Andy may be gone, but he is not forgotten and continues to have a profound impact on the world.
Construction Update on School for Andy II
Construction of the second School for Andy is progressing well.
This week, the construction crew is erecting the pillars. Thanks to the advice of some visiting engineers, cement was set below the base of the pillars to ensure that moisture doesn't rust their iron rod infrastructure.
The Story of Hope the Dog
Jess, one of our Meaningful Volunteers, was on her first day in Nepal, and she was exiting a cafe together with Heather Evans, when a very injured dog was crossing a busy street and about to get hit by a number of crazy cars. Jess yelled at the cars to stop and called the dog over. The dog was in horrible condition, with gaping wounds exposing flesh across her entire body and a mangled back leg.
Both Jess and Heather were horrified.
A few hours later we finally got the dog, who Jess named Hope, into an animal hospital, thanks to our district manager Hema and an incredibly loving taxi driver. The open wounds were likely from scalding hot water someone threw on her to scare her away, and her fractured leg was likely hit by an automobile. She will be staying at the vet's house and undergoing surgery in the coming days. Then we will have to find a home for her in the village where we're staying.
Update: Hope is recovering well from her surgery. It's only been less than a week, but she's already walking around and trying to get that damn cone off her head. And her burn wounds are almost fully healed.
Next task is to find her a loving home in Rithepani.
Stone Laying Ceremony for School for Andy II
On the 13th of September, the community of Rithepani held a beautiful and touching Hindu-based ceremony to commemorate the beginning of the construction of our Nepal School for Andy.
The village's Buddhist monk chose the exact time for the laying of the first stone, which was 9:20 a.m.
Early in the morning, the amazing women from WSDO came to clear the land. Then we started at 8:30 a.m. with a memorial for Andy Manley, followed by the stone-setting ceremony at the site.
It was an incredibly memorable event, and we are grateful once again for the generosity and compassion of the Rithepani community. And eternally grateful as always to the family of Andy Manley for making this all possible.
You can view all the photos from the event below..
Construction Begins on School for Andy II
Construction has begun!
The construction crew, led by local contractor Yam Gurung, brought in heavy machinery to dig up holes for the septic tank and the pillars. Off to a great start.
Help Raise Funds for Solar Power and Computers
Have you been looking for a way to support Meaningful Volunteer Nepal from afar?
Here's your chance!
We are running a one-month fundraising campaign to raise money for a solar-powered computer lab in our women's center. And for those who contribute, there are some amazing products donated by our partner organization, Women's Skills Development Organization. So check out our Indiegogo page, and please share widely!
Meaningful Volunteer's Second Solar Power School is Underway
Heather Evans, Meaningful Volunteer's program coordinator, recently arrived in Nepal to begin construction of a solar powered school.
This will be Meaningful Volunteer's second solar powered school following the success of the school in Uganda.
Hema Gurung, Meaningful Volunteer's district manager in Nepal, will be the project coordinator.
The school is dedicated to Andy Manley who died tragically in a house explosion in 2010.
You can follow to the progress of the school by checking out our fan page on Facebook.
2 Sep 2013
Volunteers arrive in Nepal
David Evans from Minesota and Russel Vargo from Texas recently arrived in Nepal to help with the construction of a solar powered school.
Both David and Russel will be posting their experiences on a blog. Keep on eye on this site to follow their progress! You can also check out our fan page on Facebook.