Previous projects in the area of development aid

•  During our visit to the Srijansil children's home (Family for Creative Children) in Kathmandu, the directors showed us the outdated toilet facilities. We promised them our support if they would send us a cost estimate. We soon received pictures of the renovation work, and now the children are delighted with their new, colorful toilet facilities.
• At the Agricultural College at the Shree Prabhat Secondary School in Dhawa, we continue to support three destitute female students from remote mountain regions through the principal Giri Lamichchane.
• Thanks to our support, the Darshana School in Kathmandu is now the proud owner of a Math Lab, where the children can learn mathematics in a fun and engaging way. The school is now well equipped in the areas of mathematics, science and IT.
• During our assignment at the Glee Academy in Dhangadhi, Pabita and Ramji Hamal invited us on a day trip to the south-westernmost tip of Nepal. We had already worked at their Stepping Stone English Secondary School three times, and the two innovative head teachers had also visited a number of schools during a visit to Switzerland five years ago. On our trip through the poor countryside along the border, they showed us two community schools and allowed us to have discussions with the head teachers. Seeing the poor facilities in the classrooms, we offered our financial support to purchase furniture suitable for pupils. Ramji organized the production of the school desks, and both principals took the opportunity to personally collect the finished furniture from Dhangadhi on tractors.
• Of course, we also supported our friend Rishi at the Tibet Guest House this year, who is using our financial contribution to help girls attend school in his home village of Dangsing in the mountainous region of Nuwakot.

• As Darshana School's computer lab only had two broken laptops and the computer teacher, Bipin, could only teach from theory, we helped to buy 22 refurbished laptops. Since then, Darshana School has quickly become a "virtual exchange centre" for several other schools.
• The 10 microscopes, various display boards and some instruments for the science lab also make the science lessons contemporary and attractive.
• The 12 students of Darshana School, who are looked after at Srijansil Home, are now also provided with warm winter clothes and through our friend Giri we are enabling some girls from Dangsing village school in Nuwakot to attend classes regularly.
• We have also supported Surendra from Sunrise School in Lalitpur to re-furnish his classrooms.

• With our support, Giri has added an additional medical ward to the medical post in Dhawa so that patients can also be hospitalized in the village on short notice; the road to Ghorka is not always open and not without danger. 
• For some children in the mountain region of Trisuli, we financed further school attendance.
• We enabled the Community Based Rehabilitation Centre in Biratnagar CBRB to rebuild its infrastructure. Some examination rooms were flooded during a severe storm. Now children with prostheses can be treated and educated there again.
• We also supported Surendra from the Sunrise School in Lalitpur once again so that he can rebuild his classrooms.

• Unfortunately, we had to end our cooperation with the Norbuling Children's Home. A Swiss foundation with prior engagements there opposed our "interference"; a pity for the beautiful project!
• Our friend Giri has set up a medical post in Dhawa because of the Corona crisis with our support. There, Covid vaccinations are administered and small wounds can be treated.
• In the Trisuli area, the villagers renewed the water supply to the village;  many locals had lost their jobs due to the pandemic with no salary but plenty of time at hand. Through our friend Rishi, we supported this project financially.

• HORAC orphanage in Kathmandu: Since the government has not (yet) built the promised access road to the site of the new building and therefore the necessary retaining wall cannot be erected, we are suspending our support for this project at the moment. Tej Bikram Shahi, the director of the children's home, is confident that his "Dreamhouse" project can be realized soon. Let's hope! He has promised to keep us informed about the latest developments.
• Agricultural College in Dhawa: The school buildings co-financed by Learn to Learn look impressive, but are no longer able to cope with the onslaught of students. We want to help Giri Lamichchane to build new classrooms as soon as possible. In addition, Giri would be very pleased to receive professional support from volunteers from Switzerland. Who knows suitable young agricultural engineers who might be interested in doing an internship or development aid in Nepal?
• Sunrise English Boarding School in Baisepathi: This spring, the headmaster Surendra Maharjan had to learn that the neighbour wanted to build a new road along the school and that three adjoining classrooms had to be dismantled. Regional planning and legal security are foreign words in Nepal! Now Giri is planning the reconstruction of the three lost rooms and we have promised him our support.
• Norbuling Children's Home in Kathmandu: This is our latest project. We heard about this very seriously run home from friends and we visited it before our return from our 22nd outreach just before Christmas. The impression was very positive and we are convinced that our commitment here will bear rich fruit.  The focus of our support is above all a solar plant on the roof of the impressive house, in order to be independent of the government's uncertain power supply. The responsible director of the home wants to send us a corresponding cost estimate in the near future.

• Giri Lamichhane, the headmaster of the Shree Prabhat Secondary School in Dhawa visits us again in the Tibet Guest House and reports about the first steps of the new training modules in the agricultural sector. The first lecturers are obliged to procure equipment and the specialist library is opened. Now we need agricultural machinery, greenhouses and teaching materials. With a camera and a contribution for future purchases, we support this important project.
• During a visit to the HORAC orphanage of Tej Bikram Shahi we are surprised and impressed by the cheerfulness and satisfaction of the 38 children, the cleanliness and order in all rooms and the uncomplicated cohesion within the group. After an informative conversation with the young director of the home, we are happy to give him our support so that he can acquire the reserved land for an enlarged home before the land prices increase even further.
• Surendra Maharjan, headmaster of the Sunrise English Boarding School in Bhaisepati, Lalitpur, visits us in Dhulikhel and brings impressive pictures of the new installations: Pavilion for lunch for the little ones or for cultural demonstrations, computer place, etc. We will visit the school if possible during our next mission in spring 2019.

• While visiting the Sunrise English Boarding School in Bhaisepati, Lalitpur, we are pleased to see how cleverly the headmaster Surendra uses our funds: The inner courtyard now looks very neat and tidy, and the playground has also been leveled out. The fresh water supply, the scientific laboratory and the library look impressive. Surendra is justifiably proud of what it has achieved.
• In our spare time at Tibet Guest House, Giri Kamichhane, the headmaster of Dhawa, visits us and raves about the possibility to build up a college for the education of agronomy bachelors at his school. For this, he needs machines, tools, planters and a fishpond. We want to support him in his efforts to improve agriculture in Ghorka District.
• On one Sunday, at the suggestion of Ramji Hamal, the headmaster of Stepping Stone, we visit the small Kalika Basic School in the south of the province, which suffered heavily from the flooding six months ago. Now the fields are dry again, but the damage to the buildings is still visible. The school authorities are therefore grateful for financial support in reopening the school, and the children are happy about the T-shirts we brought with us. [report]

• From the publishing house Stäheli in Biberbrugg, we can again pick up a trunk full of new books: English, biology, chemistry, geography. We bring a suitcase full of books - together with three other laptops - to Nepal and distribute everything to "our" schools.
• Another tranche of toys from Biberist comes with us.
• Shortly before departure for our 18th assignment, the headmaster Sunil of Uttargaya Public English Secondary School UPESS in Nuwakot tells us, that the promised roof of the hostel was not yet built. That is why we do not invest the donation of "Kriens hilft Menschen in Not" and the money collected by Carina and Deborah for the infrastructure but for the reconstruction of the roof. It takes a lot of patience, however, until we finally get the redeeming picture with the concrete roof. Now the cover has to dry out before they can start the completion of the interior.

• Family Staudenmann, the bakers from Biberist, started a collection of playing material, children's books and clothes in Halten, which DHL again transported for us - together with ten microscopes - to Kathmandu and helped us to get everything out of the customs. Thank you all!
• We are still waiting for the first pictures from the beginning of the roofing of the UPESS hostel, which Sunil, the principal of UPESS had promised us for the beginning of this year.
• Carina and Deborah, "our" two students, have started a collection of funds for the same purpose: A new hostel for the UPESS kids.
• To Surendra, the principal of Sunrise English Boarding Secondary School in Baisepati, Lalitpur, we handed over a considerable sum from the pre-Christmas Bazar at the School in Beinwil am See. It will be used for the construction of a drinking water dwell, a science lab, a library, etc.

• Thanks to a new donation, Learn to Learn could finance the plastering of the new school rooms of Chetana Kindergarten as well as the weather-proof tin roof.
• Some new playing material will allow a more child-centric teaching.
• As "our Civil Engineer" Paul checked and approved the progress of the reconstruction of the Hostel for the Uttargaya School, Principal Sunil receives the next portion of te whole budget; Paul pushed the workers to accelerate their working speed.

• DHL delivers about 450 kg of teaching/ learning material and toys, which we had collected in the name of Learn to Learn, to Kathmandu.
  [report]
• For the first time after the devastating earthquake in spring 2015 we visit our projects in Trisuli, Nuwakot: Shree Chattana Primary School and Kindergarten and Uttagaya Public English Secondary School.
  [report "Trisuli 2015"] [report "Reconstruction of Chettana Kindergarten"]
• Visit at the Victor Hugo Manjushree Vidyapith in Chapali to introduce and demonstrate the new "Octopus" microscope
  [report]

• "Shortly before our departure in January 2015 we had the opportunity to empty a whole shelf of English textbooks at the Staeheli Publishing company in Ziegelbrücke because they were not sellable anymore. In addition, the Kantonsschule Seetal donated six discharged multimedia projectors, some old video and digital cameras and two MP3 players. Some of the material we already brought to Nepal, but much more is still waiting in our basement to be transported to Nepal. Anyway: Many thanks go to Ziegelbrücke and Baldegg!
• For the "Home of New Hopes" (Nawa Asha Griha, NAG) of the Swiss Nicole Thakuri-Wick (www.nagnepal.org) we brought a new projector (the old one is often used for teaching) and three English dictionaries.
• To the principal Giri Lamicchane of the Shree Prabhat Public School in Dhawa we handed over a bag full of English textbooks. In this school in the Ghorka district we worked four years ago. Giri visits us every time we are in Nepal and reports about the changes in his school.
• The "Stupa Community Hospital" close to the Boudhanat Stupa got a digital camera and a video camera. They both will be used in the future for documentation and instruction.

• "Memorandum of Understanding" for financing 70 windows in the upper floor of Stepping Stone English School in Dhangadhi
• Delivery of a binocular microscope from the Kantonsschule Alpenquai, Lucerne, for the science lab, as well as teaching- and studying- material for the pre-school classes of the same school
• Writing material, 2 kg of colored pencils and a ball for the Victor Hugo Manjushree Vidyapith School in Chapali
• Postcard project: Students of the Victor Hugo school designed more than 500 postcards. They will be rewarded by a Swiss company with the completion of their school building (Science lab and two classrooms) and a picnic outing.

• [report]

• [report]

Dhawa, Shree Prabhat Public School:

• During the short visit to Pokhara, we handed over a binocular microscope to the principal, sponsored by "Kantonsschule Alpenquai". Thereafter, we prepared a big box with toys for the Kindergarten in Dhawa.

• Uttargaya Public English Secondary School [report]

• Uttargaya Public English Secondary School [report]

Gajuri (Dhading District)

• Shree Samitar Primary School, Kumpur-3 [report]

• Working in this large school in the province of Chitwan was not easy: the strict hierarchical structure of the organisation, the disinterest of the school management in our work, the illness of the headmaster and the blurred distinction between supervision and teaching led to many misunderstandings and frustrations. The two coordinators of the pre-school and classes 1 to 10 tried to implement our suggestions within their limited competences. However, some teachers were unwilling or unable to make meaningful changes to their teaching.

Glee Academy School, Dhangadhi

• At this outreach in the far west of Nepal, we were able to implement an amazing amount of our ideas in a short time because the headmistress knew us and our way of working from before: She was an English teacher at Stepping Stone School, where we had worked twice. Not only did things change very quickly in the classroom, but the large playground was cleared of rubbish every day by the pupils, and the drinking water soon stopped flowing uncontrollably across the playground.
• The next mission is already planned to monitor and improve the implementation. We were also able to accompany and support the cooperation between the Darshana School in Kathmandu and the Glee Academy (Zoom meetings on organizational and methodological issues, teacher and student exchanges, etc.)
  [report]

• At this school, we first wanted to see how many of our online ideas were actually implemented. Our hopes were modest based on our experience with the remote assignment a year ago. However, the initial skepticism on both sides soon gave way to a trusting cooperation during the personal contact with the school management and the teachers. Especially in the preschool department, very positive changes quickly became apparent: Planning for a new building for the preschool, a new collection room, English classes for the teachers, etc.
  However, a major problem at Darshana School was the lack of infrastructure: The computer lab had two broken laptops, and the science lab had virtually no visual materials (models, posters, etc.). Therefore, the two teachers mostly taught their subjects theoretically.
• After receiving financial support from our L2L Foundation, 22 "upgraded" laptops and a projector were installed in the computer lab from one day to the next, and the science teacher proudly showed the new microscopes and some models and posters to his students. Suddenly, the students showed an amazing interest in both subjects, and the computer teacher in particular literally blossomed: Chat groups, a (for now digital) school newspaper, exchange programs with other schools, etc. were the direct result of the new possibilities.
• In addition to countless classroom visits and some methodological-didactic workshops, we also offered consultations to the school management and the school board, which had a positive impact on the school's daily life. This positive trend was also confirmed during our short visit in the spring of 2023. We look forward to working with this school again in 2024.
  [report]

Vidhya Sagar English Secondary School, Banepa

• During our third visit to this school, we found that the kindergarten was still being taught according to traditional patterns because the headmaster was unwilling to replace the veteran teachers. Especially the lack of English skills and the unwillingness to change make it difficult to provide modern education at the preschool level. At least we were able to get free play time. In the elementary school, on the other hand, there are some young teachers who have responded very positively to our suggestions and have implemented our ideas.
• At the high school, although the headmaster had played down the changes in the preliminary discussions with us, he was very quick to implement some changes based on our negative observations, such as classroom visits by the headmasters. Meanwhile, the changes seem to have had a positive effect on teaching and the atmosphere at the school.
  [report]

• As we could not carry out the planned assignment at Darshana School in Kathmandu last year due to Covid, we tried to communicate our ideas via internet in seminars taking place from June to August 2021:
  Besides some WhatsApp meetings with the school management, we offered 6 presentations on different didactic topics and with ideas for teaching mathematics and science. Besides that, we provided teachers with helpful documents to break up the distance learning and visited about 40 classes online. 
• We would like to check whether the interventions were successful in person as soon as possible.

Bhanu Memorial School, Biratnagar

• Our third online course was held with Bhanu Memorial School in Biratnagar, where we had already worked in November 2019. Thanks to the strong commitment of the two deputies of the school management, the timely commissioning of the transmission facility through two cell phones placed in the classroom soon worked. Through 35 online classroom visits with written feedback and three workshops, we tried to refresh what we had taught (and what was partly forgotten) during our visit two years ago. In the lower classes, this was not too successful. The principal was unfortunately in Kathmandu most of the time because of an upcoming family wedding; he left the whole responsibility with his deputies which was detrimental to the motivation of the teaching staff.

• From October 5, 2020 to February 8, 2021, we were teaching online courses at the Vidhya Sagar English Secondary School in Banepa. We had already been working with this school in February/ March 2019. After three online discussions with the school management, we offered ideas to the teachers from different subjects and levels to enrich their lessons. In between, we visited about 25 remote and in person lessons and provided detailed written feedback afterwards. The teachers appreciated our help and the headmaster promised to encourage and monitor the implementation of the ideas. However, we would like to check the result of our efforts on site as soon as possible.

• Our 23rd Swisscontact mission took us once again to Biratnagar, in the very south of the country on the Indian border. But this time we visited the Bhanu Memorial English Boarding School. Mahendra Sitaula, the headmaster of the school, and his wife Sharada supported us actively in our work, so that soon the first successes in teaching could be seen. The teachers soon put some of our suggestions into practice and students confirmed again and again that the lessons had become more varied, exciting and instructive. On two Saturdays off, Mahendra and Sharada spoiled us with two interesting excursions into the surroundings of Biratnagar. This is one of the reasons why we will probably remember this trip as one of the most successful ones.  [report]

Himjyoti EBS

• In the second part of our 23rd Swisscontact assignment we worked at the Himjyoti English Boarding School in Damak, one and a half hours' drive from Biratnagar. This time our work was more difficult from the beginning: The director was still teaching at another school, the teachers of the preschool had difficulties with English, and the infrastructure of the school was quite poor. Everyone involved assured us again and again how much they appreciated our work, but the implementation was very difficult. We are therefore not sure whether our efforts have brought much. But the director wants to implement as many of our recommendations as possible as soon as possible. [report]

• The first impression of the follow-up assignment at the Vidhya Sagar English Secondary School soon shows that not all of our proposals from November 2017 were implemented. Primary and secondary school teachers are busy writing lesson plans. However, there are still big differences regarding the implementation in the classroom. Nothing has changed at all in preschool: English, as well as writing and "mathematics", are still being taught at an early age in order to satisfy parents' expectations and to set themselves apart from their competitors. Before the desired next assignment at this school something needs to change urgently! The short-term switch to 80-minute lessons, on the other hand, seems to be worthwhile. The new tasks for the Subject Coordinators in the area of quality assurance are also a positive aspect for the future.
  [report]

• Three years ago, shortly after the earthquake, an expert from Swisscontact was already working at this school. We, therefore, expect a well organized school with a sensible infrastructure. But the consequences of the earthquake are still too visible: rooms filled with junk and no computer room for the pupils; a much too small, dark teachers' room and no material room; dust and boxes with unknown contents everywhere; no visual aids or toys for the youngest! Through regular workshops, we show interested teachers the most important methodological findings. Some of them immediately try to implement what they have learned, but others have difficulty with the proposed changes. Especially the headmaster Udaya Bhushan hardly responds to our suggestions. Also from our predecessor, he hardly seems to have learned anything. The happy children compensate us for our unsuccessful attempts to prepare this school for a successful future. [report]

• The impressive infrastructure - the school buildings were rebuilt in a new location after the 2015 earthquake - initially deceived us about the quality of teaching. Soon, however, we noticed that despite the three interactive blackboards, almost all classrooms were taught in the typical Nepalese way. We were able to convince the headmaster Hira Sharma of this very quickly, and he immediately took up the proposed changes. Soon we saw everywhere prepared lessons with more student activity. After two weeks we got support from Lea Hitz of the PHGR. [report]

Stepping Stone English Secondary School, Dhangadhi

• After an incredibly dusty drive in a suspensionless Landrover, a stopover in Butwal and a short visit to Lumbini we reached Dhangadhi on the second evening. Lea Hitz got a real impression of rural Nepal. The reception at school the next day was again very warm, but the impressions in the class were sobering. The many surveillance cameras in the classrooms coincided with the dissatisfaction of many teachers. The changes in teaching since our last visit were limited. Individual teachers, however, had implemented our suggestions well. In any case, the students were grateful for the changes.

• Gautam English Secondary School 18.1 February 2017 Gautam
• In our third assignment at this big school, we cannot do much for a week, because the whole school is preparing for a sports day.
• Then we visit the classes and conduct two workshops on different topics every day.
• Also specific instructions and three workshops for the school management demand a lot of energy from us and from the participants.
• Family Lama offers two exciting weekend excursions to the countryside and the Chitwan National Park.

• Uttargaya Public English Secondary School UPESS [report]

Biratnagar

• Bal Kalyan Vidya Mandir BKVM [report]

• Uttargaya Public English Secondary School UPESS [report] Unfortunately, we had to cancel this assignment after 10 days, due to medical reasons (persistent hiccup).

Biratnagar

• Bal Kalyan Vidya Mandir BKVM
  As the hiccups did not stop we had to postpone this assignment to the coming autumn.

• Visit of three schools on behalf of SARA Foundation Nepal
  http://www.sarafoundationnepal.com
  - Children Park Higher Secondary Boarding School
  - New Kibou Boarding School
  - Advance Academy [report]

Stepping Stone English School [report]

• Himalaya International Model Higher Secondary School HIMS (www.himsschool.com)   [report]

• Victor Hugo Manjushree Vidyapith  [report]

• Stepping Stone English School  [report]

• Victor Hugo Manjushree Vidyapith  [report]

• Himanchal Boarding School [report]

• Golden Gate College [report]
• Pathshala Nepal School und Touch Wood Kindergarten [report]
• New Summit School [report]

• Baylor International Academy [report]

• Shree Prabhat Public School on behalf of "Learning Planet" [reports 1 and 2]

Kathmandu

• Fluorescent Higher Secondary School [report]
• Southwestern State College
• Kinder Care International Pre-School [report]
• Learn to Learn Nepal (Teacher training workshops)

Tansen (Palpa District)

• Palpa PABSON (Private and Boarding School Of Nepal) [report]

Besishahar (Lamjung District)

• Lamjung PABSON [report]

Dhading (Dhading District)

• Dhading PABSON [report]

• Kangaroo Kids Kindergarten [report]
• KidsCare International Pre-School [report]
• Sunrise Secondary English School [report]

• BKVM Secondary School [pictorial report]
• Gautam Secondary School [pictorial report]

• BKVM Secondary School [pictorial report]

• DAV School [pictorial report]
• Gautam Secondary School [pictorial report]

• Kinder Castle Kindergarten  [report]
• DAV School  [pictorial report]

• Presidency College [pictorial report]
• Gautam Secondary School [pictorial report]
• Alpine School [pictorial report]