Global Family Village, Inc, Berkeley, United Stateshttp://.www.globalfamilyvillage.org
Target: £34,646.00
Raised so far: £28,351.00
Global Family Village, Inc, Berkeley, United Stateshttp://.www.globalfamilyvillage.org
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This project provides orphans and abandoned children with a family, a home, education, and status in the community. (A family is a trained “mother,” 8-10 siblings and community grandparents.)
Nepal's appalling number of 974,000 orphan and abandoned children are being cared for in the most unfortunate of circumstances. Untrained caregivers, often disenfranchised themselves, are unable to provide adequate care for the children, many of whom develop attachment disorder, become developmentally delayed, physically disabled or mentally compromised. Upon leaving the home, they feel rootless, often lacking the social & organizational skills required to thrive in the outside world.
Children growing up in a family setting are healthier and developmentally more advanced. "Mothers" are trained to encourage the development of self esteem and value in their children. Close community relationships nurture psychosocial development.
Children who have grown up in a family will be able to form healthy bonds and relationships with family, friends and community. Orphans and the caregivers, who are often disenfranchised widows, will enjoy improved social status.
Melisandra Leonardos
Creating family-centered homes in supportive communities!
Namaste Friends and Supporters:
Our family of eight children is thriving and becoming more and more a part of the local community. In February, our partners, the Bungamati Cooperative Society, hired Rajan Maharajan from the community to oversee the activities of the Family Home and interact with the children. He keeps the children company when they have their meals, plays games and does art projects with them. This integration of the home within the community is critical for the social development of the children.
Developing opportunities for income-generating activities to ensure long-term sustainability!
Bungamati is famous for it's wood crafts and is home to many master woodcarvers. GFV is seeking funding to assist the community with the creation of a gallery to showcase the work of these artists. A portion of the income generated from the gallery will go back to the family home, thus ensuring it's sustainability and the long-term success of the children.
We are very proud of Global Family Village-Nepal's innovative approach to creating sustainable positive change in the community, and specifically for orphaned, abandoned and children in need.
March 13th is a bonus day! This means Global Giving will match your donations at 30% up to $1000 per donor! There is $50,000 available in matching funds and matching will last until funds run out. Matching will begin at 6:00 am PST!
We greatly appreciate your continued partnership and friendship, and thank you for your support!
Photographs taken by Karen Ande: 1) Child in ECD program 2) Family with Executive Director Freema Davis 3) Rajan Maharajan with family member 4) Master woodcarver at work
Freema Davis
Global Family Village celebrates the year-end with Gratitude and Giving-back!
A Wonderful First Year!
Namaste friends and supporters:
The end of our very first year as a community-supported family is drawing near. We are so very proud and wish to thank all of you who have helped make this a reality. In one year we have transformed an institutional-style child facility into a Family of nine with a supportive community! The Early Childhood program, now in its 2nd year, is thriving! Parent and community participation is growing!
During the year we concluded a comprehensive survey that is helping us determine the greatest needs in the community, and develop the overall curriculum for the income-generating activities such as the Homestay Tourism Project, and most recently, the Organic Kitchen Garden Project. The success of these community initiatives will help the local families support the Family House and ECD and ultimately make them self-sufficient.
We are very proud of Global Family Village-Nepal's innovative approach to creating sustainable positive change in the community, and specifically for orphaned, abandoned and children in need.
Photos1&2: There are now 47 children in the preschool program; Photos 3&4:Subidhya (top, center) is hardly recognizable as the same girl who joined the Family just a few months ago. Here she is with her friends from the community at the school picnic, and then performing a dance for the rest of the school community. Photos 5&6: Children from the Bungamati Family House are enjoying their turn at a traditional Nepalese Dal Bhat dinner, in honor of the Dashain Festival, hosted by the Shanti Niketan Ashram, a cooperative where village elders meet, worship and celebrate. The local elders are an important link for the children who have been orphaned or abandoned. The building is next door to the local school. The "Grandparent" component of the Global Family Village program will be fully implemented in the coming year.
Global Family Village Giving Tree!
Nepal is predominantly Hindu and Buddhist but everyone celebrates and starts a new year on January 1st! Global Family Village-Nepal will celebrate the new year by reaching out to the surrounding community with gifts of fuel so that each family has sufficient gas for cooking and warmth during the cold winter months. (It costs approximately Rs 1,500 per cylinder of fuel for cooking and heating, USD $18, that could last for a few months.)
Global Family Village-Nepal will have its own Giving Tree that will be decorated with a tag each and every time a donation has been received and a corresponding gift has been made for the community support.
The children and mother of the House will package, decorate, and disburse the gifts, and they will be the greater beneficiaries as they experience the pure joy and satisfaction of being part of a community and helping others in need.
We greatly appreciate your continued partnership and friendship, and thank you for your support!
A very happy holiday and new year, from our Family to yours!
Freema Davis
Meet our new children!
Bungamati Family House welcome six orphaned children to their House.
The Global Family Village model of care for orphaned and abandoned children is well underway! Recent additions to the first family were brought in once the GFV supporting programs of community development and early childhood education were well developed and strong. Of the eight children (one more child is on his way) now living in the Bungamati Family House 7 of them are orphans and 1 child is supported by a mother and father from the community who cannot take care of him on a daily basis. The selection of children represents our belief in the importance of community values and integration. All of the children will grow up together, not as orphans, but as a family in the Bungamati Family House with a strong sense of family and community support.
The Central Child Welfare Board of Nepal brought a young girl and her younger brother to us. Their father died and their mother, unable to cope as an impoverished widow, committed suicide. They, and all the other children (and the Mother) will have ongoing psycho-social counseling so that they can heal from their trauma and begin to form healthy bonds of attachment. It is our commitment that the children feel nourished and loved.
Early Childhood program is thriving!
The early childhood program is not only thriving, it is also becoming more supported locally, both financially and with volunteering parent participation. This is an important step towards this program's success and sustainability.
Working in partnership with the community!
Global Family Village-Nepal conducted a family survey in the Bungamati area, in July. Our goal is to better learn the strengths and needs of the overall community, and individuals within it. We sought information regarding their knowledge, perception and habits on the following topics: Issues around family and women's rights; early childhood development and education; child rights; orphans and widows; and nutrition and health. The information collected from the survey will allow GFV to enhance community development and economy with relevant education, workshops and income generating programs. It will also foster community participation in the early childhood development education and family programs. This participation is critical to meet our goal of sustainability.
The community needs our support now and for the next couple of years, while they take full ownership of the program and the program becomes sustainable. Then the model will be successful and complete; the children will be truly well-integrated family and community members. At that point the program can be replicated in other villages in Nepal where there are orphaned, abandoned or needy children living in an institution without the advantages of a family or community.
Please continue your support and follow our progress at our website (www.globalfamilyvillage.org), front page, bottom under Project Update.
Namaste from the Boards of GFV and GFV-N in Nepal
Freema Davis
We are very proud of this achievement which recognizes our innovative approaches to implementing the community-based Bungamati Family House and Early Childhood Program, and THEN improving the local economy and empowering the community so that it can support and sustain the project!
Introducing the "Bungamati Home Stay Project"
Global Family Village-Nepal and its community partner, the Bungamati Cooperative Society recently launched the HOME STAY PROJECT in partnership with the Nepal Tourism Board. The HOME STAY PROJECT is designed to bring tourism to the Bungamati area and to offer tourists an opportunity to stay overnight with a village family.
On 12 May 2012, 50 participants from the community, including politicians, local organizations, district representatives, teachers and members of the Cooperative, came together for an orientation program. Representatives from 14 families (mostly women) then signed on for a 7-day training session on hospitality and home stay, which covered such topics as providing Nepali authentic cuisine, house keeping, sanitation, health security, communication, and comfort for western tourists.
How it works.....
GFV-Nepal and the Cooperative will:
For these services GFV-Nepal and the Cooperative will receive a 10 % commission towards sustaining our project in Bungamati!
We greatly appreciate your support and generosity. Please continue to remember us. Even small donations can make a big difference in the program, and ultimately for the disenfranchised children in Nepal! GlobalGiving donations will be matched on June 13th in honor of Father's Day!
Thank you so very much!
Namaste, Freema Davis and the GFV Board of Directors
Freema Davis
Namaste GFV Friends!
Thanks to all of you, the Global Family Village pilot is on its way!
We helped our partner orphanage to de-institutionalize their hostel – creating a family with their existing children within their facility, and encouraging strong community ties, so all the children will now be able to grow up with a family, within a community.
• To support the Bungamati village and encourage integration, there are continuous community activities, and a popular early childhood program with about 40 community children. (See photo)
• The little family is growing; there are now 6 siblings with a Mother, and plans for adding more children as the family is ready. By design, not all the children in the family are full orphans; some of them are half-orphans (1 parent, which is often worse for a child in Nepal) or community children being supported by the community or families. It is believed that the combination of orphaned, half-orphaned and community children will be the most advantageous for the orphaned children, in terms of being accepted and becoming an integral part of the community as they grow up…. The first orphan child to join the existing group, Rakesh is doing extremely well. He is delighted to be part of a “family” and loves his brothers and sisters, who dote on him (See photo).
Elders from the community will soon become “grandparents” and everyone will have psychological counseling as they learn to live as an extended family that supports one another.
• Now, critical to the ultimate success and sustainability of the program is continued involvement and participation of the community. To this end Global Family Village is helping to support workshops and income-generating activities that will be beneficial to the whole community as well as the Bungamati Family community, so that the project can remain funded, supported and sustainable. Currently, there are 3 programs being introduced– 1.) Producing and selling bio-briquettes* (see photos), 2.) Tourism promotion and a village home-stay program, and 3.) Nutrition education and organic gardening.
It is the community that has identified the need and viability of the income-generating activities. A small percentage of all profits are designated for the support of the orphaned and needy children. This will help make the program financially self-sustaining.
This community education and empowerment is by far the most important phase of the program.
The community needs our support now and for the next couple of years, while they take full ownership of the program and the program becomes sustainable. Then the model will be successful and complete; the children will be truly well-integrated family and community members. At that point the program can be replicated in other villages in Nepal where there are orphaned, abandoned or needy children living in an institution without the advantages of a family or community.
Please continue your support and follow our progress at our website (www.globalfamilyvillage.org), front page, bottom under Project Update.
Thank you again. Namaste.
*With the rising price of gas per cylinder and kerosene, livelihood is becoming a daily struggle for most urban people…..Firewood, which makes negative impacts on users and environment and is an unsustainable energy source, is mostly used as domestic fuel in rural areas. Briquette production shows a potential market for locally produced alternative source of energy for heating and cooking……Beehive briquette, produced from any kind of agro-forest waste is one of the widely used briquettes in Nepal.
Freema Davis
Namaste GFV Friends!
A heartfelt Thank You for your continuing interest and support!
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear friend and Board Chair, Barbara E. Cook, on October 24, 2011. Memorials around the world have been praising this incredible woman who had devoted herself so generously for those less fortunate, especially woman and children in developing countries. Barbara’s presence brightened any room she was in! She was a whirling ray of sunshine, always smiling and upbeat, while also being so extremely hard-working, dedicated and committed to all her projects, Her spirit will live on in all of us who were so affected by her generosity and love.
On a brighter note we are so pleased to announce that our project in Bungamati is doing very well, despite the setback caused by the collapse of a section of the nursery school. The preschool classes will take place at the Bungamati House until the school building is repaired. See photo: 2) Inspecting preschool damage
It has been about a month and the first family is settling in to their new routine. The family of 4 children and 2 mothers be growing very soon. There are a few orphaned children who have recently been referred, including 8-year old Rakesh whose mother died and father does not take care of him. The new Mother, Tirthamaya was illiterate and is enjoying her literacy education, with the other children in the kindergarten! (see photo: 'Mother' Tirthamaya is also a preschool student!) She will also be trained and counseled as a caregiver Mother over the course of the year. Sukumaya, who had previously supervised the children at the hostel will be staying on to assist the new mother and ease the transition for the children. See photos: 4) Getting ready for school, 5) Picking vegetables for dinner and 6) 'Mother' Sukumaya helping Pawan with his homework
Please follow our progress at our website (www.globalfamilyvillage.org), front page under Project Update.
We wish you all a healthy, happy holiday season! We hope you will keep us in mind when you start your holiday gift giving!
Namaste.
Freema Davis
Namaste GFV Friends!
A heartfelt Thank You for your continuing interest and support!
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear friend and Board Chair, Barbara E. Cook, on October 24, 2011. Memorials around the world have been praising this incredible woman who had devoted herself so generously for those less fortunate, especially woman and children in developing countries. Barbara’s presence brightened any room she was in! She was a whirling ray of sunshine, always smiling and upbeat, while also being so extremely hard-working, dedicated and committed to all her projects, Her spirit will live on in all of us who were so affected by her generosity and love.
On a brighter note we are so pleased to announce that our project in Bungamati is doing very well, despite the setback caused by the collapse of a section of the nursery school. The preschool classes will take place at the Bungamati House until the school building is repaired. See photo: 2) Inspecting preschool damage
Fortunately there is still plenty of room for them because we have only our first family (4 children and 2 caregiver ‘Mothers’ living there.
It has been about a month and the first family is settling in to their new routine. The family of 4 children and 2 mothers be growing very soon. There are a few orphaned children who have recently been referred, including 8-year old Rakesh whose mother died and father does not take care of him. The new Mother, Tirthamaya was illiterate and is enjoying her literacy education, with the other children in the kindergarten! (see photo: 'Mother' Tirthamaya is also a preschool student!) She will also be trained and counseled as a caregiver Mother over the course of the year. Sukumaya, who had previously supervised the children at the hostel will be staying on to assist the new mother and ease the transition for the children. See photos: 4) Getting ready for school, 5) Picking vegetables for dinner and 6) 'Mother' Sukumaya helping Pawan with his homework
Please follow our progress at our website (www.globalfamilyvillage.org), front page under Project Update.
We wish you all a healthy, happy holiday season! We hope you will keep us in mind when you start your holiday gift giving!
Namaste.
Freema Davis
JUST IN! Bungamati School Collapse!
A section of the Tri Ratna (Bungamati Cooperative) school building collapsed last Tuesday, the 27th at approximately 6 am, perhaps due to the heavy monsoon rains and the recent earthquake. Fortunately it was before class and there were no injuries. The 2nd floor library was severely affected, as were the kindergarten rooms below. As soon as the Dashain holidays are over, the kindergarten children will be shifted back to the Bungamati House and remain there until there is a safe structure in place.
The unofficial damage report is estimated at approximately $ 6,200, not including labor. Global Family Village would like to assist repair the building. If you would like to help us rebuild the school rooms please keep in mind that GlobalGiving will be matching all donations, for 1 day only, October 19th! Starting at 12:01 am EDT. (There will be more photos and further information on the school repair in the upcoming Update Newsletter, due October 15th.)
GFV- FALL 2011 UPDATE
Thank you all for your participation and support of Global Family Village in Nepal. Because of you, we have been able to make very exciting progress with our project! The Bungamati House is now being run by the community cooperative and Global Family Village-Nepal are on-site advisors.
We are proud to introduce the new family that is moving into the Bungamati House! In keeping with the GFV model, the family consists of children who were living in the existing hostel or orphanage; some are full or half orphans, and others may have parents but need assistance with Boarding and/or school. They will be joined soon by 2 more young children, about 4 years old, who have been identified as orphans and are in need of a nurturing family situation. The big difference for the "hostel" children is that now the children will live as a “family” with a Mother. The former supervsor of the hostel, Sukumaya Lama will move with the children. She will be joined by Ms. Tirtha Maya Maharjan, a widow who will eventually be the new Mother. She had previously been employed as a construction laborer, carrying bricks on her back all day. She is now too old for that type of manual labor. Global Family Village will be training her for a minimum of 1 yearin literacy and in being a “Mother" for traumatized children. The children and the Mother are encouraged to see themselves as an integral part of the family group, as well as the community.
The 6 children who were living in the hostel (pictured above, from left front) –Binita, 18 years old, grade 10, from Sindhupalchowk, Nepal. Binita has parents but they are very poor, don’t live together and can’t take care of her. Pawan, 5 years old, kindergarden, is being supported by his parents who live in Chitwan. Reshma, 3 years old, lower kindergarden, from Kathmandu. Her father cannot work due to physical problems. Her mother has a tailoring shop in the Kathmandu. From Left Back: Pasang, 16 years old, grade 9. Pasang is a full orphan. She lost both parents at a young age. Rohan, 15 years old, grade 10, from Salyan, Nepal. Prakash, 15 years old, from Sindhupalchowk, Nepal. Prakash’s father had left the family and is believed to have died. Mother left Prakash alone and married someone else.
Early Childhood Development (ECD) Program
Our ECD program continues to do very well. There is a constant flow of volunteers. This is a great help for the teachers and a wonderful cultural experience for the volunteers. We are always happy to find positions for people who are interested in coming to Nepal and experiencing our program first-hand. Please feel free to contact us at globalfamilyvillage@gmail.org.
TREK NEPAL 2011
GFV Vice-chair, Anda Bruinsma is leading an exciting mountain Trek in Nepal, to benefit GFV beginning Oct 12th, preceded by a visit to Global Family Village's project site in Bungamati. You can follow the progress of the amazing fundraising effort and the trek on the Trek Blog.
Freema Davis
Thank you again to everyone who has participated in supporting Global Family Village (GFV) through GlobalGiving.
As you know, our mission is to help disenfranchised children reach their full potential through family-centered, community based homes– thriving and becoming productive members of their society. To accomplish this mission we must create and prove our sustainable community-based model. We are very pleased to report great progress has been made these past few months.
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS
We are proud to announce a most significant event towards reaching our goal of a sustainable community program. On June 3rd, Global Family Village-Nepal signed a partnership agreement with the Cooperative Society of Bungamati (CSB), Bungamati Village, Nepal. This is the threshold culmination of all our efforts since moving to Bungamati over a year ago.
The agreement acknowledges that the Global Family Village model and Early Childhood Development (ECD) program are a community-based activity to be “owned” and run by the cooperative, with assistance and support from GFV for 5-7 years or until fully sustainable.
EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT (ECD) PROGRAM
Our ECD program is filled to capacity with 38 children, ranging from 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 years old. We have three teachers, 3 helpers and 3-5 on-going volunteers. We are continuing to demonstrate the importance of learning-by-doing and creative skill development rather than the rigorous rote learning long accepted in the local community. Teachers, volunteers and ECD experts continue to meet regularly for training and planning sessions. (Photos 1-6)
It is projected that by early July 2011 the ECD Program will have moved into classrooms within the Tri-Ratna School complex, right next door to the Bungamati Family House. (Photos 7&8) All teachers, helpers, students, furniture and supplies will leave Bungamati House. It will be more convenient to have all the education components together. Over the next few weeks the necessary renovation to prepare the space will be completed.
Parent Community Meeting
Even though it was planting season, over 20 parents responded to our call for a community/parent meeting. Since previously reticent parents expressed satisfaction with our "learning-by-doing" (verses rote) instruction methods, we used this opportunity to introduce the concept and significance of parent participation. Many parents are illiterate and had no understanding of their importance nor how they could be involved. Together, we talked about helping by telling stories, listening to children, overseeing activities, making snacks, cleaning after class, and involving school talk at home – thereby feeling program ownership and pride. They were so proud to take a picture for this Update. (Photo 9)
THE BUNGAMATI FAMILY HOUSE
Our original lodging plans are back in place again. Now that the ECD program will be moved to the school building facility, there will be sufficient room in the house for 3 families. (The Bungamati Cooperative Society decided to use their existing hostel/orphanage to house 16 students who had been rescued from child labor in the carpet industry. CSB receives an income from the rescuing agency that will be used in part to help support our families in the House.)
The search now begins to identify the first family "caregiver" while simultaneously identifying the children to become part of the first family.
Thanks so much for your support of the children of Nepal, and the implementation of our model concept that can potentially help many children in many countries. Right now we are seeking funding for 2 Caregiver’s salaries ($145 will provide one month's salary for a caregiver "mother" including all benefits). We are also seeking funds to support renovation for the preschool classrooms and play area.
GlobalGiving’s second Bonus Day of the year is coming up! On June 15th, GlobalGiving.org will be matching all donations at 30% up to $1,000 per donor per project while funds last.
Please visit us, on the website (www.globalfamilyvillage.org) or in Nepal!
Namaste!
Freema Davis
Namaste!
I would like to thank everyone who supported Global Family Village (GFV) through the GlobalGiving Challenge. It has been a very exciting few months for us. The Early Childhood Development (ECD) Program began on January 1st. And now, because of your generosity we are able to begin implementing the Family phase of the GFV model – establishing 2 “families” of orphaned, abandoned and disenfranchised children, in the community.
Early Childhood Development (ECD) Program Inauguration!
A major component of our community partnership program is an early childhood program, open to all. An Early Childhood Committee of Bungamati community members, early childhood experts and representatives from GFV-Nepal organized orientation and workshops for new teachers, young mothers and the community-at-large. There were also workshops for use and make learning “toys” from local materials.
The first group of eighteen 3-year-old children will soon be joined by the next group of children in April.
New Partnership and the “First Family”
Global Family Village is in partnership with the Bungamati Cooperative Society and the Bungamati Village community to transform an existing hostel/orphanage into a GFV family-centered, community-based model of care for orphaned, abandoned and disenfranchised children. Implementation is scheduled to begin in April.
Please continue your support of these families and donate to help fund 2 disenfranchised women to be Mothers. $145 provides1 month’s salary for a trained caregiver “mother”, including all benefits.
We welcome your active participation as well. Please feel free to contact us, in the US or Nepal. www.globalfamilyvillage.org
Thank you all!