Strong Individually – Stronger Together
Gati , Dec 20, 2023
In Nepal, a variety of projects are flourishing in the mountain village of Gati. A group of young people from Freiberg who are involved with the student company Namasté Nepal S-GmbH have returned from a trip to Nepal very impressed: "Our stay there changed us and showed us what really counts in life." Read here what these young people experienced in Nepal.
The WACKER Relief Fund has supported the people of Nepal since the severe earthquakes in 2015. It has facilitated building projects and now it is used for the upkeep of schools. To do so, it cooperates with the Namasté Nepal S-GmbH, a student-run company at Freiberg’s Geschwister-Scholl High School in Germany. A group of young people, along with project coordinator Steffen Judersleben, travelled to Nepal this fall at their own expense. There they took a look at the quality of the Montessori teaching model, in which young, motivated pre-school and primary-school teachers use child-friendly learning materials in kindergartens and pre-school classes.
"We are very pleased with the progress made in our project villages. All schools now have internet access," reports project coordinator Steffen Judersleben. "Teachers can use this access to modern media and a wide range of materials to make lessons more colorful and individual." The focus of investments in 2024 will continue to be on school materials and high-quality teaching. To achieve this, further training for teachers is just as important as stable internet access.
The support of the WACKER Relief Fund is not only a cornerstone of the reconstruction of project schools and kindergartens, but also in financing their ongoing maintenance. Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Mirko Kappelhoff, stresses: “We can only finance the ongoing costs of our school projects with the help of our cent-donation program. “Thank you to everyone who has helped pave the way to a brighter future for these children through education.”
"Nepal changed us and showed us what really matters."
The dream of visiting the people in Nepal whose village has been rebuilt thanks to many years of dedication came true for a group of young people from the Geschwister-Scholl-Gymnasium in Freiberg in the fall of 2023. After a long flight followed by a hike, they reached Gati - a village which is now flourishing thanks to the dedicated efforts by the student company Namasté Nepal S-GmbH.
Below is the moving travel report written by the school students who were on the trip with Steffen Judersleben:
"We’re excited to share with you our experiences and encounters with the warm and helpful people of Nepal. We’ll introduce you to our partner villages, to our friends, to a world of colorful alleyways, lively city districts, caring people, dreamlike landscapes, to a culture characterized by dance, music, cheer and rich hues, to a country that could not be more diverse.
After many hours of traveling, it was only a short time after our arrival in Kathmandu that we realized that life here is completely different - culturally, socially, economically - simply everything is fundamentally different from Germany. Religion plays a major role in Nepal - the temples with their stupas and colorful prayer flags dominate the landscape. The spires on these buildings point high into the sky - to Nirvana.
On our journey to Gati, we spent four hours on an adventurous bus ride followed by an hour-long trail climbing up to the village. Halfway along the route, we began to hear music: half the village was on its way to welcome us. The villagers - both young and old - accompanied us with their good humor and friendly manner along the way. The village musicians also performed for us - despite the rain and the numerous leeches, it was an unparalleled and indescribable moment. We were greeted by the entire village with warm smiles. There was singing and dancing; we were showered with affectionate words, hugs, colorful flowers and the traditional festive decorations of tikkas and katas. Our host families gave us a cordial welcome, introduced us to the family members, and showed us the house and rooms which were to be our sleeping quarters for the next five nights.
We quickly settled into village life. A varied daily schedule awaited us in the days that followed. First of all, we visited a partner school where an enormous welcoming ceremony with a colorful program of dance, music and speeches awaited us. In the days that followed, we took part in classes and organized a lesson ourselves. Communicating with pupils of our age was particularly important to us. In a discussion with the teaching staff and the principal, the focus was on improving lesson design and introducing new learning methods.
We were very impressed by our visit to the kindergarten in Gati. The head of the kindergarten and three young caregivers share the salary for one position. The break rooms are brightly decorated with flowers and butterflies made out of colored paper. We also gained better insight into the implementation of the Montessori educational approach. The children learn their first English words from the age of three and a half, and put them into practice through music, dance and small games. Seeing this successful approach with our own eyes was something special and confirmed to us that the methods pursued here were the right ones. We also experienced the success of the English lessons in the village during meetings with the women's group and the Gati Youth Club.
Insights into life in Gati
Chickens and dogs run around all over the village. The streets teem with life - even in the early morning. The children play soccer, cricket and make their way to school. Dogs enjoy the sunshine while foraging. Adults are eagerly engaged in conversation, while mothers braid their children's hair or prepare food.
It is awesome how versatile and committed the team from the youth club is to the various activities in the village, and how they pour their hearts into the diverse range of projects. The young people concern themselves, among other things, with blood drives, medical supplies, with supporting the coffee project, creating new paths and organizing canyon adventures for tourists and locals.
Our time in our partner village Gati affected us very much on an emotional level. We sang, danced and laughed a lot, and got to know a diverse culture and kind-hearted people. The inhabitants of Gati captivated and enchanted us. Our time there was over far too quickly, and it was hard to say goodbye. Of course, we stay in touch - good friendships can withstand long distances. #
In Gati and the other project villages, we were able to see with our own eyes what can be achieved by our work from Germany, and how important the commitment to better education in Nepal is.
The country and its people have more than impressed us, they have won over our hearts. The Nepalis have shown us that, despite the different culture and way of life, we have a lot in common and there’s even more that can connect us. Less is more - another thing we learned in Nepal.
It doesn't take much to lead a happy life. The trip has made us more open to everything that is not dependent on money or prestige. We have lived, enjoyed and absorbed every single moment.
Nepal has changed us and shown us what really matters: every individual is strong, but only together can we achieve our full potential.”
Through the WACKER Relief Fund cent donation program , employees ensure the ongoing operation of the schools supported by the fund. With small amounts, every employee in Germany can contribute to ensuring that the fund is able to offer its partners long-term support.
How does that work? Employees agree to have their monthly salary rounded down to the nearest euro. The difference in cents is then donated to WACKER Relief Fund.
If you’d like to help, please donate to the following WACKER Relief Fund account with Bayerische Landesbank München:
IBAN DE59 7005 0000 0003 3333 33
BIC BYLADEMMXXX
Please state your name and address on the payment transfer form (in Germany, your WACKER ID number is enough). The Relief Fund issues donation receipts to employees residing in Germany, as the donations are tax-deductible there. WACKER’s relief fund thanks everyone for their support.
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