Let's Build our Dream
Our Plans Revealed
So how best to build out our dreams? Our present thoughts / ideas are revealed. These ideas will undoubtedly change as we learn more and respond to the desires of the area residents. Nevertheless, it is good to have a plan in place and to remind ourselves to be flexible as we move forward.
Phase 1: Continuation of existing projects and programs
Youth & Adult Education
Ten Friends will continue to sponsor education for youth in the area. Ten Friends has sponsored more than 60 children living in the area allowing them to attend school and after school programs. We have also provided books, school supplies, shoes, and uniforms to our sponsored children.
In addition, Ten Friends has provided vocational training for young women allowing them to become seamstresses. We will continue our efforts to support their new income generating occupation.
Education is an on-going project budgeted each year by Ten Friends and will be continued.
Water and Sanitation
Ten Friends will work towards ensuring that ample safe drinking water remains available and that the two new wells will continue to operate. In addition efforts will be made to reduce or eliminate the contamination of human fecal matter in local water supplies.
Health Care
Ten Friends will continue to sponsor health clinics for area residents. These will include both medical and dental clinics with medical staff brought in from Kathmandu. In addition, needed medical supplies will be provided.
This is an on-going project budgeted each year by Ten Friends and will be continued.
Opportunities for Advanced Education
In order to "elevate" children from the village, we will work towards supporting the advanced education of children who have excelled in school and who have expressed their desire of advancing their education. Efforts will be directed at developing an education sponsorship program. Through this program sponsored children's education will be paid for allowing them to attend school in other areas within Nepal -- such as The Himalayan Education Center, another program sponsored by Ten Friends. Sponsored children may even receive scholarships for attending school at the University level.
The hope is that some of the students will return to the village and apply their skills and knowledge in helping others -- some even becoming teachers and being employed in the local school.
Phase 2 - Proof of Concept "Pilot Project"
Conduct of a Proof of Project "Pilot Project"
There are several questions to be answered regarding the project and we want to assure that we are approaching the project cautiously. One way of doing so is by conducting a proof of concept "pilot project". The pilot project envisions purchasing a small parcel of land, placing the land into agricultural production and providing housing for five families.
Phase 3: Purchase of Land Details
Determination of how much land is needed?
Excellent question! We have yet to run the math to determine how many acres will be required for 60 plus families who will be part of the new village. Analysis will be required to estimate the areas needed for agriculture purposes, housing, community facilities, open space and other land uses. The estimate will need to conform to Nepal customs and practices and not to US based standards.
Finding Suitable Property
A key part of the project will be to find appropriate property or multiple properties on which to build the new village. Factors to consider will be it's geographic location including factors such as access to the government run school, access to the river for irrigation and access to area roads. Suitability of the soil for the raising of crops will also be a key factor.
Property Ownership
Ten Friends will not be an owner of the property. The land will need to be purchased by and owned by a Nepal based entity or individual. As one of the options, we will be looking to partner with a Nepal based NGO for arranging for the property's ownership.
One import factor will be to assure that the land is "permanently" owned and that it cannot be sold off thereby assuring that community members will not be forced off the land.
Negotiating the purchase
The actual purchase process is still somewhat of an unknown to Ten Friends. We will need to research the purchase and registration process. In addition, we will need to research the annual municipal house and property taxes requirements. We should learn a lot about the processes required through the conduct of our "pilot project".
We envision purchasing the property outright and do not want to rely on loans or a mortgage that requires annual payments. A strategy for paying property taxes and other annual fees will also need to be developed. We envision that our funding strategy will include a reserve fund for assuring our ability to pay required annual amounts and not to have us scrambled each year to raise required funds.
Phase 4: Farming the land
Built from the Ground Up
The project's moto is "Built from the Ground Up". And we say this because we feel that placing the land into agricultural purposes is the best first step. Essentially we will be allowing area residents to grow crops on the property and to consume or sell the food harvested from their efforts. Once the villagers are providing the nutritional needs of their families, they should have time for other pursuits such as vocational training and adult literacy. And when they aren’t operating in starvation mode, they can keep their children in school and out of the fields.
We anticipate many will shift their efforts from farming on land owned by private property and from the almost slave like practices they have struggled with for generations. Now they will have direct control over their efforts. How fast this transition will occur, frankly we do not know. What issues this might cause -- also an unknown. What we do know is that we will offer the hard working area farmers a new opportunity.
What crops will be grown?
Another good question. We will be reaching out to area farmers to hear first hand what crops have historically grown best in the region and which the local villagers would like to cultivate. Historically the land has been able to support growing a wide range of crops including rice, lentils tomatoes, fruit, spinach and other crops.
We would also like to involve Nepal based agricultural experts to provide advice / suggestions on what will be the best crops to grow. With global warming unfortunately impacting this area, current crop practices may need to change. In addition, there may be opportunities to introduce eco-agricultural practices to the area.
Will there be opportunities to "jump start" the agricultural process? Perhaps yes if we can purchase seeds and simple farming implements to expedite farming within the village.
Supply of irrigation water
Area farms presently rely on irrigation water that is sourced from the XXXX River. There is ample water in the rainy season which extends from XXXXX to XXXX. Water is transported to area farms from gravity runs canals that have been constructed within the region. From what we presently know, the water is provided at no cost to land owners and the river is simply tapped to provide the water. This practice will need to be confirmed as the availability water for irrigation is clearly a critical part of the project.
The project will need to budget for constructing the irrigation network. Costs at this time remain an unknown.
Phase 5: Drinking Water and Sanitation
Safe Drinking Water and Improved Sanitation
The dream also includes having ample safe drinking water available. Wells drilled on the property will ensure that water is available and is no longer a challenge to obtain.
As part of the dream -- and it's very basic -- is that sanitary facilities to deal with human waste will be available for use by community members. While we take this for granted, this is presently only available on a limited basis.
The sanitation program seeks to ensure clean water by reducing or eliminating the contamination of human fecal matter in local water supplies. A majority of the costs and materials are to be provided by Ten Friends. Roofs, walls, and doors, however, are expected to be provided by the participating community members. This fosters a sense of ownership and accomplishment in the community members.
Phase 6: Housing
A Secure and Safe Place to Live
The dream in later years involves the construction of housing for community members. Housing will provide the opportunity to not only farm on the land, but to live on it as well.
Regarding the construction of the structures, the anticipated model is for Ten Friends to pay for the materials needed for the homes and for the families to provide the manpower / sweat equity to construct the home -- based on the Habitat for Humanity model.
Phase 7: Village Amenities
Features that will make the Village a true community
Future improvements will be constructed to allow the village to function as a community with local villagers involved in activities that support each other.
A New Community Center
Imagine a new community center that provides a place for work, after school education, a safe place for storing and dispensing health care supplies, a place to house a library, an area for conducting health clinics, and a common area for group meals and events.
A Place to Work
Within the Community Center we envision space for a workshop where seamstresses can manufacture products for use by area residents and for sale to others in Nepal and elsewhere. Already we have provided vocational training to young women and they have begun to produce garments and other textile products.
Opportunities for After School Education
Children in the region have begun to attend government school. Ten Friends has sponsored over 60 students and for the first time, they are attending school. Uniforms, schools fees, school supplies have been provided and this is making a difference in the lives of the children from the region. But is this enough? The answer is no and we can enhance their education through after school programs that will provide the kids with vocational training to develop marketable skills for future employment.
Adult Vocational Training
Young women in the area have typically been responsible for raising crops - often 14 to 16 hours a day. Ten Friends has had success in providing women with training and they now have new occupations and opportunities for earning income. We will be making efforts to extend training into other areas where they can have new occupations.,
Access to Health Supplies & Medical Care
The Tilahi area is notorious for historically having no health care provisions. Ten Friends has made inroads in this area having conducted medical and dental clinics and in providing health care supplies. A tooth brush anyone? Prior to our involvement, a tooth brush was never seen. Now dental supplies are available on a limited basis. We envision the community center to include space to make health supplies available and space for the conduct of periodic medical and dental clinics.
A Local Lending Library
Ten Friends has installed lending libraries in more than 35 locations throughout Nepal. Ten Friends provides the books, the local village provides the space and book cases. We envision the addition of a new library in the Village's Community Center.
A place to hold festivals and events
The community center will provide a place in which to celebrate holidays and festivals. A place to hold weddings and other celebrations and to share food with other community members.