Vision

The Nepal Green Tara Foundation  will support the development of the Sundara Devi Primary School, Tame, Nuwarkot, Nepal. 2010- 2011

Objectives

• To fund the building of a classroom block and multi-purpose centre at Sundara Devi School for the current students.
• To fund the building of extra facilities to allow the school to expand to students up to Year 8.
• To provide additional teaching resources for the Sundara Devi School which will include library books, textbooks, technology and other equipment.
• To develop a brother/sister school relationship with a school in Sydney so as to provide ongoing support for the students.

Why a school in Tame?

Nepal is one of the world’s poorest countries and has insufficient economic resources to invest in the education needs of its children. Tame is a rural area, a 3 ½ hour drive from Kathmandu. It is lush, and the people grow enough food to be self sufficient but live in poverty. The area is suitable for growing crops on a larger scale and is becoming a centre for coffee growing which will lead to increasing employment opportunities.

Education is both a human right and a route out of poverty. It is a great investment. Education enables people to participate actively in their societies, increases access to employment and opens up opportunities.

Sundara Devi School

The school’s Headmaster, Mr Rajan Pathak, two teachers and four assistants (untrained) are paid by the Government. No other funding is provided by the Government.

The school currently has an enrolment of 161 children in Early Childhood through to Year 5. They have tiny classrooms built from local stones with bare floors and no lining on the walls. The tin roof has holes through which the monsoon rain pours in. There is no glass in the windows.

The children’s desks are narrow tables; they have few writing materials and no textbooks. The Headmaster keeps one copy of a very limited number of teaching texts in his office for the teachers to access as a teaching aid.

The school doesn’t have a library, and the only technology is the Headmaster’s personal lap top computer.

The playground is dirt and does not have a single piece of play equipment. The school has no sporting equipment, no art materials and the only piece of musical equipment is a very old hand organ.

When the students graduate from Year 5 the nearest school for them to attend is over an hour’s walk away and few continue with their education. The Headmaster has a vision of extending the school to Year 8. To complete their high school education students would then apply for scholarships to board at a Government school in Kathmandu.

Fundraising

The trustees will seek donations and hold fundraising events to support the school.

Why the name ‘Green Tara’?

Tara is considered to be the Buddhist goddess of universal compassion who represents virtuous and enlightened compassion. Tara manifests in several colours. Green Tara is the goddess of action.

She is usually depicted in the position of ease with her right leg extended, signifying her readiness to spring into action. Her left leg is folded in the contemplative position on a lotus pedestal symbolising the integration of wisdom and art. Her left hand, in the gesture of granting refuge, holds the stem of a blue water lily.

Devotees believe she can grant wishes, eliminate suffering of all kinds and bring happiness. This is a very appropriate name for the trust.

Local contacts

Tashi Tenzing, Mountaineer and Marketing Director of Tenzing Asian Holidays and his wife Nima are based in Kathmandu. (Tashi Tenzing is the grandson of Tenzing Norgay, who with Sir Edmund Hillary, was to first summit of Mt Everest).

Tashi and Nima own land in the vicinity of Sundara Devi Primary School and have architectural and engineering plans prepared to develop the school but cannot proceed without additional funding which the Green Tara Trust will provide.

The Green Tara is associated with protection, healing and compassion. She is considered to be a loving goddess.

Tibetan Buddhists believe that life is a journey across the Ocean of Samsara, and The Green Tara is there to help them in their crossing. The Green Tara brings courage to see things in new ways and move in new directions.