AKRITI KADUWAL
Age: 7 (2016)
School: Geetanjali Higher Secondary, Kathmandu
Class: xxx
Grade: xxx
General: xxx
Interests: “Walking and exploring with my Daddy.”
BACKGROUND
Aakriti’s father was badly burnt when serving in the Armed Police, and received no assistance from the authorities. His mother and father took a loan to pay for skin-graft treatment in India. On his return he secured a job as a driver for tourists. He was beginning to regain a control of life when the earthquake hit. Their small farm house was totally destroyed, and his two parents are living in a Bergans tent, while he rents a room in Kathmandu, to continue working. He has helped countless people, and asks for nothing in return.
His hope: To keep his daughter in Geetanjali School.
GAGAN GURUNG
Age: 6 (2016)
School: Realm International, Kalankisthan, Kathmandu
Class: xxxxx
Grades: 85.4% is average across 8 subjects.
General: Grade A
Interests: Data and data! Electronic games, and driving my sister Jasmine mad.
2014/15
Gagan attended boarding school with Jasmin, but when it was destroyed he missed a lot of school days. He does everything a boy should and should not do - and does it with style! He is too young to attend Malpi School with his sister, and being alone in a new boarding school was felt to be too traumatic. Therefore Beni sponsored her brother’s daughter, Kuchi, to accompany Gagan, a win-win for all concerned.
Boarding school, twice a month home visits, he hates to return to school, but once there he settles down.
PARBATI TAMANG
Age: 13 (2016)
School: Navajeevan Secondary Boarding, Kathmandu.
Class: 8
Grades: 87%
General: xxxx
Interests: ‘School is important. I like to make dinner for my mother when she comes home from work. Everyone says I should be interested in boys, but for the moment I am cool about them.
I like to work in Auntie Beni’s shop, so I can speak English with the tourists.
2014/15
The family live in one room (separate kitchen), and Lou wanted desperately that her daughters should get a better education than what government schools offer. In addition there were some ‘safety’ concerns. After the earthquake Lou took up a loan to pay for both girls (Parbati and Saraswoti) to go to a better school. This is a boarding school, near to where they live, so the girls are able to return
Photo coming soon
KUCHI GAHLE
Age: xxxx
School: Realm International, Kalankisthan, Kathmandu
Class: xxx
Grades: xcxx
General: xxx
Interests: Girl things, looking after Gagan, break-dance, being with my little brother at home who I miss.
2014/15
Kuchi comes from a large family, where only one child goes to a private school, rest to government schools. A perfect companion for Gagan - but can Beni continue to afford this solution?
Kuchi is a heart-breaker: quite, gentle, fair but with a little steak of Tom-boy, seemingly always ready to play tricks on others.
Popular.
JUDICIOUS GURUNG (JASMINE)
Age: 9 (2016)
School: Malpi International, Panauti, Kavre.
Class: xxxxxx
Grades: 5xA, 5xB, 2xC
General: Grade 2 (Exceeds the Standard)
Interests: My friends, puzzles, music, my brother; different things….
2015
Jasmine’s school dorm was totally destroyed during the 2014 earthquake, luckily she was outside. Her mother (Beni) moved her to a school outside Kathmandu with: ‘A big open area where she can run out if another earthquake comes.’
Malpi is a boarding school where the children live in dormitories and it provides education at a high academic level.
Jasmine appears well settled, and is popular.
Home visits once a month – internet/telephone contact with Beni once a week.
SARASWOTI TAMANG
Age: 12 (2016)
School: Navajeevan Secondary Boarding, Kathmandu.
Class: xxx
Grades: xxx
General: xxx
Interests: Watching TV, my friends, to dance and to sing, visiting my auntie Beni.
2014/15
Like her older sister, Parbati, Saraswoti now goes to a private boarding school, though she goes home each day.
A foot note: If Lou is to continue to pay for private school the debt will be so big (16% interest) her daughters will have to take it over when they grow up.