UNI Graduate Student Raising $5,500 in 14 days for Nepali Orphanage
A University of Northern Iowa graduate student is making a difference with Nepali
orphans by attempting to raise $5,500 in 14 days. Dubuque born, Rebecca Petersen
41, has helped create a fundraising event for a struggling Nepali orphanage. With
limited time in Nepal she has
ascertained their urgent needs
and is determined to reach the
target, fast.
While teaching to the orphans,
Mrs. Petersen also met frequently
with the orphanage Chairman. It
became abundantly clear that
although
there
was
great
leadership and vision, they had a
lack of money to get off the
ground.
“I saw that a cash
injection now would facilitate a
great transformation.” said Mrs.
Petersen. The $5,500 will be used to set up the orphanage with basic necessities
and to help them create sustainable income streams so that they can be
independent.
Mrs. Petersen, who is an elementary teacher in Thailand and is currently pursuing
her Master’s degree online via UNI’s Elearning program, was compelled to act when
she was confronted by the orphans’ situation while she was in Nepal. “I’m here and
this is what they need. So I’m doing something about it right now” she said.
Edventure Nepal Orphanage (Pokhara, Nepal) is a relatively new organization but
has already made incredible progress. The kids, aged between 5 and 15 years old,
have all either been beggars on the street, been forced to work 13 hour days in
horrible and painful conditions, have witnessed
abuse, or been abandoned by their families. Mrs.
Petersen said, “When the orphans were rescued
they were in a bad way, but after 6 months, they are
now in school, fed, smiling, and enjoying a loving
family environment. The change is incredible.” A
woman, Tulasi, also living in the orphanage is a
testament to being rescued. After a neglected
childhood and an arranged marriage, she was
subjected to violent physical and sexual assaults
from her alcoholic husband. She managed to
escape but was then forced to work hard labor in
order to survive. She now has chronic and disabling
back pain. “You can see that she is traumatized, but
that she is relieved to be here and deeply grateful
for our support. She is now helping to run the
organization. “To be around someone that strong is an inspiration” said Mrs.
Petersen.
The little orphanage is run by an inspired and passionate Chairman named Amrit
Tiwari. Mr. Tiwari has also faced many difficulties in his own life. His father died
when Amrit was just 18 leaving him as the sole income earner of his family.
Incredibly, knowing that education was his way out of poverty Tiwari still managed to
put himself through university to become the vice principal of a Nepali school. He
saw, first hand, the poverty and lack of education in the Nepali society and at vowed
to make a change. He has turned down jobs in America in order to influence change
from the ground up in his home country of Nepal. Amrit’s vision is to use the
orphanage as a foundation for funding and placing village children into schools.
“First we have to start with one and two, but it is our intention to support the wider
Nepali society, then we can make big
changes in the long run” said Mr. Tiwari.
However, the orphanage is still in a very
precarious point. Their kitchen still needs a
water filter and pressure cooker for ensuing
better hygiene. They require a backup
generator due to the frequent power
outages. Only last month did the girls get a
second pair of clothes, and, of course, food
and rent are ongoing expenses. “The
problem is that they don’t have sustainable,
independent sources of income. They are forced to keep asking for money. They
have many ideas such as a laundry service, offering Nepali cooking classes,
traditional handicraft production, and growing their own food but don’t have the
means to get started. “So that’s what this fundraiser is about, giving an inspired
leader a platform to make big changes in his poverty stricken country” says Mrs.
Petersen.
Fundraising Video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-Q05F2R3Cc
Newsletter here:
http://www.edventurenepal.eripe.dk/Edventure%20Nepal%20Newsletter%20Vol%20
1%20Issue%201%20Sep%202011.pdf