Stichting Veldwerk at Nepal

Secretariaat: Stichting Veldwerk Postbus 163 1850 AD Heiloo The Netherlands

Tel:+31 (0)72-5339585 veldwerk@gmail.com IBAN nr. NL51ABNA0543703266 Attn. Stichting Veldwerk, p/a Egmond binnen Bank: ABN-Amro 543703266

The first spade.

Tuesday 18 March, 2008

We have got so far; the first spades for our new children's home finally reached the ground ......
After years of struggling, we got so far and it became an emotional moment, for me in particular. But I was holding my tears and there was a threat of an enormous thunderstorm, so with a short ceremony everything was set.
In the days before the ceremony we clearly defined the measurement of the children's home on the field. That was not easy because of the special dimensional characteristics in Nepal and the shed of the guards was also in the way. They removed the roof of the shed so they could define the measurements.
The new children's home is in fact a square building, but now it is diamante shaped placed on the field. We did this because in this way we can catch the sunlight from the early in the morning until the sun sets what we need for the solar cooking system that will be placed just outside the kitchen.

It took some time, but finally all the outside measurements are done in the way I wanted. The sun is taken in account, available space and the space behind the building to build the dormitories in the future. Today was the last check and in the afternoon the pickaxe went into the ground.
All children of the Day Care Centre, 3 children from the children's home (the rest was still at school) and a share of the women of the vocational trainings program were there to join this happy event.
I had two special guests in mind to fix the job of “the first spade”. The oldest of the children's home, our unique Aunty, together with the youngest child of the children's home, Karuna Karki, 2 years old.

Aunty was very much surprised to be the key person, but Karuna's thoughts were totally different. She refused every favor on the spot, even calling “balloon” didn't change her mind and she disappeared in the audience. Aunty asked another small girl from the day care centre (named Sumina Nepali) with whom she could make the first spade a fact.

Gerard and Hannie Kloosterman from The Netherlands were also joining this happy event; they are, from the first beginning, visitors of our children's home. Together with Madan Karki from the Souvenir Guesthouse, they were visiting the children's home, it was a great timing.

After the first spade, there was an applause and balloons for the children, but the rain was coming so time to go back home. Gerard and Hannie brought, as always Fanta for the children who just came back from school. In short a great afternoon, everybody happy and satisfied.
Friday 28^th of March it gets more serious. The first stone will be laid under supervision of the Hindu priest, representatives of the community, a chief guest of the government and of course the Board of Bal Kshetra Nepal, our local partner of this project.
So there is movement again, and lets say; till the 28^th!

For now, greetings from Kathmandu,
René Veldt, Stichting Veldwerk, Action speaks louder than words, Nepal.

Bank: ABN-Amro 543703266
IBAN nr.; NL51ABNA0543703266
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In order off; Stichting Veldwerk,
p/a Egmond Binnen, the Netherlands