Help Ellie raise $750 for Underprivileged Children in Nepal

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Elizabeth Windham (“Ellie”) is a graduate student at New York University majoring in International Education and will be completing her degree in May 2013. Ellie is from Lititz, PA. She did her undergraduate studies in International Studies at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Currently, She is working at NYU’s Office for International Students and Scholars as a Programming Assistant. Prior to attending NYU, Ellie volunteered in Nepal for nine months as a library teacher in Phaplu and Kathmandu. Now in her spare time she volunteers with teenagers with developmental disabilities at Plai Theatre and serves meals to the homeless at Monday Night Hospitality soup kitchen.


Ellie will be running her first marathon on Sunday, November 18 in Philadelphia.
Ellie’s goal is to raise $750 to support Empower1’s new project, “OFF the Streets, ON to Life”.

The project aims to provide shelter, healthcare and help rehabilitate street children in Kathmandu, Nepal. The program currently consists of 10 children, all aged between 8 and 14. The funds raised by Ellie will go towards providing complete health checkups for the children as well towards building a learning and development room (to buy furniture, books and stationery, and basic sports equipments) within the shelter.
If you would like to donate please visit this website.http://www.empower1group.org/?page_id=559

Thank you for your donation and support!

Ellie

No Greater Love: To Serve

"We can do no great things, only small things with great love."

-Mother Teresa

“Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others; to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can.”

- Dalai Lama

  "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me."

-Matthew 25:35

It has been two years since my trip to Nepal and posting a blog so here's my update!

Professional and Educational life: I am working part-time at the Office of International Students and Scholars and finishing my last two classes at NYU.  My degree is in International Education and for the fall I am taking an applied psychology class called Development of Immigrant Youth.

Volunteer life: I am training for my first marathon in Philadelphia in November and I will also raise funds for an Nepalese nonprofit, Empower 1. Over the years I have met many amazing inspiring motivated young people. They all have compassionate hearts. We share many of the same dreams for the future of the next generation. We are from different countries or cultures but we hold the common value which is love.  

I think there is no greater way to show love than serving others. I think it's beautiful to see so many caring friends who are giving selfless and unconditional love. There is no better gift than giving your time and support for stranger or a friend.

These are events and volunteering opportunities that I will be doing for this fall. Please join me and my friends for the Walk for Nepal or other events. Thank you for your support and love!

Event: Susan G. Komen for the Cure 5k Walk/Run

Date: September 9, 2012

Time: 9:00am

Location: Central Park

Website: http://www.komennyc.org/site/TR?fr_id=1280&pg=entry

 

Event: Walk for Nepal

Date: November 3, 2012
Time: On-site registration will start at 10:00 am

Walk will start at 12:00 pm
Program ends at 4:00 pm 

Location: Flushing Meadows Corona Park

Website http://www.walkfornepal.org/register-nyc/

These are the two organizations I will be supporting! Empower 1 and GMIN. Good Luck everyone!

Empower1 is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to the empowerment of underprivileged children in Nepal by means of quality education, building of life skills and a supportive environment for them to grow and flourish. Empower1 believes that every single child should be given the opportunity to explore and reach their potential, and be all that they can be. http://www.empower1group.org/

GMIN is a registered nonprofit organization in the USA and was founded by energetic and dedicated individuals who want to see changes made from a Grassroot level in Nepal. GMIN is based in New York City and uses local knowledge and collective intelligence to address the pressing issues of Nepalese society. GMIN focuses on supporting and initiating grassroots level movements geared towards bringing sustainable social and environmental change in Nepal. http://www.gmin.us

Organization: Plai Theatre

Dance and Puppetry Workshop
A workshop combining therapeutic dance techniques and puppetry with an open entry policy for young people with disabilities with an interest in drama, improvisation, acting out and storytelling. The group will work through several exercises that will engage participants to use their imaginations to create characters, situations and relationships. With the addition of puppets, those participants unable to put themselves into an imaginary situation, especially if their image of themselves is at all fragmented and insecure, find the puppet liberating. Collaboration with Concrete Temple Theatre

Date: Saturday, September 29, 11AM - 1PM
Location: 203 West 115th Street
(7th Avenue)
New York , NY
Website: http://www.plai-theatre.org/

Organization: Monday Night Hospitality

Day: Mondays 
Volunteer to spend two hours serving the homeless a meal
Time: 6:30pm- 8:30pm

Location: 1157 Lex Ave. (Unitarian Church of All Souls)
It is located between 79/80 Street. just walk pass the line of men and women waiting to get in.

There's a short orientation. No need to sign up. Just show up!
website: http://www.allsoulsnyc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content.aspx?c=atJQL8NRJqL8H&b=6350327&ct=8828251

Farewell Day and Thank you Nepal!!

June 11, 2010.
My farewell at Phaplu Community School. Today was a memorable day. We had a wonderful program with the students and teachers. I had received gifts, cards, khatas, flowers and many hugs. I had finished my work with Manisha and the library class.

I had completed my book project and helped out with the school's first handbook and record filing. Manisha will start making a record file for the teacher and students. I am ready to return for my studies at NYU for International Education in development. I had accomplished what I came here to learn and understand more of.

WoW what a feeling I have. My heart grew 100 times bigger from this amazing experience.
I am so thankful for all of my family and friends support in my book project and believing in me. There's so words to describe the happiness I feel now.

I want to give a special thank for Manisha. She has been a great help with everything with the classroom library and she was willing to learn. We both learned a lot from each other.

It was a great pleasure to meet the people that I met here in Nepal. Without them this trip of a lifetime could never been such a success. There's many thanks to give out but I can't thank everyone individually but I want to let you know how grateful I am for our friendship.

Thank you to my Sherpa friends both in NYC and Nepal. Specially to Tsering Dolma. You are my best friend for seven years and without you I wouldn't had this life changing experience. Thank you for support and our lifetime friendship. I love you!

Thank you to all of my students at SIS and Phaplu Community School. Thank you thank you to GOD for this time in my life....I am truly blessed.

learning the ropes

Throughout the weeks of school we had different activities and lessons for library class.

We made some name cards!
Class five with some puzzles~ THANK YOU!
All done! Putting the puzzle together

The first reading journal entry was Curious George. I gave them an example for their reading journal. We write out the title, author and writing a thought about the book.

Bishnu coloring Curious George. He's a determined artist.

A new program for this year is a nutritious snack for the students during lunch time.


The teachers gives each student one scoop of plumpy nut in their tiffin.

Reading buddies.

The fifth graders are paired up with class 2 students.
Bhim Kumar (class 5) with Ang Dorjee (class 2).

Here is Kiran (class 2) with his reading buddy Ajay (class 5).

In the teacher's office there were three bucket full of blocks that were dusty and unused. Another teacher and I cleaned these off so they can be used for class 1. I thought it would be fun to play~

Manisha and me with the kids
with Class 5
with some of the teachers and Auntie
Reading journal time! Each class is keeping a reading journal. They are learning to wash their hands, read a book and write in their journal.
Class 3 classroom library
Reading buddies in class 4
I have some thoughtful students! from Class 5.

organizing school

The school has been running for five years and there was no record keeping system. I had taken time to go through of the all paper work and organized their filing cabinet. I made a easy to use filing system. Also I will add a student record file. In the file there will be a progress report, student evaluation form, and a copy of a report card. This will help to monitor the student progress.

The next project that I'm working on that will hopefully be a lasting effect on the school is the handbook. The handbook will serve as a guide to the teachers, principal, parents, school management committee and the other sponsoring organizations . This will help to lay out the policies and procedures that the school should follow. This handbook be helpful to manage and review the progress of the school. My aim is that the handbook can be the foundation that the school needs to increase the quality of education for my students and the future of the school.

on the side note: Here in Nepal teacher's job is not respected and being here where the teachers doesn't care about their students or their job. I wanna say....

I want to say thank you to some of my teachers from Linden Hall, and West Virginia Wesleyan. Dr. Mcgrath, Mrs. Lavery, Dr. Levy, Dr. Johnson and Dr. Mahoney. I am so lucky to have great teachers in my life who influenced me. Thank you. You are the best! Teacher changes people's lives. They enrich our minds and without my teachers/mentors I couldn't be here doing what I am doing. I applaud to you for your hard work and dedication you put into your job and students! Many thanks!! I hope someday the students of Phaplu Community School will say the same about their teachers...

First day of school

Today was the first day of school. I was so excited to show the students the books so I spent the first day of school going over the rules of the classroom library. This will be the daily routine. First students must wash their hands. The library captain from each class will be incharge of this duty. One by one in each class I am teaching how to properly wash their hands. I am explaining that it is important to keep ourselves clean and the books.
Class 5 boys reading their first books of the year. One by One the captain led the class back into the room and the students went to the bookshelf to pick out their book.
Hmm that looks good too
Class 5 reading their books

This is how we wash our hands.
Now it's time for class 1 teacher to teach!
don't forget to use the soap!
Helping the little ones from class 1.
Shake Shake Shake. We are drying off our hands!
Now time to read!

Day with books and student volunteers

Today we went to school to organize the books on the shelves and put up the library posters. I had 5 volunteers. They worked for two hours arranging and counting books. Total count of books 1049 books for classes 1-5. More books will come soon!

The volunteers are helping to organize the books by size.
Students from Phaplu Community School Kumar (class 2) and Jeeban (class 5).

Class 3 book count: 268 books!
Class 5 book count: 280 books
Some of my signs I made for class.
Breaktime with Cookies!
Snack Time!
This is a great group of volunteers and they are from local schools. Sonam( ANM nursing school), Nimdu (White Hills), Jeeban(PCS), HomRaj (White Hills), and Kumar (PCS). I couldn't finish without their help! Thank you!
Jeeban and me...just playing around.