In this newsletter you will read about Samantha and Juliette’s GoFundMe fundraiser, who will travel to Nepal next month to help organise a Free Health Camp in the remote hills of Nuwakot. Watch our new video with highlights of 2024! And read more about our latest project:
Support us in organising a Free Health Camp
19 March Samantha and her daughter Juliette will travel to Nepal to help run our second Free Health Camp in Nuwakot. During our first Health Camp in 2023 more than 200 villagers received free healthcare and we would like to set the same goal for a second time.
To achieve this Samantha en Juliette have started a GoFundMe fundraiser. Find out more below, consider making a donation, or please share our fundraiser with your family and friends. Thank you very much, your support will make a huge difference!
Watch our new video with highlights of 2024. Browse all our videos here.
Computer maintenance
In 2021 we’ve arranged 5 computers and a printer for the Saraswoti Primary School located in the hills of Nuwakot. Unfortunately, after four years of heavy use, most computers no longer worked. Fortunately, the new director of the school, Mr. Raju Adhikari, ensured that the computers were repaired and we reimbursed the costs. We’re delighted that the children can continue learning software programs, such as Word en Excel.
Browse our website for more information, our YouTube channel for all videos or follow us on Facebook. Also, don’t forget to find out more about our Free Health Camp project and share our GoFundMe fundraiser by Samantha and Juliette with your community. Thank you very much, and we’ll be in touch.
The end of 2024 is in sight and therefore time for an update of our latest projects. Read more below about new tracksuits for students at a small primary school and support for a poor Dalit community in the hills of Nepal:
Tracksuits for 45 children
On November 19 we distributed tracksuits, t-shirts, writing materials, and sports items to the 45 students of the Bhumidevi Basic School. We also handed out four white blackboards and the game ‘carrom game’. Carrom game is a classic disc throwing table game from India and Southeast Asia and also very popular in Nepal.
Ram traveled to the school by jeep, which is high up in the hills of Nuwakot. On arrival he enjoyed a warm welcome from the children and teachers. Many orange flower garlands were presented and he also received a beautifully framed certificate as a token of appreciation. Everyone was extremely grateful for this support and it gives extra motivation for the children to attend the lessons.
Warm blankets for poor community
On December 21 we distributed warm blankets to a poor community of 26 Dalit families in the Nuwakot district, about 80 km from Kathmandu. Nepal retains its age-old caste system. Dalits belong to the lowest caste and are seen as the discriminated people under this system. In reality, this means restrictions on the use of public services, low economic opportunities and general neglect by the state and society. These families do not have their own piece of land and work on the land owned by other families for a low wages.
We also handed out sacks of rice, salt, lentils, and oil. The blankets were purchased in Kathmandu and the sacks of rice and other food at the local market. All the belongings were transported to the village by a large jeep with a loading platform. The joy was enormous and we hope that this kind of support will provide some relief in their daily lives.
Raising funds for our projects
On August 29 we attended the Scoriton Country Show & Sports in England. It was a fantastic day, full of fun. Our stall was colorful and creative as always. We sold beaded wallets and dream catchers from Bali and wood carvings and bracelets from Nepal. Samantha’s crocheted key rings were also very popular. The proceeds were no less than £315, which will entirely benefit our projects in Nepal.
The Christmas market took place on 30 November at Mount Kelly School in Tavistock, England, and of course the Laxmi Support Foundation was also present. We fully enjoyed the Christmas carols sung by the various children’s choirs from the primary school and college and raised a fantastic amount of £195. We would like to thank everyone who bought something nice at our stall.
A big thank you goes to all our sponsors over the past year. Without your help we simply cannot carry out our projects! Wishing everyone a very HAPPY CHRISTMAS!
In March 2025, Samantha and daughter Juliette (11) will travel to Nepal to carry out a few wonderful projects. More about this will follow soon.
Take a look at our website for more photos, and our YouTube channel for videos or follow us on Facebook.
We’re excited to give you an update about our latest projects for the children of Nepal and once again we have been quite busy. Read more below about the projects successfully completed in April and May:
Computer and printer
Yedu Kumari Sapkota, the headmaster of the Chakreswor Primary School in the village of Budhasing, has asked us several times for a computer and printer, as this would make teaching a lot easier. At the end of May we saved enough sponsorship money to make Yedu’s wish come true. Main software programs, such as Word and Excell, are installed on the computer and will be used for printing teaching materials, school forms and administrative work. Yedu and her team were extremely happy with this support.
Sports items for three schools
A very nice project is the distribution of sports items to three schools in the Nuwakot district. Purchased in Kathmandu and transported to the villages in the hills by taxi. The sports items consisted of footballs, volleyballs, badminton and tennis rackets, skipping ropes, and much more. The children had such fun playing football, and trying out all the other sports. View a collection of photos below:
Sponsoring of two brothers
At the end of April we sponsored Sulab and Biblab from Chitwan for a second year with their education. Biplab is 7 years and is in class 3. Sulab is 12 years and is in class 8. The sponsorship consists of annual school fees, new uniforms, books and school materials. This support gives the children the opportunity to study at the local private school, Panchakanya Vidhya Mandir, where the standard of education is higher than at the nearby government school. We wish the boys all the very best for the coming year, and our aim is to continue supporting the brothers with their education in the future.
After the monsoon rains in Nepal, we will start up some new projects. We would like to thank our sponsors for their continued support, this is so very much appreciated.
Have a look at our website for more photos, and our YouTube channel for videos or follow us on Facebook.
Watch our new short video with highlights of our projects carried out in November-December 2023:
Tracksuits Gaureshwori School
Just before Christmas, we distributed tracksuits, school notebooks and writing materials to the 35 children of the Gaureshwori Basic School, located in the district of Nuwakot. All the children come from lower caste families. Ram sourced 35 black and red coloured tracksuits from the local market. The school name was printed on the front and back of the jacket. The children were so delighted with this kind of support.
Thank you very much to all our sponsors
We would like to thank all our sponsors for their continued support in 2023. This has enabled us to carry out a large number of projects and we are very grateful for that.
Visit our website for more information and photos, watch more videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on Facebook.
Recently we have succesfully completed a number of projects. Read more below:
Dashain festival at Hopeful Home
In October 2023 we sponsored the Dashain festival for the children of Hopeful Home. It is the most important and auspicious Hindu festival of the year. Ram, together with Gopini, purchased all groceries for the party at the local market.
During the festival offerings are made to the goddess Durga and afterwards a delicious meal is served. We stocked up on goat meat, rice, spices, cooking oil, and soda drinks, as well as shampoo, hair brushes, soap, and more. The children received new clothes, which made them really happy. We also bought 23 colorful sheets for the bunk beds.
Tracksuits for 280 students
At the end of November we distributed blue tracksuits to 280 students from three different schools in the district of Nuwakot. In advance Ram had received a list with all the sizes of the children. The clothing was made in a factory in Kathmandu. Ram hired a 4×4 jeep to transport all the tracksuits to the villages in the hills outside the capital’s valley, about a three hour drive.
Upon arrival Ram and his wife Saraswati received a warm welcome with lots of orange marigold garlands, red tika powder on their foreheads and speeches from the school committee and district head. In total we distributed 124 tracksuits to Shree Saraswoti School, 144 to Chandi Primary School and another 6 to Annapurna Basic School. Quite a few children come from the lower caste of society, and for them this support is especially important.
A week later, Ram handed out another 16 tracksuits to a group of older students. They were happily surprised as they didn’t expect it. The project was also mentioned on a number of online news websites, such as the Dabali Khabar, Bidur Khabar and the Routine Nuwakot.
Big thanks to our sponsors
We would like to thank all our sponsors for supporting our charity. Without this help we cannot carry out our projects.
Big thanks to Julia Smith and Marina and Alex Comninos, who successfully completed a trek to Everest Basecamp in April of this year and raised a fantastic amount for the Puja Norsang Tamangs University Fund, The Didi Movement Charitable Trust, AND for our Laxmi Support Foundation.
We would also like to give our heartfelt thanks to Maurice and Jolanda Wagenaar, who raised a fantastic amount for the Laxmi Support Foundation for their 25th wedding anniversary in September.
Upcoming project
These are the pupils of the Gaureswori Basic School. The children belong to the lower caste of society. In the coming weeks we would like to hand out tracksuits, notebooks and writing materials to this small school. A tracksuit costs about 10 Euro on the market. Donate now if you want to contribute to this project. Thank you in advance for your help.
Take a look at our website for photos and more, and on YouTube for videos or follow us on Facebook.
It was fantastic to return to Kathmandu in April. The city is still polluted, roads broken and a lot of heavy traffic noise, but the people are just as friendly, the temples fascinating, the curries tasted fine and it was nice to see the great temples at Durbar Square completely rebuilt after the 2015 earthquakes. To top it off, by coincidence we saw the Kumari in person on our first day. She is not only a little girl, but is honoured as a living goddess of the Kathmandu city. Of course we have also successfully completed a number of projects, read more below:
Free Health Camp:
On Saturday, April 1, 2023, we organized a Free Health Camp in the district of Nuwakot. Beforehand we bought a large stock of medicines at a pharmacy wholesaler in Kathmandu. Paracetamol, cough sirups, eye drops, vitamin tablets, antiseptic cream, and much more. Early morning we drove with two 4×4 jeeps and a car to the district, which is about three hours from Kathmandu. Four doctors, three nurses and three pharmacists traveled with us.
We also hired a local bus to give people from further afield or with limited mobility the opportunity to visit the health camp. Upon arrival in the village, many people were already waiting in front of Shree Saraswati Secondary School. The school committee had kindly provided a number of classrooms to execute the health camp.
First everyone was registered with name and age after which a nurse measured blood pressure and temperature and wrote down physical complaints. Afterwards the villagers could take a seat in a classroom to wait their turn to talk to the doctor.
Many people complained of irritated eyes, fever, infection of the lungs, back pain and muscle aches. The doctor prescribed medicines and vitamins, which they could pick up in the next classroom. The medicines were pre-sorted and handed out through the classroom window with appropriate advice from the pharmacists on how to take or use the medicines. The health camp was a great success and in total more than 200 people received free health care that day.
Our project received the attention of two online Nepalese news channels. View the article by Hamro Health Nepal, and the article by Jalapa News. (You can find a translation of the articles on Facebook).
Distributing hats and babyclothes:
In the meantime, Anneloes and Juliette, the daughters of Alex and Samantha, handed out woolly hats, pens and notebooks to the children, who were also present at the Free Health Camp. The coloured hats were knitted by Harmiena from the Netherlands, a good friend of Samantha’s mother. The kids were delighted with this surprise and luckily we had enough things to make everyone happy. In addition to a bag full of hats, Harmiena had also knitted beautiful baby clothes, which we distributed to poor mothers with small babies in Kathmandu and the surrounding area.
Food supplies for Hopeful Home:
A couple of times we visited the children of Hopeful Home children’s home. It was nice to see everyone again after such a long time. On our first visit we brought bananas and a papaya as an extra snack. On April 11 we went with Gopini Wosti from Hopeful Home to the market in Bhaktapur to stock up on food.
The shopping list was long, but we managed to buy it all at the wholesaler. We’ve purchased 40 bags of rice with a content of 25 kilos each. In Hopeful Home, rice is eaten twice a day, so this supply will be finished after just two months. Fortunately, most other products will last longer.
We also bought many litres of mustard oil and sunflower oil, 25 kilos of red and 25 kilos of black lentils, 25 kilos of green and white beans, 50 kilos of sugar, soap, washing powder, tea, noodles, biscuits, coriander herbs, and more. At least they don’t have to worry for the coming months, food supply will be plentiful.
Sponsoring two brothers in Chitwan:
At the end of April the new school year started in Nepal and this year we decided to sponsor two brothers for school fees, school uniforms and teaching materials. The brothers live in Chitwan, a district in the south of the country, and they are the nephews of Ram, who works for the Laxmi Support Foundation.
Biplab is 6 years old and is in class 2. Sulab is 11 years old and is in class 7. The education at this private school, called Panchakanya Vidhya Mandir, is of a better quality than at the nearby government school. The brothers are very happy with this opportunity and have promised to do their best. We plan to continue to support the brothers in the coming years.
We would like to thank all our sponsors for making these projects possible. The gratitude is great with all the villagers of Nuwakot, Gopini Wosti and all the children of Hopeful Home and Biplab and Sulab in Chitwan. We will continue our work and hope that you will support us. Special thanks goes out to the Dutch Photoclub FWS Maassluis, who donated the tip jar of 2022 entirely to our foundation.
Support our projects and make a donation. Thank you.
It is quite clear for us that 2023 will be a fantastic year! After a long wait due to Covid-19, finally the time has come that Samantha and Alex will travel to Nepal at the end of March. Also Dutch volunteer Bert has spend six weeks in the children’s home and has done an amazing job. Read more below:
Free Health Camp and more:
On 27 March Samantha and Alex will travel to Nepal. We have planned a number of projects, including a ‘Free Health Camp’ in the Nuwakot district. Together with several doctors, nurses and pharmacists we will travel in 4×4 jeeps to the village of Newarpani, where residents from the whole area can come for a free health check. We hope to reach and help more than 150 people.
We also want to distribute sports articles to various schools and we will visit the children’s home Hopeful Home in Jhaukel.
Volunteer Bert in Hopeful Home:
Bert spent six weeks in the children’s home Hopeful Home and did a fantastic job. He played football with the boys, cooked for the children and arranged several outings, one of them was a visit to the zoo in Patan, which was an unforgettable experience for all.
Bert also arranged new tarpaulin to be installed on the kitchen floor and purchased cushions for the library. To top it off, he arranged a painting workshop for all children, organized by the Museum of Nepali Art. Afterwards, the artwork was discussed by a true artist and the children were allowed to take their canvas home. Watch here a short video with the highlights of Bert’s stay at the children’s home:
Mount Everest sponsor trek:
Early April Julia Smith and Marina Comninos will travel to Nepal to set out for a 12-day Everest Base Camp trek. Together with a group of 11 hikers in total, they will walk 6 to 8 hours a day to an altitude of no less than 5364 mt.
For this amazing achievement, Julia and Marina have started a fundraising campaign, raising money for the Puja Norsang Tamangs University Fund, The Didi Movement Charitable Trust AND FOR THE…LAXMI SUPPORT FOUNDATION. We are very grateful for their support and wish Julia, Marina and the whole group good luck and happy climbing! Click here for more information: JustGiving.
Also support our projects and donate now: Thank you very much!
The end of the year 2022 is in sight and before we wish everyone a happy New Year, we would like to provide a brief overview of our activities:
Volunteer for Hopeful Home:
Good news for Hopeful Home: next week Dutchman Bert Neuteboom will start volunteering at the Hopeful Home children’s house in Jhaukel. Bert will spend six weeks with the children, where he wants to undertake activities in the field of sport and music. We are very happy that Bert travels to Nepal to support Hopeful Home and look forward to his stories, experiences and photos.
Mount Kelly Christmas Market:
The Christmas Market took place on 3 December at Mount Kelly School in Tavistock, Devon. Laxmi Support was also present with a colorful and diverse stall. The proceeds were no less than £ 234, which is a fantastic amount and will be entirely dedicated towards our upcoming projects. We would like to thank everyone for their support.
To Nepal:
Finally the time has come: after a few years of postponing due to Covid, we will go for it. Flights have been booked! On March 28, Samantha, Alex and their two daughters will travel to Nepal to visit the schools in the Nuwakot district and Hopeful Home. We are really looking forward to seeing everyone again and being immersed in the Nepali culture for two weeks. Nepal, here we come!
Donate:
Without donations we cannot carry out our projects and therefore we greatly appreciate all donations, large, small, annually, quarterly, monthly or one off. Thank you for your kind and generous support!
It’s taken a while, but here’s a new 2-minute video with highlights of our latest spring projects and a short report of our stall at the annual Scoriton Country Show in Devon.
After a long two-year break due to the corona virus, the Scoriton Country Show was finally able to take place in all its glory on August 29. The show was held on a large grassy field with beautiful views over the rolling green hills of Devon. There were many stalls, big bouncy castles, pony rides and the very popular cross-country running competition. The sun was shining brightly and hundreds of visitors showed up from the surrounding area and afar.
Laxmi Support stall at the Scoriton Country Show, Devon, UK.
As usual, Laxmi Support had a large varied stall, with second-hand clothes and toys, hand-knitted hats and baby clothes, things from Nepal, and much more. The proceeds of £ 214 will go fully to our projects in Nepal.
The monsoon has started in Nepal, the rain showers are heavy and the roads are bad. Fortunately, we have been able to successfully complete three projects. Read more below:
Food parcels for 10 families:
At the end of May we distributed food parcels to 10 poor families, consisting of a large bag of rice, 3 kilos of lentils, 3 liters of cooking oil, 3 bags of salt and 3 bags of soya beans. The families live in various villages spread over the Nuwakot district.
Some families live so remote that they walked to the road to collect their parcels. The bag of rice was carried on the back with a textile band around the forehead. A few families received the packages at home. Ram also handed over two kilos of milk powder and two packs of biscuits to the grandmother of two small children, whose mother has died and father works overseas (see photo below).
Crutches for handicapped people:
Ram has distributed 5 pairs of crutches to handicapped people from different villages. Ram has ordered the crutches from the hospital in Kathmandu, where he works, and transported it on his motorcycle to the hills of Nuwakot. The people were very pleased to find out that the crutches are adjustable in height.
Sponsorship for 12 children:
In June we sponsored 12 children from four different schools, consisting of a new school uniform, shoes, backpack, copies and pencils. In the photo below, 8 of the 12 children are proudly waiting to receive the items. All children come from poor families.
The sizes for the blue uniform were measured in advance and passed on to the local tailor. Ram bought the cloth in the city of Battar and took it to the tailor in the village. As there is a daily electricity black-out of a couple of hours and, during monsoon time, people work hard on the land, it took a little longer to finish the 12 uniforms. But after some patience, it was all ready to be distributed.
The children were delighted with this support. We hope it will improve their motivation to go to school and continue taking classes. The new school year starts this month, so the kids are all set.
A big thank you to all our sponsors! We cannot carry out these projects without your donations. Special thanks go to Fotoclub FWS Maasluis in The Netherlands, who donated the proceeds of the tip jar from 2020 AND 2021 to our charity. Thank you very much for this.
Also consider a donation so we can continue our projects!
