Since the beginning, OnlyAtNepal has always been concerned on the possibilities of helping Nepal improve on its environment condition, both by reducing pollution and poverty. The concept of "Winter Collection Drive 2001" was conceived and developed as a pilot project with the vision of distributing the unused materials of the city people to help the poor people of remote areas of Nepal.
After initial consultation, OnlyAtNepal decided on forming a committee "Nepali for Nepali Cooperation Committee- Nepal" to initiate its pilot project targeted at helping the deprived people of Mugu District. The project was called "Helping the poor - By the Nepalese for the Nepalese" governed by the following team.
- Coordinator - Mr. Sudarshan Gautam "Rastriya Yubashakti Parichalan Kendra"
- Treasurer - Mr. Raju Karki "Manav Adhikar Tatha Vatabaran Kendra, Mugu"
- Members -
- Mr. Hitkar Bir Singh Kansakar "Paropakar Sangh"
- Mr. Harendra Bahadur Shrestha "Upabhokta Manch"
- Mr. Hari Tiwari "Samaj Kalyan Parisad"
- Mr. Bijay Pratap Malla "OnlyAtNepal"
- Mr. Dilli Prasad Giri "National Federation of the Disabled - Nepal"
- Mrs. Susan Shakya Bajracharya "Worldlink Communication"
- Mr. Rajendra Man Bajracharya "JGO - Nepal"
- Mrs. Subarna Kesari Chitrakar "Sungava Mahila Sangh"
- Mr. Thiraj Dahal "OnlyAtNepal"
- Mr. Abid Shah "OnlyAtNepal"
- Member Secretary- Mr. Juni Sherchan "OnlyAtNepal"
A press conference was organized by the committee on 11th November 2001 at "Hotel Orchid" marking the start of the collection campaign from Kathmandu Valley and was participated by media representatives, social activists and individuals under the chairmanship of Hon. Minister of State for Local Development Mr. Duryodhan Singh Chaudhary and Chief Guest Mr. Badri Narayan Basnet, vice chairman of Social Services Council. Ex-minister from Mugu District Mr. Hasta Bahadur Malla was also present during the press meet.
Request letters to all ward offices of Kathmandu & Lalitpur Metropolitan Cities were forwarded to help storage of the collected materials from their respective wards was followed by the appeal made by the mayor of KMC Mr. Keshab Sthapit at an event organized at Basantapur, Kathmandu on 26th November 2001.
Posters and other adverts seeking donation of clothes from each individuals were developed and installed at major public places and organizations in Kathmandu and Lalitpur.
A rally to support the event comprised of active participation of students, social activists and individuals was organized by "Nepal Scout" on 22nd December 2001 under the leadership of scout coordinator Mr. Shivaram Aryal.
Collection of the materials deposited at each ward offices was then taken to "Nepal Scout" office at Lainchour where the scouts students along with the volunteers of OnlyAtNepal worked together on the sorting and arranging of the materials collected. Materials that were found unusable were burnt and destroyed. Finally sacks filled with almost about 22,000 pieces of clothes were assembled and loaded on the truck.
The collection was then transported from Kathmandu to Surkhet in a Truck via Nepalgunj on 11th January 2002 and was sponsored by Mr. Kush Kumar Joshi.
The collected materials along with the coordinator of the committee and some volunteers were air lifted on helicopter from Surkhet to Mugu and was sponsored and coordinated by Royal Nepalese Army.
A trial distribution of the clothes to the poor people of Mugu was made with supports from the local volunteers. DPP/SNV Netherlands supported the distribution of the clothes by sponsoring the cost required for the transportation of the clothes to each village.
The final distribution of the clothes, to the poor people of several villages of the Mugu district was coordinated by Mr. Burma Singh Nepali, president Dalit Sewa Samaj Mugu on 24th June 2002.
A press conference was organized at "Reporters Club" to announce the successful completion of the project on 13th August 2002.
Conclusion:
Campaign carried out by OnlyAtNepal, "Helping the poor - by the Nepalese for the Nepalese", undertaken to both to help the poor of Mugu District and to inspire enthusiasm for altruistic activities in the Nepalese people, was even more successful than had been hoped. OnlyAtNepal is now undertaking similar activities to help the poor people of Nepal and are collecting used clothes, blankets, Educational materials from the city people.
 |
