Early Childhood Development Center, Kathmandu, Nepal (13-17 May 2016)

We have been fortunate to know Pushpa Basnet and to support her Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) in Kathmandu. In Nepal, if a parent goes to prison, the children often accompany them. The Nepalese government provides no support for these children. Pushpa helps take children out of prison and provides housing, food, medical, education, and family support for them. Our son-in-law, Thomas Morgan, made a documentary about Pushpa, the 2012 CNN Hero of the Year, called Waiting for Mamu.

ECDC recently moved into a new facility, the Butterfly Home. We were invited to the Grand Opening of this wonderful place.

13 May – Friday

We arrived in Kathmandu the day before the Opening. After checking into the Park Village Hotel and Resort, we walked to the Butterfly Home, led by Tom Morgan. It was not a far walk but I don’t think we ever made it there and back without making at least one wrong turn. One trip included two slippery rock crossings across the same stream.

Ray & Tom - Ray and Tom walking up one hill on the way to ECDC — Ray and Tom walking up one hill on the way to ECDC

Pat & Tom - Tom and Pat descending the last hill to ECDC. Note the tiny Butterfly Home sign on the blue pole. — Tom and Pat descending the last hill to ECDC. Note the tiny Butterfly Home sign on the blue pole.

The road to ECDC is steep in places and needs lots of repairs. The last 100 yards or so is unpaved and not easy for cars and motorbikes to drive on. (There will be additional pictures of the road, later in this posting.)

Admin Building - The Administration Building and main courtyard — The Administration Building and main courtyard

RLW20160513150215703 - Solar panels on the Administration Building which supports the facility 24/7 — Solar panels on the Administration Building which supports the facility 24/7

IMG_5398 - The Girls Dormitory and Pushpa’s home in the back. On a clear day, the mountains would be visible — The Girls Dormitory and Pushpa’s home in the back. On a clear day, the mountains would be visible

RLW20160513145705387 - Central fountain and sculpture — Central fountain and sculpture

RLW20160513145727698 - Tree house in the central area — Tree house in the central area

RLW20160513145834590 - Tom and Pushpa — Tom and Pushpa

IMG_5418 - Children doing their daily laundry chores (1) — Children doing their daily laundry chores (1)

IMG_5419 - Children doing their laundry (2) — Children doing their laundry (2)

On the way back to the hotel, Pat and I decided we could find our way without Tom leading us. Wrong! Although we did make it back, we didn’t retrace our previous route. we crossed several rice paddy fields on narrow goat tracks. Once we arrived back at the hotel, it was time for a Nepalese beer, Gorka.

14 May – Saturday

Today is the celebration to officially open the Butterfly Home. We are so lucky to be here to participate.

After a morning visiting a temple near our hotel (see another posting of Kathmandu) and meeting new friends (the common thread – Tom), we went back up to the Butterfly Home. Pat was one of the ones who walked – I rode in a cab, taking supplies. The picture below shows the dirt road approaching ECDC.

DSC0008 - Marc Nicholson and Pat leading Kelly Kopchik and Natalie Ryneveld — Marc Nicholson and Pat leading Kelly Kopchik and Natalie Ryneveld

Most of us arrived well before the festivities were to begin. This was good, as we had time to visit with the other visitors, see the children in their Nepalese traditional clothes, watch how the kids love to take selfie photos, enjoy an American diplomat’s magic tricks, have group photos taken, and just enjoy ourselves (before the rains came).

RLW20160514135532938 - Where to go — Where to go

RLW20160514135512044 - Plaque on the Wall of Dedication — Plaque on the Wall of Dedication

RLW20160514135459000 - This documentary helped build the Butterfly Home. — This documentary helped build the Butterfly Home.

DSC0003 - “Driver” and friend in traditional Nepalese clothes. — “Driver” and friend in traditional Nepalese clothes.

DSC0036 - Girls in traditional dresses — Girls in traditional dresses

RLW20160514140241332 - Sharon Kugelmass and friends Ouze and Heena — Sharon Kugelmass and friends Ouze and Heena

RLW20160514143802175 - Beautiful girl in traditional dress — Beautiful girl in traditional dress

RLW20160514143950608 - Pat with one of the girls. — Pat with one of the girls.

DSC0031 - Sharon Kugelmass in a conversation. — Sharon Kugelmass in a conversation.

DSC0022 - Natalie and Kelly taking selfies with boys. — Natalie and Kelly taking selfies with boys.

RLW20160514141432842 - Activities in front of the girls dormitory — Activities in front of the girls dormitory

DSC0037 - Ari Nathan (Mr. Magic) doing magic tricks — Ari Nathan (Mr. Magic) doing magic tricks

RLW20160514144512938 - Pushpa and Tom (in his traditional Nepalese suit made special for him) — Pushpa and Tom (in his traditional Nepalese suit made special for him)

DSC0058 - The Nathan family — The Nathan family

RLW20160514150100133 - The Nicholson family plus Ouze — The Nicholson family plus Ouze

RLW20160514150151890 - Sharon Kugelmass and Tom — Sharon Kugelmass and Tom

RLW20160514150347417 - Pushpa Basnet and her family — Pushpa Basnet and her family

RLW20160514151110175 - Tom and the men of ECDC — Tom and the men of ECDC

The opening ceremony was set to be held outside in the beautiful amphitheater. Unfortunately, as the final preparations were being made, the rains came and we all move inside. The presentations included the Nepalese National Anthem sung by the children, traditional dances and songs, acknowledgements of contributions and support, and a very, non-traditional “chicken dance”. What a fun time we all had.

RLW20160514140137298 - The outdoor stage for the ceremony — The outdoor stage for the ceremony

IMG_5446 - Let the ceremonies begin! — Let the ceremonies begin!

RLW20160514155154755 - Singing the Nepalese National Anthem — Singing the Nepalese National Anthem

RLW20160514160358848 - A traditional dance was first on the agenda — A traditional dance was first on the agenda

This concluded the ceremony and, since the rain had stopped, we all went outside to enjoy the weather, the children, a dinner, and then dancing into the night. Boy, do the children love to dance!

DSC0097 - The children really love Tom (and the feeling is mutual) — The children really love Tom (and the feeling is mutual)

DSC0100 - Ari was next up – very popular with ECDC — Ari was next up – very popular with ECDC

RLW20160514190749754 - Dancing after dark — Dancing after dark

15 May – Sunday

Today is scheduled to be a fun day with the children, a momo party, and an opportunity to purchase crafts made at ECDC.

Yesterday, after the ceremony, all the guests were asked to add a hand print to the Wall of Dedication. By the time everyone had done their print, it was too dark for photos. This morning, I got a picture of the “finished” wall.

RLW20160515121329090 - The hand prints — The hand prints

RLW20160515121318736 - Pat’s is the green one in the center; mine is red just above hers — Pat’s is the green one in the center; mine is red just above hers

Momos are a Nepalese dumpling, made with either a chicken and vegetable mixture, or just vegetables. Pushpa told us she wanted enough dumplings for everyone to have 10, or more. Momos are served with a curry sauce that is really good. They are a favorite treat for the children. We loved them, too!

RLW20160515120732308 - Momo production table — Momo production table

RLW20160515120805434 - One group roles out the dough and makes small balls, the next group rolls the balls into flat rounds, and the third group adds the filling and seals them up. — One group roles out the dough and makes small balls, the next group rolls the balls into flat rounds, and the third group adds the filling and seals them up.

RLW20160515120755981 - Working with the filling — Working with the filling

IMG_5499 - A very small portion of the total momos — A very small portion of the total momos

IMG_5507 - Four momos and the excellent sauce (note the Ikea plate and spoon) — Four momos and the excellent sauce (note the Ikea plate and spoon)

While the Momos were being assembled, face painting was proceeding outside. Everyone really got into this event (of course, some much more than others). It all started innocently enough, with Kelly and Natalie volunteering to paint the children’s faces. Others soon added their painting skills. Once Marc Nicholson arrived, chaos began (as you’ll see below). Marc and his daughter added a lot to the fun.

RLW20160515124152452 - Kelly, Natalie and Kerstin Schulze – organized face painting. — Kelly, Natalie and Kerstin Schulze – organized face painting.

RLW20160515130059605 - A nice job — A nice job

RLW20160515133711110 - Marc Nicholson – the chaos begins — Marc Nicholson – the chaos begins

RLW20160515133735243 - Marc and friends — Marc and friends

IMG_5503 - Starting to get out of hand (and on to the face and beard) — Starting to get out of hand (and on to the face and beard)

RLW20160515135148243 - Maya Nicholson got her face painted too — Maya Nicholson got her face painted too

IMG_5578 - After Marc hugged his wife Jeanne, she sported a new shirt design. — After Marc hugged his wife Jeanne, she sported a new shirt design.

Everyone got cleaned up in time to eat the delicious momos. Then it was back to the stage for a final goodbye and “thank you”. Then the dancing started yet again.

IMG_5574 - Pushpa leads off the closing ceremony. — Pushpa leads off the closing ceremony.

RLW20160515162728112 - Tom gets thanked — Tom gets thanked

RLW20160515162807440 - Tom is lifted above the children – everyone is so happy to have Tom here — Tom is lifted above the children – everyone is so happy to have Tom here

RLW20160515163056098 - All done with the closing – now the dancing begins. — All done with the closing – now the dancing begins.

Closing notes: This has been a wonderful trip and we wish all our friends could have share the joy with us. We met new friends: Kerstin Shulze and her parents, Joachim and Helga; Kelly Kopchik; Natalie Ryneveld; Sharon Kugelmass; Marc, Jeanne, Maya and Beau Nicholson; the Novak family, Ari and Monique and their children.

The Singapore contingent included Tom, the Nicholsons, Kerstin, Kelly, Natalie and us. (I know I left someone out, but can’t think of their names.)

The Novak family is a very special family. Ari works for U.S. State Department and is based in Kathmandu. Monique and he are great friends of ECDC and have been invaluable assets for Pushpa (and Tom). We were so fortunate to meet them and become friends.

Pat and I purchased the first Butterfly Nursery Kit of education toys and supplies that ECDC wants to send to each of the 74 prisons in Nepal, where there are still over 100 children incarcerated with their parents. These kits, as you see in the picture below, contain puzzles, crayons, colored pencils, notepads, blocks, bean bags, football (soccer in the U.S.), a hand-pump to fill the balls, books to read and many other things the children in prisons can use. We signed the inside cover of the metal locker and hope it will bring pleasure and learning to many kids.

Our last day, just before we had to leave for the airport, several of us stopped at ECDC to say goodbye. Before we had left Singapore, we had asked Tom what we could get special for the kids. He said it was okay to bring candy as a special treat. That we did and handed it our as the kids were lining up to go to school. What a treat for us! I hope the kids got at least half as much pleasure as Pat and I.