London — In a heartwarming display of philanthropy and cultural exchange, three compassionate girls from the United Kingdom have chosen to spend their post A-level break volunteering in a rural charity hostel in Nepal. The trio, Ranya, Zain and Reiya Shrestha, will dedicate two weeks to volunteer at the Saraswati Secondary School in Kavre and spending most of their time on Kumar Balaram memorial free hostel.

Bishnu Gautam, the Chair of Laxmi Foundation, revealed that during their time in Nepal, the volunteers will actively participate in various activities aimed at benefiting the community. They will engage in tree plantation and paddy plantation to support environmental conservation and sustainable farming practices. Additionally, the girls will immerse themselves in Nepalese cultural activities, allowing for a unique exchange of traditions and experiences.

The volunteering program also includes activities that promote holistic well-being, such as hiking, yoga, and meditation, enabling the girls to find balance and peace amidst their philanthropic efforts. Through this well-rounded experience, the volunteers hope to not only contribute to the community but also learn valuable life skills and foster a spirit of empathy.

Reiya Shrestha, a key figure in the team, demonstrated her commitment to the cause by collecting an impressive sum of Rs 2,05,000. The funds will be allocated to support a Kumar Balaram Memorial free hostel, catering to the needs of underprivileged students within the rural community of Nepal. Riya’s father, Surendra Shrestha, expressed his pride in her efforts and stated that this initiative would provide opportunities for the younger generation to cultivate essential life skills through philanthropy.

The impactful journey of these three girls will be documented extensively. SAT, will publish their daily diary for the next seven days. This coverage will allow readers to follow their inspiring journey, witness their dedication firsthand, and understand the transformative impact of volunteering.

The charitable act of these young volunteers serves as a beacon of hope, bridging geographical boundaries, and promoting compassion and understanding among the global community. As they embark on this remarkable adventure, their actions will undoubtedly encourage many other youngsters to follow in their footsteps, creating a ripple effect of positive change and empowerment worldwide.

Day 1

The three of us woke up early around 7am to take a cold shower. though it was uncomfortable, it was exhilarating and a new experience. It really sunk in how different their lifestyle is and how much they have to sacrifice to live a good life that is easy to achieve in England. After the shower, we went back to our room to rest, get changed and do a little lesson planning for tomorrow so we are prepared, making sure we are able to teach to the fullest of our abilities. We planned an interactive lesson so the kids can get more comfortable expressing in english. After breakfast, we washed up after ourselves. Then, three of the children guided us through their farm, showing us each of their planted sections. The plants ranged from cucumber, strawberry, pumpkin, kiwi trees, bananas and so much more. Their biggest plot was for chilli, which they mostly sold off. After the farm we trekked to the school, which included a beautiful path circling the mountain. the view was breathtaking and nothing like i’ve ever seen before. we were literally walking through clouds because of how high we were in the mountains. Once we reached the school, we were shown around. We saw the school building and the playground, which they expressed they will clean up since there was overgrown grass. Once we made our way back, we were also guided through the rest of the village that we haven’t yet been introduced to. We were shown a pig sty, which included cute small pigs that were eager to have us pet them. Furthermore, we viewed their library which consisted of many books, a miniature television and a couple computers. After the library, we saw the bakery which was a big old style room with a traditional looking baking oven. The kids told us that they bake bread mostly, and that they enjoy it a lot. After the bakery, we set our eyes on the styling room, where the kids got their haircut. One of the kids that were touring us expressed that she is the main hair cutter and that she also loves it. The tour ended with the melodic playing of the flute by one of the kids who was quite the talented flute player. After the full tour, which took around 1-2 hours, we made our way back to our rooms and rested for a bit until lunch since it was a lot of walking (especially uphill). When the three of us finished our food, two of the adults took us on a small hike. During this tiresome yet rewarding walk, we stopped at a traditional buddhist ritual held for funerals. There were buddhists flags, monks and children playing around. The environment portrayed a sense of respect and community for the one who has passed away. The three of us and the two adult teachers also hiked up a mountain- right to the top where the ground was generously scattered with unique and shiny rocks as well as saturated with the pigment of an earthy brown-red. The day ended with a restful sleep.

Diary 2:
The three of us woke up at around 5:30am to the sound of a taekwondo session. It still amazes us how creative, active and skilled the kids are. A normal day in England would be to wake up in the afternoon and laze around all day, maybe go for a walk or maybe phone a friend for a couple hours. But no, the kids here prioritise their health and well-being which is very refreshing to see. Me and ranya went to have another cold shower, then had breakfast then rested for another couple hours. after that, it was time for a gardening session which was a fairly new activity for the most of us three. The instructor and kids kindly demonstrated how to use the ho, to which they dug with skill and power. The three of us took turns copying their digging with the ho. After digging, the kids reshaped the plot to perfection then all of us sprinkled some coriander seeds on top, spacing ever seed out. After that, we scooped up some soil with our hands and generously dusted that over the seeds and then covered the entire plot with long dry grass. The teamwork was almost perfect harmony and everyone was determined to do their role well. After we planted we then proceeded to water the entire tomato plot. The kids helped fill up two watering jugs so we can share and water separately. After gardening, The three of us went back upstairs into our rooms for a rest. During this, we also planned out the entire english lesson for today which was at 1:00pm. However, before we began teaching English, we taught a big handful of eager kids the game of UNO. UNO lasted for a very long time since the kids loved it. They were engaging every second of the game and not one face had the absence of a smile. Halfway through the game, we all decided to pair up with someone and make teams since the cards were running out during the games since there were around 15 people playing one game at once. Three different girls ran to the three of us individually and stuck onto us like glue. Waves of endearment and the feeling of being loved had never been greater. They had all already welcomed us as their family and are all trying so hard to communicate with us despite the large language barrier. They would all do their own small actions to show us they are happy we are here. For example, the girls that teamed up separately with us three would lock their arms with us. Reiya and I went to fill up my water bottle since it was very hot in the room we were playing in. Once we got to the kitchen, the same boy that has been trying a lot to talk to us and the same one that showed us around the farm and school was sitting by himself. His name is Buddhi. We asked him what he was doing alone and told him that he should come play with us. To our shock, he was just counting doing the seconds until English class started. Once he realised it was nearing 1:00pm, he went around everyone’s bedrooms to inform them it was time for learning (even to the instructor who was lost in the game of UNO with the rest of the kids). Once everyone was informed by Buddhi, all of the kids grabbed their notebooks and pens and went upstairs into the meditation room that is also used for many other things. Reiya, Ranya and I went upstairs into our room to grab teaching supplies we had prepared. When we stepped out the door, we see Buddhi running up the long flight of stairs which was counted to be a little under a hundred (and also very steep) carrying a giant whiteboard on his shoulders under the beaming sun. Despite this, he smile was wider than i’ve ever seen. To think that was it, he ran back down and up to get whiteboard markers for us. He is truly exceptional, just like everyone was. They all portrayed such intense intense individualistic characters and us three are all so happy to get to know everyone. We were able to do this through the English lesson. We had taught the interactive lesson which focused on conversational skills. Me and Ranya taught in English and Reiya helped translate everything so everyone can understand what we are teaching. We wrote frequently asked questions when meeting someone new, for example, “What is your name?”, “How are you?”, “How old are you?”, “Where are you from?”, and since their days are filled with gardening and farming: “What do you grow in your garden?”, “what is your hobby?”,and lastly, “What is your dream?”. Despite the last question being difficult, the kids had heartfelt answers, such as ‘social worker’, ‘doctor’, ‘police man’, ‘singer or dancer’, ‘engineer’ and so much more. Before we initiated group discussions, we asked everyone to get into groups of four. We then gave everyone around half an hour to practise asking and answering the questions within their groups. After that, the three of us went around each group and use the same questions and have an English conversation with them. While some struggled and were shy, they never backed down or gave up. The three of us when through every incorrect detail and encouraged them to try again and make eye contact as best as they can to ensure they get a good experience of conversing in English. We made sure everyone answered every question and helped them come to answer for each question that they struggled with. Some kids achieved higher and even made up questions by themselves such as ‘What is your mother’s/father’s name?’ and ‘what is your favourite colour?’. Yet again, they never seize to amaze. Some of those kids’ answers were so articulate I was shocked they knew such advanced phrases at such a young age. Once the class ended, each student received a small chocolate for their efforts. Not one kid misbehaved and not one kid didn’t try. They all listened very well and were very excited to learn. Furthermore, when the kids parted ways to their room, Ranya, Reiya and I met a very sweet and lovely dog named Bhote. We were told to be careful as he bites but not once did he go aggressive or frightening. In fact, he was extremely nice. We pet him for around 45 minutes and fed him some bread. He sat politely when handed food and took it from our fingers very gently. He seemed to enjoy belly rubs and head pats the most. After spending time with Bhote, the three of us went back to our room and not long after we were greeted by two young kids asking us to come play cricket with them. The three of us were slightly scared as we are not very familiar with cricket but in the end, we ended up having one of the best times of our life and making lifelong memories. There was absolutely no judgement towards our beginner skills; there was only sportsmanship and heavy encouragement. The instructor was very helpful and was happy to explain everything repeatedly to us. Once the three of us warmed up to the game, we began to play skilfully and managed to win many games. The kids were very happy to play with us or to watch us play. This warms our hearts very much. Even when I failed to bat almost every time, Prakash (Who was in a team with Ranya and I), encouraged me to bat when I didn’t want to due to embarrassment or self-doubt. However, even when failing they never let us feel like a failure. Even when failing, only good things were said. The instructor offered to teach us tricks to improve our form which was really helpful. Playing cricket, which was a sport I undoubtedly hated for many many years turned out to be the sport I most want to play. This was all because of one special game with the kids. Furthermore, Reiya and I are very sensitive to the heat and would refuse to do anything that would get us sweating or too hot. But for the first time in our life this didn’t matter. In fact, I enjoyed this as it reflected my hard work which I am proud of. I did not want the game to end and persisted it be continued. However, it was getting dark and the instructor dismissed us all to go eat dinner. Before dinner, the three of us sat on a bench outside the kitchen and were greeted with warm smiles from everyone who walked by as well us using greeting phrases. I have never in my life seen such respect or politeness. After dinner, which never fails to expand my tastebuds into such different wonderful flavours due to everything being organic and freshly farmed, we went back up to our room and yet again had a good nights sleep.

To be continued …