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P a t r i c k K o Dear Friends and Family, As many of you know, I went abroad last year to teach in Nepal and Thailand. During that time, I immersed myself in different cultures and did many interesting and meaningful things. I am glad that I took that time off as it provided me inspiration and wonderful new friends. I want to share with you some of my experiences. In doing so, I would like to ask for your support for a very worthwhile cause in Nepal. For more than a month, I lived in a remote town in Eastern Nepal and taught English and Science there. At first it was tough, because the town Basantapur is dirty and the living conditions are poor. I had a homestay with the school principal’s family of seven. They live very simply in terms of housing, food, and other needs. Most of the people live well below the poverty line, and some struggle with the basic essentials. Despite the difficult new environment, I got used to the lifestyle because I love teaching. The children are wonderful, and I immersed myself in planning lessons and teaching my five classes and tutoring sessions. I found the people in Basantapur to be friendly and gentle natured, and they made me feel right at home. The people there are Hindus and Buddhist, and a small group of Christians. There seemed to be a natural peace to the place -- a simplicity that is rare here in America. During my time there, I felt that they taught me more than I could have ever given them. By witnessing the people so happy in such underprivileged situations, I was really prompted to think about many things. I realized that everyday here in America is a gift I often take for granted, and simplicity can be a source of happiness. My words are inadequate to express the feelings and emotions I experienced there. As you can see from the photos, the school I taught at has a very stark campus. There are two hundred and twenty students in nine grade levels. The teachers there are dedicated and most of the children love to learn. However, they face many obstacles. One of the most obvious and pressing problems is the condition of the schoolhouse. It is simply unsafe to run a school in such an old and shaky building. In addition, there are no toilet facilities or any electricity. As the number of students increases by at least ten percent a year, the school has run out of space and become absolutely inadequate. In these unfortunate conditions, the talents of many gifted teachers and students are going to waste. The founders, including my host father, Bhim sir, have planned to build a new school and they have been saving up the necessary funds. However, with only their personal savings and the school’s modest income of 2500 rupees a month, it will take far too long to raise the full amount needed for this important project. This is the reason I am asking for your help and support to build a new school. The new school will be built above the entire town, providing the students with a cleaner playground. The building will be built with brick and cement, providing good insulation from cold, rain, and noise. There will be eighteen rooms including a meeting room and an office. Toilet facilities will also be constructed. The new school will ensure the students and teachers have some of the basic needs that are crucial for a good education. Please refer to the financial information sheet for the details of this project. The total needed is $5000 US dollars. With your support, the new school will benefit the people of Basantapur for generations to come. Such a small amount to us can make a huge difference in their lives. I understand that Nepal may seem distant to you. However, your help will be invaluable for the children. With a new school, they will have more hope for their future through getting a better education. The wonderful people there and myself will greatly appreciate your help. You can make the world better by contributing for a good cause without borders. Thank you for reading this letter. I am looking forward to hearing from you soon, preferably before the end of May. When you have decided how much financial support you are willing to contribute, please call or e-mail me and let me know so I can better keep track of the progress of this fundraising effort. Thank you again and I hope to talk to you soon.
Patrick Ko
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