Message from Nepal.

I have just returned from Nepal. Together with Ram in Kathmandu, I bought a fully-loaded PC for the Kaparkhori school. The school will soon start a computing class. They now have 2 PCs and a laser printer. The school could use a third PC. Classrooms, library and PC room looked fine.

For the school for the blind, I purchased a PC with speakers including headphones and UPS. The UPS ensures that in case of a power interruption, staff and students will have half an hour to save all data. In a addition to one female teacher, who is not blind, the school employs Bed Prasad Batterai. Bed teaches on this special speech computer using Jaws software. As of a few months ago, one of his friends also works at the school. Both teachers are not 100% blind/ The new teacher was very happy with the computer. We have arranged for him to be taught by Bed. A new female teacher has also been added to the staff. At the moment, the school has ca. 22 students (blind or visually impaired)

As you know, we hope to build a training and education center for the blind and visually impaired soon. We are brainstorming about how best to teach to the blind and visually impaired, so that after their short training, they will be able to earn money with what they have learned. We will need some more speech computers. Bed Batterai handles the classes.

Finally, I had some money left for 2 laser printers.

The head teacher of the Mohana school, a school with a very good reputation and excellent teachers, got a laser printer and a used laptop. We would like the school to use the laptop to exchange e-mail with a school in Friesland or Groningen.

Purchase of  a laser printer and a laptop has been put off.  The school needs to clean the library and computer room thoroughly before the equipment can be installed.

As you can see, the money has been well-spent in Nepal. Thanks again and I hope to be able to count on you again at the end of the year.

Best regards, Jan