BUILD 2 Kakani
Day 1 - Kakani Village
After a night of heavy electrical storms we woke to follow our usual routine of breakfast and a briefing. We walked to the Hub site where we had agreed to meet the community at 8am.
After introducing the team, Kajal and Saugat took over to explain in detail how the next 4 days would hopefully pan out. Once the briefings were over, and Saugat had explained the kit and equipment (always a highlight with the older ladies, for some reason) the work began on sorting through the boxes of gear, and we handed out the tablets to those who were not involved in the technical aspects of the build. Not surprisingly, the same enthusiasm from the children and perplexity from the ladies. Many of the ladies do not have very much education, and certainly they don't know how to operate the tablets. This is where the home team do so well. They approach with compassion and really put the ladies at ease as they demonstrate the software. It’s a gentle process; while the drilling and welding goes on not 5 metres away.
Concern about the weather continued, and in the afternoon, there was a storm over the Langtang mountains, but it stayed put and we able to crack on with getting the solar panels sorted. The ladies put the first coat of paint on the newly built table. Chehen arrived too! So good to see him, and you could sense that all elements were now intact.
Day 2 Kakani Village.
Another terrific storm last night. The katabatic winds coming off the Langtang mountains created a little bit of havoc and with such a through-draft even managed to set fire to the kitchen at the back of the tea-house. A quick dousing and we were back as normal, albeit with a chair propped against the door to stop the wind blowing it open!
After the morning meeting we headed up to the build - checking in the first instance that the solar panels hadn’t been damaged in the storm. They were as we left them. The usual suspects were already on site ready to lend a helping hand, and Chehen, Krishna, and Saugat began attaching the tablets to the table ready for the internet to be turned on. While all this was going on, Kajal and I headed into the lower part of the village with one of the tablets to find people who hadn’t already come to the hub to encourage them to do so.
One of the old ladies we met was just amazing. She told us she was over 90 and would soon be “in another place”. She also told us she couldn’t remember her name…..BUT, she was really engaged with the tablet - a musical instrument app grabbed her attention, and she was all smiles. It was quite the most lovely moment of the day.
Day 3 Kakani Village.
We turned up at the site after the usual morning activities, to find just a couple of people. It stayed that way for a while and only later did we find out that a wedding was taking place down the hill, and all those who would have turned up were at the wedding.
But there was still a plan to be fulfilled - we needed to introduce the hub and tablets to more people; so we headed to the school and (Chehen had brought them some badminton rackets, volley-balls, and skipping ropes) we asked them come down to the hub later on and see what we have and how the software could help. The hub build was complete, so it was all hands on deck to help these new faces enjoy the possibilities. And the added bonus was that they were also veritable artists and they helped us to paint the walls of the hub (along with Chehen and his abstract art, Krisha’s mountains, and Saugat’s faces). It was a fun-filled afternoon, and left the tablets free for some of the elderly people to use.
Towards the end of the day, more people began to turn up, and it was with a real sense of achievement that we walked back, knowing the hub is in use; the community starting to value the possibilities.
Day 4 - Kakani village
An earlier start this morning, as the chairman of the Hub committee - Mr Norsang Lama - had arranged for the committee to meet so that we could handover the hub and sign the MOU. Before that could happen, Chehen gave a small thank you speech and read out the content of the MOU, a very useful activity as it really drives home who the hub is for, what is consists of, and what is expected. Plus it allows for interaction and discussion over maintenance, and other questions.
Mr Norsang then stood up and gave a very long speech about why the hub is here and he then named exactly who from the community had donated either money of time. All the way through this, members of the community were turning up and either sitting down to listen, or heading into the hub to see what wonders awaited them.
In all it was a lovely time, and it really does make you realise just how well you have come to know the community; the faces and characters who have been helping each day. And, in fact, how much we will miss them - even after such a short amount of time.
The celebrations consisted mainly of snacks and endlessly replenished Nuncha (Tibetan salt tea). Once we were full-to-bursting with the tea, we bade our farewells and hit the road, children waving and shouting as we left. This community will look after it’s hub, the structures are sound and the pride in their hub is obvious.
BUILD 1
Day 1 - Dhapsung village.
The first day has gone very well.
We started with a briefing about the importance of participation (there is no point in building if the community aren't with us) and discussed our approach, deciding that if we didn't get the support, we wouldn't open the boxes.
When we arrived at the sight we were met by a handful of people but come 11:30 (i.e. after breakfast) a lot of people had arrived, waiting to learn kore about the hub.
Kajal and Saugat (both talking 'Hello World' for the first time!) gave a wonderful presentation, overcoming their nerves.
Once work had started, There was no stopping the community - especially the ladies, (most of whom were working with their babies strapped to their backs!). Having made great progress, we retired.
Day 2 - Dhapsung village.
Arriving back at the hub site, we were again fairly alone, just a few people using the Wifi hotspot, established yesterday. We are seeing pretty quickly that the majority of work will be an afternoon affair. Morning chores on local farms, as well as feeding and organising families means that many (ladies in particular) are too busy until after 11:30.
We made the most of a quiet morning, inviting children from the local school to visit and use the tablets and WiFi.
As more people arrived in the afternoon, we continued to work with the community as Kajal engaged with smaller groups and talked about the hub. Meanwhile the solar panels were fitted to the roof, while the desks and benches received a coat of primer.
The ladies in the village are clearly a very close knit group and it has been incredible to see such engagement so early in the project.
Day 3 - Dhapsung village
As expected (and we are starting to understand this now), the community was represented by just a couple of people to start with, but fortunately they were the ones interested in the technical and engineering work - including Samir (our chief engineer!)
As they were getting on with things, we went, with a few local girls, down to the village with a tablet to show the older and less enthusiastic what the tablets are all about. It is amazing how shy some of the young adult males are! We were also accompanied by Sunmaya, Samir’s wife (who is 19 or 20 years old). She is incredibly engaging and utterly charming. They were married 3 years ago and she has a 15 month old child. She didn’t attend school at all, and cannot read or write. They were married 3 years ago and have a 15 month old child. When they were married, there were no photographs, so Johnny did a “wedding” shot for them.
Day 4 - Dhapsung village
Last night was new years eve in Nepal and so the first day of 2078 was inevitably a slow start.
We arrived at the site again before anyone else, and the first person to arrive was Samir, the engineer. That was great news because he was required to see how the tablets were mounted and all the power connected to the chargers and the lights - as well as earthing the whole kit and caboodle! Actually, in the end there were about 5 people helping out.
People began to gather soon after, and had to wait while the tablet holding devices (home-made by Krishna) were fitted. But were soon able to try the tablets out for themselves.
Lunch was a one pot goat curry cooked for 150 people, an incredible smell and quite the party.
The children were VERY eager to get in amongst the tablets, but we first cleaned the place from all the build debris, and swept the floor. Once that was done we took a photo of some of the community outside the hub, and then while the children and some of the older group went in, we signed the MOU with the President of the community hub build. It felt like a seminal moment, and we headed up to the school for the party. Lots of people, lots of food, lots of dancing.
At the party we met Gita and Rachina, who have agreed to take on the role of Community Support Officers. They're standing in the community, along with their enthusiasm makes them a great fit!
