2008 Woodie Awards
Students organize to send aid to Nepal
Kathleen Maynard
Issue date: 2/23/07 Section: News & Features
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Inspired by David Amadu '07, who has lead an effort to help reduce malaria through education and the distribution of sleeping-nets in Sierra Leone, Nihit Joshi '08 and a group of friends decided to form a similar project for his native Nepal during the spring semester of 2006. With support from members of the staff such as Student Post Office Supervisor Allen Lapan, Professor of Chemistry Dr. Whitney King and Colby Dining Services, Joshi designed a fundraising project to provide educational supplies and other funding for impoverished children in Nepal.
The idea of the project was that for one day, the group would cook lunch and deliver it to faculty for a fee of $7.00 per meal. Last year the event raised $850 dollars, which was used to support seven school children from two schools: the Niketan Secondary School in Bhaktapur and the Baby Angel English School in Kathmandu. The funding received from the project paid for tuition as well as exam fees, supplies and uniform expenses.
As spring approaches the group is once again planning the initial phases for another successful fundraiser. This year the members of the project hope to expand their efforts by raising funds for several causes. One popular idea is to split the funds between Nepalese children and children at the Waterville public schools. As Joshi said, "It's important that we [also] maintain a good relationship with the Waterville community by showing that we care about their interests. I've volunteered at the Hall School for two years and know they could use the funding to bolster their programs."
Beyond raising money for kids in a good cause last year, Joshi said that he was glad to see how the project helped bring students together. He was surprised by the number of students that volunteered to help with the project, and how the fundraising event was able to bring together students from all different aspects of the College campus on a given day. People bustling in and out of the kitchen, making deliveries, came from every walk of student life. Athletes, Student Government Association members, students from various clubs and different backgrounds were working together for a common purpose.
The group was also pleased with the opportunity this project offered students to meet new people and work for a good cause. In the upcoming weeks there will be an announcement seeking volunteers to assist with the plethora of tasks involved in putting on such an event. People will be needed to help cook, purchase ingredients, collect orders, and provide deliveries. If you are interested in helping, email Joshi at njoshi@colby.edu.
The idea of the project was that for one day, the group would cook lunch and deliver it to faculty for a fee of $7.00 per meal. Last year the event raised $850 dollars, which was used to support seven school children from two schools: the Niketan Secondary School in Bhaktapur and the Baby Angel English School in Kathmandu. The funding received from the project paid for tuition as well as exam fees, supplies and uniform expenses.
As spring approaches the group is once again planning the initial phases for another successful fundraiser. This year the members of the project hope to expand their efforts by raising funds for several causes. One popular idea is to split the funds between Nepalese children and children at the Waterville public schools. As Joshi said, "It's important that we [also] maintain a good relationship with the Waterville community by showing that we care about their interests. I've volunteered at the Hall School for two years and know they could use the funding to bolster their programs."
Beyond raising money for kids in a good cause last year, Joshi said that he was glad to see how the project helped bring students together. He was surprised by the number of students that volunteered to help with the project, and how the fundraising event was able to bring together students from all different aspects of the College campus on a given day. People bustling in and out of the kitchen, making deliveries, came from every walk of student life. Athletes, Student Government Association members, students from various clubs and different backgrounds were working together for a common purpose.
The group was also pleased with the opportunity this project offered students to meet new people and work for a good cause. In the upcoming weeks there will be an announcement seeking volunteers to assist with the plethora of tasks involved in putting on such an event. People will be needed to help cook, purchase ingredients, collect orders, and provide deliveries. If you are interested in helping, email Joshi at njoshi@colby.edu.
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