Steps for Schools: Trekking Across Nepal for HVP

Dear friends,

Namaste!

We write to you at a time when we should be celebrating the beginning of Spring and the reduced threat from Covid across the world, heralding a return to better times and the opportunity to meet in person and to travel once more.

But as the shocking story unfolds on a daily basis of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and each morning brings with it reports of new tragedy, it is very hard to maintain the optimism that traditionally accompanies this season of new life. When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions. Our hearts and prayers lie with the government and people of Ukraine, equally with those who have fled the country and those who have stayed, and we join the worldwide call for peace and an end to the violence.

Your attention and resources may well be diverted right now to helping the people of Ukraine in any way possible. We as individuals are doing likewise.

But if you are looking for ways to come together and to continue to make a positive difference in the world, we have our Spring fundraising initiative to bring to your attention.

Although the schools in Nepal have recently re-opened after yet another period of Covid lockdown, because of the continued disruption we have sadly had to postpone once more the online festival that had been rescheduled for April.

In its stead we want to show our support for the schools in a different way.

Steps for Schools: Trekking across Nepal for HVP

We warmly invite you to join us with our group World Walking Challenge this March, April and May. Make the most of those brighter Spring days while also making a real difference to the lives of our students at the HVP Nepal schools.

Sign up to World Walking (https://worldwalking.org/) and fundraise for HVP while walking the equivalent distance from HVP Thali to HVP Dang - a journey that will take you right across Nepal and one that takes in several of the great sites of the country (not to mention the HVP schools). Get fit, see the world, learn about HVP and raise money for a great cause.

To get started...

1. REGISTER: Register on the World Walking website.

2. SIGN UP TO THE WALK: Search 'The Walks' for the 'Steps for Schools: A Journey Across Nepal' walk and click 'Start Now'.

3. DONATE: Decide on your donation: you can do this directly on the World Walking website or you could send to our JustGiving page. Be creative - think about donating based on how far you get, for example £1 per 100,000 steps or 1p per 100 steps! Any amount makes a huge difference to the lives of our students in Nepal.

4. MOVE: Get walking! You can download the app and log-in to track your steps or you can manually add them on the website every time you walk further. Be sure to check out the various 'milestones' which will tell you more about who we are and what we do.

As you accumulate steps throughout the day, week, month or year, you embark on a virtual walk that can take you to some of the world’s most beautiful sights. We have been working with World Walking to bring you the Steps for Schools virtual walk 285 miles across Nepal, from the HVP school in Thali, to HVP Central in Kathmandu and finally across the country to Dang in West Nepal, where the third HVP school and Children’s Peace Home are located. Along the way, you will learn about HVP's work, what we do, and the different projects that we run in Nepal. All you need to do is download the app, sign up to our walk, and get moving! If 285 miles (460Km) sounds daunting, remember that you can do it in your own time, over however long you like! Or to be more sociable and perhaps reconnect with fellow volunteers or travellers, or family who you have missed during the pandemic, you can sign up as a team, and split the steps between you.

What is this for?

Having successfully achieved our goal of supporting the creation of the new block at HVP Central, our new focus is on HVP Thali, where Head Master, Raj Kumar ji, has requested support for the building of a new school roof before the heavy monsoon rains fall in June. The state of the current roof makes the main assembly hall virtually unusable during the rainy season for any purpose involving a gathering of people, for example for assemblies, exams and cultural programmes. He estimates the cost of the new roof to be £11,000 and we have agreed to help the school raise this sum.

So lace up the walking boots, get outside, track your steps and start raising money for an excellent cause.

We leave you with a selection of sights in Nepal you may see (in your mind's eye) along the way...