Now I want you to picture the golden Nepali sun beating down on the snowcapped Himalayas. With hills as steep as a cliff face and the sharpest twists and turns. Imagine having to hike the treacherous slopes of this terrain every single morning and afternoon. For more than two hours, just to get to and from school.
This is the life of the students at the Shila Devi School in Nepal.
4000 miles away in Stockholm Sweden, SIS has attempted to symbolically recreate the walk that these students take with “The Walk for Nepal”. An event organized and run by The Nepal Project. It is an annual fundraiser in which people of all ages come together as a community to represent and acknowledge the journey that the kids at Shila Devi in Nagrakot valley take just to get to school.
On September 13th, members of the SIS community swarmed Humlegården park in central Stockholm, for a day filled with walks, talks, and runs; all in recognition of the route the children at Shila Devi are demanded to take, twice a day. Of course, “The Walk for Nepal” can never be a complete replication of what the students go through daily, but the initiative and enthusiasm the event received goes to show what the SIS community is capable of.
The day started early. At 9:00 in the morning, a heap of excited and passionate – though slightly sleepy students of the Nepal Project, alongside the wonderful Ms. Bradford had gathered at the school’s main building to carry tables and equipment down to the park to meet the bakers and in the north-west corner of Humlegården. When 10:00 rolled around, everything was ready, and the first brave athletes showed up and the Walk for Nepal could begin.
Seeing the sun shine brought smiles on the faces of everyone. Students and staff, friends and family, and to the luxury of pet lovers, the most precious dogs came along. There were laughs all around, even in the cold, Swedish September wind, blending the seasons as the trees were still painted green. It was even possible to see people panting and sweating, a sign of the extra challenge of those choosing to escape the walk, by making it a run. Very impressive!
A trail was created, just over 1 km around the park, and those who chose to attend, could take as many laps as one wanted.
The way the fundraising worked was that every individual would have a “sponsor” – an aunt, uncle, grandfather, grandmother, friend, anyone who wished to donate any sum, for every lap completed.
The infamous Bake Sale has become a notable portion of the walk with kids, parents and teachers all pitching in to make the most delicious baked goods. From the richest, fudgiest brownies with oreos drizzled on top to the most adorable matcha cookies there was certainly something for everyone! Mouthwatering confections lined the table, just dying to be eaten!
The Bake Sale wasn’t the only treat at the walk. Meticulous hand crafted computer cases and bags were made available. Not only are these bags the ultimate fashion statement with the contrast of denims and fabrics but they also have a message. The one of a kind bags are embedded with sustainability. They are sewn by the talented women in Nepal who take old, dull, lifeless material, and transform it into something completely unrecognizable! Bags made for everyone’s taste.
From all of us in The Nepal Project, to all of you, who participated in the Walk for Nepal, we thank you immensely. Not only were there 75 registered walkers. When the day came to an end, the event had raised 17 500 kr! The participation and engagement seen at the event is a gift not to The Nepal Project, but to the individuals and community of Shila Devi in Nagrakot.
Every cent of the money collected throughout the entire year through donations and fundraising events such as the Walk for Nepal, goes to provide for the Shila Devi School in Nagarkot. School uniforms, learning resources, internet, as well as lunches for students and staff, and wages of otherwise volunteering teachers, are aspects that the SIS Nepal Project, alongside the SIS Spirit Fund are able to support the school through.
