"Can we see the world through others' eyes or others' point of view?" question arises in the empathy session this Friday. Everyone engaged with their own thoughts. Everyone shared their point of view while thinking about other people like what they see, hear, feel and think in a certain situation. The session is held in Kanya Mandir HS School with 17 participants.

After a Breathers session at Budhanilkantha, KG team members started a silent hike uphill towards Gairigaun, Muhanpokhari located near the boundaries of Shivpuri National Park. The team stayed at a members place in the locality which was abundant in nature.
 
The three day trip explored themes of facilitator development sessions and mindful sessions.
 
Facilitator Development Sessions
Sessions included discussion on notions of:

• Factors influencing facilitation.
• Features of facilitators.
• Emotional Intelligence.
• Co-creating relationships.
• Questioning and listening.

 
Mindful Sessions: Indoor/Outdoor

• Silent hikes.
• Breath watching.
• Body Scan.
  
• Open sharing and discussions.
  

 The retreat was overall a rejuvenating experience for all the participants. It became a place for learning, sharing and co-creating relationships.

The campaign started with a motive of reaching and helping students in need of warm sweaters so that they could be motivated to attend school in this year's freezing winter. With the help of mentors KG identified 396 students in 12 different schools who needed to be helped. Along the way we were also able to provide 169 warm hats to children. We thank all mentors, volunteers, donors and enablers who have shown their constant support towards the movement.

This winter KG organized a winter camp for government school students. There were 8 participants form Shanti Sikshya secondary school. The camp was 3 days long which included activities on Emotional Intelligence and Design For Change. Emotional Intelligence was a completely new topic for them. Everyone participated in the entire 3 days of winter camp with a lot of interest and enthusiasm. According to them, at first, they thought the camp will be boring with some teaching and writing activities. They had not expected this kind of session. After completing the camp everyone was happy to learn new things. Everyone shared how they were unaware of simple daily activities which could affect them as well as others. They found the sessions completely new, interesting, and fruitful.

“I will definitely be aware of what I am going to do and how I am talking to others. I find it really important to know how a small thing can affect others without the intention to hurt them” said Nishan Rai.

​‘Innovation in Sustainability’ - TheeGo applies latest technologies and innovations towards sustainable prosperity. 

"Every day we hear and learn about the most pressing problem of today’s world like climate
change, environment degradation, uncontrolled population growth and their endless impacts
on humanity. These problems and often referred as side products of industrialization,
transportation, technological encroachment and rightly so. All of these are here to address the
short term needs of people but completely eclipses their long term impact and ignores the
need of sustainability.  We know it is very daunting task to sacrifice the short term need and comfort for long term sustainability. Investing in innovation requires patience, focus and expertise.  To achieve our goals we have ventured into generation and distribution of sustainable energy using renewable sources and techniques, introduction of clean and green electric vehicles for rental services, charging stations for electric vehicles. Thee- Go has three companies FGE, G&G and SRIBIT goal of innovation for sustainability."

Many students from government schools are unable to buy a pair of shoe, which is not only injurious to them but they also feel embarrassed to go to school without shoes. Therefore KG in coordination with Mentor circle (a group of active teachers) identified 107 students in need from 8 different schools and successfully served them with school shoes.  

Mustang Trails conducts customized tours in Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet and Ladakh.  Since 2004, it has organizing tea house treks, peak climbing expeditions, cultural tours and tours for people with special needs.  
​"We really appreciate the ’Be the change" approach of 'Design for change" framework where students identify their problems and look for solutions themselves. This is exactly what we feel is needed to build a self-sufficient and dignified society.  We are proud to partner with KG to build a dignified community," says Bidhya Hirachan, MD.

Professional Educational Consultancy (PEC) believes in direct interactions with the society.  It has done a lot of contribution to the society in a number of ways, as Corporate Social Responsibility, where there is no give and take, but genuine activities, that will benefit the society. 

"We are proud to partner with Kehi Garoun as a platform that allows us to reach wider community that is already involved in the welfare of the society," says Raju Singh, MD. 

PEC's employees believe in being active in the society.   Each employee has their own interests as to how they want to make a difference in the society.  PEC team is enthusiastic about being able to serve the society using KG's platform.

Design for change framework helped the students to solve their problems at Shanti Sikshya Secondary School. After completing the FIDS session they have improved their learning . while doing this framework students had listed  all problems that they have been facing in their school everyday. After it, they chose the important problems by voting. Once it is done, they  imagined the various solutions and listed the plan to solve it . Finally they solved their problems with the help of design for change project.


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Students of Kankeshwori Lower Secondary School have done design for change project, while doing this project students were very much excited. They  had listed the problems that bothered them and list out the plan to solve it . when they solved it they were happy for their efforts. 

For kids by kids program was designed by a group of mentors from 12 different schools. The program was successful held on 8th June at Kanya Mandir Secondary School, Chhetrapati. Around 400 students were present at the event. Students put all together 15 cultural acts and 12 Food stalls. The total revenue of the event  was RS.26,000 which will be used in DFC projects led by students themselves.
Testimonial by Sarala Panta (Teacher, Kanya Mandir School):
I have never experienced an event like this before where teachers and students from different school come together at a common place and work together in a non competitive way. 

Students of Shanti Sikshya Secondary School ​ were happy in doing design for change project. With the help of this projects they were able to solve their  problems  in school. They have chosen the toilet cleanliness projects which is most import problem to them. Support of teacher, school admin and students were able to solve it with good effort.

Kehi Garoun has been working for the last ten years towards self-empowerment.  Yet, somehow we are seen as yet another charity organization, adding to the very culture of dependence that we are trying to change.  In our attempt to rethink our work, Nabin, Pravendra and Umanga attended a 3 day retreat on Reimaging Education in Ahmedabad, organized by movedbylove.org. The retreat was an experience of generosity, connection and learning.   It was truly rewarding experience for our 'hands, hearts and heads.' Details of the retreat is here. 

Inspired by our experience, we replicated a similar retreat for Kehi Garoun volunteers from January 27-29 to explore the potential of "inside-out change" - the social change that results from personal change.  We did not have a rigid agenda, yet we had a prayer that each of us will get some clarity for oneself, and kindle heart-connections with others.
                    "EACH OF US GUARDS A GATE OF CHANGE, 
      THAT CAN BE UNLOCKED ONLY FROM THE INSIDE."

Summary:
The experience was so inspiring that Kehi
Garoun held a similar retreat on inside-out
​change as soon as their team got back to Nepal. ​

Highlights:
The retreat started with simple introduction of all the participants and the volunteers. All shared their moments of joy in education. There were break out sessions on compassion quotient.  We visited  Sewa Cafe, an experiment in giving, and listened to Nemo's songs. ​

We moderate dialogues among leaders of various organizations who wish to serve as a sounding board to one another. ​

Saira D Budhrani also known as Reshy is Philippines based Dance instructor and choreographer. 
She with the help of her friends promoted a campaign  called "#raise4nepal" and raised total amount of Rs.89,276 for Nepalese children.She donated the entire fund to Kehi Garoun Nepal to help childern of earthquake victims
Out of Rs.89,276 Kehi Garoun used Rs.35000 for providing stationery materials to 100 students of different government school and Rs.54000 was used to  provide mid-day lunch to  30 students.

Kehi Garoun has started a new program ‘Education venture’ with the vision of improving the educational system. We are looking to work with schools as a consultant or as a part of school management itself.
Our education vision is to inspire the education community through the merits of the culture of self-learning.

• We envision a self-learning culture where teachers and students are curious and internally motivated to undertake self-initiatives to learn.
• We want to instill the values of individual responsibility and global citizenship in our students. 
• We aim to prepare students for life-long learning, a value that has shaped liberate-arts education.
• We will serve as an ‘R&D Lab’ to study and provide services that aim to improve education that is accessible to students of modest economic backgrounds from all over the country.

Our venture is based on three pillars:

1. Curriculum that reaches beyond the walls of the classroom: To supplement the academic curriculum, we will design activities where students can use their energy and curiosity to undertake Project-Based Learning, on topics that are relevant to them as global citizens. Based on the past 10 years of KG's volunteering experience with college students, we have found that “learning-by-doing” has a lasting impact. 
2. Guidance counseling that provides the skills needed for self-direction:  To promote individual responsibility and ownership in one’s education, we will provide guidance resources and in-person counseling sessions, starting from the Induction Week where students carry out their goal-setting exercises.  Based on the our experience through  Kehi Garoun's “Insight” guidance counseling program, that has reached over 12 schools in Kathmandu, we have found effective ways of engaging students in finding out “what they, with all their heart, love to do”. Their studies then become a source of joy and excitement.
3. Management that is rigorous in following the Standard Operating procedure: In order to manage administration, admissions and teachers’ careers (recruitment, evaluation and training), we will develop and implement standard operating procedures.  Based on our experience from Kehi Garoun's Giving program, that scaled up from helping 40 students a year to over 2000 a year, we have learnt the value of putting rigorous management processes in place. 

​PP  Prasai Foundation was established in February 18, 2011 as a tribute to Late Prajapati  Prasai, popularly known as PP.  The Foundation was established with the main intention of keeping alive aspirations of PP particularly in developing and promoting the education and tourism sector of Nepal.
The PP Prasai Foundation was established with the objective to develop, promote and contribute to the national development by creating opportunities; recognizing potentials; inspiring and supporting individuals and institutions committed to change for the better and for identifying, developing, preserving and promoting destinations and heritages in these two particular sectors.
In 3rd Sept 2015, Kehi Garoun and PP Prasai foundation agreed to collaborate to fulfill mutual agreed  goals by signing MOU where PP Prasai donated Rs.105000 to help and support children in need with their educational materials.

For more pictures, click here.

Kehi Garoun  is itself inspired by J. Krishnamurti, and proudly displayed J.K publications in the 19th Nepal International Book Fair at Bhrikutimandap, Exhibition hall, Kathmandu where more than 50 books and DVDs were displayed.
The book fair was held from 21st August to 29th August.