MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDER

Recently, a prospective volunteer reminded me of what The Santi School Project is doing right, and that we have so much to be proud of even though we are a small organization operating within a modest budget. "You've accomplished a lot," the volunteer grant writer told me after reading about our programs to rebuild schools and train teachers in Nepal. "You're well organized, and you've done so many things. You have a great story to tell. It's always encouraging when new supporters discover us and are impressed with our work. Whats even more gratifying is hearing from the people we serve that we are making a difference in their communities. Bijaya Shiwakoti, our program director in Nepal who compiled this report, spoke with principals at the schools we've helped improve. Their comments confirm our early success in fulfilling our mission to provide quality education for girls and ethnic minorities. Dev Narayan Nepal, the principal of Mahakali Lower Secondary School, where we have provided teacher training in addition to renovating the school, told Bijaya that The standard of classroom teaching has improved and the students are learning better than in the past. I'm happy to be able to share our success with you, our donors and supporters. This annual report is long overdue, not just because we owe it to all of you to keep your informed of our progress in Nepal, but also because we rarely take the time to celebrate our accomplishments. Santi School is a personal project for me, and I'm proud to say that I have met nearly all of our donors, although that is slowly changing, with every online T-shirt sale in Norway (yes, it happened) and every Nepal Fest in Austria (which has happened three years in a row, now). That's a good sign, an indication that we are growing, but it doesn't change the fact that I want each of you to feel a personal connection to our work in Nepal. Because after all, personal connections are the foundation of the Santi School Project. Our work is driven by a small group of very dedicated people in Kathmandu who have been with us since the very beginning: Rabindra Maharjan, our tireless chairman in Nepal and the man behind the Nepal Fests; Vidhan Rana, who moved back home a year ago after playing an instrumental role in the United States coordinating with our team in Nepal; Bijaya, a thoughtful and respected young leader who we hope will be at the helm for a long time to come; and Mabindra Regmi, who has single-handedly written a teacher training curriculum and has, for six months, given up his weekends to travel back and forth from Kathmandu to lead teacher training sessions at a rural school. Together with our team in the U.S.-where we have our own hardworking board and devoted volunteers-we have made real, quantifiable improvements in the quality of education for more than 850 primary school students in Nepal over the past four years. That includes our work conducting physical renovations, providing training for teachers, installing proper classroom furniture, and distributing books and supplies. Not bad for an organization with an annual budget of less than $30,000. June will mark the fifth anniversary of our inaugural fundraiser, a small gathering of friends at Catonsville Presbyterian Church. Since then, the Santi School family has grown to include supporters from around the world. The best example of this is the men and women from countries like Australia, Saudia Arabia, Austria and the United States who have volunteered in our schools. Clearly, we've come a long way. I'm looking forward to what the next five years will bring. Thank you for your support. Christopher Heun Founder & President

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MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN

Dear donors and well wishers, Namaste! It is my pleasure to have the opportunity to share with you our journey of 2011. It has been an exciting year for all of us here in Nepal. Every time our team members and I visit any of the project areas, we see the bright and lively faces of the children who have benefitted from our work. It is gratifying for us to see them reap benefits of the effort that all of us have made together. We are trying our best to expand our roles in these areas and reach a larger number of students and communities. We have been engaged with the schools to support their building renovations and furnishings and teacher training to improve the classroom teaching environment. We have been doing this in coordination with the local government. We do all these works with the utmost emphasis on local participation and transparency. As you may have been aware, we have publicized all relevant documents related to our projects online so that everyone can see for themselves where their money has gone. We will continue doing so and hope to receive your continued support. Thanking you for your cooperation. Rabindra Maharjan Chairman Shanti Education Initiative Nepal www.santischool.org

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OUR MISSION
We promote quality education in rural Nepal for girls and ethnic minorities, who are often excluded from school. We build and repair primary schools and provide specialized early childhood teacher training, because government-sponsored training is limited.

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OUR PROJECTS IN NEPAL

Mahakali Lower Secondary School Bhatte Primary School

Project Areas in Sindhupalchowk & Kavrepalanchowk Districts

Shanti Primary School

Dhadkharka Primary School

Our Office in Kathmandu

Vishwamitra Ganesh Secondary School, Lubhu, Lalitpur

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SUMMARY
We were busier than ever during 2011. We completed the construction of one school building, got started on another, dispatched furniture to a third school, continued to support teacher salaries at two other schools, trained 34 teachers from nine schools, and prepared a teacher training program. Together, those efforts touched the lives of more than 700 children in rural areas of Nepal, many of them girls and ethnic minorities-some of the most disadvantaged groups in one of the worlds poorest countries. The year started with us registering in Nepal as the Shanti Education Initiative Nepal, setting up an official team that is dedicated and ambitious about serving the education sector in Nepal. On the project side, we started the year with what we have done bestschool renovations: l A four room new building for Bhatte Primary School to replace a building beyond repair. l New construction of a building at Vishwamitra Ganesh Secondary School in a project partially supported by the Department of Education. We have since provided additional funds to complete the ground floor so that it can open for classes when the new school year begins in April 2012. We take on these projects because we believe in quality education in rural areas. Often, that can be as simple as providing a desk to write on or a mat to sit on. Making school a welcoming place for teachers and students is a first step. The attendance rate has been close to 100 percent regularly and students up to grade two rarely go out of their classrooms after the provision of carpets and mats in their classrooms, reports Bodh Prasad Gautam, a teacher at Dhadkharka Primary School. Students there had been studying on the floor until we provided sets of furniture. Training teachers is another cornerstone of our work. We have provided training focused on early childhood development to the teachers of Shanti Primary School and others from nearby schools in that village. We monitored and evaluated the progress the teachers have made in implementing what they have learned, and we rewarded the best performers and their schools. "The standard of classroom teaching has improved and the students are learning better than in the past," remarks Dev Narayan Nepal, the Principal of the Mahakali Lower Secondary School. We also took a big step and developed our own teacher training program designed to help teachers gain the skills and confidence required to teach their students in a child friendly environment in English. We have been piloting the training in Vishwamitra Ganesh Secondary School and we intend to expand the program in 2012. Learning English is a critical skill, and international volunteers are an invaluable resource for our schools in that regard. They also bring the world to our students. We were lucky in 2011 to have a pair of special people share their lives with us. Clem Yong, from Australia, describes it this way: This has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life and my only regret is that I didnt stay longer. In 2012, we are planning to expand our volunteer program to include high school graduates from Nepal. Theres plenty more to read about in the following pages. Most of all, thank you for your support to make it all possible. We hope it continues in 2012!

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SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION

Bhatte Primary School
80 students up to grade 5 Ramche VDC-9, Sindhupalchowk district

Our first renovation project of 2011 was a substantial one. We built a new four-room building for Bhatte Primary School. The school, established in 1984, consisted of two buildings, one of which was not safe to be used for classrooms and was demolished. Construction of the new building, completed in six months, included financial support from Youth for Nepal, based in the U.S. The school and the community contributed around 20 percent of the estimated cost of $12,000, and the school provided new furniture.

Before renovation

After renovation
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The construction of the school building has made it easier for interacting with the students, says Ram Bahadur Tamang, a teacher at the school.

SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION

Vishwamitra Ganesh Secondary School
300+ students up to grade 10 Jyamirkot, Lubhu-8, Lalitpur district

Vishwamitra Ganesh Secondary School had started construction of a building with financial assistance from the Department of Education. However, the funds were inadequate to complete the job. We agreed to contribute NRs. 200,000 (about $3,000), so that the project could continue. The school management committee raised around twice the amount that we pledged from the village and district development committees. They were able to erect support pillars and install a concrete roof. Rabindra Maharjan, chairman of Shanti Education Initiative Nepal, raised funds for this project at Nepal Fest at Muttekopfhutte in Imst, Austria, in the Austrian Alps.

Before our involvement

After the first phase of our involvement

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Once the new building is completed, the school will be able to shift existing classrooms from a dark and congested building that is ready to be demolished.

PROVIDING FURNITURE
Dhadkharka Primary School
120 students in kindergarten through 5th grade Dhuseni Shivalaya-8 of Kavreplanchok district

The students at Dhadkharka Primary School dont have to sit on the floor anymore. The school was recently renovated, but the government did not include funds for new furniture, so the children were sitting on concrete floors. We provided:
l

l l l

30 pairs of desks and benches (each pair can accommodate 3-5 students) 5 sets of large tables and chairs 5 book racks Carpeting for 2 classrooms and 60 mats for students in kindergarten, first and second grade white boards with markers (instead of chalkboards and chalk)

Before the provision of furniture After the provision of the furniture, students attend school more regularly and the truancy problem has been reduced. We have arranged for library books to be kept in each classroom and the students have been reading them and developing reading habits, remarked Bodh Prasad Gautam, a teacher at the school. The attendance rate has been close to 100 percent regularly and students up to grade two rarely go out of their classrooms after the provision of carpets and mats in their classrooms, said Mr. Gautam.

After the provision of furniture The local community contributed labor, materials and money to the project. Mahesh Dahal, an alumnus of the school and a board member of the Santi School Project, helped raise a significant portion of the project cost.
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TEACHER TRAINING
We conducted two sets of teacher training in 2011. During the early part of the year, we provided early childhood development training for 22 primary school teachers from eight different schools of Ramche and Maneswara Village Develoment Committee (VDC) of Sindhupalchowk district. Experts from the Early Childhood Education Center, a private agency in Lalitpur, trained the teachers on the premises of Shanti Primary School in Ramche. After completing two phases of the training, teachers were evaluated on how well they implemented their new skills in their classrooms. All eight of the participating schools received educational materials worth NRs.5000 (around $70) to get teachers started. The evaluation of the program was conducted in January 2011. The judges were an officer of the governments District Education Office for Ramche VDC, and our project coordinator. The school whose teachers performed the best overall was awarded educational and playing materials worth NRs.15,000 (around $200). The school whose teachers came second and third were awarded educational materials worth NRs.10,000 ($150) and NRs.5,000 ($70) respectively. The result of the evaluation was announced in April 2011 amidst a function at Santi Primary School. In the competition, Shanti Primary School, Janajagriti Primary School, and Suryadaya Primary School received the first, second, and third prize respectively.
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Similarly, three teachers (Shiva Prasad Nepal from Shanti Primary School, Bimala Dhakal from Suryadaya Primary School and Lushi Shrestha from Janajagriti Primary School) were selected as outstanding performers and awarded cash prize of NRs.2,000 (around $30) and certificates.

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TEACHER TRAINING MANUAL

The second set of training was conducted independently, without the help of the Early Childhood Education Center, for the first time. Mabindra Ragmi, a board member in Nepal who is earning his graduate degree in education, developed a teachers training manual in 2011 while leading training sessions for 12 teachers at Vishwamitra Ganesh Secondary School. That training program, which consisted of weekly meetings stretched over nearly six months, will expand in 2012 to include teachers from nearby schools. The training focuses on building the capacity of the teachers to incorporate local customs into an English-language curriculum, as mandated by the government of Nepal. Not only must teachers understand child-friendly techniques and apply them to their

classrooms, but they must conduct some classes in English, which isn't easy. English skills among primary school teachers in rural areas are at a premium. The first phase of the training program included classes on teaching skills such as vocabulary, grammar, games, project work, and classroom management. Then teachers were observed in their classrooms. The second phase of the training focused on early childhood development. This training has been very helpful to the teachers of the school. The impact of the training has been visible in their classroom performance and on the performance of respective students, Thakur Upadhaya, the school principal, said.

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FUNDING TEACHER SALARIES

80 students in kindergarten through 3rd grade Ramche VDC 2, Sindpalchowk district We continue to pay the salaries of three of the four teachers and a classroom helper at Shanti Primary School in Ramche; the government provides a stipend for the fourth teacher. Together, the monthly salary of the three teachers and helper is NRs.30,290 (about $400) per month.
TEACHER PROFILE

Shanti Primary School

Principal Ms. Solmu Sherpa (23) has been teaching in Shanti Primary School since October 2008. She was born in Barabise, the nearby town. She is from the Sherpa community. The Sherpa are one of the disadvantaged groups excluded from mainstream Nepal. She is studying at the Bachelor level with a major in Education. She has received 1- month full package of early childhood development (ECD) training from Early Childhood Education Centre (ECEC), Kathmandu. Solmu was selected for the government teacher relief quota. She receives her salary from District Education Office, Sindhupalchok Nepal. Teacher Ms. Subhadra Nepali (23) has been teaching in Shanti Primary School since July 2008. She was born in Ramche. She is from the Dalit (untouchable caste) community. She is studying at the Bachelor level with a major in Education. She has received 1- month full package of ECD training from Early Childhood Education Centre (ECEC), Kathmandu. Subhadra receives her salary from the Santi School Project (SSP).

Teacher Mr. Dipesh Tamang (22) has been teaching in Shanti Primary School since March 2010. He was born in Ramche. He is from the Tamang community. The Tamang are one of the disadvantaged groups excluded from mainstream Nepal. He has finished his higher education (12th grade) in Education. He completed the onemonth early childhood development training at the Early Childhood Education Centre (ECEC), Kathmandu. Dipesh receives his salary from SSP. Teacher Mr. Shiva Prasad Nepal (22) has been teaching in Shanti Primary School since June 2010. He is from Maneswara village, a neighboring village of Ramche. He has finished his higher education (12th grade) in Education and is currently doing his bachelors degree. He completed the onemonth early childhood development training at the Early Childhood Education Centre (ECEC), Kathmandu. Shiva receives his salary from SSP. Helper Mrs. Chini Maya Tamang has been working as a helper in Shanti Primary School since October 2008. She is from Ramche. She receives her salary from SSP.
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Mahakali Lower Secondary School

150 students in kindergarten through 8th grade Maneshwora VDC of Sindhupalchok district We have also provided annual support worth NRs. 75,000 (about $1,000), to the Mahakali Lower Secondary School, Maneshwora VDC of Sindhupalchok district, to help it meet a cash shortfall to provide teacher salaries. This annual pledge is supported by a specific grant from donors in Imst, Austria.
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VOLUNTEERS

We welcome volunteers from all over the world to visit our schools and share their lives with our students and teachers. Volunteers live with a local family in the same village as the school, and pay a minimal fee for their food and lodging, half of which goes to their host family. This year, we have been fortunate to have several volunteers spend time at Shanti Primary School and Vishwamitra Ganesh Secondary School. Here's what they had to say: This has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life and my only regret is that I didnt stay longer. Clem Yong, Australia Whatever the plan, the students will surely carry themselves with enthusiasm, incomparable cheerfulness, and good nature. Sarah Kim, United States

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OUR TEAM
Were run entirely by two teams of dedicated volunteers, in Nepal and the United States. The Santi School Project is a 501(c)(3) U.S. non-profit organization. We are registered in Nepal with the District Administration Office and the Social Welfare Council of Nepal as Shanti Education Initiative Nepal. Both groups have separate boards of directors.

Nepal
Shanti Education Initiative Nepal, our team in Nepal, held its annual general meeting in its office in Bagbazar, Kathmandu in July 2011 to elect a new executive committee: Rabindra Maharjan Vidhan Rana Bijaya Babu Shiwakoti Rosy Lama Ishan Pokharel Trina Tamrakar Rajan Raj Subedi Chairman Vice chairman Treasurer Member Member Member Member-Secretary

The meeting also passed the annual progress report and financial reports tabled by the member secretary and the treasurer, respectively.

United States
Our board of directors meets once a year: Christopher Heun Jenifer Hunter Mahesh Dahal Robert Gruber Jennifer Kelleher Aaron Koos Jacqueline M. Lesh Michael S. McNamara Laura E. Parkhurst President & Treasurer Secretary Director Director Director Director Director Director Director

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VISIT US ONLINE

youtube.com/santischool twitter.com/santischool

You can also follow our progress on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Like us on Facebook if you havent already!

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We relaunched our website, www.santischool.org, to make it more interactive and easier to access information about our work. We also added to the volunteer information section so that prospective volunteers can hear about the experiences of others.

www.santischool.org facebook.com/santischool

FUND RAISING
The Santi School Project used to be the sole fundraiser for the activities we conduct in Nepal. In order to diversify our funding sources, we have planned to raise funds in Nepal and outside the US. Our organization has received funds from donors in Austria through Muttekopfhutte in Imst. We have partnered with Austrian Mountaineering Association, Imst Oberland Branch, who support us through their Friends of Shanti Project. Rabindra Maharjan, our chairman in Nepal, travels to Austria every summer as part of a government program to educate Nepalis about mountain tourism. He works at the Muttekopfhutte, which hosts the annual Nepal Fest fundraiser. This year, for the annual NepalFest, Raby and Sarah Tanzer, who volunteered with us in Nepal in 2010, gave a video presentation about our work to more than 200 attendees.

Similarly, we organized a rafting activity in the Trishuli River in Nepal to raise awareness about the programs of SEI Nepal. We will be sending proposals to individuals and organizations to help us implement our projects in Nepal.
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Rabindra Maharjan, Shanti Education Initative Nepal chairman, during the annual NepalFest in Austria

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OUR ANNUAL EVENT

Silent Auction featuring art work by our students
Our big event every year is a silent art auction in Baltimore, and 2011 was no different. This year featured live music by Telesma and plenty of jewelry, clothing and crafts from Nepal. This is the one night we have to come together and share our success, and we were happy that more than 120 people came out to St. Johns Church to celebrate with us. The real highlight of the evening, for the second consecutive year, was drawings by our students. This year, to promote art at our schools, we sponsored a contest among five schools in Lalitpur District and awarded first, second and third place prizes for students in grades 1-3, 4-6 and 7-9. About one-third of the nearly 150 entries were available for sale at our auction in Baltimore. At an award ceremony at Vishwamitra Ganesh Secondary School, special guest Ram Krishna Chitrakar, a member of Nepals Constitutional Assembly, handed out prizes.

Annual art auction 2011, Baltimore, USA

Winners of the art competition www.santischool.org

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THE YEAR AHEAD

Our plans for 2012
We are partnering with different individuals and organizations (domestic and international) to improve school physical infrastructure and to enhance the capacity of the teachers to provide quality education at community schools across Nepal. Here are some of the projects and activities that have already been planned for 2012:
l

Completing the ground floor of the Vishwamitra Ganesh Secondary School so that classes can be held there when the next academic year begins in May 2012. Conducting teacher training in five different public schools in our project areas.

Vishwamitra Ganesh Secondary School

l

Helping at least 5 other schools to renovate and rebuild their physical infrastructure by mobilizing our existing donors, and the nonresident Nepalese living abroad, to invest in their home towns and villages. Mobilizing international and domestic volunteers to teach in the schools we support.

We have already started work in early 2012 on Gupteshwor Secondary School, Nallu, Lalitpur District. www.santischool.org

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2011 FINANCIAL SUMMARY

Fund Received
Fund received During the period Santi School Project, US Youth for Nepal, US Friends of Shanti, Imst, Austria Received as office rent Board member donation Nationwide Scholarship Program (NSP) Volunteer Fee From Organization Membership Contribution from Dhadkharka Primary School Others Registration Interest earned in Nepal Total NRs. 2,201,625.00 354,750.00 955,172.34 69,000.00 58,926.00 40,800.00 47,105.00 8,800.00 35,000.00 10,120.00 4,000.00 62,057.13 3,847,355.47 US$ 30,000.00 5,000.00 12,735.63 920.00 785.68 544.00 628.07 117.33 466.67 134.93 53.33 827.43 52,213.07

Administrative Expenses
Expenses Heading Furniture for new office Office Rent Communication and Internet Expenses Water & electricity expenses Printing & Stationery expenses Office expenses including laptops Transportation expenses Audit fee Web design Total Administrative Expenses NRs. 125,671.00 187,000.00 35,508.79 500.00 24,158.00 142,072.20 3,035.49 27,000.00 5,000.00 549,945.48 US$ 1,675.61 2,493.33 473.45 6.67 322.11 1,897.29 40.47 360.00 66.67 7,335.60

Program Expenses
Details of Program Salary to Project Coordinator Field Visit expenses Teacher Training Salary to teachers Santi Pr. School Salary to teachers Mahakali L.S. School Bhatte Renovation Construction Vishwamitra Ganesh Sec. School Providing Furniture to Dhadkharka Primary School Scholarship provided by Uttam Sharma Volunteers expenses (Food & Accommodation) Taxes Paid Total Program Expenses NRs. 150,110.00 21,888.80 140,351.80 456,011.38 50,000.00 400,950.00 308,000.00 266,410.00 9,500.00 36,365.00 14,425.50 1,854,012.48 US$ 2,001.47 291.85 1,871.36 6,080.15 666.67 5,346.00 4,106.67 3,552.13 126.67 484.87 192.34 24,720.18

Investments
Details of Investments Fixed Fund at Nepal Credit & Commerce Bank Ltd. Kathmandu, Nepal NRs. 600,000.00 US$ 8175.78

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BREAKDOWN OF EXPENSES FOR 2011

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