The Orchid Gardener
There exists another harrowing reality for thousands of single mothers in Nepal: Many are left with no choice but to place their children in orphanages in hopes of giving them a better life.
During Bina Basnet’s seven-year tenure at Bal Mandir, the largest orphanage in Nepal, she was confronted with this horrific struggle all too frequently. In 2006, Basnet felt called to act and decided to start Orchid Garden Nepal (OGN), a daycare and school that is giving these families new hope for the future. Thanks to her tireless leadership in combination with the support of the Mountain Fund and other foreign donors, OGN has transformed from a small daycare for 15 children in a tiny rented room into an impressive elementary school consisting of three classroom buildings, an edible garden and a brick-paved playground. Sixty preschoolers, kindergarteners and first graders now attend OGN each day to receive a quality education. And thanks to the support of the Mountain Fund and other foreign donors, OGN is able to admit roughly 80 percent of its current students free of charge, allowing struggling mothers to work during the day and make enough money to provide their children with a decent meal in the evenings. OGN not only provides a positive, nurturing environment for these children, but also gives their mothers a chance to help pull themselves out of poverty, empowering them in the process.
During my last two weeks in Nepal, I had the privilege of meeting Basnet and helping out at OGN. A believer in allowing volunteers to assist in ways in which they excel, Basnet allowed me to tackle some of the school’s needs with exterior painting – a trade I worked in for a number of summers in Cleveland to help pay for college. One evening, on the steps of the schoolhouse, just in front of a newly painted railing, I sat down with Basnet to enjoy a cup of Nepali tea. “I’ve been blessed to meet very good people like Scott and others who help me do what I can to help,” said Basnet, staring out over the playground, now empty and quiet under a twilight glow. “I am just doing what is in my heart and hoping it can be enough.”
Although her home is only a 20-minute walk from the school, Basnet often works well into the evening, making it difficult for her to walk home to her family through Kathmandu’s labyrinth of crumbling roads and narrow alleyways. Most nights, Basnet chooses instead to sleep in her small rented apartment, just next to the school grounds, in order to maximize her time at the school.
Plans to add higher grades at the OGN are in the works, but until then, Basnet is doing all she can to make sure her “orchids” continue to blossom, receiving a rounded education. Once each child graduates from OGN, Basnet works to find sponsors to provide each child with scholarships that allow their education to continue until the age of 18. Amazingly, roughly $200 US dollars can provide a child with a full year of education at a private school in Nepal.
Reaching the Top
"I am the Mountain" is a slogan printed on T-shirts, water bottles, stickers and other gear that MacLennan has made to help raise money for the various initiatives supported by the Mountain Fund. Bold, yes, but this slogan perfectly embodies the mindset needed to confront the staggering amount of adversity that comes with pursuing humanitarian work in Nepal. Although he never did climb Mt. Everest, MacLennan now climbs a mountain of his own. Slowly but surely, one step after the other, he leads a determined group of individuals toward a seemingly insurmountable summit: a better future for Nepal. [All photos by Ari Stern]
Special thanks to Scott, Bina and the rest of the Mountain Fund staff for making me feel at home during my time in Nepal. For more information regarding Orchid Garden Nepal or any of the other The Mountain Fund projects, visit the OGN website or the Mountain Fund’s active project page.
