MS exe discovers new calling

Rajan Pokhrel

JALDHARA: Bholaram Adhikari, 77, a resident of Jaldharedanda of Kaski was surprised when his granddaughter Sapana, 11, told a story ‘Tommy Tempo’, authored by Christen Stone.

Chandra Banjara, who grew up in a village in Kaski, went to high school in Pokhara. His father Lok Bahadur, 60, didn’t learn to read until he was 18, but his daughter, Sabina, now 12, mastered ‘The Cat in the Hat’ at age 7.

Not only Sapana, but over 450 students of Amar Jyoti Gaun Farka Secondary School at Jaldharedanda of Kaski have been using a well-equipped library with 3,100 books and computer facility. “I saw a machine like a TV in Pokhara. Now I use it,” Archana Ranabhat, a IX grader, said while describing a computer. Archana, who aims to be a computer engineer, enjoyed the video conference with Pritam Giri of Shreekhandapur School in Kavre to get the easiest way to prove Pythagoras Theorem.

It’s often said travelers visit Nepal because of the mountains but return because of the people. A San Francisco native, John Wood, 47, provided all the facilities to this state-owned school. Wood had been a successful executive at Microsoft, leading a comfy expat life with handsome salary. But a trip to Nepal changed it all. Over 450 children who attended Bahundanda-based Chandrodaya Primary School without a single book inspired Wood to return here discovering a new calling. Wood started Room to Read in 2000 after he visited Bahundanda, Lamjung, in 1998.

“Microsoft didn’t need me,” former Microsoft marketing director Wood told this daily, “The children of Nepal, however, did.”

Wood, who arrived at a Kaski village three days ago on his ninth trip to Nepal, said he decided the best thing he could do with his life was not to stay at Microsoft, where he was making rich people richer.

Room to Read, in partnership with Qualcomm India and Nepal Telecom, established computer labs with 3G Internet Connectivity amidst a function today. Qualcomm CEO Dr Paul E Jacobs, who attended the function, said his company decided to join Room to Read on its way to Corporate Social Responsibility approaches. Qualcomm provided wireless internet connectivity to the computer labs. School principal Damodar Sapkota lauded Room to Read’s efforts to educate rural kids with innovative concepts.

“Community libraries and computer labs can

be crucial in fostering

literacy and education,” Dipendra Bikram Thapa, secretary at Ministry of Education, said.

Since its inception, Room to Read has opened over 2,600 libraries, built over 659 schools and sponsored long-term scholarships for 1,572 Nepali girls.

According to Wood, Room to Read has put two million books in English and native languages into the hands of children in several countries including Nepal, Cambodia, India, Laos, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and South Africa.