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"What
is Namaste Banepa?"
Background …
the Location
Banepa is a small town situated
in Kavre District, Nepal. Once an important staging post to
Tibet, Banepa
is now best known as a living example of a Newari farming
town with architecture dating back to medieval times, including
a three-tiered temple dedicated to Goddess Chandeswori.
The main occupation of the area is agriculture on small family
run farms. Paddy fields are cut into the sides of the hills
in tiers; rice being the main crop grown in the area. Like
most of Nepal, all family members, including children, are
expected to work on the farm. This can mean that children,
in particular girls, cannot attend school.
….. the Idea
In 1996 Sudarson Karki,
son of a local farmer, having himself been sponsored through
school realized not all his peers had been as fortunate as
he. He decided that something should be done to ensure the
sons and daughters of his neighbours and friends had equal
opportunity to obtain the best education they could. Together
with other concerned friends, Sudarson came up with the idea
of Namaste Banepa.
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"The
Convention on the Rights of the Child
adopted by the United Nations in 1989 reaffirms
that all children have rights that must be respected,
protected and promoted. Article 28 states that
"All children have a right to education".
In some places around the world, this just does
not happen." |
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