A man on a mission

Dorje Gurung’s story and his reason to travel to Qatar is nowhere similar to those of thousand Nepalese migrant workers but the fate he was met with was pretty much alike and astounding. A global teacher, Gurung, while his tenure as a Chemistry teacher at the reputed Qatar Academy was put behind the bars one fine day for the alleged insult he made towards Islam.  

In a recent interview with The Kathmandu Post, Dorje Gurung retells his story of the
bitter experience inside the Qatari jail, how he saw the harsh realities of numerous other Nepalese workers in the Gulf State unfold all at once to until now -- where he is determined to ensure proper education along with COMMITTED for the underprivileged kids in Nepal to avoid any such scenario in the future.  

Read full article at The Kathmandu Post: Out of the circle

Article published on The Kathmandu Post on December 27th, 2013.

Annual Summary Report of 2007

2007 started with writing a grant application to the Rotary International to renovate the students and staff toilets, provide drinking water supply facility, build infirmary, and conduct health awareness programs at Kanya Mandir School. During the second half of 2007, we began renovation of the computer lab with funds made available by primarily kind U.S. based Nepali individuals and concurrently submitted a grant request to the Western Union Foundation to purchase the equipment necessary for the project.

More details at Annual Report- 2007

Annual Report Summary of 2008

Budget for 2008

Total Income US $27,507.89 and Total Expense US $17,213.96.

For 2008, our focus was primarily spent towards the rehabilitation of Kanya Mandir School, the first girls’ school of Nepal. Following up on the needs assessment survey conducted in 2006, we implemented the Kanya Mandir Computer Literacy Project.

During the second half of 2008, we acquired funding from Rotary International group to implement the Kanya Mandir Health and Sanitation Project. 

More details at Annual Report- 2008

Annual Report Summary of 2009

Budget for 2009

COMMITTED Total Income -US $18,243.57 and Total Expense US $12,371.84

A lot happened in 2009 -- from building a drinking water supply system, renovating old toilets and building new ones in Kanya Mandir School to refurnishing the school’s science lab and library. 

Support from United Parcel Service (UPS) enabled us in providing basic goods for Children at the Mother Theresa Orphanage in Kathmandu. We also initiated a project to help Sri Raithane Secondary School in Sindhupalchowk District to renovate existing facilities and provide basic critical infrastructure. Similarly, in collaboration with Open Learning Exchange (OLE), Nepal, we initiated a project to provide basic infrastructure and renovate classrooms for Sri Samaijee Prathmik Vidyalaya in Dandeldhura District. In 2009 we also conceptualized the Green Dream Initiative to reduce environmental impact in urban and semi-urban areas of Nepal.

More details at Annual Report- 2009

Annual Report Summary of 2010

Budget for 2010

COMMITTED US: Total income US $19,240 and Total Expense US $14,248.

COMMITTED Nepal: Total Income US $60,678 and Total Expense US $14,247.

Our focus in 2010 was to serve the urban communities with little if not much stress in rural areas. We completed the Science Lab and Library Improvement for Kanya Mandir School during the first quarter of 2010. During the second half of 2010, we completed the Computer Literacy Project for Shanti Nikunj School in Maru Tole of Kathmandu. 

Much of our concentration was spent towards fulfilling the prerequisites of our new program for 2011, “Social Business for Education” as a part of part of COMMITTED’s Sikchya Mero Adhikar (Education-My Right Campaign). 

More details at Annual Report- 2010

Annual Report Summary of 2011

Budget for 2011

COMMITTED US: Total income US $11,999.29 and Total Expense US $11,248.88.COMMITTED Nepal: Total Income US $9,537.51 and Total Expense US $17,365.36.

2011 was completely focused on rural needs and was spent towards raising funds and majorly coordinating with different bodies to establish Sri Raithane School as a Higher Secondary School with the addition of grades 11 and 12.

Towards the end of the year, we carried out meetings with stake holders for our program “Social Business for Education (SBE)” as a part of COMMITTED’s Sikchya Mero Adhikar (Education-My Right Campaign). We successfully gained membership of Nepal Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Alliance (NWA) becoming the one of the fifteen members of the NWA, funded by the Dutch Government. Also, we participated in a rainwater harvesting project to identify water stressed villages of Kanchanpur village. 

Our major projects were Rainwater Harvesting at Kanchanpur District; Classrooms Construction at Taltuleswori Primary School, Thangpalkot VDC; Art on the Road, Thangpalkot VDC; and Social Business for Education (SBE)at Sri Raithane Secondary School.

More details at Annual Report- 2011.

Annual Report Summary of 2012

Budget for 2012

COMMITTED US: Total income US $6,737 and Total Expense US $7,181.COMMITTED Nepal: Total Income US $60,678 and Total Expense US $46,286.

COMMITTED’s achievement in 2012 has been joyous. For this year, our focus has been the two campaigns -- Sikchya Mero Adhikar(Education-My Right), a campaign that seeks to establish free and quality education for Nepali children as their basic right; and The Green Dream Initiative where COMMITTED is initiating the Re~Leaf Program and Children, Parks, and People program. Our major projects in 2012 included two science labs, three book libraries, one computer lab (E-library), and renovation of five classrooms as a part of our School Improvement Program (SIP). As a part of Social Business for Education (SBE), we started a fish farm, one pig farm, and one recreational boat ride project.

Donations were made available by Ncell, Western Union Foundation, Union Finance Ltd., Sieun Alice Park family (South Korea), Rainwater Harvesting Capacity Center-Biogas Sector Partnership (RHCC-BSP).  

Another major achievement for this year has been the fund raising strategies. Implementing learning from previous years, we were able to raise our targeted goal during the Summerfest 2012 event held in the Washington DC area. Numerous individual donors and volunteers have also been a part in helping us make substantial contributions to the children and communities in our project sites.  

More details at Annual Report- 2012