Frequently Asked Questions

Background to GAN
Our Project Work
GAN in the UK

BACKGROUND TO GAN

What is GAN?

GAN is a small but very efficient Non-Governmental Organisation set up by two returning volunteers from Nepal in 1996. The charity was set up with the purpose of supporting education in Nepal by sponsoring sustainable, long-term projects in both formal and non-formal education systems.

Why are you called ‘GAN’?

The acronym ‘GAN’ stands for ‘Global Action Nepal’. Also, the word ‘GAN’ means ‘knowledge’ in Nepali, and as education is the underlying factor in all our projects, it seemed doubly relevant.

Are you a Registered Charity?

Yes. We have been a UK registered charity (no. 1090773) since our inception in 1996, and we are also registered as a Non-Governmental Organisation with the Social Welfare Council in Nepal (no. 13712).

Why Support GAN?

There are many reasons why you should support GAN’s work in Nepal, the most important being:

• GAN is a small but very efficient charity that strives to keep administrative costs to a minimum. Last year almost 95% of our resources were spent on charitable objectives
• We are also dedicated to programmes of sustainable development that are geared to the true needs of local communities in Nepal. We work very closely with Nepali organisations, communities and leaders in order to achieve this goal
• We address the real needs of Nepal that will bring about fundamental change – in education, health and sanitation in particular

If you would like to support GAN, you can make a donation online here, download a direct debit form here, or contact us here.

Where do you get your money from?

We are committed to diversifying our sources of funding as much as possible for the long-term sustainability of the charity. In recent years we have received significant funding from the Jerwood Foundation towards one of our major teacher-training projects. We also actively fundraise in the UK, and organise many events.

Doesn’t the political situation in Nepal affect your project work?

For the past couple of years especially, the political situation in Nepal has been very unsettled. The murder of several members of the Nepalese royal family in 2001 coupled with the ongoing Maoist insurgency has destabilised the far Western and Eastern parts of the country. However, GAN is working in areas largely unaffected by these problems, and we will continue to do so as safety allows. Our philosophy is very much one that sees many of these problems as the result of inadequate education, health and sanitation systems.

OUR PROJECT WORK

Why do you focus so much on ‘training’ – wouldn’t it better to spend more money on building and maintaining schools?

Development does not start with goods; it starts with people and their education, organisation and discipline. For the purposes of development, it is not simply a development of the physical infrastructre which will constribute to sustainable development - but the passing on of knowledge, training and education as well.And while the physical development and maintenance of schools is obviously very important – and GAN is very much involved in such projects – GAN’s philosophy is one in which it believes that unless the teachers in a school are trained, unless schools actually run when they are supposed to run, and unless teachers, students and headteachers are properly monitored and assisted with their difficult jobs, there will be no sustainable and long-term improvement in the education system.

And how much does it cost to fund these projects?

It is surprising how cheap it can be to fund incredibly life-improving projects for the people of Nepal. Costs for some of our major project areas are as follows:

Costs per year
	Cost to construct two new classrooms in a primary school	£1,000
	Supporting a Resource Centre (for a year)	£750
	Constructing a toilet block for a school of 300 students	£500
	Sponsoring a Nepali volunteer (for three months)	£250
	Sponsoring a Child (for a year)	£120
	Six months support to a children’s club	£60
	Cost of a street drama project tackling social skills	£25
	Costs of paint to totally reinvigorate a classroom	£10
	Cost of a new desk	£5
	Cost of a day’s training for a secondary school teacher	£2
	Cost of 30 pencils for a primary school class	£1

How many staff do you have?

The ambition of GAN has always been to create self-sufficiency in Nepal with as little interference from the UK as possible. As such, we are now in a position where all our six full-time staff are Nepali. Three of our members of staff work in the field directly with teachers, students, headteachers and others involved in the education business. We also have a programme director, an administrative assistant and an office assistant. For 2002 – 2004, we are also fortunate to have a full-time VSO volunteer seconded to us for training purposes. From 2004 we will have two further VSOs seconded to us, both of whom are experienced educationalists are will be working and who will be providing support and training to our partner schools and staff alike.

What can I do to help?

Obviously one of the most basic ways in which you can make a difference is by making a donation, either a general donation, or specifically for one of our project areas (see above). Many of our supporters choose to become part of the school development project by sponsoring a child at a cost of £10 per month. If you would like to support GAN, you can make a donation online here, download a direct debit form here, or contact us here.

GAN IN THE UK

What kind of fundraising events do you hold in the UK?

We hold a large number of events in the UK which cover a whole range of different tastes – from eating with your hand at Nepalese Cultural Evenings to running for GAN in the London Marathon through to lowering your handicap at a GAN Golf Day. Further information about all the events we hold, and for a calendar for 2004 events, please click here.

Do you have a newsletter?

We provide a monthly e-newsletter which comes directly into your inbox. It contains details about our most recent project work, forthcoming events, our latest news and developments, and a special ‘info section’ with interesting stories and facts about Nepal. Please contact us to let us know if you would like to receive our e-newsletter – it is totally free, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

How can I get further information?

Besides subscribing to our e-newsletter (see above), there are a number of different ways in which you can find out more about GAN:

Do you hold fundraising events anywhere else in the world?

We are hoping to have our first fundraising events in Hong Kong and Boston in the Spring of 2004. Please contact us for further details.

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