GAN Newsletter - Sept 2004

Project Updates

The main project news this issue is the launch of the Gorman Scholarship Programme, and the announcement of it's first recipient

Launch Of Gorman Scholarship Programme

Dick Gorman who served GAN as a trustee between 2000 and 2003

GAN is pleased to announce the launch of another education programme in Nepal, namely the Gorman Scholarship Programme. The scholarships complement our ongoing child sponsorship programme, but it is aimed specifically at those who achieve high academic standards at class 5 (ages 10-11), class 8 (13-14) and class 10 (15-16) level. The scholarship fund is offered as a financial prize to the students in question, which goes solely to the continued funding of their education. At the primary and lower secondary levels, this figure directly represents their actual cost of schooling. A higher sum is available for students completing class ten and performing excellently in their SLC (School Leaving Certificate) examinations, which includes the educational costs, and also payment for books, clothing and living costs during their time at university. Over the three year duration of the programme, 372 students will be assisted in their education.

The programme was made possible through the generosity of Dick Gorman, who served as a trustee of GAN between 2000 and 2003, and who sadly passed away last year. We feel that this programme is very much in keeping with Dick’s personal qualities and his passionate belief in supporting excellence. We hope very much that this project will go from strength to strength in coming years.

Exam Topper One Of First Recipients Of Gorman Scholarship

One of the first recipients of a Gorman Scholarship has been Ramu Khadka, a students of Ganesh School in Kathmandu. Indeed, Ramu’s performance in the recent SLC examinations was so superior that it not only won him a Gorman Scholarship, but he was actually the highest ranking student amongst all government schools in Nepal. The examinations, which are the Nepalese equivalent of GCSEs, were taken by 175,000 government school students across the country, so Ramu’s achievement is a very considerable one.

GAN has been actively involved in Ganesh’s school since 1999. One of the main activities which GAN has initiated in this school has been the ‘Children’s Club’, designed to increase young people’s sense of responsibility and creativity. Ramu was the President of the children’s club at Ganesh. He saw the Club as being important for him mainly in terms of personality development. He also said that as a result of the Club’s activities, his schools is now cleaner, the library is vastly improved, and relations between teachers and students are also significantly better. GAN has also run many teacher-training programmes at Ganesh, and one of our Resource Centres (complete with teaching and learning materials) is located there.

Ganesh moves on to St. Xavier’s College, an excellent higher secondary school in the Kathmandu valley. The Gorman Scholarship was recently handed over to him by the Nepalese Education minister in a special ceremony.

Ramu’s hope is to become a medical doctor in the future, and GAN will certainly be doing all it can to help him realise this dream. Watch this space.

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