Massive Nepalese Earthquake Doesn’t Stop the Maya Anne Friendship School

LWN - Nepal schoolThe Maya Anne Friendship School was created by the village people of Tilahar and a group of enthusiastic Landmark graduates from Melbourne led by Anne Rittman. The school was started in 2013 but i,ts history goes back to 1971. It was then that Anne, travelling in Nepal as a young woman, met a 7 year old boy named Ram. He and his friend Krishna were living near a Kathmandu temple and begging to have enough money to eat. Anne was deeply moved by Ram’s pluck and perseverance and committed to fund his education. She was only able to do this for three years before losing touch with him. Never forgetting him, she frequently wondered about his life.

40 years later, she returned to Khatmandu to find a city significantly larger and more populous. Despite all the odds, she was able to find Ram who was now 48 years old, married and the father of two children.

While he was only able to go to school for the three years that Anne paid for, he said that it made the difference between him living and dying. He wanted the same opportunity for his own children and all the children of his wife Maya’s home village of Tilahar. Two years later the funds were raised and the Maya Anne Friendship School was born.

Made of quarried stone, with a steel roof, it has three classrooms, three teachers and 24 registered students.

The school has just been registered as a learning centre to allow volunteers from around the world to go to the villagemaya anne school to hold projects and contribute the many resources they have available to both the village and surrounding villages. It is open to students regardless of their age, sex, caste, economic circumstances, and political or religious background.

While the school has withstood the Nepal earthquake and its major aftershocks, it has been forced to become a shelter for people of the village of Tilahar. Anne and the other graduates are sending out an urgent request for support. While funds raised normally go to pay the teachers at the school, in this time they will be used to feed and house people until the emergency is over.

You can contact Anne Directly at [email protected]

See the image gallery at http://www.tilahar.org/gallery/

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2 comments

Emilies Tanley says:

The initiative taken up for the betterment of these people in need is incredible. I wasn’t able to believe that the Landmark Forum is a course that could change lives! But after me and my hubby took the course over one of the busy weekends, we learnt qualities like – integrity, confidence, positive attitude, love as well as self-expression. I walked out like a new person altogether. I couldn’t believe how mentally stable I was, all the chaos in my head vanished and now I could breathe! I realized all my mistakes and tried my best to rectify them. Also I will be doing the advanced course next month. I am more than excited to pursue it and make a bigger difference in my life.

Anne says:

Hi Emilies

I have just discovered your post regarding the Maya Ann Friendship school, the Earthquake and the Landmark Forum.

How are you going now?

Did you do the Advanced Course?

With love

Anne Rittman
Co-creator of the Maya Ann Friendship School

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