Namaste

Namaste and Happy Monday!

Students in Phuleli Nepal, Photo Courtesy of Edge of Seven Alumnus Adam Sittler

Girls and Potential

Guest Post from an Edge of Seven Alumna, Vicki Lawn

Vicki was a volunteer with Edge of Seven in 2011. She returned home impressed by the strength of women worldwide and determined to make a difference. Vicki is now raising funding to support Edge of Seven and girls education in rural Nepal. Here’s a brief excerpt from her blog!

I believe that an educated girl starts a ripple effect of change around her….

What does the world have to lose by giving the girls a shot?  As John Abdulla, from Help Women Heal articulated at a speaking event last year, “For thousands of years, men have ruled this planet and just dominated it. We have consistently, continually, and quite competently messed up this planet…when you talk about war, violence, bombs, guns, rape and global warming; these aren’t the inventions of women.”  Therefore, what if women had a shot?  What might we create? What would the world look like?

Want to know more about gender equality, the fight against poverty and tactics for community development and how YOU, yes YOU, can get involved?

Step 1: Read, and be smart about it.  Let your hard mind work for your soft heart. I recommend starting with Nicholas Kristof’s and Sheryl WuDunn’s  Half the Sky.

Step 2: Talk about it. Strike up a conversation about it.  Write about it.  Figure out where you stand on the issue.

Step 3: Do something about it, or better yet, take a leap.  Volunteer with Edge of Seven, or at a local organization that helps to empower girls.

Learn what empowerment means to you and then practice it.  Often, it is merely a term thrown out there by those working in community development or even doctors.  How many times have doctors said, “We must EMPOWER the patient!”  But rather than throwing the word around, really explore what that word means to you.  Are you empowered? Do you know how powerful you are and how great you could be? Have you shown someone else how powerful he or she could be? You won’t be the most powerful person in the world unless you know how much you’re worth.  And I don’t mean net worth in dollars; I mean net worth in potential impact.  How much of a difference can you make?  And can you allow someone else to see how much of an impact he or she can make?

Poverty will not be alleviated by a couple people with high degrees or some powerful presidents.  Social justice will only be reached if each one of us makes it a priority to obtain.  If, in our daily interactions, we make it a priority to shift the attitudes of women, and if we help reveal a girl’s self-worth to her and her community one by one, we might be able to create the world envisioned by the Millennial Generation.  But, we if let talented young girls fly under the radar without ever revealing to them how much they’re worth, we will be stuck in the status quo, which is just not good enough.

Lastly, if you’re a girl who has not yet been told how great your potential is, let me be the one to tell you with unwavering conviction how powerful you are.  As a matter of fact, you might be the untapped most powerful person in the world.  All you have to do is roar and believe it.

“Once in KULA, Always in KULA”

Guest Blogger: Tamara Arredondo

Want to know what I’ve been somewhat jazzed about the last couple of days? My new Southwest credit card.

Not only do I get to help build an exquisite credit score for myself (exciting!), but I get to earn point for flights while doing it. I don’t know why I didn’t get something like this earlier. Literally, my goal in earning money is so that I can save up for flights and traveling. It makes sense that I have something that helps me get to those goals quicker. Enter my credit card.

But I’ve never had a rewards card before. I know that reward systems with credit cards and loyalty programs have been all the rage for customers and companies for quite some time. Most of these programs were created in the 80′s been have really ignited in the past 15 years. I equate them to something like Chuck E. Cheese for adults. You play by the rules (pay your fees and spend money), collect your tickets (rewards points), and pick your prizes (bags, gadgets, hotel stays, flights).

The reason why companies are able to make all of these offers is the a large percentage of the rewards go unclaimed every year. Apparently, the value of unredeemed reward points every year is close to $16,000,000,000. Incredible!

But now you can convert those unused points into Kula—the new currency for giving.

KULA is a brand new company, just launched at this month’s South By Southwest Conference, designed to support nonprofits. And according to them, “being a philanthropist has never been easier and more convenient.” And really it’s true.

In a day where convenience is key and finances are slim, people want to make a difference without much change to the routine or wallet too drastically. KULA offers that. A large chunk of the American public already owns credit cards or are members to these loyalty programs. Why not take the benefits of your spending habits and funnel that into a charity? Can there really be a better reward than helping out your favorite nonprofit without breaking your own bank?

Just trade in for some Kula and you got it. Kula is based on the trading system from Papua New Guinea believing that the more one gives, the richer they become. They also believe that both agents in the transaction grow from it and are therefore, permanently bonded….once in Kula, always in Kula. Awesome concept.

Edge of Seven connected with KULA a couple of months ago. As a young organization ourselves, we’re constantly looking for ways to promote Edge of Seven and forge new relationships with other inspiring groups that create unique and mutually beneficial connections with the public.

KULA does that fabulously.

Find out more about KULA at the their website (www.kulacauses.com) and click here to read a interview with the founder.

First Earthbag in Place for the Basa School

By Travis Hughbanks

The "Dozer" helps the cause

Off the beaten path from all of the trekking routes of the Solukhumbu, the village of Khastav in the VDC of Basa is very secluded.  Things are starting to change, though.  Over the past few years efforts have been made to construct a road through the mountainous terrain that will eventually pass near the village.  While the road itself is still years from being an accessible route for even the most off-road of vehicles, the excavator that was tasked to rough out the road has made its way deep into the mountains.  We were fortunate enough that our construction was scheduled when the excavator was working nearby, and the villagers agreed to allow the “dozer” (the local term for the excavator) to descend through their terraced fields to the project site to speed up the site clearing.  The first motorized vehicle in the village was a definite attraction and has helped to put us ahead of schedule.

School Principle and Ram from TSW place the first earthbag

Community support has been overwhelming in Khastav.  Every day hundreds of pounds of gravel broken by hand is delivered to the site by village volunteers.  School teachers who have a free period step outside, put on their gloves and grab a shovel.  Structural members for the roof have started to arrive from the distant jungle on the backs of villagers taking a break from plowing the fields.  Prior to the volunteers arriving we were able to clear the site, finish the foundation and place the first few gravel filled earthbags for Phase 1 of the Basa higher secondary school.

The volunteers arrived on site about a week ago and have really helped to move the project forward.  As of two days ago we had completed 5 courses of earthbags, installed two doors and were preparing to set the first two windows.  We hope to be finished with the earthbag walls by March 26th on the first building.  Excavation is complete for the second building and the retaining wall is under construction.  Below are some photos and more updates to follow.

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Building Community Through Local Volunteers

While much of Edge of Seven’s work is overseas, we are trying to expand our presence and impact here in our home community as well. We recently joined a local co-working space, partnered with Architecture for Humanity Denver and brought on a number of advisors and volunteers. We are currently hiring local interns, beginning several new partnership conversations and joining a collaborative of 20 other Denver-based international development organizations. To expand on an old cliche… we are building community locally, but acting globally. The way we see it, the more good people we bring into our network, the better chance we’ll have to improve the lives of women and girls across the world.

Join me today in formally welcoming Hilary to the Edge of Seven team. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be highlighting a few of our volunteers, advisors and supporters and what drew them to Edge of Seven.

Name: Hilary C., Hometown: Salinas, CA

Current Location: Denver, CO

Education: Princeton University (Undergrad); University of Michigan Ross School of Business (MBA)

Tell us a little about your story. Out of undergrad I worked in management consulting in Boston, Australia, Singapore and Malaysia.  Post MBA I’ve been focused on brand marketing which is really like running a business.  I feel privileged to have helped steward brands such as Pace Salsa, Land O Lakes Half & Half, and Horizon organic milk.  I’ve been learning and globetrotting and loving it all.  Plus, I’ve had the benefit of working with so many smart, passionate people along the way.

What drew you to Edge of Seven? I’ve always been fascinated by applying “for profit” business concepts to the non-profit world.  Edge of Seven had such a powerful mission but was choosing to execute in a thoughtful and innovative way.  I wanted to help them grow and do more good work.

What type of work do you do with Edge of Seven? Marketing.  I’m developing consumer and corporate marketing messaging, creating digital strategy, and managing the Pinterest account, among other things.

Why are you interested in empowering women and girls?  I have always had a passion for empowering women.  I went to an all-girls high school.  In business school, I was co-chair of the Women in Leadership Conference.  Also, during my MBA program I had the chance to do a project with Women for Women International.  It is such an amazing organization, and founder Zainab Salbi is inspirational.  So really, Edge of Seven was a logical fit for me.

For me, it is all about the people and the human side… working with a passionate core team creating an authentic experience for the volunteers, and in some small way changing lives of the people in the communities Eo7 serves.

Base Camp, Mt. Everest on Tibet Side, 2007

Antartica, 2008

Phuleli School Interior Photos

By Travis Hughbanks

After a month at the project sites I have returned to Kathmandu for a some rest and to get a little work done in the city.  The school year is about to come to an end here in Nepal and we took advantage of the short break before final exams to jump back into the classrooms to finish up the interior paneling on the Phuleli school.  While it does add a nice finished look the real importance of the paneling is to create an air cavity between the metal roof and the classroom which allows the heat from the summer sun to be vented out the ridge before it overheats the classroom.  The carpenters did a great job and we are especially happy with the framing of the skylights.  Take a look below.

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In Country Orientation: What Will Your First Days in Nepal Look Like?

By Program Director, Emily Stanley

One week ago, eight Edge of Seven volunteers boarded a plane for Nepal. After two days of air travel they arrived in Kathmandu, tired but inspired to begin their adventures. Edge of Seven volunteer trips are an experiential lens into another county, culture and way of life. Because much of our work is in very rural Nepal (and trips often require a several  day hike into the project site), volunteers tend to spend a good portion of their pre-trip thoughts and preparations focused on what they’ll do once they arrive in the village. But what happens when you first arrive in Kathmandu and the days that follow?

While the schedule varies slightly trip to trip, below is a sample itinerary (based on what our March volunteers were doing last week):

DAY 1 (Sunday) - Airport pick up and a brief introduction to Kathmandu and Thamel (the neighborhood where the hotel is located). While touristy, Thamel is a backpacker’s haven. Good food, bustling streets and lots of outdoor gear. The volunteers nap, shower and settle in to their rooms. In the afternoon, a local resident leads us on a tour of Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with unique, historic Newari architecture. By early evening, jet lag kicks in. We finish the day with a dal bhat dinner and early to bed.

Edge of Seven March volunteers at hotel in Thamel with project partner, Karma Sherpa

DAY 2 (Monday) – During the morning, volunteers to do a cultural tour of Kathmandu paying visits to Swayambhunath,  Patan Durbar Square and Boudhanath Stupa. After lunch, we conduct a cultural and logistical orientation covering what to pack for the project site, life in the village, religion, history and general questions. Volunteers eat dinner in Thamel before retiring early to prepare for a morning flight.

Kathmandu, near Durbar Square

DAY 3 (Tuesday) – The group takes a commuter flight from Kathmandu to Phaplu, one of the airports in the Everest Region. Sometimes they see a brief glimpse of Everest from the air. They enjoy lunch in Phaplu and hit the trail early afternoon. This year, thanks to a generous donation from one of our former volunteers, the group carried laptops from the U.S. all the way to Nepal. The laptops were dropped off at our recently completed girls’ hostel in Salleri, quite close to Phaplu. Volunteers trek all Tuesday afternoon and camp (gear provided) that evening.

Salleri Girls Hostel

DAY 4 (Wednesday) – Most of the day is spent trekking to the village. This spring, our project is constructing a higher secondary school in a village called Basa. Upon arrival, volunteers are introduced to the local community and their host families. While it takes a few days to settle in and find a routine, we introduce volunteers to the toilets, kitchen, water and day-to-day needs. Living accommodations are typically very basic and our groups live simply, but happily like locals!

Basa School Committee (Photo Credit: Sarah Andrews)

When preparing for a volunteer trip abroad the most important thing to bring is an open mind. With a little flexibility and a willingness to go with the flow, you’ll get more out of your experience than one might imagine.

Nepal's Everest Region (Photo Credit: Adam Sittler)

For a little about the Basa Project Site and photographs of the region, visit Edge of Seven’s board chair’s blog at: http://outlanderings.com/2012/03/15/welcome-to-basa/.