Project: Rural Nepal

Updates of the Activities

March 15-30, 2008

Sunday, March 30, 2008: The technical status of the devices:

1. Location 1: JHSS
   1. PC1, PC2, PC5: p3, Dell optimax GX110: OK
   2. PC3: p3, Compaq DeskPro EN: OK; Built-in NIC and Graphic not working, working through external NIC and VGA card
   3. PC4: p3, Compaq DeskPro: OK; CDROM lens needs cleaning
   4. IBox: Dell Laptop: OK; working as server; mousepad less sensitive; connected to Internet via modem
   5. PC7: Hp laptop: OK; LCD power connection loose; battery too old
   6. PC8: Digicom: Built-in NIC not working; not in network
   7. Note:PC1-PC5,IBox, and PC7 are in network; PC8 is not. The power supply at Sarkuwa is very unstable and a UPS should be Kept as soon as possible giving 0.6KVA for each PC.
2. Location 2: SHSS
   1. IBox: Digicom: OK; connected to Internet via CDMA modem
3. Location 3: GCI
   1. IBox: Digicom: OK; connected to Internet via CDMA modem
4. Location 4: Madi
   1. IBox: Digicom: OK; connected to Internet via CDMA modem

Friday, March 21, 2008: “I have created email id for Class 4 students of our school. I shall teach them how to send mail. Since class 4 students of community schools like ours are weak in English, they shall use Romanised Nepali (Nepali language written with English letters)." Prem Thapa, Janata HSS, Nepal ”

Friday, March 21, 2008: “ Now we are connecting all computers at network system at Sarkuwa. I am working at one computer among the eight. Due to the electric problem, we are working at the night time till now. Our volunters Rajan, Udhyan and Gyanendra are giving instructions for us here in our school. They are very laborious people. We are feeling like close friends. We thank them. I also want to thank Donna,Tom, David, Jack, Kesley, Geeta and Smita for their efforts at our school. Thank for Pramod and CFFN who made such efforts at our school. We shall utilize this technology for good purpose in productive way in coming days.” Megh Raj Sharma

Thursday, March 20, 2008:

1. I am filled with excitement to know the progress of Prem, Chandra, and Krishna's rapid progress in learning on how to assemble the computers. I am proud of you and I salute you. At the same time I admire Rajan, Gyanendra and Udhyan for emerging as one of the best teachers.
   
2. Please welcome Dr. Dave Irvine-Halliday, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Calgary and Founder of Nepal Light Project, which evolved into Light Up the World foundation. Dr. Irvine-Halliday is one of the best friends of Nepal and will be our advisor. I have put his intro at: http://cffn.ca/org/people/dave-irvine-halliday.php and http://cffn.ca/school/resources/_proj_team.php
3. Please also welcome Mrs. Sadhana Lad, Grade 4 teacher of Leslie Park Public School of Ottawa, Canada. Her students will connect with the Grade 4 students of Sarkuwa.
4. We will have a separate email for the Grade 4 students of Leslie Park Public School. In the meantime, please use info@cffn.ca to send message to them.

Please take the following actions:

1. Open a web browser.
2. Click on "Wizzy Digital Network Administration"
3. Enter username and password of the administrator
4. Click on "Network Users Management" (The top one in the list)
5. You will see a form to fill out which includes the following information:
6. • Username (this is the name at the begining of the email i.e. username@janata.wizzy.org.za)
   • Full Name (For display purposes)
   • password
   • password again (to verify you typed your password correctly)
   • Once those are filled in, click "create user" and a new user account will be created with it's own email address.
7. If the students aren't ready to handle their own email addresses and passwords, that's fine, it can come at a later date, but it is a good idea to get them their own email addresses at some time, now or in the future. They will also be able to email each other in addition to the Canadian 4th graders. The username and password are all written on a single piece of paper which is kept at the school and has general information about the lab.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008: “ Hami le yahai aunu bhayeka Rajan,Udhyan, Gyanendra sir harro bata derai kura sikcndai chau. Jastai computer connection garna,(powerchord jodna,mouse,keypad jodna) sikisakeu. Samaney tarika le computer kholna banda garna. Sabai lai extension chord ma jodna siki sakeu. Paint garnna, mail patauna, mail check garna,email id bhanauna. Yeaha ko weblibary ma chhirna sikyaun.
[We are learning a lot from respected guests Rajan, Udhyan, and Gyanendra. For example, we learned to connect computers (connecting power cord, mouse, keypad), starting and stopping computers, connecting all computers through extension cords. We also learned to use Paint program, to send and receive emails, to create new email IDs, and to enter into the web-library here.] ” Chandra and Krishna
“Mathi lagayat maile sikeka kura haru photoshop ma photo rakhi edit garna siken, computer kholera tesh ka patpurja ko janakari pani payen, ram, hard disk , cd rom, kholna ra fit garna pani siken, aba chitae network cable banauna ni sikdae chu, nepali font haru computer ma rakhna ni sikdai chu.
[I have learned the above mentioned items and editing photos from Photoshop. I also obtained the basic ideas on taking apart and put together computer parts: RAM, Hard Drive, CD ROM. We are also learning to make network cable, and to install Nepali Fonts in the computer.] ” Prem thapa, Sarkuwa

"Leaving Kathmandu at 16 March, we arrived here at Sarkuwa School at the evening of 17 March. Since then, we have been working constantly and completed the configuration of all the 8 Computers and are ready to setup a lab if space is provided.
Now we need further instruction on how to make the interaction between the students of Janata H.S.S and Leslie Park School. For futher configuration of the internal network we also need the password of SqWebMail, we don't know who exactly knows the password.
We expect quick response from you. ”
With Best Regards, Gyanendra Suwal,Rajan Pandey, Udhyan Timilsina, Sarkuwa

Dear Rajan, Gyanendra and Udhyan:
First of all I want to let you know that my heart is bloated with happiness today. I am confident of the positive outcome; most of all, you have given me a reason to believe that there is a light within Nepal. Sooner this light will be discovered, earlier Nepal will march in the path of innovation and progress. All things aside, the spirit with which you have reached to that place has made me so tremendously proud. I will always stay true to your spirit, and dedicate myself to the causes of Nepal - till the end - for how you have inspired me. ... instructions for lab, Leslie Park Public School and Janata HSS communication and password ...
Pramod Dhakal, Ottawa Geeta, Thank you very much for your help with the computers at Sarkuwa. I struggled to get them working in between the power outages, and in the very short amount of time I had there, I was not able to successfully teach the staff or students enough about the computers for them to use them effectively. I am sure being able to learn in Nepali also helped them understand a lot better. I am glad you were able to jump in and understand our system, and all of the resources that are available to the school. The people in Sarkuwa are wonderful, and I am very happy when I see their limited resources working for them. I am glad there were people willing and able to take over where I left off with the computers there. Thank You, Kelsey

March 10, 2008: We only seek your spare time on these causes. We need your support for a long time into the future not just a lot at once and all now. Therefore, doing the following will be of the help of highest value for now:

1. Ensuring that all computers in Janata HS are all networked.
2. Ensuring that all computers can share the content of the server.
3. Making sure that both computers at volunteers residence can be used with single set of mouse/keyboard.

March 11, 2008: Please welcome two new members in the team.

1. Professor Pierre Beaudet of University of Ottawa, Canada, where he heads the International Development and Globalization Program. His team at University of Ottawa and Canada Forum for Nepal are attempting to find ways to send young volunteers from Canada to lay out a foundation for the women's development initiatives in Sarkuwa and surrounding areas. He was the head of Alternatives, an well-known and globally minded organization in Canada, for 13 years before joining University of Ottawa..
2. Dr. Pukar Malla, who holds a PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Cornell University, USA. A bright scholar, he is a natural leader and community activist, which he honed when he was still a young student at Budhanilakantha High School in Kathmandu. He works in wireless telecommunication field with a great interest to take this technology to Nepal - a most natural candidate to be in our great team.
3. 2) Udhyan Timilsina, a young and fresh graduate of Electronics and Communication Engineering from Kantipur Engineering College, he will be coming with Rajan Pandey to Sarkuwa to set-up the computer laboratory.

March 9-10, 2008: First I would like to thank you for you have let me be part of such a noble team serving for the noble cause. ... month long could be very difficult. How about me and my friend being there and completing the task assigned within a week? And we would be at ease if we could be there immediately. ... I'm very committed to serve this noble organization for lifetime and shall always follow your guidelines. ... Please induct my friend Udhyan Timilsina in the team. ... Please induct Gyanendra Suwal in the team. ...
Rajan Pandey

March 6, 2008: Please welcome new members of the team:

1. Carol Gage, Principal, Leslie Park Public School, Ottawa, Canada; The Grade 4 students of Ms. Calor Gage's school will connect to Grade 4 students of Sarkuwa. We will soon make more announcements on this.
2. Bhuwani Paudel, Geotechnical Engineer, Natural Resources Canada and member of Canada Forum for Nepal. Originally from Thulipokhari, Parbat, Nepal, Bhuwani was my classmate in IIT, Roorkee, India. He will be donating some computers to Thulipokhari High School, which will some day be part of this larger endeavor of connecting school. People of Thulipokhari will soon be part of our ever growing team.
3. Rajan Pandey, a bright engineer who has just finished his Bachelors Degree in Electronics and Communication. He carries solid knowledge of computers and computer networking. He will come to Sarkuwa to provide further training and to jump start the Grade-4 inter-connection between Nepal and Canada.

I am delighted to hear from you and to learn that you are willing to help us. This is most wonderful and I am extremely happy to have you in this team. You will find that this is a team of most wonderful people. ... We will walk inch-by-inch till we successfully demonstrate our vision for transforming Nepal from grounds up. Our first few years will be difficult but I am confident that in a few years time we will be building foundation that will prove transformative.
We had sent some computers from Canada and USA, and the school had purchased 5 computers, to establish a computer lab in Sarkuwa, Baglung. However, all the computers did not come in time when our volunteers from USA were in the school. ...
If you can, I would like you to help us in the following ways: ... setup computer lab, give basic training, give English language support, make Grade 4 of Sarkuwa connect to Grade 4 of Leslie Park PS Canada. This communication will plant a seed from which we will grow a massive tree....
This will be a miracle help for us. ... Welcome to our team! Welcome to our noble mission!!
Pramod

Dear Sir, I am Rajan Pandey a fresh graduate of Bachelor in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Kantipur Engineering College, affiliated to Tribhuvan University. Profesional Certification: Cisco Certified Network Associate; Training: Red Hat Linux V-5. I got to know from my brother in law Mr. B.N. Bhattarai about the problem at the project at Baglung. If my skill at the field of Networking or any other communication and computer related sector be useful at the project, I'm ready to be involved.
Yours Sincerly,
Rajan Pandey, Kathmandu, Nepal

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