Previous targets
- Obtaining certificates
The first group of six people we sent to the hairdressing school all passed in Spring 2012. They got a basic training in hairdressing at a local school to learn the basics in their own language.
We also sent a first group of people to RTC English and they attended their first English lecture series rather successfully. This encourages us to further look into expanding the English language class program.
- Adopting new standards to improve living conditions
It remains a great challenge to encourage long-term thinking when most people want fast and instant results. However, a few individuals do understand the necessity and advantages.
We have also hired on-site assistance. Laura Burgess is now responsible for all communication and follow-up in Nepal. We have decided not to travel to Kathmandu in 2012 and rather use the remaining budget for Laura’s much needed and appreciated assistance and for the course fees.
- Working towards establishing their own businesses
Working towards establishing their own businesses is not yet a goal. Technically they are not advanced enough and still in need of a big mentality change.
- Setting up an export business to support the project and to raise funds
Setting up and export business appears not to be a good choice. Our test run with a small package turned out to be quite expensive, and even though exporting larger quantities would make it cheaper, selling the articles in Belgium has not proven very successful. The target group of potential clients/sponsors seems only moderately interested, so this seems not the right course of action. We must find a more efficient way to sponsor the project from Belgium and are looking for ideas that generate more funding in a shorter time span: fixed sponsorship by De Wakko Kapper, garage sales, flea markets, individual donations, finding businesses that would like to show their support, gaining more visibility by giving lectures, etc.
