The Kandoo Foundation is a non-profit NGO that has been set up with the aim of supporting the rural community of Hongong and its inhabitants to improve their living conditions and education, and to help build up the local economy surrounding this community. The foundation has been created and is run by guides and porters from this community, chaired by Pimba Tensing.
Why Hongong?
Hongong, (pronouced Hungung), is in the far Western side of Nepal in the Sankhuwasabha district and is home to the Bhote ethnic group. The community struggles with many of the same
difficulties that befall lots of mountain villages and towns of rural Nepal.
The extreme rurality of the location, with no roads or vehicle access, mean
that the community must be self sufficient in many aspects and travel for days
if they are in need of medical care or sometimes for work. The lack of local
employment often means that communities suffer from the effects of low-economic
income; particularly during the harsh weather seasons of the monsoon and the
freezing winter temperatures. And although the Nepalese are known for their
speedy problem solving, when acts of God such as landslides occur during the
monsoon, it can take years for the community to fully recover from the
damage.
Hongong is close to the hearts of the guides and porters who have created the foundation, as for many of them it is their home community from which they originate. Many have family and friends living here, and some still live here themselves. They want to improve the lives of the people in this community, to ensure the next generation are able to continue to improve their standards of living and reduce some of the struggles facing inhabitants living there today.
Although the NGO has only recently become official, Pimba and some of the other local guides have been unofficially working to improve their community for years already.
Building a space for the community
Hongong community had a school but no school playground and in 2016, at the request of the community, Pimba sourced funds as well as a collection of local volunteers to resolve this problem. As Hongong is extremely remote, reached by a 2-day walk into the mountains, there’s no way of getting excavation equipment to the site, so community spirit was essential in creating this space.
Pimba rallied the troops and, over a period of two weeks, nearly 600 people helped to build a playing area the size of a small football field. As a result Hongong now has a large, flat area that serves as a sports area and playground for the local school as well as an open space for communal events. This project also provided a fortnight’s paid work for the villagers who got involved which was enough to sustain their families for six months!
Fleeces for Schoolchildren
The villages in rural Nepal are generally low economic areas and many children are exposed to little shelter, particularly during the harsh winters. Families are unable to afford technical, warm clothing for their children and the freezing night time temperatures lead to little sleep and the spread of illness. By providing children with something as simple as a fleece, it gives them some warmth to encourage a good night's sleep, which in turn provides them with better prospects as it builds their immunity, helps them concentrate in school and gain a better education.
Prior to the NGO being set up, Pimba had already begun to try to improve the lives of the children within Hongong school. As an active member of the local community, he was approached by the school to ask for some help acquiring warm, good quality fleeces for every child. Pimba sourced funds from several contacts he had and produced 100 fleeces for the schoolchildren, even embroidering them with the school's name.
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