Ganesh Himal Trading launches scholarship project
to support education opportunities for girls in Nepal

As part of the annual Fair Trade Festival and inspired by PBS showing “Half the Sky” about the desire for girls and women to be educated, Ganesh Himal will launch “The Power of Five” to raise funds for the Girl Child Education Fund of the Association for Craft Producers (ACP) in Nepal to provide scholarships so girls can attend school. 

The ACP works with marginalized women to help them gain skills, live lives of dignity, gain control of their earnings and provide education for their daughters.

Girls in Nepal who benefit from the Power of Five scholarships

“Many girls have been able to stay in school because of these scholarships, but, in February 2012, Ric and I met with two girls who had finished their three years of scholarships and were unable to continue because their father lost his income and no scholarship money was available,” she said.  

Ganesh Himal seeks to reach 900 people to raise $4,500 to fund scholarships for more than 100 children of fair trade producers at ACP in Kathmandu, Nepal. 

They have created and will be selling packets of bookmarks that tell the story.  When participants share the bookmarks, they raise awareness about the importance of educating girl children, raise money for scholarships and tell about the effects of fair trade.

a Power of Five donation

Each participant gives $5 for a bookmark and will receive a packet of five bookmarks to pass on to five others, who each give $5 and pass on five bookmarks each to five others.  Each participant will return the donations to the first person or return the money to Kizuri at 35 W. Main with 100 percent of the money going to the Association of Craft Producers scholarship fund in Nepal.

Denise said that while $5 isn’t much, that is the idea.

“If we all give a little, the effect ripples out, it empowers and connects people,” Denise said.

People can pick up additional packets of bookmarks at fair trade retailers, like Kizuri, that buy from Ganesh Himal.

For information, call 448-6561 or visit www.ganeshhimaltrading.com

Thanks to Denise Attwood for photos. 12.5.12

Copyright © November 2012 - The Fig Tree