Samjhana Tamang lives with her brother in a house next to the school with barely any amenities. Even though she had other siblings (hence 6 in her family) those younger than her live with other relatives and the older ones have moved out. The older siblings do not appear to be helping her with her educational costs. The sister-in-law who is working abroad is in Kuwait but doesn’t support her in anyway.
Her dad died falling off a cliff while her mother married another man and moved elsewhere leaving her in her brother’s care, a brother who is a little slow.
Attached below are details of her family and the cost of her education.
The request letter reads:
Subject: About scholarship.
Personal and family details of the student
Particulars
Yearly Cost/NRs.
1. Student’s name: Samjhana Tamang
Class: 71. School uniform 925
2. Father’s name: late Kale Tamang 2. Shoes + socks 600
3. Mother’s name: Thuli Tamang 3. School bag 500
4. Family member abroad: Sister-in-law 4. Tie + belt (1 set) 225
5. Number of family members: 6 5. Student ID 130
6. Duration for which agricultural yield sustains the family: 6 months 6. Admission fee 400
7. Address: Gunsa-3 7. Exam fees (3 x 290) 870
8. Financial situation: weak 8. Computer fees (80 x 12) (missing from the original) 960
9. Notebooks (20 x 18 x 12) 4320
10. Pencils (10 x 24) 240
11. Geometry box (80 x 1) 80
Total 9250
Signed and stamped
The Principal
At the current rate of exchange of approximately Rs. 98=US$1.00, the total cost amounts to US$95/year in 7th grade.
However, she has just four more months in 7th grade. Academic year in Nepal runs from mid-April to the beginning of April the following year. That means, she’ll need support for at least the next 3 years.
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Update Feb. 20, 2014
Purchases by Nemira Customers 29 – 34 has ensured that Samjhana gets to finish school!
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September 2014 Update
Samjhana has passed her exams and has moved on to grade 8! Details of her educational costs for the 2014-15 (2071) academic year can be found here.
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September 2015 Update
Samjhana has passed her exams and has moved on to grade 9! Details of her educational costs for this academic year can be found here.
Her family house was one of the 594 houses in Thangpalkot destroyed by the earthquake of April 25.
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July 2017 Update
It’s been almost two years since the last update.
Unfortunately, at some point in 9th grade, she found a man, got married and went to India.
