Boston's ANA official Photography team initiated a fund raising campaign for NCEF through their photography skills. The beautiful photographs are free to download through their website. In lieu, the team is requesting viewers to donate money directly to NCEF. We would like to thank the team members: Aadit Sitaula, Ang Kami Sherpa, Bimal Nepal, Dhan Shrestha, Nirajan Tuladhar, Nisma Gurung, Priyatam Piya and Subodh Gurung for supporting our cause.

Click on the image below to view Boston ANA's official photo gallery.

NCEF participated in the 2010 Association of Nepalis in the Americas (ANA) convention, an annual gathering that sees the largest concentration of the Nepalis in North America. The ANA aims to promote preservation of Nepali identity and culture in the Americas, to foster cordial relations among Nepalese and Americans, and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the participation of Nepali-Americans in the communities they live in.

We set out with a goal to reach out to this wide diaspora of Nepalis and individuals interested in social causes in Nepal. A few NCEF members residing in the New England area, Aadit Sitaula, Barsha Shrestha, Hem Pokharel, and Inku Subedi set up an information booth with children’s paintings, posters, pamphlets and sign-up sheets. The event was a huge success in terms of our goals and objectives. The volunteers were able to discuss NCEF’s mission and operation with more than 100 visitors. Consequently, 35 visitors signed up for NCEF newsletter and 17 applied for membership. As part of the advertising campaign, NCEF’s poster was also showcased throughout various ANA events as slideshows.

After talking to many visitors who were interested in helping foster education for underprivileged kids in Nepal, one of the major complaint was the difficulty to find a reliable and transparent organization in Nepal - “an organization with credibility and proven track record." The visitors were delighted to learn about NCEF; its mission, transparency and the operating philosophy. What sets us apart is transparency, honesty and the dedication of our volunteers.

Apart from the one-on-one meeting with new members and potential donors, NCEF members also managed to reach a larger crowd through a presentation at Nepal Ko Yuwa’s social change forum. NCEF had also participated at the 2009 ANA Youth Forum. The social change forum showcased a handful of organizations run by Nepali youth. NCEF had a very short time to present its goals, achievements, and challenges at this forum. Inku Subedi, our fundraising officer gave this presentation during the convention.

Another ongoing project that was highlighted during the event was “Recycle for Education”, conceived and operated by our longtime member, Hem Pokharel.  The project “Recycle for Education” collects on average $250 every year and provides a regular stream of funds for NCEF’s operation.  Visitors who learned about this simple project made such a difference were impressed by the results.  We encourage our members and supporters to take initiative on similar projects and volunteer in these projects.

Hem: "If we collect only one can it is 5 cents. If one person collects 10,000 cans in a year that is US $ 500/year. If 10,000 people collect 10,000 cans in a year. It will be 5 Million/year."

Some visitors were very interested in sponsoring a child for his/her entire education. Having conversations with potential donors and their concerns and ideas would be helpful in devising new donor project such as individual sponsorship of students beyond the 10+2 education. As suggested by visitors, NCEF will also look into possibilities of supporting donors who have proposed sponsoring an individual child and requested NCEF coordination. We also met potential members who are interested in opening a new area in Nepal.

Overall, NCEF received much appreciation and compliments for the work the organization has done so far. It further validated our cause and was an encouraging step forward for the members involved in publicity and fundraising.