24th of APRIL 2020:

Join us for a great theater evening “Personne m’écoute” is a unique creation mixing comedy and drama, on topics that touches us all: Non-violent communication.

Tickets are already available:

https://www.billetweb.fr/personne-ne-mecoute-de-collectif-pour-le-moment&src=agenda

17^th of JANUARY 2020: Music for MAYAA, Songs for Love

 Some 30 talented musicians are giving their time and will perform on stage. They will take you on an enchanted journey from Brahms to Gospel, Flamenco music, and so much more!! 

Great family show from 7 to 77 years old.

Tickets are available on: https://ticketdood.com/e/43/music-for-mayaa-songs-for-love

And still our F.I.S Second hand uniform sales to continue:

 Sustainability & solidarity! Next dates to be confirmed: stay tuned, follow us on FB:

https://www.facebook.com/mayaahongkong/

IN 2019: MAYAA HK has helped financially 50 students for a total amount of 60.000 HKD.

 Apart from education support, MAYAA HK gives financial support to some very needy children, covering specific needs which are not covered by the HK government, such as text books, uniforms, exam registration fees, canteen, and psychological treatment.

Best Progress Awards for English or Chinese Language

This “soft competition” was introduced in 4 schools in 2018-2019 to encourage and recognize students making significant progress in language subjects, (irrespective of whether they are local or non-Chinese-speaking students); and to motivate students to maintain a successful mindset in their struggling learning path, even though their results may not be as “outstanding” as some of their peers.

A total of 133 students were awarded in 2019.  A total of HK$49,000 was distributed to 133 awardees (out of 2500 participants). This program is very successful and will continue in 2019-2020.

Extra English tuition

Commencing from October 2019, 8 volunteers (Nicole SICARD’s past students) run an “English Fun Class” for P4 to P6 students. The Class aims at encouraging the students to speak up in English.

Extra-curricular activities

A group of 10 teenagers called “MAYAA’s Friend Club” from a prestigious International School in HK ran 6 sessions of “One-to-one English Storybooks Reading” for P1 to P3 students from a disadvantaged Primary school. This service has been very welcome, and the parents requested that it continue in the new school year.

The building located in the heart of the poorest area in Kathmandu Valley, has been tailored for the needs of the local community, offering a nursery, a couple of meeting rooms, a large kitchen/dining space, sanitary and health facilities over 300m². It also serves those who are dedicated to MAYAA’s actions: a spacious office for the local team, and decent accommodation for the volunteers working on long missions. Moreover, the Centre has a large plot of land which the Daycare children use as a playground, as well as some space for a vegetable garden.

 “This new Centre is a great opportunity to work in good conditions; we are proud to work for MAYAA” (Sanju, social worker at MAYAA since it was founded)

 The Opening Ceremony took place on 15th April 2019 in the presence of his Excellence Monsieur LEGER, Ambassador of France, Nicole SICARD and Sarbendra PACHHAI the founders of MAYAA NGO.

Members of MAYAA HK, members of HK Discovery Bay Rotary Club, friends of Mrs. SICARD: as well as many friends of MAYAA joined together to celebrate the final outcome of a long and fruitful team effort.

 Among the participants, let’s greet in particular the Rotary Club who actually proposed Nicole SICARD (MAYAA’s founder) to “the ONE” competition, allowing the association to win US$100.000. Without the support of the HK Discovery Bay Rotary Club, this extraordinary project would have never been possible.

 Sustainability: Water in Kathmandu valley is increasingly rare (long dry seasons + a sharp increase  in the population = pollution and groundwater drying up)

Continued clean water is available for parents and children who face water shortage for bathing and other needs. Mayaa’s Water treatment facility was created, tested and approved by ENPHO, Nepal.  The new Centre is also equipped with solar panels to supply free hot water and electricity.

WHAT WAS NEW in 2019, 2020 CHALLENGES

 In 2019 MAYAA has supported 212 children in their education. This represents a 10% increase compared to 2018, 19 students are in GR12 (final year) or in post-secondary curriculums. However MAYAA’s goal is not to grow fast. We are more focused on improving our action and our social impact than enrolling more families in our programs. Quality rather than quantity.

2020, CHALLENGES:

• UNIVERSITY: Send more of the students to universities. We have recently hired a part time career counsellor to help the students to find the most appropriate curriculum and keep their motivation high!

And a reminder of  what we already do:

• Our social workers identify very needy families who don’t send their children to school; they offer to cover all the school expenses: enrolment fees, uniforms, books, stationary, lunches. In return families sign a contract whereby they ensure their children will attend school.
•  Let’s remind you that MAYAA does not run his own school. We prefer to complement the local infrastructure: The children are enrolled in local government schools. MAYAA brings support where it is weak such as: Extra English tuition, computer classes, renovation of classrooms, build a library, build a canteen and distribute meals.
•  STRICT FOLLOW UP: Our social workers regularly check the student attendance and monitor the school’s results.

IN 2019, MAYAA has organized:

• INFIRMARY: There is now an infirmary in our CENTER where people can find our medical staff when they need.
• Almost 1.000 patients have been treated either during medical camps or in the medical facility of the new Centre
• 15 AWARENESS PROGRAMS were conducted in 2019 gathering a total of 1.179 participants. These are meant to raise awareness amongst the local community regarding daily issues such as: hand washing, dental hygiene, menstruation, family planning, vaccinations, worm infestation, junk food, nutrition, dengue fever, child marriage, sexual abuse, etc….

 2020, CHALLENGES: Continue the existing program and enhance FOLLOW UP

What we already do:

• MAYAA organises a FREE MEDICAL CHECK UP every month in one of the 5 “partner-schools”. All the family are invited to come and see the doctor. Medicines are provided free of charge. SPECIALISTS are regularly involved (opticians, dentists, gynaecologists…)
• HEALTH BOOK: Children sponsored by MAYAA have their own health book so that our doctors can monitor vaccinations and growth rates
• PREVENTION: After each camp, the data collected is added to a database for statistics, so that we can focus our actions on the most common pathologies and try to prevent them.
• PARTNERSHIP: MAYAA has built partnerships with local hospitals for serious illnesses.
• MEDICAL STAFF:  MAYAA employs 1 part time doctor and 1 full time nurse/nutritionist
• Apart from the monthly health camps and free surgeries at the infirmary in the Centre, they regularly go and visit families and provide the parents with counselling.

WHAT WAS NEW in 2019?

 Since the opening of the new center we now have a 2nd garden: Part of the land around the New Centre has been converted into a vegetable garden. The production is used to prepare lunch for Daycare students and the MAYAA staff. The local team has started to recycle dried corn leaves into organic mats.

Both gardens have been able to operate successfully thanks to MAITE Foundation support. https://don.fondationcaritasfrance.org/fondation-maite

 What we already do:

In order to tackle hunger, malnutrition and growth issues, MAYAA has been running a vegetable garden near MAHANKHAL School since 2018.

In 2019, MAYAA has been providing farming supplies, fertilizers, seeds, and bringing the support of an agricultural specialist to produce vegetables near one of the poorest school in the Kathmandu Valley.  The farming is done by students and teachers, so that they can support themselves in the future.

A canteen room was constructed and furbished in 2018 by MAYAA. The seasonal harvest from the farm is used to provide daily healthy meals for 123 students nearly free of charge. The association bears the costs when the families can’t afford the price of the meal.

WHAT WAS NEW in 2019?

New Lesson plan

Our childcare workers went for some training sessions in the Kathmandu French International School to improve their methods. They then set up a more effective lesson plan for the all-round development of students that includes mental and physical stimulation activities. Our young children skill development is the best reward!

New menus

The Daycare Nutrition Program was upgraded. All Daycare children are now receiving a healthy and nutritious lunch, fruit and milk 6 days a week. Protein content was increased for the lunch. Once a week, the students bring lunch from home. This way we can check that the mothers are able to cook balanced meals.

MAYAA Nepal operates 2 Daycares (nurseries) taking care of 29 young children aged 2 to 5, so that:

• parents can go to work,
• older sisters can attend school,
• babies can grow up in a clean and safe environment where they learn the basics, and receive a daily balanced and nutritious meal

What we already do:

Field work & Home visits

Every week our team visits our students’ families to monitor the living conditions and check if they are facing any issues.  During these regular home visits, our social workers distribute useful items (blankets, clothes, baby cot…) and provide guidance: on childcare, hygiene, creating a positive environment at home, staying away from drugs and alcohols, cleanliness , the importance of education and regular attendance, motivating the child etc.

Community empowerment

Two mothers of our sponsored children have been hired to work in our Little Garden Project as part of an income support to their families. A third mother is the cook of one of the nurseries.

Emergency support:

Last summer, the monsoon was particularly devastating: the slum areas were flooded. MAYAA supported the affected families through clothes and food distribution. Some building material was also provided in order to make repairs.