Fwd: Requesting your support for a phenomenal ecological initiative

[Shailesh Gongal]

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Bigyan R. Bista" <bigyan...@gmail.com>
Date: May 12, 2017 at 9:06:45 AM EDT

Dear friends,

I am writing to ask if you can support for this incredible initiative in Nepal that I am supporting. KTK-BELT is trying to create the world's first 8,000-meter 'Vertical University,' which will stretch from the Koshi Tappu to Kanchenjunga (8,586 m), the 3rd tallest peak in the world. The Vertical University seeks to safeguard 6,700 flowering plants of eastern Nepal and have farmers be the 'professors' teaching their indigenous knowledge to the new generation. The 'campuses'  or the Learning grounds will be open air land parcels at different elevations in the Himalayas in six different climatic zones, each of which safeguards different species and protects the natural heritage of Nepal.  

KTK-BELT is competing for the Earth Day Roadmap Challenge on Crowd Rise and seek to win this competition  which closes on May 18 at 1:59 PM EST. If they can raise the most among the 60 competing organizations before this date, they would get a $100,000 bonus, which would go a long way in realizing the project. 

What I personally feel is powerful about this project, and why I am supporting it is that if they win the competition, this project would be defining the global roadmap forward for protecting nature, mitigating climate change, and creating nature-based economies through their proven 'Learning Grounds' model. These places will also be in your go to list when you visit Nepal in the near future.

To boost their fundraising effort they are also organizing a charity concert here in Boston on the 15th of May at Thunder Road Live Music club and restaurant in Somerville (and one in New York on the 17th) where popular Nepali artists- Hemanta Rana and Rohit John Chetri will be performing. All proceedings from the event will be donated to the project. Your donation of 30$ or more to their Crowd Rise campaign will get you a free entry to this event as well. 

KTK-BELT is also doing a 'One tree at a time Campaign' where they will protect one heritage tree in the Vertical University in your honor or in memory of the person of your choosing for every $100 donation.

I  would appreciate if you could support this effort by donating at https://www.crowdrise.com/ktk-belt-roadmap2017

Thank you in advance for your support. I would appreciate if you and your wife can share this mail with your friends and family to make this campaign effort a great success.

Regards,

Bigyan

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They plan to spend the raised funds in the below stated programs. Additional details provided here. 

Conservation Program = $5,000

 This program will educate communities about this endangered species, create public billboard to deter poaching and trading, and to sig-up 'BELT Farmers' who commit not only to refrain from hunting pangolins but also to report any illegal activity.

Support 10 BELT fellows ($2000/year/fellow) = $20,000

 This program was developed to recruit, train and build capacity of 60 youth fellows to lead in various areas of the project. Arresting rural out migration is one of the core objectives of the project. A total of 60 youth will be supported to gain skills in different competencies under the rubric of conservation and sustainable entrepreneurship. These skills will include design, eco-agriculture, media, IT, environmental policy, eco-tourism and hospitality, among other skills that will create youthful capacity across the BELT.

Support 150 BELT farmers ($100 / farmer/ year) = $15,000

This program was created in 2015 to target local farmers and build their capacity for conservation, obtaining in exchange commitments to mitigate poaching, land grabbing, and habitat loss. This program will support first 150 farmers from Yangshila and Kurule who have signed up with a commitment towards conservation, organic and sustainable agriculture. 

Support Yangshila’s outdoor education program = $10,000 

This program seeks to turn Yangshila's contours into outdoor learning landscapes. The team is working with 2 volunteer outdoor educators to develop place based modules for education.  The fund will be spent as 4000$ for trail infrastructure, 3000$ for 3 teaching fellows support, 3000$ to support 3 BELT schools

Nighure Campus and seed banks: $50,000

This program aims to turn Yangshila into a hub for biodiversity research on endangered flora and fauna of the Chure region. This hub will include libraries, classrooms, research stations, herbaratum and artist residencies. In addition to being a research hub for eastern region, it will also provide educational infrastructure for local community including libraries, class rooms, and lecture halls. Nighure campus 25,000$, Tropical community seed back in Rangcha 12,500$,  Temparate community seedbank in Maharajey 12,500$.

Tamur campus and Masterplan : $25,000

Given large decline in the water system in this area which has lead to livelihood and habitat loss, the campus is envisioned as a large water harvesting infrastructure where every room and courtyard contributes to the water collection, which will be stored in underground water tanks for the dry season. The programmatic breakdown will include an information point, exhibit space, flexible classrooms for training, research spaces, office spaces and a library. 

Koshi Tappu Campus: $25,000 

This campus will function as birds and acquatic research center equipped with birds observatory, classrooms, library, training hall and amphitheater, along with a residency and work space for researchers and artists.