It’s important at this point in the discussion to outline Mahabir Pun’s philosophy with regards to his work principles. Over the years Mahabir Pun has worked with dozens of private, governmental, non-governmental (NGO), international profit and non-profit organizations (INGO) on various projects. This is what he has to say about choosing to work with an organization: “I am open to any individuals or organizations to do anything and I can work with them without any formal condition. I don’t chose projects but I just do things that I think is good to do. I don’t even look for their background of the people who come to work with me. Everybody can come and work with me. It is okay even of they don’t put any inputs. I just want them an opportunity and want to learn something from the villagers. I don’t want to be picky. My only condition is that whatever I do, it should benefit the communities. I want others to behave the same way.”

Mahabir Pun puts as much effort into working with HEF volunteers, such as Gail from Australia, as he does with international organizations like The Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA).

In fact Mahabir Pun does follow his principles and examine the entity before teaming with any one person or organization. For example, before working with the Institute for Himalaya Conservation (IHC), he set conditions. He requested a place on the board of directors in order to steer policy and decisions. He required all projects use local villagers to implement, construct and run a project. This was in the late 1990s and I think he was beginning to understand his role as a leader and not just an entrepreneur. His success can be seen in the locally run cheese, yak, trekking, paper making, reforestation and dozens of small local enterprises successfully run by local rural villagers. He will not participate in projects that are just for profit, even for Nepal based companies. Everything he does benefits the poor rural population either directly or indirectly. Some of his critics believe he misses financial opportunities because he fails to understand that profit making is not necessarily an evil goal. There are companies directed to helping the world’s poor but still make a profit for investors. An excellent book on this topic is: “The Business Solution to Poverty: Designing Products and Services for Three Billion New Customers” by Paul Polak and Mal Warwick.

Nangi farmer carrying cauliflower to market. Through an IHC program local farmers can sell produce to Pokhara restaurants in an effort to promote local sustainability.

He is a staunch proponent of grassroots involvement and ownership of a project to assure success. He alleges most Nepali NGOs are corrupt. He stated; “The money raised is just a trickle to the rural areas. The money that goes to the real people is just a trickle.” He believes most of the money raised by these local NGOs is used for administrative costs such as fancy offices, expensive vehicles and “fat” salaries. The NGOs are run by city bureaucrats who have little understanding of the rural poor. He believes the NGOs exist to support themselves and actually make very little impact in rural areas. The same philosophy is argued in the disturbing book about the dark side of international aid written by Michael Maren in 2002 and called: The Road to Hell: The Ravaging Effects of Foreign Aid and International Charity. If you haven’t read this book I recommend borrowing it from your local library.

Mahabir’s solution: NGOs should be started by rural villagers; NGOs should be started by service motivated people such as expatriates from the villages. His solutions are challenged by the rural isolation and diversity of Nepal. The Nepal culture can differ from one village to another so what works in one place may not work in another. One way Mahabir has devised to bring entrepeunurial villagers together to discuss their projects, share challenges and solutions is to open the Nepal Connection in Kathmandu, which he described as a not-for-profit sharing company.

Join me next week for more about the Nepal Connection and how Mahabir Pun brought together diverse contributors from around the world to realize this dream.

http://www.nepalwireless.net/content.php?id=54

In the spring of 2002 the Rallapalli’s met Mahabir Pun in New Delhi, India to discuss funding for the 11th and 12th grade school building. They offered to fly Mahabir from Nepal to India but he declined due to the cost. Mahabir said the money would be better spent on their projects then his airfare and he could easily take the bus and train. If you have never taken the bus from Nepal to India…it’s an experience to miss…as noted in this video. The tourist buses make for a tolerable ride but the local buses that he took are nothing more then a metal box sitting on a spring-less chaise and wheels…which bounce the occupants with enough energy to shake loose teeth. Philene told me they immediately thought Mahabir a very modest man and the meeting went well.

Students occupy the new 11th and 12th grade building, Nangi, Nepal. Spring 2003.

Mahabir presented a simple drawing of the proposed building. The Rallapalli’s proposed a southern exposure and double paned windows. Despite Mahabir asking a civil engineer friend for advice on the building construction, the Rallapalli’s asked for an architect’s rendition and advice on the project. Philene was also concerned for the height of the building which she found to be too low…until Mahabir exclaimed, “Have you looked at me? I’m a tall man for my village!”. Indeed, people in Nepal are little by world standards…a fact my 6 foot husband can verify every time he whacked his head on a roof beam despite crouching.

Inauguration ceremony for the 11th and 12th grade building, Nangi, Nepal. June 2003.

Fortunately when Mahabir returned to Nepal there was an architect from Alaska teaching English at the school. Mr. Patrick Donaldson took on the project and was instrumental in teaching local laborers better building techniques. He understood the need for simple technology but added reinforcing bar to the base structure and a French drain to solve a water drainage problem. The Rallapalli Foundation committed $12,000 USD and the total cost of the building was about $15,000 USD. It was started in the fall of 2002 and completed in the spring of 2003 with an inauguration on June 30th, 2002.

Seven years after returning to Nangi Mahabir was able to complete one of his dreams…to offer higher education to the students in Nangi without taking them away from their home village and families. This was especially important for the female students who were unable to travel to cities for their education. Young women are financially and socially handicapped. Most could not afford student housing and to assure their safety they needed a male family member to accompany them and protect them from human traffickers.

Join me next week as I finish up the story of Mahabir Pun and the Rallapalli Foundation. Have you ever had someone believe in your dream and help make it come true? Share your story with my readers. Personally, I would not be a doctor it wasn’t for Bill and Betty, my former in-laws, who sent me an encouraging letter every week as I waded through medical school as a single parent in the 1980s.

Mahabir Pun also lives in Kathmandu where he conducts most of his business at his restaurant called “Mahabir’s Centre for Nepal Connection“. The restaurant decor is modern and the chef serves excellent food. The location, in the center of Nepal’s capitol, is located on the second floor of a pedestrian mall which offers a quiet atmosphere for business. Here he meets with local and foreign donors, politicians, friends and volunteers to discuss ideas, fund projects and implement goals. He also travels abroad to lecture several times a year. This gives him little time at home in Pokhara when combined with travel in Nepal to supervise new wireless sites or help communities build their own.

Jharana (center) with her cousins in Pokhara. 2009

Ommaya travels to Kaphaldanda to visit her family once a year and Chitwan a few times to bring the children to see Mahabir’s mother who is in her late 80s. Otherwise she can be found at home in Pokhara. When I asked her about his long absences she was perplexed by the question. She had no answer to a question which posed no problem in her marriage. She was content. When I asked Mahabir about it, he smiled and said, “Nepali women are used to it.” Especially Magar women, because over the decades they watched their husbands leave to work in the British and India military or for the Hong Kong police. Over the last few decades many rural Nepali men have sought employment as foreign migrant workers leaving the women to manage the family, home and farms. Separation is not only a means to a job, it is viewed as a way to survive and improve a family’s finances or education.

Mahabir Pun bridges the gap using the very technology that keeps them apart. He, like many absent fathers, calls his children almost daily and they Skype a few times a week. He will stop in Pokhara, even for an afternoon, to visit when traveling to the western regions of Nepal. During one visit at his home I watched him with Juna and Jharana, his daughters. It was a glimpse into a rarely seen part of his character. He is tender and proud. He told me, “They love me so much and I love them so much too.” This acknowledgement shared so freely stunned me. If you have never met the man…he says little and what he does say is never personal. He is a man who speaks with his actions.

Join me next week as I conclude this part of Mahabir Pun’s life and move onto his present projects.

The legal proceedings required Mahabir Pun and Ommaya to register the marriage at the local government office in Chitwan where they were issued a marriage certificate. One last step required Ommaya to file citizenship papers as Mahabir’s wife in the Office of Chief District Officer of Chitwan. This completed the legalities but not the social complexity.

Nangi in the foreground; Ramche in the background; and to the left, out of sight, would be Kaphaldanda.

There was no celebration of the marriage in a traditional post wedding party. In Mahair’s own words…“I am strictly against any kind of party or ceremony. Neither I give party to anybody nor I attend party or ceremony thrown by anybody.” I had attended a wedding reception 10 years ago in Nangi. Even in the small village it was a huge occasion. Multiple animals were slaughtered, hundreds of people came to eat and dance and it was a generally merry occasion…not unlike the atmosphere at our own western wedding receptions. But he would not have such friviolties. Mahabir described their celebration as a “gathering” of a few close relatives at his brother’s home in Chitwan. They simply ate dal bhat, which is the daily diet of most Nepalese.

Months later, to complete the social process, Mahabir and Ommaya went to visit her family in Kaphaldanda and brought gifts. This is called Dhog Garne and Mahabir described the process simply and elegantly…”in Nepali meaning bowing to the families and close relatives of the girl’s. According to the tradition, we went to meet Ommaya’s parents and relatives with some of my close relatives from Nangi. We took a goat as present and some Raksi. All the relatives gathered at Ommaya’s house and we bowed our heads to the people, whom we were supposed to respect. This simple ceremony gives formal and final approval of the marriage.”

According to Ommaya this was a love match, but Mahabir Pun had been under social and family pressures from his mother to marry even years before Ommaya was born. It is no coincidence the families knew each other, lived in the same district and were from the same ethnic group called Magars. It was a match that pleased all parties involved.

If you lived in a culture where your parents chose your mate, who do you think they would have chosen? Join me next week to read about Mahabir’s life as a husband and father.