Columbia University buildOn

Happy • scene from Dhakela community, where we helped build our 7th school!

Learning about Nepali and Tharu traditional crafts @ Dhakela, Nepal

Last day on the worksite in Dhakela. At this point, we had completed the foundation! Can’t wait to see the school open it’s doors (update to come!)

Thank you NYCUDL Girls Debate League Tournament for allowing us to fundraise for our school in Senegal!

Wrestling is the traditional and national sport of Senegal. Pictured is a wrestling match from our first trek in Senegal in 2014

From this Friday on we will post fun facts about Senegal in anticipation of our trek in May!

Senegal’s national flag bears three colors; red, yellow and green. They are the official Pan-African colors and a star at the middle represents universal unity.

Happy sunny Saturday! Just the right day to spread the word about buildOn ☀️☀️☀️

Happy International Women's Day! By signing the buildOn Covenant with her fingerprint, this woman in Nepal is pledging to help build a new school and break the cycle of illiteracy in her own community!

Jade: “Going on trek this year has made me realize the value of friendship and teamwork. Conversing, dancing, joking, and working hard together with the team has made all the difference! The difference in personalities, personal experiences, and perspectives has made me more insightful and appreciative of different people. Together we are one eccentric group - but that’s what makes us US!” 📷:

CU buildOn Nepal 2019

Sorangel: “With the knowledge that this may be my last trek as part of Columbia University buildOn, I vowed to treasure every moment! One of those moments was right upon our arrival in Dhakela. Community members embraced our team with blessings and with unparalleled energy and joy. Drums and flutes resounded, traditional dancers invited us to join in with the contagious rhythm, community members took turns to drape colorful garland blessings, and community woman dressed us in traditional Tharu wear. In Nepal, my name is सपना, “Sapanā”, which means Dream, and at that moment I felt like I was living in one. It was incredibly heartwarming to see all of my teammates and their joy as they engaged with the community for the first time. I made sure to reciprocate those welcoming regards and I continued to live as Sapanā throughout my time in Dhakela. I sought to fully immerse into the daily life and into our daily work on the worksite, with the same intent as I had done three years prior. Like always, the little ones made this easy. As I walked around the community, little ones always called out “Sapanā didi!,” or sister Sapanā!, to say hello or to invite me to join our many dance sessions and games.

I thank my team mates, our host families, the beautiful people of Dhakela, Nepal staff, and our supporters for making these memories possible!”

Roberto: “Whether it was getting to know community and trek team members at the work site, or having dinner with my host family, the days during trek were filled with time for connecting. One of my favorite afternoons was the second to last day at Dhakela, when one of my neighbors and I threw a football around. After a few minutes, there were over twelve kids passing the ball in the front yard as my host grandfather and mother watched from inside with smiles on their faces. Since my host mother’s children were much older, I could tell that having younger kids play around the house meant a lot to her. It was great to see her enjoy the children's laughter.”