4th Children Expo 2011

4th Children Expo 2011 features over 60 exhibitors showcasing quality children’s products & services. This will be the complete, one-stop shopping opportunity for every children’s need which includes educational products, toys and hobbies, health products and services, furniture and accessories, apparel and footwear, music and entertainment, arts and crafts, food, safety products and services, schools and day care services, gifts, vacation and travel, parenting publications, counseling on child psychology and much more. Visitors, parents will find an abundance of useful information on a wide range of products and services. The exhibitor roster is packed with quality organizations that have come together to help make all the fun and excitement of the 4th Children Expo 2011 possible.

ketaketi: A Magazine with a History

(Continuously in operation since 2003 for the promotion of Nepali Children’s Literature)
Ketaketi.com.np is the first online magazine of Nepali Children’s literature, formally registered and launched in 2003 AD, and promoted by Children’s Literature Foundation, Nepal.Evolving through names like ketaketi.org, and ketaketinews.com, it is presently operating as ketaketi.com.np.
It is a pure literary magazine, serving the nation with a few marked objectives. First, it attempts to preserve, promote and internationalize Nepali Children’s literature, created over time in all genres. It gives representation to authors – both adults and children, who create reading tonics for young citizens. Secondly, it is engaged in developing and promoting reading habits among Its chief editor, renowned author Kartikeya Ghimire, and editor, author and storyteller Mahesh Paudyal ‘Prarambha’ have been collecting, editing and publishing materials and experiences through direct participation. They go from places to places, from the remotest hinterlands to the far-off regions; sit among and interact with children, and bring home original materials directly from them. For last seven years, they have been devotedly involved in organizing story-writing and storytelling workshops at various places. Till now, they have been to as many as 24 districts of Nepal, majority of which are remote.
Besides publishing magazine on the web and conducting live programs, the Foundation also publishes books by renowned authors, and distributes to study centers, libraries, schools, clubs, children’s homes, youth development centers, hostels, orphanages, rehabilitation centers, day care centers and all those establishments that concern children. Its publications and other publications collected and distributed by the Foundation, have been made available to children who do not have easy access to books and publications.
The Foundation has ambitions to reach out further, and encompass all districts. It is on the move to extend story-writing and story-telling workshops, wall magazine publication training, competitions, and awards to as many districts and places as possible.
It might also be mentioned that its editors have established awards for children in their names. The chief editor Kartikeya Ghimire awards Kartikeya Child Talent Award with the sum he collects as remuneration and royalty for his publications. He has been awarding the same for last 13 years. The talents awarded so far have been performing very well in their careers, and are on the move to uphold the glory of the award. Child talent Sleshma Chhetry has already established herself as an author and singer, and is currently in the US, pursuing her higher academic degrees. Child Telent Anjana Rajbanshi, who was the SLC topper of the year 2063 BS, too is studying abroad, and is all set to be a doctor. Child Talent Ganesh Dhungana is studying Journalism in Bangalore, India and is the President of Youth Network Dhadhing, a social network that coordinates youths and organizes social welfare and awareness programs.
Similarly, Editor Mahesh Paudyal Prarambha has established Prarambha Child Talent Award in 2009, and till now two talents have received the same. Pratibha KC of Parbat, who was awarded for her exceptionally brilliant skills in story writing, is heading towards a glorious literary career, especially in short fictions. Child Talent Rahul Bhujel, selected for Prarambha Child Talent Award 2010, is a born-singer, exceptionally talented. He has given his voice to a few songs in Nepali cinema, and is now all set to launch an audio album “Bright Future.” A few of the songs from the same album have also been visualized. A student of Bright Future School, Naikap, Rahul has never been second in any musical competitions of his level.
Shouldering such commitments and responsibilities, the Foundation has come all the way long from 2003, serving and promoting Nepali children’s literature and Nepali children. With more helping hands, it can strengthen its reach, and further its philanthropic mission. We request
Generous support and assistance in the larger interest of the children, who are going to inherit the future we pass to them in legacy.
For additional information
Ketaketi Online Nepal
PO Box: 25859, Katmandu, Nepal
Phone: 977- 9751003531, 9841067601, 9841477515
Email:childacademy43@gmail.com, ketaketinews@gmail.com

Interview With Professor Dr. Yoo Jeong Yi

Professor Dr. Yoo Jeong Yi teaches Korean Literature at Hong Ik University in South Korea. In July/August this year, she toured Nepal with thirteen Korean school children. ketaketi found time to talk with her.
ketaketi: Professor Yi, is this your first visit to Nepal ?
Yi: No, second. I had been here in February this year with some Korean authors.
ketaketi: Why a repeated tour in such a short gap, that too with children?

Yi: I like my children and those of my neighbors to see Nepalese teenagers going to college in smart uniforms. Nepalese teenagers are disciplined, and Koreans need to learn this.
ketaketi: Who sponsored the tour?
Yi: I paid for my children's expense, and my neighbors did for theirs.
ketaketi: Besides teaching, what else are you involved in?
Yi: I am a professional writer of Children's Literature. I have published novels and story collections for children. I am planning books on the issues of Nepali children now.
ketaketi: Your inspiration?
Yi: You know; Korea is a developed country. But because of war, many Korean children are leaving the country for the West as adopted children. This is a shame on us. The fact touched me and I took to writing. I foreground this issue in my writings. 'Child Rights' is the most preponderant theme in my works.
ketaketi: Did you notice any marked difference between Nepalese and Korean children?
Yi: Children are children everywhere, sweet and lovely. Yet, Nepalese children are more outspoken, while Koreans are rather reserved and introvert. However, they are creative.
ketaketi: Thank you professor!
By Mahesh Paudyal 'Prarambha'

Children prepare for the great (Story by Kartikeya Ghimire, Translated by Mahesh Paudyal Prarambha)

“I won’t accept Tika from the hand of this mean sister. How bad she is! She always scolds me.”

Pondering over this matter, Sandeep goes straight towards the ground, where his friends await him for their game of Dandibiyo. No one had thought that Sandeep would take such a serious decision following a trivial disagreement on marbles. But when a minor feels harassed by a senior, reasoning of all kinds fail.

“Oh! Did you arrive, Sandeep? Come on. I was waiting for you,” says Shyam, warmly receiving his friend. Sandeep smiles gently and soon both of them get absorbed in Dandibiyo.

“Sandeep, catch strongly. I am going to hit hard.”

Shyam throws the biyo, the shorter of the two sticks, swiftly. Though Sandeep tries to escape from it, it hits one of his eyes. He shouts in pain and starts crying. Thin red blood starts flowing down his cheeks.

“What! How come I am in a hospital bed? And who is this person placing his head upon my chest?” he vacantly questions, as he comes round in his hospital bed, the next morning.

Sandeep gets up slowly and looks around. He sees his sister, the least expected of all, sitting by his side, displaying a very considerate and caring look in her eyes. Love was almost overflowing her eyelids.

Sandeep feels pity on his her. His eyes turn to hers, and after a real long interval of time, they observe one another with such closeness. A love, boiling each moment and suffocating for want of an outlet, metamorphoses into a gusty torrent when the hurdles transpire, and it gets its freedom of expression.

There, Sandeep can see spots of dry tears, vaguely scattered around all over her cheeks swollen eyes. He can easily make out; his sister cried for a long time since he was admitted to the hospital and waited for his sense to come back.

“Sandeep, you woke up?” a new voice asks. He looks around, and there is his mother, pale and worked up.

The affectionate words of his mother distract him. Nevertheless, he continues gazing at his sister. As all mothers do, Sandeep’s mother can read her son’s feelings in his looks.

“Look my son, how much does your sister love you? I told her to go home and take rest. But she ignores me. She passes her hours crying, and keeps us asking when you would return to you senses.”

Before his mother completes her words, tears pour down Sandeep's face. He runs to his mother, sits on her lap and says, “I don't hate my sister anymore. I love her very much, okay mom! Please mom! For my sake, buy for Bhai Tika, the goods of her choice.”

His sister, who pretends to be asleep, finds it hard to control her emotion, as she hears her ailing brother speak. She rushes with a sudden start, and hugs Sandeep. “Brother! She exclaims, “You are worth a million of brothers on earth. “

On the day of Bhai Tika, the two children look merry, as they have never been before. They look like eternal brother and sister, truly blessed by God. “Wish! All brothers and sister on earth live in love like these kids,” the mother contemplates, as she watches her children prepare for the great Bhai Tika.

* Bhai Tika - A great festival when sisters put red mark of love on their brothers' forehead.

* Dandibiyo - The national game of Nepal played with a long and a very short stick.

Heaven was My Last World, Samrat Chaudhary, Age 13

The earth was my home and the planet too. I was living in the earth. It was the only planet where human beings lived. I was a small astronaut who used to work in a big building named "The Blue Planet". I was like the other astronauts but some were senior to me and some were junior. At that time nobody was my friend because I was a big failure who was never happy. Nobody would talk with me. I was alone in the whole world.

One day while I was coming towards the office, a man asked me, "Are you a man?" I got very angry and replied, "Yes, I am a man because I have a brain like you." The man went without telling anything.

After some hours, in the office a news came and I hurried to hear the news. After some minutes, the boss came and told me that a new planet named Sulfrin was found. I was surprised listening to the news. Many astronauts were discussing about going to the new planet. I was also thinking to go. I decided to talk with my boss about the topic and I went to his office for the proposal. When I presented the proposal, the boss said, "Are you mad to think of such a dangerous work?" I was not able to give any answer at that moment.

I went home and thought about it. I slept and saw a dream about the new planet. I suddenly woke up. "I will complete my dream in the new planet," I said. I went to the office and saw many astronauts getting ready to go to the new planet by a rocket. I got ready in the uniform of an astronaut and made plan to go secretly.

An hour was gone; the astronauts were ready and went towards the rocket. I did as I had planned and went inside the rocket before them. Then the astronauts came inside the rocket and got ready for flying. They started flying the rocket. All of them were happy and I was happy too. After half an hour, the rocket landed in the new planet.

The astronauts were ready to go down with their things. I was also ready to go down with them. All the astronauts came down and I was also one of them. They were surprised looking at the new planet. For a while, I stood looking from different angels at the new planet. When I returned nobody was behind me.

And I went searching my own road. I walked for two hours and saw a big village where people were fighting with each other, killing and eating the meat of human. I heard them talking in different languages. When I saw their faces, they were like those of the wild animals. They were shouting without any reason. After some minutes, a big and tall man came riding a strange animal like an elephant. All the people were quiet. When he came down, two people were brought. When I saw their faces, they were of my office. Right in font of me a strange man cut their heads off and ate. My heart started beating faster and faster.

I went to the back side of a house because I would not tolerate to see that happening in front of me. I saw a man crying and I went in front of him. I got a little afraid but also I asked, "Why are you crying?" He replied, "That person killed my brother." "Don’t cry," I said, "From today, I'll be your brother."

I shared dinner with him. I told, "For tonight, let's sleep here and tomorrow we will go to the next world which is full of human beings, happiness and kindness."

We slept for a few hours. After sometime, I suddenly woke up. I thought it was morning but I saw darkness all around. Then I asked him, "Why is the sun not rising up?"

"This is a planet where the sun never rises," he informed.

"Let's go from here then. Tomorrow, let's take the rocket and get out of this hell. We can find a better world."

When we were walking many people came and got around us. They were the same people and took us to the same village where they used to kill human beings by cutting their heads.

Now it was the turn of my brother and me. I was not afraid of being cut but, my brother was crying. I told, "Don’t cry my brother. One day we have to die anyhow." After sometime, the same strange man came with a long sword to severe our heads. At first he killed my brother, cutting his head. Two drops of my tears fell down onto the leg of my brother. Thereafter, my turn came and I closed my eyes and thought, 'God, save me!'

He was as quick as a flash. He took his sword and chopped off my head.

After our death, some one took us in the new planet where we would get love, kindness and happiness. We wished, our country would one day be as beautiful as the lovely heaven above!

Education in Nepal

According to government statistics almost 14% of children of primary-school-age are not enrolled (Government of Nepal 2006a:43-45). Moreover, a major challenge at primary school level is retention. Enrolment figures in class 1 are high, but a large number of these one-enrolled children drop out of school before completing primary level. Furthermore, despite primary school figures showing a positive trend in enrolment, at lower secondary level the number of enrolled children drops significantly, with more than 50% out of schools. Enrolment levels of particular groups, such as marginalised-caste and Muslim communities are still below of others.
Although the gender gap in school enrolment in Nepal has declined, it still exists and increases as children get older. Besides a gender gap, literacy rates vary among regions and districts across Nepal. Interestingly, literacy rates are not per definition lowest in remote areas. The dramatic low enrolment rates in the Terai are caused especially by low enrolment of girls in those areas.
There are two groups of factors that influence the school attendance of children. The first group includes factors like poverty, often increased due to recent change in circumstances at home such as divorce, illness or death of one or both of the caregivers; and discriminatory practices leading to social exclusion. As long as there is poverty and social exclusion, there will always be children out of school. The second group of factors includes those that impede school attendance, but which are never the sole reason for a child to be out of school. These factors, such as work and school quality and accessibility factors such as a convenient location of the school, proper facilities, and the presence of female teachers, should not be underestimated. A combination of such factors does lead to children out of school. If these factors are kept in mind and are tackled appropriately, the strategy may positively contribute to retaining children in schools.
Many children drop out in their early teens after having received a few years of schooling. It is around this age that children are able to contribute to the household's income by working or by getting marries, which is still common in particular communities. These activities still compete with schooling. The school should offer children an environment that is attractive to them and which keeps motivated to attend them daily in order to complete primary level. It is essential to provide supportive incentives aimed at removing direct causes for parents to take their children out of school at this age. This includes affordability incentives, but also asks for a focus on increasing accessibility of (lower-) secondary school, instead of increasing enrolment at primary level only.
Source: http://www.cwinnepal.org/

Children's Literature Promotion Awards Declared

Kavitaram Children's Literature Promotion Venture, Children's Forum Nepal has decided to decorate Mrs. Sharada Adhikari with the Children's Literature Promotion Honour-64. The venture has also declared to honor two organizations Bal Sahitya Pravardhan Kendra Bal Sansar and Tempus International and provide two child-talent awards to two children writers from Udayapur Miss Vinaya Basnet and Miss. Pratibha Khaling.
Writer Sharada Adhikari, born in 021 Magh 3 in Sundarijal, Kathmandu has 13 books published. She also has edited 4 volumes of literary works. She is now involved with Nepal children's Literary society as Secretary, Sajha Prakashan as Board Director, Runu Prakashan as Vice chairperson, Nepal bangmaya Pratishan as secretary, and Padmakanya Campus under TU as professor. Bal Sahitya Pravarthan Kendra Bal Sansar has been promoting the Nepalese children's literature since a decade, organizing books exhibitions, books distributions and promotional workshops. Tempus International has been organizing 6 various national level children's literary writing competitions every year for boys and girls students separately for higher secondary, secondary and lower secondary levels. It has organized two national level competitions in last years for essay and story writings. The two child-talents from Udayapur Miss Vinaya Basnet and Miss. Pratibha Khaling were the first and second winner of the national level story writing competitions-64, for secondary level girl students organized by Tempus International and Read Nepal.
This venture established by Dr. Kavitaram Shrestha in 054, has honored and awarded 10 writers, 11 institutions and 9 child-talents up to now. The honored writers are Mr. Shantadas Manandhar, Dr. Prof. Chudamani Bandhu, Mr. Ramesh Vikal, Mr. Shyam Prasad Sharma, Mr. Janak Prasad Humagain, Mr. Krishna Prasad Parajuli, Devkumari Thapa, Durgalal Shrestha, Victor Pradhan and Vishowmbhar Chanchal. Similarly, the honored institutions are Basu Secondary School Bhaktapur, Budhanilkantha School, Kathmandu, Hindu Bidya Pith, Kathmandu, Subhatara, Secondary School, Lalitpur, Noble Academy, Kathmandu, Chitwan English Secondary Boarding School, Bharatpur, Room To Read, Kathmandu, READ Nepal, CWIN and Ratna Pustak Bhandar. The child talents are Miss Jhamak Ghimire, Miss Bibhuti Singh, Mr. Niraj Balami, Miss Rashmi Amatya, Miss Sleshma Kshetri, Miss. Asmita Panthi, Mr. Udesh Pandya, Miss Anjana Rajbanshi and Nibha Sharma.