ojai news at The Ojai Post :: blog, newspaper, events in Ojai, California

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Namaste from Nepal!

Just wanted to let everyone know about our new and improved website: www.HimalayanHealers.org for the project in Nepal. Check it out and let me know what you think!

We have a video link under the “spa recruiters” section with a 10 minute DVD Sharmila and I prepared to help our students find jobs in spas outside of Nepal.

If anyone has contacts or referrals for job potentials for our students that’s probably the most effective way to support our project: every student employed pays for 2 more student’s training.

We’ve had some solid growths and developments in the past half year in Nepal, and the project has taken life! Some of our developments:

- Our first group of student’s training is nearing completion! That’s a 3 ½ month, 550 hour, full-time massage therapy and spa therapy training course. They are on track to be some of the best therapists in all of Nepal!

- They have all grown so much during the course of the training, and it makes all of the other efforts completely worthwhile. This is the heart and the foundation of the entire project.

- We are gearing up to open our first phase Community Clinic! This will be in Lajimpat, between the major embassies in Kathmandu. Once up and running it should sustain itself as a business fairly quickly.

- www.SpaCareers.com.au , one of the largest spa recruiting agencies in Australia, loves our project, and has offered assistance. They are currently helping us find employment for our students; have us linked on their website; have placed us in their industry newsletter; are writing an editorial on our project in the upcoming Spa Australasia Magazine; and have offered to donate 10% of their next year’s pre-tax profits to our project. Nice!

- A Rotary Club in San Francisco has expressed interest in helping us build our first phase Massage Therapy School next January. We are currently connecting with our local partner Rotary Club in Nepal, and preparing the final proposal.

- We will be ready next January for our first group of international volunteers to live on-site during the construction process; to help with local community service projects; and to help with the construction of our student and staff housing (mud, bamboo, and thatch huts), our school, and our earth-ship suites! Let us know if you are interested or have friends who would be. This will be the first construction phases of the overall spa and cultural retreat, 100% eco-friendly and self-sustaining, and a real community. Please let us know if you would like to contribute, live on site, or join the community in some way.

- Our benefit concert is set for May 27th, with “Robin and the New Revolution”, “Abhaya and the Steam Injuns”, and “1974 AD”, 3 of the most popular bands in Nepal. 100% of the profits will go to Himalayan Healers, which will allow us to finally print and mail our first brochures in our first mass mailing fundraising campaign.

- A professional grant-writer in San Francisco, has volunteered her services pro bono, and has been preparing an in-depth grant proposal for the overall Himalayan Healer’s project. With this in hand we can start shopping the various proposals around for potential support!

- I have prepared a local proposal for local funding in Nepal for our next group of student’s training, and the community clinic. Will be presenting this to various local City Halls and other contacts in Nepal, and hopeful of a positive response.

- Borderlands Resort has invited our student’s to work at their retreat, with free room provided, and 100% of the income going to our project. We look forward to growing together in the months and years ahead. This Saturday will be our first working session!

- Beth continues to work towards finding funding to film her documentary on our project. A 3 minute video trailer can be viewed at her website: www.AcaziaStudios.com

- Sharmila’s brother Krishna conducted a benefit concert in Florida, with 100% of the proceeds going to our project.

- Numerous individual donations have come in, and always at perfect timing to help reach the next goal, or to simply stay afloat. Supporters have included several former Peace Corps Volunteers from Nepal, a former US Embassy employee in Kathmandu, and of course, family, friends, and more family!

- The Fair Trade product page on our website is more polished, and we are now ready to start seeking marketing and distribution services for our available products: custom order Tibetan carpets, 100% organic dyes, made in-house; “Trikaal” world music from Nepal (their 3rd album is ready to be released, and we have distribution rights for the States!); and more!

- Our yoga and clothing line continues to come together, and Kat Everson, our product line point person, is making progress in developing connections and sales for our various products.

- “The Organization” magazine, an industry magazine for development and aid agencies in South East Asia will be profiling Himalayan Healers in their July issue, and has also offered pro bono consulting on project management to help us our organize our project further.

- Jodi Womack has organized a photo exhibit of Sharmila’s photos of Nepal in Ojai, this month at the Bank of America, and next month in the main street coffee shop in Ojai (my old office).

Sharmila and I continue to work on a volunteer basis to develop the Himalayan Healers project, and are committed to it for many years to come. Once we are able to connect our students with quality employment opportunities outside of Nepal the project will be able to sustain itself financially, and quickly grow! The further goals will continue to come together in the months and years ahead.

If you are interested in helping us connect with any spas or resorts for job opportunities for our students, or in connecting with massage therapy schools and yoga centers for small-scale fundraisers for our project, please let us know. Every little bit adds up over here.

I hope/trust that all is well for everyone in your respective homes, and look forward to hearing from you when you get a chance!

Health, Happiness, and Peace,

Rob