Author visit
On International Human Rights Day (Tuesday 10th December) the children were visited by a local author, Luja Mathema, who wrote the Unstoppable Women Series. Luja attended ĢƵ Kathmandu from Year 3 until Sixth Form and graduated in 2010. It was lovely to see her catching up with so many adults that were here when she was, including Ms Mukhia who taught Luja when she was in Primary.
Luja’s series consists of four books about inspirational Nepali women; Ambica Shrestha, Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, Ani Choying Drolma and Sapana Pradhan Malla. To start the session, the children were asked to talk about a person that inspires them; lots of the children feel inspired by their parents and siblings! Luja then explained the writing process to the children and shared a little about each woman’s story. She talked about the inequalities faced by many women and girls in Nepal and all over the world. The Key Stage 1 children in particular were shocked to learn that many girls were and still aren’t able to access an education. Four children were then picked to read a bit of each book to everyone else which was very brave of them! Everyone had a lot of questions and left the library feeling very inspired. If you haven’t got these books at home already, we’d definitely recommend them!
Snowy Chums
EY, Yr1 and Yr2 children were thrilled to perform their Christmas show “Snowy Chums,” showcasing their amazing ability to embody characters like snowmen, rabbits, yeti children, penguins, robins, snowflakes, elves, and Santa. Their heartfelt performances not only entertained the audience but also conveyed a beautiful message about helping those in need. Each child put in a tremendous amount of effort to embody their roles, showcasing their talent and enthusiasm. Sioon from Year 6 skillfully accompanied the performance on piano for several songs.
Winter Concert
The Y3-6 students did an incredible job in their Winter Concert on Wednesday, and performed all kinds of winter songs through singing in unison and harmony, including some traditional pieces such as “Carol of the Bells” and some more modern pieces such as “Sleigh Ride” with body percussion. We enjoyed singing a goodbye canon along with our parents and families and even had a visit from Santa Claus!
Dr. Jane Goodall
What an exciting beginning for our newly appointed Eco Ambassadors! They had the incredible opportunity to meet Dr. Jane Goodall, a true champion for change and a beacon of inspiration for environmental advocacy. Over 200 students from local Roots and Shoots initiatives gathered in the hall, eagerly waiting to hear from Dr. Goodall, and as she spoke, the hall fell completely silent. Her story, filled with passion and determination, sparked something in every listener.
As a young girl Jane saved up her pocket money to buy books about animals, spending hours in the small bookshop near her home. One day, she stumbled upon a book about Tarzan, and that was the moment her dream was born. She thought, “When I grow up, I want to go to Africa, live with animals, and write a book about them.”
Despite comments like “You’re just a girl,” “Africa is very far away,” and “There are wild animals over there,” Jane’s dreams were unshaken. She was encouraged by her mother, who told her, “If you really want to do this, work hard and never give up.” Jane took these words to heart, showing resilience in the face of adversity. Her determination led her to Africa, where she hiked into the wild to observe chimpanzees – an endeavor no one had undertaken before.
Through her groundbreaking research, Jane documented the behaviors of chimpanzees, from their eating and sleeping habits to their social interactions and family relationships. She also noted their emotions and personalities, revealing that they were much more like humans than anyone had previously imagined. Her discoveries revolutionized our understanding of animal behavior and deepened our respect for the natural world.
Today, Dr Jane Goodall is regarded as one of the most prominent female scientists of the 20th century, proving that with passion, hard work, and perseverance, even the most ambitious dreams can become reality.
The Eco Ambassadors left the event feeling empowered and inspired, knowing that they, too, have the ability to make a difference in the world. As Dr. Goodall reminds us, “Every one of us can make a difference, and together, we can change the world.”
“After hearing what Dr. Jane Goodall said, I realised that one’s tiny actions can make a big difference. With everyone doing their little part, those little contributions add up to a bigger change, a change for a better future. We share this Planet Earth with other human beings, animals, plants, and nature. We have only one Planet Earth, so we must all do our part to take care of each other and our shared home.”
Aayan 5H (Eco Ambassador)
Santa & parties
This week the primary children were very excited to have a visit from Santa, who came to spread some holiday cheer, read a short story and spend some time talking to the children about all their wonderful achievements this year so far. All children also received a small gift from Mr Claus as well, which was very gratefully received.
As well as our special guest visitor, the children had the chance to throw some moves on the dancefloor in their own year group disco, with lots of fun games, dance competitions and music to get everyone into the winter holiday spirit!
Our Community Ambassadors, supported by Ms Maharjan, Ms Basnet, Ms Philips & Ms Moulds accompanied Santa to Mary Ward School where they delivered some of our Christmas bags.
The Mary ward children sang for us and our Community Ambassadors joined in the songs they knew – they said it was just like our winter concert on Wednesday all over again!
The Mary Ward teachers and students were very pleased to receive their gifts and our Community Ambassadors were very pleased to meet all the students.
Last day of term
On the final day of term our EY and Primary students were treated to a Christmas story form Ms Gradden, with some special guests to add to the action.
The children thoroughly enjoyed hearing about The Yeti who Stole Christmas, and how the ĢƵ community helped him change his ways. We hope that all of our ĢƵ yetis have a wonderful and restful winter break spreading kindness wherever they spend the break.
We have also set a holiday challenge for our students, to take the Yeti that Santa gave them yesterday on their adventure with them and take some photos. We are very much looking forward to seeing what all our ĢƵ Yetis get up to during the holidays!
We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a wonderful Christmas break and look forward to seeing you again in 2025!
