Annual review 2021

January 2, 2022

2021 was a year full of progress and new beginnings. We look back on a successful and eventful year.

Adapting to the pandemic situation

The pandemic proved to be a constant challenge for us and the world. More than once, we were faced with the task of creatively adapting our plans to new situations. Most of the time this worked out very well and thanks to helpful and reliable partners we were able to successfully drive forward many projects and even start new ones. We would like to share the highlights from 2021 with you.

January – Schools reopen

As sunny as it is in Nepal, the winters there are cold. At the schools, classes were open again from November 2020, but many families lacked the financial means for school uniforms. In January, the teams of Long Yang e.V. and Akasha Academy NGO were able to personally hand over winter uniforms to 530 student

Healing the wound on our land in Suntakhan – cooperation with SMA

January remained eventful as we officially launched our collaboration with the international architectural studio (SMA) Nepal. January remained eventful as we officially launched our collaboration with SMA Nepal. Founder Prof. Anne Feenstra and his team from Sustainable Mountain Architecture Sustainable Mountain Architecture are collaboratively supporting Long Yang e.V. in the planning and implementation of Tulku Khyungdor Rinpoche’s vision, the construction of the Akasha Academy in Suntakhan. As a first success after detailed analysis of the land, the stabilization of the landslide on the land in Suntakhan with gabions before the beginning of the monsoon in June. The place is hardly recognizable today!

Workshops with famous Nepalese actress

One of the main goals of Akasha Academy is to support and educate women. After the Covid-19 Health Advisor training and a Train the Trainer program, other workshops were organized with a focus on healthy lifestyles, women’s rights and environmental protection, and menstrual hygiene. Actress Keki Adikhari is a role model for many women and girls in Nepal and Goodwill Ambassador for the Menstrual Movement in Nepal. She met the girls in Suntakhan. The goal of all trainings is always that the young women as multipliers pass on their knowledge to their families, classmates and other people from the area and bring about positive change.

NGOs stand together against the pandemic

The second wave of the pandemic hit Nepal with full force. In the meantime, even the stores selling daily consumer goods closed in strict lockdown and many people had no way of obtaining basic foodstuffs. The joint appeal for donations for Corona emergency aid in May, which we launched with the organizations Brepal e.V., Nepali Samaj e.V. and Haus der Hoffnung e.V., made it possible to procure and distribute food packages, masks and protective equipment. Together with our partner organizations in Nepal, we were able to set a sign of solidarity and help where help was needed.

Long missed – again a Tshethar ritual

In Germany, after 2 years, the Tshethar ritual with Tulku Khyungdor Rinpoche took place again in June in the castle garden of Gauting. On the basis of compassion and wisdom, animals threatened with death are traditionally ransomed and released into freedom. Also this year thousands of brown trout could be given a life in freedom in the river Würm.

Open Door and Nepal Bazaar

Open Door and Nepal Bazaar ­ In July, the doors of Akasha Academy in Munich opened for a Nepal bazaar with many handmade and fair-trade products. As always, all the profits went to the projects in Nepal. At the end of the year we started a Winter Market and a Charity Pop Up Store for the same purpose.

Our highlight of the year – the training program finally starts

As a major highlight of the year, the new training program for girls and women in Nepal began in December. The Akasha Traineeship is a unique training in Nepal with the topics health, environment and society. Following the motto “Educate, Enable, Empower”, the 8-month program creates a space and orientation for young women to discover their abilities and make their own decisions in their lives.

Standing firm – We NGOs are committed to cooperation with Nepal

In December, we took advantage of the change of government in Germany to renew our letter to the government. Together with 40 other associations, we again called on the new German government to continue bilateral development cooperation with Nepal and hope for a positive response.

Akasha Research

At the end of 2021, we have newly initiated the Akasha Research Network. Inspired by the universal principles that connect all of us, the Akasha Research seeks practical answers to current challenges that are fact-based and of benefit to all.

We are happy to have moved so much in 2021 and are looking forward to many positive changes and global improvements in 2022.