Election and Annual General Meeting 2011
On 17th December, 2011, an Election program and Annual General Meeting 2011 was organized at Hale Halawai. Jibas Shrestha (Executive Member) welcomed SNEHA members and guests. On the occasion Election Commissioners Ananda Mishra, Arjun Aryal and Suryalaxmi Maharjan Shrestha bid farewell to outgoing executive members and conferred newly elected SNEHA Executive Members 2012 to their respective positions. SNEHA Executive Committee 2012 consists of Rajib Subba (President), Man Dhoj Rai (Vice President), Jiwnath Ghimire (Secretary), Devesh Koirala (Assistant Secretary), Minu Lee (Treasurer), Bigyan Kakchapati (Member), Jessica Kafle (Member), Jibash Shrestha (Member), and Rebecca Chand (Member).
Executive Committee 2011 presented its annual reports during the program. Out going, Assistant Secretary Bal Krishna Sharma presented annual activities, outgoing Treasurer Shushilshwar Mulepati presented financial report and outgoing executive member Rina Sharma thanked every one for their support during her tenure. Other outgoing officio and member are Vice President Sharad Marhattaand Member Rachana Shrestha respectively. SNEHA published and distributed its annual newsletter 2011 along with the financial report 2011.
On this occasion SNEHA welcomed new members Dinesh Shrestha, Himal Shrestha, Zubin Piya to the community and bid farewell to Kosh Raj Koirala, EWC-APLP Fellow, who is leaving Hawaii after finishing his training with East West Center.
President Rajib Subba thanked all the members and guests presented on the occasion for their direct and indirect support. Particularly he thanked the election commissioners for their hard work to complete the election process. He also extended gratitude to out going executive committee members for their team work and support. In addition he suggested to have a discussion about restructuring SNEHA election process and committee structure in the future.
Meet and greet with Chief of the Army Staff General Chhatra Man Singh Gurung in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
On 18th October 2011 Society of Nepalese in Hawaii (SNEHA) organized a "meet and greet" program to welcome Chief of the Army Staff (CoAS), General Chhatra Man Singh Gurung who is in Hawaii to attend the 14th Annual Asia-Pacific Chiefs of Defense Conference, organized by the US Pacific Command in Honolulu, Hawaii. SNEHA children welcomed CoAS Gen. Gurung, Mrs. Kamala Gurung, Lt. Col. Shiva Gurung and US Army Col. Gregory S Winston by offering Hawaiian leis and Nepalese khada.
On the occasion COAS Gen Gurung expressed his happiness to meet and greet members of the Nepalese community in Hawaii for the second time. CoAS Gen Gurung thanked the organizers and extended his and his spouses’ wishes to all Nepalese in Hawaii a success to achieve their objectives for which they left their motherland. SNEHA President Rajib Subba and Joint Secretary Bal Krishna Sharma delivered a welcome speech and word of thanks respectively.
SNEHA community members from different walks of life in Hawaii including Academicians, Entrepreneurs, Professionals, Researchers, Doctoral Students, and children attended the program organized at Nepalese owned Himalayan Kitchen in Honolulu. Society of Nepalese in Hawaii (SNEHA) is a non-profit and a non-political organization based in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Photo courtesy: Man Dhoj Rai, Sushileshwar Mulepati and Rajib Subba.
Dashain Celebration
Video
SNEHA organized a Dashain celebration on October 01, 2011 in Honolulu. More than 125 community members and guests were present during the celebration. At the beginning feelings of festivities were heightened with welcome Malshree Dashain dhun played by DJs Shantanu Sharma and Vivek Gurung. On the occasion Master of Ceremonies Abha Chapagain and Swastika Lamichhane welcomed the guests. Menjam Tamang performed a beautiful welcome dance.
Happy Dashain!
On the behalf of Nepalese community in Hawaii SNEHA welcomed Nepalese government officials, and a new student at UH. Government officials who are in Honolulu to take part in APCSS training are Dwarika Prasad Acharya (Joint Secretary MOD), Brigadier General Binoj Basnyat & Colonel Ganga Bahadur Gurung (NA), Chiran Jung Thapa (Researcher of the Asia Foundation Center for South Asian Studies). Ram Neupane is studying PhD in Chemistry at the University of Manoa.
On the occasion SNEHA bid farewell to Secretary Laxman KC, his wife Prativa KC and brother Nabraj KC. President Rajib Subba presented a "maya ko chino" (token of love) to Laxman KC on the behalf of SNEHA. Laxman KCleft Hawaii after graduating from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
President Rajib Subba delivered Dashain greetings to all Nepalese in Hawaii and thanked all the members and guests for honoring SNEHA's invitation to take part in the Dashain celebration. He said, "in spite of limited resources we tried our best to provide culturally satisfying and fun filled event. As we all know SNEHA's pillar of strength is our members who provide their services voluntarily. The success of this event goes to all the members for their collective participation in preparing delicious foods, performances, DJs, MCs, event organizing and cleaning etc. In addition, I strongly believe with such an awesome EC team members we will be able to continue to serve the community we belong to."
Other highlights of the program were jokes by Bhima Rai and Kedar shrestha, dance by members and guests, door prizes etc. Members and guests danced to the tunes by DJs Shantanu Sharma and Vivek Gurung. The door prize winners were Swomik Lamichhane, Samek Mulepati, Nabraj Kuinkel, and Saugat Kuinkel. Himalayan Kitchen sponsored a door prize.
Photo courtesy: Bal Krishna Sharma, Jibash Shrestha, Kushum Chapagain, Man Dhoj Rai, Naveen Mishra, Pradip Raj Panta and Rajib Subba.
Fundraising Event
SNEHA organized a fundraising event to support Aloha Medical Mission Reaching the Unreached to Nepal. Saturday, 20th August, 2011.
Photos by Shantanu Sharma.
Video by Raju Maharjan Shrestha
SNEHA organized a fund raising event on Saturday, 20th August, 2011 to support Aloha Medical Mission Reaching the Unreached program to Nepal. SNEHA extends warmest and deepest Mahalo nui loa to all the donors, supporters and members helping SNEHA's endeavor to provide medical/surgical services to rural people in Nepal.
Guests from different walks of Hawaiian life including SNEHA members attended the event. Dr. Bradlay Wong, Mrs. Naomi Wong, Dr. Peter Halford, Dr. Gregory G Maskarinec (Professor Univ. of Hawaii) were among them. Welcoming the guests SNEHA President Rajib Subba emphasized importance of the program that would provide a free medical mission and surgical mission to rural and under-priviledged people in Nepal. Dr. Bikash Gupta, Co-leader and Organizer of Nepal (Dhankuta) Surgical Mission made a presentation about the mission as well as briefed about mission last year. Suman Basnet, Chef and Owner of Himalayan Kitchen, thanked all the guests and supporters who contributed to the program. Ms. Swastika Missy Maharjan Shrestha and Ms. Menjam Tamang performed Nepalese dances. President Rajib Subba and Exectuive Member Jibas Shrestha Coordinated the fund raising event.
Partners' information:In 2010, a group of Nepalese medical and other professionals established a mission to provide free surgical and medical services to the underprivileged and help all those who cannot afford to get help. For further information visit mission website at
http://dhankuta2010.webs.com/The Aloha Medical Mission (AMM) is a secular, nonprofit volunteer organization based in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, that provides healthcare services to and promotes the social welfare of the underserved peoples in the Pacific, Asia and Hawai‘i. Website:
http://www.alohamedicalmission.org/
Event venue was Himalayan Kitchen, an authentic Nepali restaurant, 11th Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii. Website:
http://www.himalayankitchen.net/
Nepalese New Year Celebration
SNEHA members celebrated Nepalese New Year 2068 BS on 24th April, 2011. On this occassion, SNEHA organized a cultural program as well. Laxman KC, SNEHA Secretary, welcomed the guests and Master of Cemeremony was Rina Sharma, SNEHA EC member. Performers who enthralled SNEHA guests with their dance, jokes, poem, songs and Taekwondo demonstrations were Ananya Paudyal, Aroopa Paudyal, Devesh Koirala, Kaya Basnet, Kedar Shrestha, Maya Neupane, Menjam Tamang, Nitya Bhattarai, Sharad P. Marhatta, Samyek Mulepati, Sanghamitra Subba, Swamik Lamichhane and Mr. Kyle (Taekwondo Guru).
The organizing team was comprised of Jibash Shrestha, Rebecca Basnet, Rina Sharma and Sharad Marhatta. SNEHA members Ananda Mishra, Bibin Shakya, Jiwnath Ghimire, Nandu Bhandari, Raju Maharjan Shrestha, Shantanu Sharma, and Suryalaxmi Maharjan Shrestha provided volunteer support. Himalayan Kitchen, a Nepalse restaurant in Honolulu, supplied the party food.
On the occasion, Rajib Subba, President of SNEHA, distributed token of appreciation to performers, Taekwondo Guru and Dance Guru. On the behlf of SNEHA EC he extened appreciation and thank every one who supported the event.
SNEHA EC wishes a very happy and prosperous New Year 2068 to its members and well wishers!
SNEHA@HawaiiFoodDrive2011
Twenty one SNEHA members took part in 22nd Annual Food Drive on 16th April, 2011. Mahalo to SNEHA member for their kokua. Members who participated are Ananda Mishra, Bhima Rai, Indira Kakshapati, Jibnath Ghimire, Jibash Shrestha, Kabi Neupane, Laxman KC, Madhu Thapa, Mandhoj Rai, Mitra Neupane, Moti Chapagai, Nandu Bhandari, Neeraj Dongol, Pragya Pradhan, Prasamsa Singh, Rajib Subba, Rina Sharma, Shailesh Dhoj Joshi, Sharadchandra P. Marhatta, Suresh Tamang and Uddhab Chand Thakuri. SNEHA President Mr. Rajib Subba coordinated the program.
SNEHA is participating in this program since last three years. SNEHA members feel proud and satisfied to contribute for the Hawaiian community. It is also an opportunity to build a relationship with similar organizations. Ms. Annie (not in the picture), Ms. Lori (with hat) and Ms. Mercury (with goggles) of Hawaii Food Bank were coordinating with SNEHA during the program.
Nepali Language Class
SNEHA has initiated a Nepali language class within a few months of its inception. The class is open to people of all walks of life and has generated immense interest among Nepalese and non-Nepalese. Currently, the class has 8 students enrolled and is taught by three dedicated SNEHA’s volunteer teachers Ms. Bedika Upadhayay, Ms. Gita Neupane and Ms. Laxmi GC.
The class has been rejuvenated from 3 students to 8 students (as of March, 2011) after a series of consultations and a general meeting of SNEHA members. The present SNEHA Executive Committee Members and the Nepali Language Coordinating Committee (NLCC) left no stone unturned to continue this initiative. Members of NLCC are Mr. Mandhoj Rai (Coordinator), Dr. Kabi Raj Neupane and Ms. Mira Sharma. Mr. Bal Krishna Sharma, Joint Secretaty, closely helps the teaching team.
Nepali Language BookSNEHA received (dated July 2011) a Nepali language book developed by Nepal Association for Global Cooperation (NAGC). SNEHA Exe Com extends a big Mahalo to Mr. Mani Nepali Paneru, Founder President, NAGC, for his generous support to SNEHA Nepali language class.
Nepal Association for Global Cooperation (NAGC) is a California, USA based non-profit organization. NAGC aims to preserve and promote Nepalese unity, identity and culture among Nepalese, friends of Nepal and those interested in Nepal. It also seeks to encourage cooperation, goodwill and mutual support among Nepali residents around the globe. Website:
http://www.nepalassociati