To every Nepali it may concern,

NAMASTE!

My name is Sandra Wijnveldt, I am from Holland, and last winter my husband, my 9 year old daughter and myself worked in Nepal as volunteers. During our stay we made a small documentary video about the fantastic organization we worked with. The organization is called FoST (Foundation of Sustainable Technologies) and is a Nepalese organization, founded by a Nepalese man called Sanu Kaji Shrestha and it is totally run by Nepalese volunteers.

Foundation for Sustainable Technologies (FoST) is a non-profit non-governmental organization established in April 2002 under the Social Service Act 2034 of His Majesty's Government of Nepal. FoST was the brainchild of Sanu Kaji Shrestha - a retired official at the World Bank and solar energy hobbyist. He started this hobby since 1995 when there was a shortage of cooking gas in Kathmandu, Sanu Kaji found himself forced to take three days off from work to stand in long queues for fuel. It was then he realized the extent of Nepal's dependence and started seriously researching ways to bring sustainable domestic sources of energy to his country. In 2001, Sanu Kaji retired from the World Bank to work full time to fulfill this goal.

Over the last months a lot has happened for FoST. Just look at the many activities on their website (http://www.fost-nepal.org/)!

Due to their hard work, success and dedication to help and educate poor communities, I am very pleased to inform you that FoST are among the 12 finalists for the World Challenge 2007!

The World Challenge is a global competition and was set up three years ago by the BBC World, Newsweek and Shell to recognize the innovators of this world. The jury of the World Challenge has chosen FoST as one of the dozen finalists to be filmed for the 2007 series. The popular programmes will be shown on BBC World and featured in Newsweek from October 2007. Over 940 nominations were received which makes reaching the final 12 a great achievement for FoST!

All 12 finalists are great, I admit, but we personally know that FoST is trustworthy and helping many different causes using renewable energy / sustainable technologies.

The 15 minute documentary film on FoST activities will be released on the BBC World on Saturday 3rd November 2007 and will be repeated as follows:

3rd November, 2007 Saturday:
0930 GMT

4th November, 2007 Sunday: (not America or the Middle East)
0330 GMT
1330 GMT
1830 GMT

6th November, 2007 Tuesday:
1830 GMT

I would like to kindly ask you to spare a minute to vote for FoST to win the prestigious recognition in this global contest. Voting will be opened on 6th October and will be closed on 16th November 2007.

To vote please go to: http://www.theworldchallenge.co.uk/cooking.php (listed under Cooking Without Gas)

I really hope you could also forward this email to your contacts so that we could get more votes for FoST.

Your vote and your support is highly valued, because by reaching the top-3, it will help FoST tremendously to further sharpen their efforts in Nepal to protect the beautiful, but fragile environment, in improving the quality of life of the poor women, the rural communities, the handicapped, the leprosy, the mentally retarded and the orphan groups by empowering them through sustainable technologies.

If you want more info about FoST or see our personal video please go to: www.gorpproductions.com or go to www.fost-nepal.org We also have a photo gallery on our gorpproductions website.

Thank you very much for your support.

Warm regards,

Sandra Wijnveldt

I just voted.
Thank you Sandra for letting us know!

Oh! There are two finalists from Nepal!
Great!

 Do your documentory in your own country.

the BBC World, Newsweek and Shell to recognize the innovators of this world- these organizations are biased and are filled with their bigger agenda and spend few bucks here and there to prosper their image.

Stay out of these traps. You  foreigners call us third world anyways.- Stay Out and i don't appreciate your work nor these  corporate organiztions.

Thanks, that's great! Tell as many friends as possible to vote as well. Sanu Kaji Shrestha is doing such great work, he really deserves to win the World Challenge 2007. Sandra

Just voted and I kindly ask other people to vote it for too. I spent the best time of my life working for Renewable Energy while I was working in Alternative Energy Promotion Centre for more than 5 years in Nepal. Improved Cooking Stove (ICS) was one of my favorite components of Renewable Energy Technologies. It was fun to work (espically travelling all over the rural parts of country). Renewable Energy Technologies are really helping to improve the socio and economic standards of people in the rural parts of Nepal. Right on!

Hi Duke, FoST is a Nepalese organisation, run by Nepalese volunteers, founded by a Nepalese man. I am just making people aware of FoST to get as many votes. Just check the websites and you'll see. Try and see it the positive side. By the way, I love your country.

Duke,

I worked for government (I was govenment employee) and they encourge VDC, DDC, private sectore, NGO and INGOs to work in the field rather than working everywhere by em'elf. Visit www.aepcnepal.org for more information. Lots of projects going on in Solar Photovotic Energy, Improved Cooking Stove, Biogas, Geo-thermal, Windenergy, mini hydroplants and so many things. Renewable Energy Technology Project is one of the most sucessfull project in Nepal uptodate. Do your research before you say something for those people who are really doing good something for our fked up country.

Phatte, you are so right. I actually think that if Nepal continues with it's renewable energy technology projects, Nepal will be an example to the rest of the world. Renewable energy is the future.

I disagree.
All my comrades stay away from anything to do with these Nepalese organizations run and influenced by $$$ and Pounds.

 I had chance to meet with Mr Sanu Kaji Shrestha few years back while he was in states. He is a dedicated and hard working person. He tought me few things about recycling and even how to make compost out of garbage. He is really doing something great for Nepal and it's energy crisis. His selfless hard works should be recognized. Please vote for FoST. Thanks Sandra.

thanks for the information.

We are talking about those people who are not influenced by $$$ and Pounds but influenced by Green Energy and for those people who live in rural areas of Nepal.

Duke, the things you are picking at is the political aspect where big corporation play games to improve their image, but here the motivation is towards exploring more renewable energy. The idea presented here is way above the things you are picking at. And thanks Sandra for letting us know, will definately vote.

Exactly , that's the point.
They want you to think that bbc, shell , bp - support ordinary people and good causes ;- you know how much bp advertises about green energy.
They all make big bucks from refining crude, do you know the profit margins, if they invested a little more in refining capacity the price of oil would be like 30 - 40 a barrel but they don't want people to focus on that and use their power of dollar to make people believe that they are actually for renewable energy it is just a scam.
By the way bbc supported war in Iraq and has always been serving the interests and agenda of imperialists and corporation.
Where is bbc ? when there is a genocide in Iraq 600k + sunnis have been killed and ethnicly clenged. And so on. Anyways they use their power of $$ in attempts like these do build their image. Just being critical here.

Duke, everybody is allowed to have their own opinion, but I just want to say that FoST is a small, family run Nepalese organization dedicated to improve life in their own country. Have a look at my personal website: www.gorpproductions.com or at the website of FoST www.fost-nepal.org.

Because of their hard work, dedication and selfless efforts they are in the finals of the World Challenge 2007. The World Challenge is a GLOBAL COMPETITION and was set up three years ago by the BBC World, Newsweek and Shell to recognize the innovators of this world. Nobody said that FoST is working or supported by Shell or the BBC. Just look at the other finalists, they have nothing to do with renewable energy... they are focusing on completely different issues. It is not a competition about sustainable energies, it's a competition to make people around the world aware that there a people, unkown innovators, small organizations, dedicating their lives to improve the lives in their communities. And Duke, that is a great thing. If every individual would do half the things that Sanu Kaji Shrestha is doing than believe me the world would definitely be a better place. Because making a difference starts with yourself. If every individual person would contribute one little stone, all together we can build mountains!

FoST designs, develops and disseminates low-cost, adaptable products that improve the quality of life of Nepal’s rural and urban poor. EMPOWERING the poor communities, the women, the handicapped, the leprosy, the mentally retarded and the orphan groups by empowering through sustainable technologies. FoST deserves to win.

Hi everybody,  just wanted to remind you that the voting for the Nepalese organization in the global competition "the World Challenge 2007" is still going on, so please keep spreading the news. Don't forget to read the articles in Newsweek.

 I would not vote for this , imperialists backed programs. It is sponsored by bbc and bp and other organization which are basically the legs and arms of the big corporate and spending few bucks here and there to clean their image.

and there is'nt much disclosure on who actually is paying for the prizes. so people  stay out.

I think that before you make any comments you should do some study before, than you would realize that your comment is based on absolutely nothing. It's not by complaining and criticizing people that you will help Nepal.
FoST is a small, family run, Nepalese organizations doing great things for your country. Their selfless actions have helped thousands of people and is protecting the environment of Nepal, so please get educated before your post your comments. Go do something positive and contructive...