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The Digital Bridge Project is the umbrella organisation of volunteers
in Nepal, the UK, Germany, Holland, Canada and Japan who are working
to find more efficient methods of 'developing' Nepal sustainably.
This ranges from IT transfer to the provision of subsidised online
services and free marketing advice to the construction of facilities
in schools and villages in rural parts of Nepal. The go2Kathmandu.com
project and the Mountain Trust were both established by the Digital
Bridge Project. The thinking behind the project is that trading
& ICT are the fastest routes to get foreign revenues into
Nepal. If we can alter the tragectory of the impact of technology
on Nepal's travel sector, we can nourish the economy and strengthen
the groups who need a better deal from the state. More. |
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The Go2Kathmandu.Com project has a number of aims. It provides
a portal on the web specialising in travel information on Nepal
from a Western perspective. It has a series of guest sites where
travellers can browse hotels, trekking and travel companies and
make bookings etc. A network of volunteers can book trips, meet
travellers and be nearby in case help is required. We sell web
site designs (to international standards) at nominal rates (no
time is charged) to companies in Nepal, together with hosting,
email services etc. We aim to raise margins of between 10% and
20% on the costs and all proceeds after costs are distributed
to schools and other deserving rural projects in Nepal, through
the Mountain Trust. Go2kathmandu.com (Pvt) Ltd., is registered
with HM Government of Nepal and we are recommended by the Lonely
Planet. Part of our task is training web designers in Nepal, informing
the business community about the online travel markets, promoting
Nepal as a destination and finding ways of generating revenues
which all find their way to the intended recipients. We are scrupulously
careful to avoid any demand to pay bribes and to get 100% of funds
donated through to the people that need them. Click
here to view the front page. |
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The Mountain Trust is registered as an NGO with HM Government
of Nepal. It does not trade but does aim to raise donations towards
deserving causes in rural parts of Nepal. A counterpart organisation
in the UK is preparing to apply for formal charitable status with
the UK Charity Commission. The Mountain Trust's primary roles
are to: raise funds, assess needs and oversee projects (such as
the construction & furnishing of school buildings, the provision
of adult literacy centres, family planning facilities, health
awareness clinics, clean water supplies etc). To date, the Trust
has been able to spend over £3000 on various projects. At
present, the Trust is moving its focus of activities to places
not currently being reached by the mainstream development community
- such as Badamphur near Butwal and Karkabhitta on the far Eastern
border. Everyone involved in the Trust gives their time and energies
without charge. |
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