Today’s program will be presented in Nepali and English, with subtitles in Arabic, Aulacese (Vietnamese), Chinese, English, French, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, (Nepali,) Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Thai.

Everywhere in the world, we can observe and be touched by acts of kindness. People from all walks of life, faiths, and cultures extend themselves beyond the call of duty to help others unconditionally. Through their noble deeds, humanity as a whole is elevated.

To commend virtuous actions and encourage more people to be inspired by their examples, Supreme Master Ching Hai has lovingly created a series of awards, including the Shining World Leadership Award, Shining World Compassion Award, Shining World Hero and Heroine Awards, Shining World Honesty Award, Shining World Protection Award, Shining World Intelligence Award, and Shining World Inventor Award, to recognize some of the most exemplary, generous, caring, and courageous people who walk amongst us.

When Mr. Uttam Sanjel from Nepal reached out to offer an education to some of the community’s disadvantaged children, unexpectedly 100 eager children showed up to his first class. The enthusiasm of the students to learn inspired Mr. Sanjel to start a school on the outskirts of Kathmandu. He thus founded “Samata Sikchya Niketan” that would assist the most underprivileged children.

Today, “Samata Sikchya Niketan” is a nationwide network of schools in Nepal that has been providing the opportunity of quality education, food, and safe shelter to children all at low cost for families. What’s more, the school instills strong moral values and spiritual faith. Samata school branches have expanded impressively in less than the past decade and have received growing recognition internationally. Mr. Uttam Sanjel welcomed us to Samata Sikchya Niketan.

This is a Samata school, which is established in Kathmandu first in 2001. We extend our schooling (to) 11 districts, different districts, and now we have 18,000 kids.

Because the quality of the education provided at the schools is so good, they now attract children of all backgrounds and income levels.

Everybody wants to come and everybody can come here and learn many things in our school.

Despite the challenges of his ambitious project, Mr. Uttam Sanjel envisages that one day, Samata Sikchya Niketan will be offering its services in all 75 districts of the country. The multi-talented and resourceful principal had the idea to build the exquisite and sturdy buildings for the school out of bamboos, a local and inexpensive material.

Thus, Samata schools are also well known by the name “Bamboo school.” The school’s official name is Samata Shikshya Niketan. “Samata” means equality, “Shikshya” means education, and “Niketan” means abode: thus, an abode for equal education.

I realize myself that I must construct this type of organization where there is no bar of communities and religions, so people heartily \ can go inside. So we named our schools “Samata” – means “equalities.”

Samata schools provide a helping hand to children to prevent them from going down risky paths. Parents of these children are mostly immigrant laborers who work long hours far from home to make ends meet. Before the school was founded, the children would have no place to go during the day to learn.

The morning time, parents go to work, early morning 6 o’clock, and they’ll come in night, 9 o’clock, and whole day, kids are sitting on the room, and it’s very difficult to sit in the room whole day, and they like to come slowly on the street. And very first day they’re just puzzling seeing here and there. And very second day, they’re starting begging, and very third day, they’re collecting garbage. And this is a process to become street children and we try to protect this type of kids more, very first time.

It is a very challenging work. How did you get the inspiration?

Inspiration comes from, comes from up. The inspiration always comes from up. Then it is very easy.

Mr. Uttam Sanjel is a spiritual man and vegetarian. At Samata Sikchya Niketan, instilling moral values, independent thinking, and manners are prioritized. This is one of the main reasons that Samata schools are unique and widely respected.

School is not only a place to coming reading and writing, the school is a place where the kids can build up his moral values. My mission and my vision is to teach my kids always think positively. If we think positively, everything is possible.

In my opinion, the real education is to become a good citizen, moral education, and what is our the duty to other peoples, those we call helpless. I think the school is teaching my kids like this to help helpless people.

Oh Lord

(Oh Lord)

Oh Lord, (Oh Lord) From unreality, (From unreality)
lead me to reality. (lead me to reality)
From darkness, (From darkness)
lead me to light. (lead me to light.)
From mortality, (From mortality)
lead me to immortality. (lead me to immortality.)

When we return, we’ll learn more about Mr. Uttam Sanjel’s noble work in providing quality education and care to the most vulnerable children in Nepal. The caring founder and principal is also presented with the Shining World Compassion Award from Supreme Master Ching Hai. Please stay tuned to Supreme Master Television.

What I am doing, [Supreme Master Ching Hai] knows very well. And she is also telling the whole entire world this thing which I am doing. So please, I am very happy, very heartly thanks to her.

Welcome back, gracious viewers, to today’s program featuring the recipient of the Shining World Compassion Award Mr. Uttam Sanjel, founder of Samata Shikshya Niketan, an innovative and internationally praised system of schools for children in need in Nepal.

Encouraging its students to be the best that they can be, Samata Shikshya Niketan schools offer a diverse academic curriculum based student-teacher interaction. With a strong ethical foundation, the students recite regular group prayers, including10 promises are also learned by heart: never stealing, never lying, never taking drugs, respect for fellow students, respecting one’s parents and teacher, stating that peace is the greatest power in the world, etc.

Befitting a school that cherishes kindness and respect, vegetarian meals are offered every day. Principal Mr. Uttam Sanjel himself is a vegetarian who encourages the youngsters to be so as well.

I am telling them try to become a vegetarian, which is how I can do all things in nine years. Nine years, we have 11 schools, and every year we extend the school and our organization to (be) recognized (by) entire world. How can I do all things? Because this is the cause – I can say very proudly I am a vegetarian.

So gradually my kids are changing, and they change their eating habits. “I feel very smart myself,” the kids are saying like this nowadays. So one day, all my kids will become vegetarian, I believe like this.

As a result of the truly nurturing atmosphere and well-rounded curriculum, the students are visibly happy to be at school. They even like to come on Saturdays, which is a public holiday in Nepal.

Miss Sangita Tamang has been a student here since the school was established.

Well, this is the school where I could feel the global togetherness. So I’m here and I’m getting such a quality education that the soul or internality of my soul gives me the priority to be here, so I’m feeling so glad to be one of the students of my school.

Samata school students often excel academically, to the joy of the hard working faculty and staff. Mr. Binod Raj Pandey is one of the caring teachers at this Samata school.

Over here, I’m getting the job satisfaction in one side, as well as I think myself that I’m directly serving the society. So I’m really very happy over here.

Teachers are also very happy. Our kids are getting very good results in school leaving certificate. They are not passing 1st division, 2nd division, 3rd division, all kids are getting distinction positions last year.

For his noble efforts to improve the future of Nepal’s children, Mr. Uttam Sanjel was honored with the Shining World Compassion Award from Supreme Master Ching Hai. The award presented by our Association members from Nepal during the school morning prayer assembly in the presence of all students, faculty, and staff.

The letter of appreciation from Supreme Master Ching Hai read, in part, as follows:

“…Thank you Sir for your caring support and inspirational example of love in action. For selflessly nurturing young minds, for your vision, wisdom, creativity and kind-hearted benevolence, and for being a dedicated and noble role model, we hereby applaud and celebrate the compassionate deeds of Mr. Uttam Sanjel, Founder/Principal of “a place of study and peace.” With Great Honour, Love and Blessings, The Supreme Master Ching Hai”

In addition to receiving the award, Mr. Uttam Sanjel was gifted with a US$10,000 donation from Supreme Master Ching Hai, to further his project assisting children most in need. Mr. Sanjel expressed his appreciation through a speech addressed to the students, as he introduced to them about Supreme Master Ching Hai.

…She does her own kind of works, as well. She does fashion designing, jewelry designing. She does her own work, and she makes arts and sells them and donates the money from the sales to different persons and institutes. She is such a practical Master!

That’s why wherever she is:

Let's do the big hand to her.

Furthermore, Mr. Uttam Sanjel received many gifts, including Supreme Master Ching Hai’s #1 international bestsellers “The Dogs in My Life,” “The Birds in My Life,” and “The Noble Wilds,” as well as Supreme Master Ching Hai’s music CDs and lecture DVDs.

Today my principal has got such an award so that I’m feeling so happy to be one of his students. So I’m also inspired by his award and I have made up my mind to do something like him.

Through the help, through the blessings, through the love of the Supreme Master Ching Hai, the people's attitude, the people's thinking as well as the people's behavior can be drastically changed. So really I’d like to heartily thank the Supreme Master Ching Hai.

This is my great achievement, the very short period I am starting social work. Then after, Master Ching Hai she is blessing me. And it’s my pleasure, my 18,000 kids’ pleasure, and my whole school staffs’ pleasure. And my country also feels proud to (be) blessed, I am the very first person to get this award. I heartily and I heartily, heartily thank Master Guru Ching Hai. And thank you. So I want to see you one day if possible, please.

May all beings be happy, May all be healthy, May all be well in mind, May no body suffer in any way. Peace, Peace.

Our heartfelt gratitude, Mr. Uttam Sanjel, for your deep and dedicated caring and noble leadership in helping so many youngsters have a safe, promising, and happy future. Wishing you and the families’ lives you have touched Heaven’s benevolent grace, always.

Thank you, gentle viewers, for being with us on today’s program. Please stay tuned to Supreme Master Television for Words of Wisdom, after Noteworthy News. May you and your loved ones be blessed with longevity, happiness, and harmony.