The history of Namaste e.V. goes back to personal experience of our current president. On a visit to Nepal in 1998 she learned about GAD and got to know their work for deaf children in and around the town of Pokhara.

The great enthusiasm of GAD's members, the already achieved milestones and, even more so, their plans and dreams for the future inspired the founding of Namaste e.V.

After lengthy dealing with several embassies and financial authorities Namaste e.V. came into life on January 18th 2001 with the achievement of charitable status. The registration as a charitable organization followed in July of the same year. At this time, already seven people had joined.

Currently, Namaste e.V. counts 19 members.

What do we do at Namaste e.V.?

Since the beginnings of Namaste e.V. we have been taking part in the Internationales Sommerfest in Lörrach, an occasion where the multi-cultural aspects of modern life are celebrated. We use these occasions to promote our cause and to collect funds by selling international and home-made produce.

Every year we take part in various Christmas fares in and around Lörrach.

On several occasions we have received the funds from church offertories. Be it on occasion of a church holiday or from the services on wedding celebrations.

From time to time we can be found in the city centre of Lörrach where we raise public awareness for our cause, collect donations and sell home-made produce.

The local branch of the Edeka supermarket in Brombach has already twice invited us to their special New Year's Eve event in which a charitable organization can sell products provided by the supermarket and use the revenue for its cause.

Since January 2003 we have run our sponsorship program. By means of these sponsorships deaf children are able to go to school and receive formal education. (see also here)

Since its foundation Namaste e.V. pays the salary of an interpreter resident at the bureau of GAD. This interpreter is at home in sign language, Nepali and English and enables the mostly deaf members of GAD to directly communicate with the hearing world.

Due to the work of Namaste e.V. the charity organization Missio of Aachen has joined forces as a supporter of GAD in 2003. Missio has shown valuable commitment to GAD and has financed the furnishing of the school with tables, chairs and bookcases. Those items were manufactured by local craftsmen.

Due to our work the charity organization BASAID could be won for cooperation. With the help of BASAID projects like candle making or a training program for tailoring could be installed. A further project stemming from the cooperation of BASAID and GAD is a new storey to the building which houses GAD's bureau.

The kindergarden in the town of Steinen used their opening celebrations in February 2002 to collect money for Namaste e.V.

Four times a year the members of Namaste e.V. meet to come up with new ideas, to exchange information and experiences or to set up new projects.

With stories and reports in the press we keep the general public informed about our work.

We are continually looking for new members and new sponsors. Members can either take actively part in our campaigns or, if they can't afford to spare the time, passively contribute valuable work.

Home-made handicraft and pastries are popular items at our sales and prove to be good means to collect money for GAD.

In order to keep the charges of international money transfer as low as possible, the collected means are bundled and so transferred to Nepal in only three transactions.

The collected financial means are being used without deduction for the good of GAD and the cause of deafness. The only form of deduction incurred are the charges for international money transfers.

Namaste e.V. is continually subject to evaluation by the financial authorities who closely guard the using of the status of charitable institution.

Namaste e.V. is currently headed by: chair Elke Schmidt-Marthaus, deputy Cecilia Salinas-de Huber, secretary Irmgard Frank