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The Santi School Project is building a primary school in a rural village in Nepal. This is the third edition of our newsletter.

SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION IS MORE THAN HALF COMPLETE
With simple tools like hammers, picks and shovels, more than 60 people in Ramche, Nepal are making excellent progress building the six-room Santi Primary School. They're expecting to finish by the end of February and open for classes in April, the start of the Nepali school year.

Our work will not end with construction. The process of registering the school with the government – an important step for determining the level of outside support – has begun, as have our plans for teacher training and income generation programs to finance the school in the future. Check out the Updates page on our web site for more information.

SEE PHOTOS OF THE SCHOOL
Click here to see more photos of the construction work and the people of Ramche that Santi School Project president Christopher Heun took during his trip to Ramche in December.

We've also updated the donor list on our web site. Let us know if we forgot anyone.

WE'VE RAISED MORE THAN $28,000
Thanks to a big push last December, including some very generous individual donations, we exceeded our fund-raising goal for 2007.

Thank you to all of our 295 contributors!

Now, our second phase of fundraising has begun. We need to raise an additional $12,000 to train teachers and pay for books, furniture and teacher salaries. Also, we need to provide startup cash for programs we will implement this spring in Ramche to generate income to sustain the school's future operations.

ENGLISH TEACHERS WANTED
Once classes start in April, students will begin to learn English. We're looking for a few native English speakers to work alongside our Nepali teachers. The ideal candidates would be willing to spend several months in Ramche, but volunteers are welcome for shorter periods. No experience necessary, just a sense of adventure, a sense of humor and lots of common sense. Let us know if you're interested and help spread the word that we're looking for volunteers.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR A PARTNER
We're also looking for U.S. schools that would be willing to become partners with the Santi Primary School in Ramche. This is an opportunity for students on opposite sides of the globe to make new friends, learn about another culture and hopefully be inspired to get active in the global community. For more information, send a message to info@santischool.org or reply to this email.

MAKE YOUR OWN FUNDRAISER
A little creativity and a strong pair of running shoes are all it takes for a successful fundraiser. Hande Dogu convinced 40 of her co-workers at Euro RSCG Life Chelsea in New York City to sponsor her as she ran 50 miles over three weeks at her gym last month. Way to go Hande! Also in December, some great bands performed a benefit concert at the 8x10 in Baltimore. Thanks to Soul Cannon, Names Can Own, Gary B. and the Notions, The Swing States Road Show and organizer Jackie Lesh.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

* Spread the word about us. Forward this email to your friends and family.
* Introduce us to a foundation, a corporate funder or a potential partner school.
* Volunteer as an English teacher.
* Organize a fundraiser.
* Make a donation! You can donate via PayPal on our web site or mail a check: 295 Convent Avenue, #66, New York, NY 10031