MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

S. K. Khaling ( Founder & Executive Director)

Nepali National Languages Preservation Institute (NNLPI) is promoting mother tongue based language development programs within Nepal. NNLPI is a registered NGO and its main duty is to carry out mother tongue based programs among different ethnic groups. It hopes to continue working in a healthy and sound administrative structure in order to support and manage all ongoing mother tongue education programs. The establishment of this organization and moving forward came up in the midst of conflict within Nepal in 1998, but the first executive board was formed only in 1999.

Since its establishment, we have tried to develop our partnerships with local committees or organizations those who have similar interests and goals for the local community. This implied an emphasis on relationship building, networking, and in many cases supplying resources and training. The ultimate aim was to have all aspects of the program stand firm and in the hands of those who can sustain the on-going projects for as long as necessary even after our withdrawal from the program.

The language communities are still very eager and are waiting for someone who can come and help them because of their geographical and economical isolation. To reach the hearts of these people as well as to bring them to the light requires a medium that is in their own mother tongue. We are certain that the sociolinguistic survey, orthography development, mother tongue based literacy reading materials production, teachers training, literacy classes and translations in different languages and implementation of the Multilingual Education program, will be able to narrow the gap of society as well as maintain the vitality of the language.

NNLPI will continue with effective programs, as it emerges, the transformation process will take place at the organizational level at first, and social, economic, educational and religious aspects of lives in language communities. As it seeks to bring positive social, economic and educational changes, it places high value on the role of local communities, their own transformation and the success of multiple partners who support the programs. As such, the program puts a priority on local ownership and partnership. Through such strategies, the limited resources of national and international organizations can be managed differently, but they can also influence a large number of partners whose changed outlooks, when combined with their pre-existing networks and their significant capacities for influence, will bring awakening for large numbers of people across the country.