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The Bo M. Karlsson Scholarship Fund 2004-2007 -- Donors
Thank you to all of the donors who supported us before we became a 501(c)3 organization!
Chikodi Ańunobi
Kevin Applehoff
Lorna Arnold www.lornaarnold.com
Badyal Family
Edith and Barry Bannister
Tom Bartenbach
Benedetto Salon www.benedettosalon.com
Jennifer Bennett
Janet R. Bentler
John Burbank
Nancy Burbank
Casita International www.casitainternational.com
Chang Family
Charette Family
Cheryl Cheshier
Eric B. Cheshier www.thestockmasters.com
Erica Cheshier (Karlsson)
Mani Chhetri
City Books - 206.682.4334
Tim Clark
Cowin Family
Cowry Ethnic Treasures - 206.624.5377
Discovery Elementary School Staff
Marlis DeJongh www.tomwalesrun.com
Rick de la Noval
Rossana de la Noval (in memory of Nicholas James Duddles)
Delgado Family
Thione Diop www.thionediop.com
Erica Eickhoff LMP
Elder Family
Verone Enock
Tim Erdman
Karrin Erecius
Everest Kitchen www.theeverestkitchen.com
Faddah Family
Mary Lou Galvin
Gialbraith Family
Jwalat Gurung www.redlanternjourneys.com www.3summits.net
Mohan Gurung
Guse Family
Whitney and Richard Hines
Laurie Heckel
Linda and Paul Hesser
Reiko K. Hurvitz
Vanessa Karlsson
Ms. Karlsson's 5th Grade Class 2006 - 2007, Discovery Elementary School
Chance Karlsson-Kelley
Sky Kelley
Suden Kelley
Gunborg and Rolf Larsson
Lederman Family
Libri Family
Laughing Buddha Gift Store www.mylaughingbuddha.com
Micki and William Lippe
Mahmoud Family
Zoye E. Marinopoulou
Lisa McKibbin
Barbara Moffat
Nakatsu Family
Susan Neaton
Shrawan Nepali www.currywithoutworry.org
Jan Newland
Tam Nguyen
O'Connell Family
Ani O'Hara
Dean Parkins
Charla Pereira www.sharppixel.com
Provost Family
Putumayo World Music www.putumayo.com
Ray Family
David Samuel Robbins www.dsrobbins.com www.himalayanodyssey.net
Guy Roberts DDS and Staff
Retail Therapy www.ineedretailtherapy.com
Gazelle Samizay www.gazellesamizay.com
Dr. Andrea Schneider
Jeri Schneider
Patricia and Gary Schneider
Shema Enterprise dba India Express Restaurant www.indiaexp.com
Sujan Shrestha
Surendra Shrestha
Kathleen M. Stratton
studiocomps www.studiocomps.com
Taste of the Himalayas Restaurant www.rodhighar.com
Uncle Elizabeth's Internet Cafe 206 381.1600
Patricia Villa
Anna Witte www.annawitte.com
Past Efforts
September 29, 2007 - Music Lovers Raffle/Fundraiser
Big prize: vintage violin case containing CDs, a DVD and music related items.
Total retail value: $150.00; Tickets: $2.00 each
The drawing was hosted by Dusty Strings Music Shop in Seattle.
Winners: Edith Bannister, Grand Prize; Paul Stevens, Consolation Prize; Mahmoud Bazrafkan, Consolation Prize.
August 24, 2007 - Music and Dancing with Heart
Wazhma Samizay, owner of Retail Therapy in Seattle, WA, celebrated her birthday at Nectar in Fremont. Performing that evening were some of the best musicians in Seattle, including: Bubba Jones, Darrius Willrich, Thane Mitchel, Ronnie Bishop, Jim Watkins, Nikki Wolgamott, Stacey Meyer, James Whetzel, Dj Kippy and more. Proceeds from ticket sales went to Wazhma's favorite charities including the Bo M Karlsson Scholarship Fund and Northwest Harvest. www.ineedretailtherapy.com
June 22, 2007 - Silent Auction Fundraiser
The Laughing Buddha Gift Shop, located in the University District of Seattle, hosted a Silent Auction of Himalayan hand-crafted goods & spiritual items to help raise funds for the Scholarship. www.mylaughingbuddha.com
Suggested Donation of $10.00 included Buddhist Prayer Beads, Chai, & Appetizers. Hosts: Suren & Sujan Shrestha; Catered by: Shema Enterprise dba India Express Restaurant, Seattle.
May 12, 2007 - Coffee Aficionados Raffle/Fundraiser
Big Prize: Burlap Coffee Bag filled with coffee-related gifts.
Total retail value: $250.00; Tickets: $2.00 each
The drawing was hosted by Tom Bartenbach at Uncle Elizabeth's Internet Café in Seattle.
Winners: Laura Gagner, Big Prize; Tek Narajan, Consolation Prize; Alex Ackley, Consolation Prize
March 17, 2007 - Aaina Film Festival
The Bo M. Karlsson Scholarship Fund and the Ama Foundation www.ama-foundation.org sponsored two documentary films about life in Nepal. Aaina celebrates outstanding films with themes of unfailing courage, joy, resilience and creativity that tell South Asian women's life stories in the subcontinent and abroad, of yesterday and today, beyond caste, class and religion. The festival was presented by Tasveer Organization www.tasveer.org and the Chaya Organization www.chayaseattle.org, and held at Central Cinema in Seattle. Films: Punam, (Natasa Stankovic and Lucian Muntean, 20 min) and Newsroom Bahira - Outside the Newsroom (Dil Bhusan, 23 min).
February 22, 2007 - Book Lovers Raffle/Fundraiser
Big Prize: Tote Bag containing books, gift certificates and other delightful items.
Total Retail Value: $200.00; Tickets: $2.00 each
The drawing was hosted by Cindy Russell at City Books in Seattle.
Winners: Barbara Stevens, Big Prize; Scott Herrick, Consolation Prize; Hilda Ruiz, Consolation Prize.
December 28, 2006 - Kwanzaa Raffle/Fundraiser
Big Prize: A beautiful hand-made African basket filled with certificates and other African-related gifts. Total retail value: $300.00; Tickets: $3.00 each
The drawing was hosted by Cowry Ethnic Treasures in Seattle.
Winners: Patricia Villa, Big Prize; Brenda Burk, Consolation Prize; Marlis DeJongh, Consolation Prize; Shannon Hayes, Consolation Prize; Lynn Roberson, Consolation Prize.
September 30, 2006 - Independent South Asian Film Festival
The Bo M. Karlsson Scholarship Fund was the proud sponsor of an excellent program on education that took place at the Broadway Perfomance Hall in Seattle called Education in South Asia and Abroad with Superintendent Raj Manhas and presented by Tasveer www.tasveer.org. Two extraordinary films will precede a candid discussion with Superintendent Raj Manhas about his personal experiences as a chld educated in India, and now as a high-level official in the Seattle Public School system.
Films:
Suk Bahadur Class IV (Dill Bhusan Pathak, Nepal, 2005, 23 min)
Even after 50 years experience as a driver in India from the colonial period to independent India, Suk Bahadur is now studying in class IV with his grand daughter in Kaski, the western region of Nepal.
Great Indian School Show (Avinash Deshpande, India, 2005, 53 min)
The Mahatma Gandhi Centennial Sindhu High School in Nagpur is like no other. Here, 185 close circuit television cameras keep a hawk's watch on what's going on in every classroom, staff room, canteen and playground. The cameras are constantly monitored by the principal. It would seem more like a prison, and Pune-based filmmaker Avinash Deshpande shows how the surveillance effects the psyche of both the students and the teachers.
August 31, 2006 - Spa Box Raffle/Fundraiser
Big Prize: Deluxe Spa Box full of gift certificates for a day of beauty and pampering. Total retail value: $900.00; Tickets: $5.00 each
The drawing was hosted by Benedetto Salon in Seattle.
Winners: Steve Nourse, Big Prize; Meleesa Knappert, Consolation Prize
May 18, 2006 - First Annual Spring Craft Sale
Patricia Villa and Mary Lou Galvin held a craft sale in Bellevue. The sale, which attracted many visitors from all over Seattle, was a resounding success. Twenty percent of the proceeds were donated to our Fund.
March 26, 2006 - Aaina Film Festival
The Bo M. Karlsson Scholarship Fund and the Nepal Seattle Society sponsored Daughters of Everest, a documentary about the first-ever expedition of Sherpa women to climb Mt. Everest. The festival was presented by Tasveer www.tasveer.org and held at Central Cinema in Seattle.
Past Recipients
Prior to becoming a non profit organization, we awarded four scholarships between 2004 and 2007. Please take a look at the deserving recipients!
 2007 - Central Asia Institute's Women Scholarship Fund
Central Asia Institute www.ikat.org has been promoting literacy and girls' education in Pakistan and Afghanistan for 13 years. CAI awards primary, secondary, and advanced education scholarships to students interested in furthering their studies in a larger town, but are financially incapable of doing so. Advanced education scholarships for women generally support teacher training, midwifery, or animal husbandry. Through one of CAI's scholarships for advanced education, Aziza from Zuudkhaan village (pictured to the right) was able to attend maternal health care training in Gilgit, Pakistan, 1998-1999. Infant mortality and birthing mortality is extremely high in the remote villages of Pakistan and Afghanistan. For example, in remote Charpusan valley of northern Pakistan, there are around 2,000 people in 8 villages. Prior to the late 1990s, this valley had no health care of any kind. Every year, 3-5 women died in childbirth. Since Aziza's return to the Zuudkhaan village, as the first health care worker in the area, not one woman has died in childbirth.
 2006 - Angeline Mbithe Kivondo
Nineteen year old Angeline Mbithe Kivondo comes from Kaunguni, a small village in Kibwezi in the Eastern part of Kenya and about 200 kilometers from Nairobi. She is the third of five children born to Mr. and Mrs Kivondo Mbithi; old, very poor and sickly, and whose livelihood is depended on illegal charcoal burning. She is a bright girl and scored excellent grades in the country's national qualifying examinations (Kenya Certificate of Primary Education) to join post primary education in 2002. Angeline is the only child from her family and indeed the whole village who has thus far managed to go beyond primary school. She is currently doing her fourth and final year at Mulala Girls Secondary School, and is due to sit the final national pre university qualifying exams (Kenya Certificate of Education) in October / November 2006. Her secondary school education has been paid for by well wishers. Her career wish is to go to college and study either law or medicine, and use the professions to help other needy people in circumstances similar to her own. -Mwanzia D. Kyule, Professor, University of Nairobi, August 2006
UPDATE, March 2007: Angeline has passed all entrance exams and is now applying to university for Fall 2007.
UPDATE, September 2007: This month Angeline began her studies at the University of Nairobi.
 2004 and 2005 - Bindu Shrestha
Bindu came to AmaGhar from one of the most remote parts of Nepal. Although her past is very sad, her story is amazing. Bindu was found in Khalanga Bazar, Pyuthan two years ago where she was living with her single mother and her two younger sisters and brother. Bindu had lost her father due to a sudden illness four years ago and her mother, believing she would not be able to support her children, had tried to commit suicide by burning herself. Bindu took care of her three younger siblings, despite the loss of her father and mentally disabled mother, and finished high school. Eighteen year old Bindu has an amazing determination to go to college and take care of her family. Currently, she is waiting for a seat in a local nursing college in Kathmandu. - Shrawan Nepali, Founder, Ama Foundation, July 2004
UPDATE, March 2006: My wife and I met Bindu during a month-long visit to AmaGhar this past October. Bindu had just completed her first year of nursing school, a big step in her long-time dream of becoming a nurse and of then returning to her village to help her people. The beautiful poised 19-year-old woman we came to know, respect, and care for has a reserved, calm, and reflective way about her. She is very loving and sincere and places a very high value on her relationships with people. Bindu always seemed to be helping out in some way around AmaGhar when she wasn't immersed in her own studies: being a caring older sister to her 37 younger brothers and sisters, helping prepare a meal, serving as the unofficial photographer at many AmaGhar events, and checking to be sure that the guests at AmaGhar had gotten their dinner. Bindu is in many respects mature beyond her years, a maturity that is reflected in the some thoughts she shared with me about the difficult times in her life: "… that's what life is about, sometimes happiness and sometimes sorrow, sometimes trouble and sometimes challenge…" A type of lightness complements the reflective part of her personality. Bindu has a very playful, almost child-like side to herself, a side I saw, for example, when she propelled herself in acrobatic fashion down the railings of a trekking path and when she would "groove" in typical adolescent fashion while listening to music. Bindu is a young woman with the drive, commitment, and developing-confidence to achieve her goals. Her can-do-spirit and achievements provide a powerful role model for the other children at AmaGhar, both now and for the years to come. - Bill Lippe
UPDATE, August 2006: Bindu has completed her second year of Nursing Training. She has had a busy year of practical work in hospital wards. She has become proficient in patient care including giving immunizations, setting up IV's and monitoring medications. She has rotated through many types of wards in various hospitals. In addition she did a month's service in the village outside of the city of Kathmandu where she got more direct contact with the patients of all walks of life and degrees of medical need. She also had the opportunity to teach hygiene and make home visits to care for patients. Next year, her last year, she will be doing a similar schedule but with more emphasis on specialty wards and will be learning to assist in the Operating Theatre. She is very excited about the surgery. As she will be alternating her schedule, she will leave AmaGhar to live in a boarding facility with her fellow students. AmaGhar is located out of town so transportation becomes a problem. Also, it will be the beginning of her transition from AmaGhar to the "real world". Bindu has done so well to date, we are confident that she will find her place and have a bright future, whichever path she chooses. -Bonnie Ellyson, Director of Ama Ghar, Kathmandu, Nepal
UPDATE, September 2007: We are proud to announce that Bindu will be graduating next month! - Sonnia J. Karlsson
UPDATE, September 2009: Bindu has been accepted to work at one of the most prestigious hospitals in Kathmandu.
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