The First NYS Outing

EVENT: HIKE TO HATTIBAN

Date: 24 May 2008
Reporter: Rina K.C.

Venue: Hattiban, Kathmandu
Time duration: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm (8 hours)
Objective: Introduction, bonding and team-building with potential support team members of NYS
Organizer: NYS of YI
Organizing committee: Dhruba Lamsal, Garima Shahi, Mona Aditya, Bhaarat Shrestha and Rina K.C. (Core committee, NYS)
Total number of participants: 20 (including core team)
Names of participants: Bikash Maharjan, Raghu Aditya, Prakash Bhatta, Sanjay Adhikari, Girish, Surat Giri, Shrijan Shrestha, Saurav Sharma, Ishowr Gurung, Dusyanta, Ayush Joshi, Astha Joshi, Sabina Kadaria, Ritham, Bharat Shrestha, Mona Aditya, Sunayana, Dhurba Lamshal, Garima Shahi, Rina K.C.

DESCRIPTION

This was the first outing program launched by National Youth Service to expand its outreach and build a bigger team with fun and open interaction. To be precise, the program was meant for the formation of a support group that could later in future give continuity to NYS’s vision, mission and functioning. Since the program was the first attempt, we tried to include limited number of participants with a nominal fee for food and transport.

The hiking team set to Hattiban in a local bus from Ratna Park. Hattiban is spot fairly close to the city but far from the day to day hassle and chaos. As we reached the spot we started a cleaning campaign after having our first set of snacks. Since it was the ‘Environment Week’ we had planned to contribute something to the place we visited. We cleaned up plastics lying about on the way up to the hill and ended up with around 5 large bags full of plastic waste.

As we reached the top, we had our introduction session done amidst calm natural environment and the grazing cattle. We had fun returning from there after which we had our morning meal in small hotel on the roadside. After our meal we headed towards the Bhaisipati by a different country-side route. We stopped by a reservoir and gathered for an NYS session. We talked about its origin, its vision, and mission, and spent some time talking about the expectations and possible contributions of the participants towards NYS. It was the open introductory program where the group had the open expression of interest and they shared us the ways they could help NYS in near future. The program was informal and we tried our best to make fun and have interaction done so we played games and shared memo – natural gifts among ourselves. Then after the interaction, fun, game and introduction we filled up the interest form and walked down by the Bagmati river. On our way, we happened to cross the river and some fields. We had immense opportunity to share our interests and experiences amongst the participants. Taking tons of pictures along the hike added to the fun and bonding of the participants.

We returned back to the city on a bus that we caught at Bhaisipati. The ride back was as much as the ride to Hattiban. All of us had had a full day but spending so much of time and effort was worth it for all the friends we made for NYS and for all the fun we had. Most of us decided that such hikes and events in natural environment are very effective means to bonding and team-building and that we should do similar things at frequent intervals in future.