BlinkNow Foundation (BlinkNow) is a

nonprofit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

that operates a globally recognized school and children's home in Surkhet,

Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...

. Founded by Maggie Doyne when she was 19 years old, BlinkNow has been recognized as an example of "DIY philanthropy."

Programs

On its campus in Surkhet, BlinkNow's Kopila Valley School provides tuition-free education from

preschool A preschool (sometimes spelled as pre school or pre-school), also known as nursery school, pre-primary school, play school, is an school, educational establishment or learning space offering early childhood education to children before they ...

to 12th grade for more than 400 students from under-resourced backgrounds and employs more than 100

teachers A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. w ...

and support staff. The organization's children's home provides shelter, nutrition, and support for

orphans An orphan is a child whose parents have died, are unknown, or have permanently abandoned them. It can also refer to a child who has lost only one parent, as the Hebrew translation, for example, is "fatherless". In some languages, such as Swedis ...

and other at-risk children. The campus also features a health clinic and women's center.

Sustainability

BlinkNow identifies

sustainability Sustainability is a social goal for people to co-exist on Earth over a long period of time. Definitions of this term are disputed and have varied with literature, context, and time. Sustainability usually has three dimensions (or pillars): env ...

as one of its core values. In 2017, the organization opened a new campus for its Kopila Valley School which it has billed as "the greenest school in Nepal." The campus features

rammed earth Rammed earth is a technique for construction, constructing foundations, floors, and walls using compacted natural raw materials such as soil, earth, chalk, Lime (material), lime, or gravel. It is an ancient method that has been revived recently ...

walls that are nearly half a meter thick in addition to multiple

solar power Solar power, also known as solar electricity, is the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV) or indirectly using concentrated solar power. Solar panels use the photovoltaic effect to c ...

generation and rainwater collection and recycling systems. In 2019, BlinkNow was named a finalist for the Zayed Sustainability Prize in the Global High Schools category.

Notable Supporters

BlinkNow received widespread attention after its founder, Maggie Doyne, was selected as CNN Hero of the Year in 2015. In 2016, author

Elizabeth Gilbert Elizabeth Gilbert (born July 18, 1969) is an American journalist and author. She is best known for her 2006 memoir '' Eat, Pray, Love'', which has sold over 30 million copies and has been translated into over 30 languages. The book was also mad ...

shared a video of herself singing a

karaoke is a type of interactive entertainment system usually offered in nightclubs and bars, where people sing along to pre-recorded accompaniment using a microphone. Its musical content is an instrumental rendition of a well-known popular song. I ...

version of

Bonnie Tyler Gaynor Sullivan (née Hopkins; born 8 June 1951), known professionally as Bonnie Tyler, is a Welsh singer. Known for her distinctive husky voice, Tyler came to prominence with the release of her 1977 album '' The World Starts Tonight'' and its ...

's “

Total Eclipse of the Heart "Total Eclipse of the Heart" is the lead Single (music), single by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler from her fifth studio album, ''Faster Than the Speed of Night'' (1983) written and produced by Jim Steinman and recorded in 1982, released as a single ...

” to raise money for the organization after learning Doyne was in part inspired by her memoir '' Eat, Pray, Love''. In August 2019, the organization was featured by Harry and Meghan, the

Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobi ...

and Duchess of Sussex, on their

Instagram Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...

feed along with other organizations including the Earth Day Network and

Children International Children International is a global nonprofit humanitarian organization that helps children break the cycle of poverty. It addresses children’s critical needs through early intervention and regular interaction in community centers. The goal is t ...

References

{{Reflist

External links

BlinkNow homepage
Child-related organisations in Nepal Charities based in New Jersey Foreign charities operating in Nepal 2007 establishments in Nepal