Everest of Apples (EofA) is an organisation run by Aomori and Akita JET programme participants. Both prefectures support the development of educational opportunities for children in developing nations – EofA-Aomori does this through grassroots ties between JETs in Aomori, Japan and the Prajwal Shiksha Sadan English School community in Chaughada village, Hetauda municipality, Nepal, while EofA-Akita supports broad educational initiatives such as Room-to-Read. Since our foundation in 2002, Everest of Apples has been defined by relationships which rely on developing school communities rather than simply building. We focus on supporting children's education regardless of race, cast, or gender.
Our name, 'Everest of Apples', links Aomori and Akita, Japan's apple producing regions, to the communities surrounding Everest. It also embodies our ethos that good deeds and donations, no matter how small, soon add up. In the words of Everest of Apples founder, Richard Paterson, "If everyone gets together and gives a little, great things can be done. If you pile many apples up you can make a mountain."
By mid-2008, Everest of Apples (Aomori) had raised over US$45,000. This money, collected though a combination of monthly donations and fundraising events, has been used to provide the students of Prajwal with land, a school building, scholarships and teacher training, as well as a modern education and a brighter future.
Everest of Apples is also looking to the future. The ultimate goal with all of our projects is to help schools achieve self-sufficiency and financial independence. Instead of fostering a culture of dependence, the partnership between Everest of Apples and the Prajwal School allows the community to take ownership of their own future. As the Prajwal School comes closer to achieving independence, Everest of Apples is turning to new projects to support, providing more students with the chance to reach their potential.
