•          A draft version of the TMLC ‘Vision Document’ will be submitted by Sustainable Mountain Architecture (SMA) by 15th of February. The final document taking into account feedback from TMLC management will be submitted by end of February.

•          The main idea behind SMA’s ‘Vision Document’ is to recommend steps that help to identify and integrate the various objectives of the TMLC project. Its primary purpose is to create a holistic vision that will “…clearly outline the starting points, requirements, the challenges, opportunities and potential of the project.”  SMA informs us that what they refer to as a “storyboard” will present the TMLC initiative through “impressions and illustrations… that can be used on all levels to communicate the idea and vision to all stakeholders, including the community.” After detailed discussions with SMA, we feel that they are now on much more solid ground with regard to our intentions and moving ahead.

More and more detailed information from the extended Tamagi Community will be needed as the project evolves, but we recognize that this will be an ongoing activity. Details surrounding village homestays, available artifacts for display and the ex-Gurkha profession and culture will be compiled. And – importantly – someone responsible for the INTERPRETATION of our vision will need to be recruited.

•          Several stakeholder meetings have been carried out, canvassing opinions and gathering insights from individuals and organizations at different levels. This process has emphasized collaboration, encouraging active participation among stakeholders. Groups participating in this ongoing process are TMLC, SMA, MDO, Mothers Group of Tamagi and others from Tamagi community. We anticipate that this process will contribute to the following objectives:

• Comprehensive data/info collection on Community Development activities carried out during the last 30 years.

• Collection of information on history of and facts relating to the Gurkha Soldiers of Tamagi.

• Detailed mapping of Tamagi Village  (including all physical structures, their function and recent occupants), providing historical insights as well as a knowledge-base for future initiatives within the village, for example homestay and facilities for visitors, organic farming, temporary or permanent extensions of TMLC exhibitions, etc.

Under the coordination and guidance of Basudha (Chairperson of TMLC and the group of collaborating organizations/persons) and assisted remotely by Hem and Per in Norway, Madhu in UK and Gautam in NY,  these activities have yielded relevant information for the ‘Vision Document’ and for future reference.

Alisha Adhikari of SMA writes in her minutes from the meeting in Pokhara, “We had the meeting with MDO, Mother’s group, the Tamagi community/TMLC team on 17th December. It was a great meeting, similar to our previous meeting, in the sense that there was a lot of enthusiasm and ideas from everyone.” 

•          In addition to these local stakeholder meetings, a separate consultation between SMA and Basudha on the content of the ‘Vision Document’ was carried out in Kathmandu.

•          Basudha of TMLC together with other members participated in a meeting held in Pokhara in February. Apart from the general discussion on the abandoned situation of their native village, issues like possible use of the currently unoccupied houses for revival project purposes like a homestay, etc. were discussed.