Is it prudent for a corporation to be involved with philanthropy and social initiatives? The answer would need to include whether or not philanthropy contributes to its productivity and the bottom line of the business. According to the Harvard Business Review on Corporate Responsibility [HBS Press, 2003], there are ways to serve the world’s poor, profitably. By aligning business goals with social initiatives a business can foster community sustainability with corporate growth. It can be in a company’s best interest to provide a needed service within a low income are. By incorporating a service that improves the resources and infrastructure of a community, this can offer an economic return for the organization through recognition or direct community investments. In this sense, a business has an obligation to generate profit and to serve the community at the same time.
It is worth discussing on issues like this before we talk anything on Orbit in society. This discussion would be relevant not only because Orbit, as an educational institution, is also supposed to be a profit making organization. This belief seems to be genuine because in a developing country like Nepal where the concept of business is very narrow, and most of the entrepreneurs are guided by money making policy. Due to this narrow mind set, even if any private organization does something for the sake of the society as part of social corporate responsibility, people mostly take it as a marketing tool of that corporation casting doubt on the true intention. As a result, many of the preliminary efforts we made to contribute the society were also viewed in a similar way. But soon people realized that not the desire to be applauded by the general public and the customers, but our own sensitivity to the plight of the underprivileged and needy ones, was the reason for our generosity at the social or charity affair. Now, among the general public, at least, Orbit is noted for its social incentives even though the prevalent concept towards others has not been completely changed yet. This change in people’s prospective was possible due to our continuous and result oriented efforts that we have put in different aspects of the society.
Orbit Welfare Network (OWN)
Orbit Welfare Network (OWN) was established in October, 2005 with the primary goal of providing helping hands to the non – profit organizations dedicated to the social cause. OWN was established with the vision of the CEO of Orbit and is a collective effort of the entire Orbit staffs and students. OWN has helped many underprivileged children and has also greatly contributed financially to some of the NGOs working in the field of education and children. OWN has also been awarding scholarships to the deserving students who are financially needy. Looking a head to the future, OWN strives to contribute immensely with an effort to give back to the community and make a difference in the society.
Orbit Youth for Change (OYC)
Established under the NGO act, OYC is a non-profit making organization established under the initiation of the Orbit International College students. Since its establishment in 2008, OYC has worked together with various other organizations, among them being NGO Federation Nepal, and Yaatra, in the social sector. OYC is also one of the members of a consortium of various organizations working in the environment sector named ENVORGS. Till date, OYC has contributed into the social sector in various occasions. Apart from organizing various programs to mark Wetland Day in Nagdaha and Environment Day celebration in Bashantapur, OYC has also set up a library in Sikha Higher Secondary School. Furthermore, an extensive research was also conducted in the Nangi and neighboring villages of Myagdi to study the impact of Internet and Communication Technology in obtaining the Millennium Development Goals. OYC invites various nationally and internationally distinguished personalities at regular intervals to talk in a variety of relevant issues.
Orbit Foreign Education Award
Orbit International Education awards “Orbit Foreign Education Award” to deserving students. This award is granted in cash and thus assists the students to pursue his or her higher education abroad. Ms Preeti Sitaula was given this award in 2005. Ms Sitaula, then Miss Nepal, was chosen for the award as a representative of all the Nepalese youth.
Similarly, Mr. Diwakar Jha was nominated to receive this prestigious award in the 2006. On 24th September 2006, a formal ceremony took place at Orbit International Education. Mr. Man Bahadur Biswakarma, State Minister of Environment, Science and Technology gave away the award to Mr. Jha. He had designed a robot named Zenith and gave a demonstration of it. It was wonderful to see a robot that could understand instructions given to it and to see it perform. Mr. Jha is pursuing his masters’ degree in Germany now.
English Language Classes for Housewives
Orbit International Education launched a free English language course for housewives from 25th November, 2007 to January 2008. When Orbit advertised a free course for housewives, there were about 200 applications. The Academics Department spent a great deal of time in testing, interviewing and selecting the right caliber of the housewives who would be able to join the free course. Once the appropriate caliber of housewives was selected, the housewives were informed and the course began immediately. The unsuccessful applicants were also given free classes but only on Sundays.
Orbit is really proud to have been able to give this free course to housewives. This course enabled the housewives to leave the four walls of their kitchen and venture into a new world where they could once more be in a classroom, learn or refresh the skill they once possessed when they were students.
As this concept of providing free English language class worked well, we decided to expand the program, and launched similar sessions in our Pokhara branch office from September 2009. More than 25 housewives attended free classes. Similar sessions will be organized in the future to come to encourage housewives to do something productive in their leisure. All the housewives thanked Orbit for providing this useful course for them.
Housewives Clubs
Once we got the overwhelming number of housewives who came to learn English, we came up with a concept to open a ‘Housewives Club’. Immediately, we materialized the plan and formed a club to ensure that more housewives would be able to use this platform on regular basis to enhance their ability.
The objective of the housewives club is to enhance its members’ English language proficiency. The club is open only to housewives irrespective of age, profession and background. The main purpose of this English club is to create a platform for its members where they can brush up their proficiency level through collaborative learning. The members of the club meet every Sundays from 12 to 2pm in the Seminar Hall at Orbit International Education, Putalisadak. Housewives discuss on different issues in English, and they receive feedback by a guest teacher from the Academic Department. Free membership form is available at the Department of Academics. Only the members can take part in classroom activities but, any interested housewives can attend the meetings as guests. As our plans are in progress to encourage housewives from other parts of the country, we have started similar housewives club in our Pokhara branch in 2009.
Ethnic Nepalese Languages Training
Orbit is acclaimed by national and international students for the quality of its teaching in the field of test preparation and foreign language training. In the past few years time, not only thousands of students from all over Nepal but also a record number of students from some neighboring and foreign countries like India, China, Burma, Japan, Russia, Italy and Spain came to join our class. At the very juncture of time, Orbit decided to offer free language training courses even on some ethnic Nepalese languages like: Maithili, Bhojpuri, Rai, Limbu, Magar, Sherpa, Tamang, Dhimal, etc. Our intention was to use the same expertise of language teaching to teach and preserve other Nepalese ethnic languages. Then we invited the experts, teachers and other stake holders and organized several workshops. Our main objective was to save these dying ethnic languages by offering free training classes with the help of the experts. Now we have got very effective and professional training courses to teach major ethnic languages. Interested Nepalese candidates can come and join our training classes, and we provide them expert teachers and other learning materials free of cost.
Orbit English Forum
An association for public speaking, Orbit English Forum has been organized for the past four years with an objective to enhance its members’ English speaking skills in front of the masses. The forum is open to anyone irrespective of age, profession or background, who is interested in learning and practicing their public speaking collaboratively.
The members of the club meet fortnightly on Sundays from 5PM to 7PM in the Seminar Hall at Orbit International Education, Putalisadak. There are three speakers in each program whose performances are provided with feedback by three member evaluators. Only the members can register for a speaking opportunity. However, any interested individuals can attend the meetings as guests. The evaluators are selected within the members. The approved topics for speaking can vary from speaker to speaker.
Membership of Orbit English Forum can be obtained by completing an application form and paying NRS.500.00 (Non refundable annual fee) as a membership fee. The membership form is available for free of cost at the Department of Academics at Orbit International Education. The students of Orbit are highly encouraged to join the club.
English Language Class for Lady Members of the Constitutional Assembly
Orbit International Education conducted a free English language class specially designed for the Members of the Parliament in December 2008. The course was designed to provide advanced literary skills to the lady members of the parliament which would enable them to participate actively and efficiently in different programs of national and international importance. The course aimed to prepare the parliamentarians for independent learning by making them familiar with the basic knowledge in listening, reading, speaking and writing skills in English.
The objective of the program was to encourage the lady parliamentarians to explore their knowledge for the better and meaningful representation of the nation in various national and international programs.
Five lady members of the parliament from each political party like Unified Communist Party (Maoist), Nepali Congress, and Nepal Communist Party (UML) and other three members from Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum had participated in the 45 day long intensive course, and the program was considered a huge success.
Pre-departure Information Program for Students
Orbit International Education organizes this program twice a year with an objective to motivate those students who are going abroad for their higher studies to return to serve their home land Nepal. It has been an ongoing trend of Nepalese students to go abroad for studies and ultimately settle in countries like the USA, UK, Australia, and other foreign countries in the hope of living a prosperous and happy life. Unfortunately, very few students can manage to meet this expectation but they do not want to come back to their homeland owing to several problems. But in reality, once they come back with foreign degrees, they are highly demanded and respected in their native land. Hence, through this program, Orbit International Education aims to spread this message to the students who are going abroad to return to their country and serve their nation. At the same, this program makes the students aware on issues like handling international airports, cultural sock and adjustment in foreign lands.
Smriti Brichhya: Youth Campaign for Nature Conservation
Orbit International Education has recently decided to be the part of this program. It is a joint venture of Orbit and Youth Network for Social and Environmental Development (YONSED). Smiriti Brichhya, a commemorative tree, is the initiative of youth that aims to promote greenery in the nation and especially in the urban, semi-urban and rural areas. This program will motivate people to engage in nature conservation. It channelizes financial contribution made by individuals who are willing to plant in the memory of their loved ones or any other special occasions like birthdays.
Sponsorship for Educational and Student Oriented Programs
Orbit is continuously encouraging educational and students oriented programs since its inception. As far as possible, we want to be the part of such type of programs and help the organizers technically by sharing our expertise or even financially depending on the conditions. Our financial contributions, however, solely depend on our decision as we need to analyze the nature and need of the programs, and, of course, we have financial constraints as a private organization and can not reach to all the needy ones.
Maintanance of Gardens and Public Places
We have taken some initiatives even in the field of environment and preservation of public places and historical monuments. Even though Birendra International Conference Centre (BICC) is centrally located in the city, its premise was almost deserted until last year due to lack of the greenery. Not only to add the beauty at the centre of politics (BICC is currently being used as a venue for Constituent Assembly meetings) but also to mitigate the pollution level of Kathmandu valley, we came up with proper landscaping there and set up a new garden in 2007. Since then, we have been maintaining the garden on our own expenses for the same cause. Similarly, we have extended our helps in different forms for the renovation and maintainance works of local temples, roads and other public places. We are involved in these activities not to gain fleeting publicity. In fact, we want to spread the message that a little effort like this can contribute a lot in the field of environment and conservation.
Free English Language Class for Lady Journalist and Taxi Drivers
