How do you begin talking about Nepal? It’s not easy to put
After this first trip we felt completely overwhelmed by the openness and warmth of the people, we had never received such a welcome anywhere else where we had travelled before. We returned home from our short trip immediately feeling we wanted to do more to help. We had first got to know a small charity organisation called Nepal Alliance run by Krishna, who taught us a lot about how the government schools operate and what the problems with the system are, and we soon learnt that it is not all just financial, there are also many other gaps. Still, a government school only gets a budget of few hundred $s per year. This is not even enough for uniforms or notepads and pencils, let alone educational toys, books, or lunch or computers! Realising this, how can you not want to help? So the following year we returned for some more teaching in Pokhara at the same school, and as we had been raising money we were able to buy school uniform jumpers, socks, hats and shoes for all the kids. $200 was spent on rice, lentils and oil for about 10 families in need during the Dashain festival. This would feed the families for about a month. And through H.E.L.P. (Helambu Education Livelihood Partnership), we spent some of the donated to buy furniture for a school in the Helambu region that was badly affected by the earthquake and still desperately needed help. When we got back we were keen to find more ways to collect money and started organising various fundraising events, such as charity concerts, markets where we sell hand crafted ceramics, bags, cards, etc., swishing parties, ceramics workshops for kids, and that is what we have continued to do to this day. We visit Nepal once or twice a year and personally bring the money, so we are there first hand when we order, buy and pay for the items and provisions. This way we can guarantee that 100% of the money people donate or we collect ends up where we feel it’s most needed (it is not used for our travel or expenses, fees or admin).
THANK you
After every visit to Nepal, we feel just as touched and that is the reason we keep coming back, each time perhaps a little bit more enthusiastic to be involved in these valuable projects. As tough as it can be sometimes dealing with cultural
With our continued fundraising activities, through Alliance Nepal we have now been able to provide uniforms and shoes for hundreds of kids, we’ve held 2 health and dental camps, provided girls with re-washable sanitary pads, bought furniture and equipment to schools, food to families going through difficult times (recently due to the pandemic), helped to build and repair people’s houses, and set up a sewing course for girls with the aim to help them become independent by learning a skill that can help them get a job in the future. The project will ideally also help to fund the orphanage run by Alliance Nepal. We started off teaching and supporting at one school, but this has grown to several, as Alliance Nepal will often be approached by a headmaster / mistress at a government school who desperately needed support. All this is only possible with the help of you reading this, people who are able to donate a bit of money. And a little bit of money goes a long way in Nepal, no amount is too little to make a difference. Money is relative of course, but just to give you an idea, many people earn $2 a day. Some professionals maybe $10 a day. Electricity is seen as expensive, as is coffee, apples and avocados, and buying a pair of branded Nike shoes would obviously be unheard of.
Our journey will continue, keep checking the Latest news pages… and in the gallery you will find loads of photos and videos.
We, and they truly appreciate your support.
Thank you! Elina and Diane