As always, I’m excited to be returning to Nepal. This year there are two groups trekking with me and 10% of the trips’ costs will be donated to charities in Nepal. This flipagram my daughter made for me from our trip last year will give you an idea of our experience: https://flipagram.com/f/vetsjC0mWH.
Unfortunately, most of the money donated for earthquake relief has yet to be distributed for rebuilding. Since I’m working directly with several projects, 100% of the donations I’ve received will directly fund several projects. The donations and the trip costs are greatly appreciated and go a long way to assist deserving Nepalese families. Here are some highlights about the our service projects.
After the earthquake last year, the Basa Village Educational Foundation donated money to buy a brick making machine to New Hope Foundation, a Nepalese program serving women who were human trafficked. After meeting with him in 2014, trek members were so impressed, they raised over $6,000 for New Hope Foundation by selling bracelets made by women and children in the program. We plan to visit New Hope.
The service projects we do each year are always a highlight benefiting group members as much as the families we serve, such as the successful music program in Dadagaun Village School created in 2014 and a sewing program we are starting this year for Dadagaun Villagers with the help of Neeru Webster. She and her sister are buying a sewing machine and supplies in Nepal. I bought universal sewing needles to use for the machines last Thursday before I left the U.S., which Christine Marschner donated in 2011. We learned in the survey we conducted that year, that many young mothers would like to learn to sew to supplement their incomes from farming.
Ideas for sewing projects
In between the two treks, Bharati Devokta and I will give a two-day workshop for about 25 staff members working for Shakti Samuha, a group devoted to rescuing and housing women who were human trafficked. Bharati is a therapist and Auryevdic, a doctor from Nepal, who is working at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Lauren Stempler, a dancer/movement therapist and her husband Mal, who joined The Trek of Your Life in 2014, collaborated with us and created videos to use demonstrating healing dance movements accompanied with Nepalese music.
Sadly, most of the staff have been trafficked themselves and are anxious to learn about how to manage stress. Last year, I implemented a three-hour pilot project to Sharkti Samuha’s staff and I was overcome with their enthusiasm and deep appreciation. Afterwards, they requested a two-day workshop to learn more. If it is successful, we will develop a series of workshops. As always, none of this would be possible without the moral support, ideas, generous donations of time, skill and money that many of you have given me. Thank you for your interest and the donations. Nameste! .
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