We are able
to help the women we work with because we are fortunate enough to receive loyal
support and donations from our good friends in Toronto and beyond.
Speaking of
those supporters, we are proud to announce that we had two very successful
benefits this fall. The first was organized by our good friend Diana Balogh-Tyszko
and her incredible belly dance troupe Tribe MayaFire.
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| Invoketress performs at the Autumn Spice benefit |
Earlier in
the fall, the wonderful, talented and passionate women of Tribe MayaFire
arranged a spectacular belly dance benefit for WELNepal at the historic
Staircase Theatre in Hamilton, Ont. Tribe MayaFire’s Autumn Spice fundraiser
featured spectacular performances by local troupes and dancers. We also got to
show our first professionally produced video — a documentary about WELNepal’s
very own superstar, Sharmila Timilsina. The documentary, made by actor and
long-time WELNepal supporter Barry Flatman, can be seen here.
WELNepal
would love to thank Tribe MayaFire, Ariella, Invoketress, Wild Orchid, Ala Nar,
Shades of Araby, Amal, Elizabeth Gomez, Ishra, Jackie Pullar, Nuwayrah, Valizan
and Joharah for their incredible performances and support for us and the women
of Nepal.
Later on in
October, WELNepal hosted its 13th Annual Benefit Bash at the
gorgeous Steam Whistle Roundhouse in Toronto. It was our first — but certainly
not our last — benefit at our most spacious and elegant venue yet. We are
incredibly grateful to everyone at Steam Whistle for giving us their beautiful
space to raise much-needed funds for our women’s groups.
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| Our education table |
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| Aryan and Band |
This year, we
did things a little differently. For the first time ever, we hosted a live
auction for two one-week stays at an Amsterdam apartment (donated by Liza
Smaller, who owns Eye of Shiva, a wonderful shop selling Indian and
Nepali clothes and kick-knacks in Kensington Market) and two sets of
hockey tickets. To the winners of those incredible prizes — thank you and
congratulations. We also set up what we called our Education Table. There, we
offered guests the opportunity to fund entire classes or sponsor a gifted girl
so she may pursue a higher education. The table was a great success.
Thanks to everyone who donated, many more women and girls will receive an
education. Your generosity will change lives for the better — thank you.
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| Nepali Dance Due |
Our benefit
would never have been successful without wonderful musical performances by
talented local artists. We would like to offer a sincere thank you to Uttam Makaju, Pradeep and Aryan Banskota
of the Nepali drum and flute group Aryan and Band, Nepali dance duo Swarnima
Gurung and Nishma Nepal, tenor Paul Williamson (our special and surprise guest!),
and Start the Car (a super fun and talented band that kept people dancing with
their eclectic mix of cover songs).
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| Tenor Paul Williams |
To everyone who came to our benefit — thank you. Whether you
donated $50 at the door, spent $10 on a necklace sold by our good friend
Shelley Snow of She Sells Sanctuary at the
front or put up $1,000 at the live auction, your donation helped a woman (or
many women) obtain an education. To everyone who came to Tribe MayaFire’s
benefit — thank you as well. You have no idea how far just $30 goes in Nepal.
Thanks to all of you, 2014 has been an incredible year for us
and our women’s groups. Let’s make 2015 even better.
Namaste
