Nepal Earthquake: Call to Action

How to Help Nepal

Through recent broadcasts we all have seen the immediate consequences of the 7.8 earthquake on the overcrowded city of Kathmandu and surrounding villages. As of today, Nepalese officials are saying the death toll is 4,500 and could expect to reach as high as 10,000.

Our TV screens are filled with scenes of injured people, collapsed buildings and frantic neighbours digging their way through the wreckage, brick by brick, looking for other survivors.  Fortunately we have been able to confirm, from our coordinators and leaders in the field, that all of our groups are safe. Although our students and teachers have family and friends affected by the devastation, we are relieved to know that none are victims of this tragedy and that they will be able to offer help to those in need during the recovery and reconstruction efforts.

The media has told us about the outlying villages where contact has been nonexistent. Those of us who have traveled through these villages have seen what those houses are made of (mud and sticks) and know the vulnerability of the residents within and the potential for complete collapse of entire villages.

The long-term consequences of this disaster are equally devastating.  The lack of infrastructure and resources will challenge recovery and rebuilding efforts and many of the minimally constructed buildings left standing are still at risk of damage and collapse, causing even more death and injury.

Nepal is a country that relies on tourism and the tourist dollar to make ends meet.  Trekkers and sightseers put much-needed income into the hands of Sherpa guides and people in the hospitality, retail and transportation sectors. How many tourists can Nepal expect over the next year — or two or three? There will not be enough incoming funds to help repair the damage that the struggling country has to deal with.

Please join us in making a donation to help the Nepali people.

WELNepal’s staff and board members plan on giving generously to UNICEF. We have chosen UNICEF because our Nepali contacts have endorsed their work locally and UNICEF has partnered with a sponsor to match, dollar for dollar, all donations.  This initiative added to the recently announced Canadian government donation match program means your donation has three times the monetary impact. To donate, please click here.

Stay tuned for a note outlining our progress this year and our plans for the next few months. Although recovery and crisis management are top of mind right now in light of this terrible tragedy, we will continue to focus on our core mission in the Chitwan region as our women’s groups require ongoing assistance and support.  Through our literacy and education efforts we are training and graduating women who can be part of the solution in rebuilding the infrastructure necessary to help their community and country to grow.

Thank you for your support.

Bent Over Women

Years of labor take their toll - and they do so early

Women do 85 per cent of the work in Nepal.

Many men leave Nepal for jobs in other countries, leaving all the work to the women.

Since the women do the cooking, they are required to fetch the firewood and cut it. They also have to get the fodder if they are lucky enough to have animals like goats and buffalo.

They cook over an open fire, which is unhealthy for their lungs. In fact, more women die of lung cancer than men in Nepal.

There is no electricity—no washing machines or blenders or heaters for the cold nights.  They couldn't afford them even if there was power.

Young and old, all women work — which is one of the reasons girls are denied the pursuit of education.

And, after a lifetime of back-breaking work, many of the women wind up spending their advanced years walking bent over as if they were still carrying a heavy load on their backs.

Something to think about.

So You Want to Teach in Nepal?

Active Greenland Boarding School

Nepal is an incredibly alluring destination for the initiated and uninitiated alike. It has everything an adventurer wants — ferocious mountains, challenging terrain, warm days and brisk, icy nights, welcoming people and memorable scenery. It is also, as we’ve discussed so many times, a troubled developing country rife with poverty. That said, it is also a friendly and safe destination that treats its guests well — and you, should you become a guest, now have an opportunity to give back.

WELNepal’s good friend Sharad Pandey is looking for volunteer teachers for his boarding school. His school, the Active Greenland Boarding School, is located in the Abu Khairani village in the Gorkha district, just outside of the beautiful lakeside city of Pokhara.

A view of the Gorkha district

Volunteer teachers can work anywhere from one to three months and can expect to teach four classes a day. While the position will be unpaid, food and lodging will be provided, free of charge, by the school. No formal teaching experience or education is required. In fact, the only requirement is that you be passionate about teaching students English. English goes a very long way in Nepal, and is often the only language used in post-secondary institutions in the country. By helping the students master an internationally important language, you will be helping them enhance both their knowledge and self-esteem. There’s a lot to be said about boosting someone’s confidence, and that’s part of your job, too.

As for the complimentary food and accommodation, teachers will have a choice of staying in a room at the school or in another teacher’s home nearby. The school will provide all meals. Volunteers will be responsible for paying for their own transportation — including flights, buses and taxis. If you would like to see pictures of your accommodations, you can contact David or Sharad (email addresses below).

Not only will teaching at the school be a rewarding experience in itself, it’ll immerse you in

Greenland teach and students

an entirely different culture and community. You’ll be learning almost as much as you’ll be teaching — perhaps more. You can also take the time to enjoy the beauty and diversity of one of the most scenic and endearingly chaotic places on earth. We also expect you’ll get to enjoy heaping helpings of dal bhat, which is a little something extra to look forward to.

Also, if you set aside a little extra time and money, perhaps you could hike the gorgeous (and challenging) Annapurna range or even Everest Base Camp before or after your classes start. You’ll come back smarter, worldlier and fitter than ever.

If this opportunity interests you, please feel free to contact Sharad Pandey at sharadpandey37@hotmail.com or David Walton at david@welnepal.org. 

Susmita Rimal

The Rimal Family. From left to right, Ashok, Asmita, Ram Krishna, Guyatri and Susmita

Sometimes it's hard to feel deeply about a cause until you see how the gift of education affects, in a profoundly positive way, the life of a real person. Here's a story about one such person, my bahini (little sister) Susmita Rimal. 

During my first visit to the little village of Sauraha in Nepal, I found a local restaurant that served a very good dal bhat at a very good price.

The husband and wife team who owned the place, Ram Krishna and Guyatri Rimal, were very happy to have a tourist come for dinner. But their little girl, then four-year-old Susmita, was not accustomed to white faces and kept her distance and let me know that I was not welcome.  That was 19 years ago in 1995. I have been going to the Rimal’s for breakfast, lunch and dinner ever since. The Rimal family has since grown to include Susmita’s sister Asmita and her brother Ashok.

The more young Susmita and her sister and brother saw me, the more they warmed up to me. They are now my Nepali family and people I take visitors to see almost right away.

Mother Guyatri was always adamant that her children get the best education possible, even her girls — something many Nepalese villagers don’t think is necessary. The financial burden of sending their children to private schools was oppressive and they sacrificed a lot and made do with very little.

Over the years, I watched Susmita grow into a beautiful and well educated young woman.  The Rimal’s went into debt to send Susmita to nursing school — a debt they’re still paying off despite the fact that Susmita received her degree a few years ago. After graduation, Susmita worked in the palliative care ward in a local hospital and tended to dying patients who needed comfort and support in their last few days on earth.

This year, when I go back to my little village and drop in for dinner at my Nepali family’s restaurant, I won’t see Susmita.

After trying for a number of years, Susmita finally won the right to study and work in Australia.  She is there now, sending me emails, wondering at the beauty of the ocean and the size of super markets and the use of credit and debit cards. Susmita tells me that she is having some trouble with both the Aussie accent and their expressions. She’ll get the hang of it sooner rather than later.

Susmita will, in all probability, stay to work in Australia.  And, knowing my Young Sister, she will be sending money home to her family to pay them back for all their sacrifices to ensure a successful life for Susmita. 

Good for my Nepali family and good for my bahini Susmita.

Susmita in Australia

Now, here’s Susmita talking about her Australian experience and the wonder, excitement and, yes, homesickness that it entails. She one day wants to return to Nepal to help other women. We couldn’t be more proud of her.

"My parents are my inspiration, especially my mum. I was born in a poor family. My mum and dad are uneducated, but they did lot for our study. David Daai is also an important part of my life who was with my family when they were unable to pay my school fee and who encouraged my family to send us to school. Finally after a lot of struggle for my parents, I am able to achieve success.

Now I am here in Australia. I am getting a golden opportunity to learn. I am happy here even though it’s very foreign, but more than this I am missing my family, a special DAL BHAT cooked by mum and our beautiful Sauraha where I used to have lots of fun with my sister, brother and friends. I have already enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing program at Charles Darwin University in Darwin. After completing my study, I will be a registered nurse of Australia. After that, my plan is to do welfare work and to become a skilled person in the nursing profession. When I earn money, I want to do a lot for my family and go to Nepal and work in maternal and child healthcare. Those are my future plans. I wish my dream will come true one day." 

We're Thankful

As this year slowly draws to a close, we’re reflecting on how fortunate we’ve been in 2014. We have now — thanks to your generosity and support — given over 5,000 women in the rural lowlands of Nepal the opportunity to learn to read and write in their own language. We have expanded our project area to include the district of Madi and have created, with the help of the incredible women we work with and our Nepali team, vegetable outlets, sewing machine training classes and candle-making courses.

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.

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 13^th 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.

Our education table

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.

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).

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

Our Benefit is TONIGHT

WELNepal’s 13th Annual Benefit Bash

Monday October 20, 2014

Steam Whistle Brewery: The Roundhouse
255 Bremner Blvd.
Toronto, Ontario

Festivities begin at 6:30pm! There will be live entertainment, delicious food and great bargains at the silent auction.
There will also be a live auction for two one-week stays in an Amsterdam apartment.

Reserve your seat at VIP tables of 8 for $125 per seat
by emailing eva@lanworks.ca
(a partial tax receipt will be issued)
or
Buy individual tickets online at the
WELNepal EventSpot or purchase a $50 ticket at the door 

We are absolutely thrilled that the amazing band Start The Car will be performing. Their music covers current & classic hits that will be sure to have you up on your feet! 

A Little Update!

Some of us more mature folk might remember our elders complaining about walking miles in the snow to the old school house, but I’m betting that all of them had the luxury of walking on a bridge to cross rivers!

Earlier this year, we told you about the projects we initiated this year in Nepal. We are happy to say those projects are going well. Unfortunately, for every group of women we help, there is one that we cannot because of lack of funds.

For this reason WELNepal has added members to its board of directors.

WELNepal's New Board of Directors

Sadly, we have said our goodbyes to Diane Hanson, WELNepal’s first treasurer. Diane helped make WELNepal a charitable organization and kept all aspects of our organization running smoothly. We missed Diane before she even left.

Shortly after Diane’s departure, we welcomed Suzanne Campbell to the board.  Suzanne, a very busy and successful project manager and interior designer, is generously giving her valuable time to WELNepal

George and Eva Kostiuk, WELNepal’s most generous donors, have also joined the board. Both bring years of experience from positions at other boards and will help us better the lives of women in Nepal. 

Jennifer Stephenson — who traveled to Nepal earlier this year to visit Everest Base Camp and some of WELNepal’s projects — has also joined us on the board. I always knew Jennifer to be a most capable and tireless volunteer at our benefits. What I didn’t know was of her years of experience working on boards of other charitable organizations.

Bonnie and Jerry Good, although not board members, have agreed to act as wise council. Bonnie and Jerry have organized the support of many young women’s educations at the Mary Ward School in Kathmandu.

We know the support and expertise of our tremendously passionate and capable new board members will  help WELNepal flourish and continue to teach even more women’s groups how to read, write and be a force for positive change in the beautiful Chitwan region of Nepal.

Steam Whistle

Those of you who have attended our annual autumn benefits know that Steam Whistle has been providing us with their wonderful beer for the past eight years. This year, we are going to throw our annual party at the Steam Whistle Roundhouse. For those who have been there, you know what a great venue it is.  Those of you who haven’t taken a tour of the brewery or stopped for a beer are in for a treat.

More beautiful Steam Whistle

The biggest treat of all is that Steam Whistle has donated the use of their space for free.  We are extremely indebted to all the folks at Steam Whistle for their generosity.

I know it’s early, but please mark down Monday, Oct. 20 on your calendar — the date of our next benefit bash! Come to the Steam Whistle Roundhouse to enjoy wonderful food, great entertainment, good company and pride in knowing how much your attendance is helping women in Nepal.

Tribe MayaFire

Speaking of great entertainment, belly dance troupe Tribe MayaFire is holding their 5^th Annual Spooky Souk Benefit for the women of WELNepal on Saturday, Sept. 27 at the lovely Staircase theatre in Hamilton, Ont.  If you enjoyed being entertained by Tribe MayaFire at our last four benefits, you’ll really enjoy them and many other talented belly dance groups at the Halloween-themed Spooky Souk!

Also, while we’re talking about parties, all you GTA-ers should make your way down to Nathan Philips Square on Sunday, Aug. 17 at 2 pm for the Nepalese Canadian Community Service’s Himalayan Mela 2014. It’s a wonderful outdoor party that celebrates Nepalese music, food, culture and entertainment. We’ll be there— so come out for some sunshine, dancing and delicious chicken mo-mos!