45 Completed, 25 Coming
KAVRE, NEPAL: REBUILDING UPDATE We have completed a total of 45 houses in three villages – Nala (12 houses), Rabi (12 houses) and Opi (21 houses). An Opening Ceremony for Janagal, our fourth location, was conducted on 15 September with 25 homeowners and various leaders and representatives of the area. It was a significant day as the event coincides with Mid-Autumn Festivities, where families come together for a reunion meal, savoring sweet cakes and tea under the bright moon-lit night. It is now Janagal’s turn to stand up from the rubble left behind by last April’s 7.8 magnitude earthquake, pick up the pieces of life and walk forward in newness and hope!
Janagal Opening Ceremony with 25 beneficiaries on 15 September 2016
Total 33 house frames in Rabi-Opi are completed with many owners building their walls now. Receiving a house frame has literally given them a leg up in rebuilding lives and homes.
Opi: Ready to move in very soon.
Rabi: House frames completed. Ready for walls next
One year after we started building our very first house in Nala, we went back to visit House #1 homeowner Ishori Bogati. One volunteer from Singapore remarked that she has a totally different disposition today than one year ago when she first interviewed her. No longer heavy hearted, she now sports a bright smile of confidence. After she completed building her house walls, she was given a helping hand to start an organic tomato farm. Empowered to earn, she is now able to support her family and no longer lives in fear of her abusive, alcoholic husband. We hope her success story will be retold to inspire others and be replicated throughout the community.
House #1 Ishori Bogati is a new woman!
Her income generating organic tomato plot beside her house helps her to earn 30 to 40 USD a month.
We also paid a visit to 2 elderly beneficiaries in Nala: House #4 Shanta Maya Shrestha and House #12 Nirmala Dahal. Widow Shanta Maya took a loan to build her house walls and was about to start work when her daughter needed emergency medical treatment and part of the loan was used to pay for that instead. Nirmala Dahal, whose husband has terminal cancer, is a farmer and the sole breadwinner of the family. With no other place to stay and unable to secure a loan, she has no choice but to move into her house frame using makeshift canvas for walls. As we were deliberating on how best to help, two anonymous donors approached us with a total gift of 4,430 USD to help these two ladies with their wall building. When we told them the news, they were elated beyond words and Shanta Maya shed tears of joy and relief!
House #12 Nirmala Dahal is currently using canvas for walls
The day we visited happened to be her 9 year old granddaughter’s birthday.
Thrilled to have so many surprise guests at her birthday party.
This visit has prompted us to relook at our rebuilding policy so as to enable needy widows and women like Shanta Maya and Nirmala Dahal build walls and complete their houses. Thank you for walking with us in empowering the needy!