Nepal Appeal Update & Christmas Wishes
As we end the year and many of us finish work and prepare for the Christmas festivities, a quick update of the year and what we have achieved as a result of your tremendous support.
As you know, 8 months ago, as a result of the Earthquake that shattered Nepal we started a UK registered Charity to support what we knew would be along term recovery for the worst hit regions and those that live there. With 25 years personal experience across the country and one of these regions being a place I call my second home, the aim was to try and raise £25,000 by the end of the year to support a few homes and community projects. Through the Charity we hosted a number of fund raising events through the year from bike rides to music festivals and summer balls, and to all those that came and supported we thank you sincerely, they were a great success.
Some of the children at the completed school with our colleagues overseeing the projects
These events helped us to raise the target funds of £25,000 early so we then upped the challenge to raise £50,000 by Christmas.
What we did not expect or anticipate was overwhelming public response and support for the Appeal, by not just those donating or support the events we put on, but for so many to donate and arrange their own fund raising events as well. The Nepal Appeal ‘Just Giving’ site is a testament to this with people from all over the UK donating from personal donations to coffee mornings from sponsored walks to swimming Lake windermere!
This public response has enabled the Charity to exceed its second target and reach a pre Christmas total of £55,000 - truly amazing and humbling.
Over the last 8 months I have made two personal visits to Nepal, the first within 10 days of the events to support my Nepalese friends and colleagues and to set up a means to ensure the money raised would go directly to those rural communities that were most affected and most in need of support. My second visit was in September after Monsoon had passed and allowed the rural building work to restart. I spend time in the rural areas of Sindupolchok visiting each and every home we have now rebuilt and visiting the first school project and its seeing its new foundations going down, ensuring the money you have helped to raise reaches those that most need it.
Happy to be back at School!
With this first school now completed and our target constantly increasing we will continue to help those rural areas and currently have an additional three schools being funded by The Nepal Appeal. I’ll be heading through Nepal in the New Year and will be spending time checking on the progress of the projects currently funded and ensure the money you worked hard to raise go directly to support this, as well as looking at the long term support for the schools being built in terms of facilities, welfare and ongoing education - and if the funds keep coming, we’ll keep building!
Smiles, laughter and tears of joy, thanks to you!
Nepal’s had a tough time not just with the Earthquake but the following Monsoon season and the current political problems that are hindering its recovery and rebuild. However, I can honestly say that I have seen the projects you have helped to fund, met the people who’s lives you have helped to change and to put this into words of what this means to them, is impossible. But, to be able to tell someone they are having a new home or their child a new school, funded by people they have never met from the other side of the world - and that they have not been forgotten as the media reports fade, has produced laughter of disbelief, beautiful smiles and tears of joy from each and every one of them (thats me included!).
Thank you from all of those you have helped!
On behalf of all of the trustees, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you who have supported the Nepal Appeal our overwhelming thanks. I’ll be updating the blog in the New Year with footage and photos of the projects being supported, as well as information about how you can join us by coming out to Nepal in the spring to help with one of the School projects we are supporting. Until then we would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
They want to thank you too!
Nameste
Ant