I’ve been reviewing all of our projects in Nepal ~ WOW! We have a lot!
I’m so excited for the new year and taking some time to reflect and see what the needs are exactly for our projects. I’m grateful for the journey ~ it’s been amazing.

❤ Namasté 4 months ago

It has been a really strange few months…well, year, for me personally…but, I’ve finally decided at the 11th hour that I am going to go ahead and go to Nepal this summer. It was a combination of things that ‘helped’ me decide, but ultimately, there is a lot of work to be done and I need to go and do it.

I’m now terribly excited and I have million things to take care of before, during, and after…but of course, I love it all, so it’s fun.

I will be offering a Writing Workshop to both teachers and students in the schools and villages where we have scholarship students & libraries. I love teaching writing and they are all mostly very eager to learn so it’s a win/win situation.

I’m so excited because on this trip I will get to work with one of my heroes, Anuradha Koirala, and the young women within her organization. This is a great honor for me…and I’m grateful for this opportunity.

:)

so much to do ~ I’m beyond excited at the thought of seeing all the children and being with them. 10 months ago

I have been documenting my/our process since the beginning of NNHHC ~ Really, this organization came into ‘being’ because of you, my friends, here on 43T and my family and friends in my everyday life. But, really, I found the courage and the strength to move forward with this labor of love because of people here, who believed in me and the cause.

I have shared my entire process here ~ and we have been successful because of the people who have learned about our work and who have gone above and beyond to help us raise money for scholarships, libraries, and helping the children in Nepal.

It has been my passion, my never-ending labor of love that has brought many gifts into my life. We have made a huge difference (and kept them from slavery ~ whether domestic or sex-slave trade) for 120 girls and now boys (we are now giving scholarships to boys)... we have made a huge difference in the lives of the community members who visit the libraries and who know that there are people in the world who truly care about them.

I have personally experienced a few difficult and heartbreaking lessons and survived the ugliness of those who are ‘in the nonprofit’ world for other reasons than merely trying to ‘help’, but for their own fame and glory and don’t get in their way because they will ‘murder’ you ~ if not physically then they will try to murder your character and spirit. (Luckily ~ the truth prevails and if you meet hate with Love, Love will Win in the END.) But, the battle was still hard…

It has been a wild and good hard ride so far, and I do not regret it for one moment.

We recently had a Nepali volunteer go to Nepal (she lives in the USA now). She volunteered for us for about 60 hours where she visited the libraries and interacted with students and librarians, brought supplies, and helped to pack and deliver scholarships to the students in the different villages where our kids are located. I’m grateful for the candid report she wrote about her volunteer process.

But something she wrote hit me so hard ~ that it made me cry for a good five minutes

Here are her words:

_{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}

“I know NNHHC is going through some tough times but I am confident that with the leaders like you two, it will come out of it in flying colors. We will have to, since the children in Nepal needs you, needs us.

In summary, what an inspiring trip this was. I am inspired by those children I was able to meet and speak to as well as those  who  even  though  I  didn’t  get  to  meet  them, was making every effort to go to school and trying to make a better life for them, for their family and their community. I am touched by those  parents  and  families  like  Bindiya’s,  who  are  trying  their  best  to  improve  their  lives  so  their  children   can have a better life. Bindiya’s  father  is  an  alcoholic  who has given up drinking or the last 6 months so he can be supportive of his daughter. I am touched by the sacrifices the families are making, like Ganga Jamuna’s  mother,  so their children can have a better life. Despite personal problems and humiliation, she is still living in the village just so her son and daughters can get the best education. I am inspired by the work NNHHC is doing for the education of the children, their communities and their social welfare. Thank You for your dedication and personal sacrifices you have made for the children of Nepal. Namaste!!!

_{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}~

What got me was this sentence:

“I know NNHHC is going through some tough times but I am confident that with the leaders like you two, it will come out of it in flying colors. We will have to, since the children in Nepal needs you, needs us.

As I read that sentence I felt the earnest weight of her words ~ the children in Nepal need us ~ they really need us. We cannot fail them… and we won’t. 12 months ago

I am currently exploring different grants to apply for NNHHC.
I’m hopeful we will be able to find some and receive additional help for our scholarships and projects!

:)

13 months ago

I need/want to plan a B-day party for NNHHC….
I just have to find the time, space, and details!

:) 15 months ago

So far, I think this has been successful goal. I know for sure that some things can be improved upon, but overall, I feel very happy with the path NNHHC has taken and what we have been able to accomplish with the help of so many friends.

The idea of NNHHC began in Dec. 2009 and as I flew back from Nepal on that Jan. 2010 I had planned already to take the first steps to create an official non-profit to continue and expand our work in Nepal. By Aug. 2010 we had submitted all of our paperwork and received tax exempt status in the USA! That was an exciting day for us because then we could offer our donors another bonus to their donations ~ no tax!

We have had numerous friends host and sponsor events for us from around the world ~ many from 43T have used their gifts, passions, and talents to spread the word & raise enough money to build and open 2 libraries so far and provide countless scholarships. They have helped spread awareness about the children in Nepal and how we can help keep them safe from Human Trafficking & also help offer hope to them through education & literacy.

What a great journey!

As the ‘leader’ of NNHHC it’s time to step back and make a list of what needs to be done to continue the work we’ve done so far. This entire journey has been one of growth for me personally as well. I’ve learned a lot ~ I’ve met so many people near and far, I’ve been able to share my process with my university students and my elementary students and that has been a blessing. I think the message is that that Margaret Mead’s quote is correct:

I’m not sure if I should or need to mark this goal as ‘done’ ~ I think initially it is ‘done’, but there is so much more to be done <3

:)

h.g. 18 months ago