We all know we're privileged. We know that there are lots of people out there with way less than us. Our mothers even used them against use in that childhood battleground of the dining table; "there are starving children in Africa you know! They'd eat that cabbage and be grateful!". But despite the fact that we are all very aware of our privilege it doesn't stop any of us, myself very much included, wanting more, not appreciating what we have, and being grumpy about tiny things like train delays, IT issues and Christmas bonuses. Going to Nepal was eye opening. Yes, I knew I was privileged and that these people had less. Yes I knew they'd been through trying times with poverty and the earthquake. That's exactly why I was fundraising, running and giving my time. What, and yes I am aware this is a massive cliché but it's true none-the-less, I learnt in Nepal really was about embracing, enjoying, and being proud of what you have. On our 1st full day in Nepal James & I woke early, and with the rest of the Global Action Nepal supporters we had an exciting taxi journey through Kathmandu to Shree Chuni Devi Lower Secondary School. We were welcomed by the children with flowers & blessings, shown around the school and treated to a traditional Nepalese dance show. The school was damaged in the April 2015 earthquake & GAN have supported the rebuild process and provided rainwater harvesting & filtration so the school has a water supply. The school, its staff, and the children were all wonderful and incredibly welcoming. What really amazed me though was the women. I didn't realise, but GAN don't just support the schools themselves, but the communities surrounding them. It's this holistic approach that really increases school attendance and retention rates so that far more children have access to education. In this case the women had been suffering extreme poverty, or in the earthquake they had lost their homes, husbands or livelihoods. GAN had given them grants. Tiny amounts of money to us, five or ten pounds at most. With that money they had been able to buy seeds to grow vegetables, or construction materials for their homes or vegetable tunnels, or they had bought livestock like a goat or some chickens. These small changes had returned these women to self-sufficiency, meaning they were then able to reliably feed their children, and send them to school. These women were awesome, in the strictest sense of the word. They had nothing. They had lost everything. Now they had just enough to scrape by, and they were so cheerful. So strong, and proud, and so generous. They insisted on preparing some of their own sourfruit with chilli, salt & sugar for us to try, and it was delicious. It tasted of spice, freedom, happiness & hard earned pride. If these women can be so full of smiles in the circumstances they are in, then I can certainly be more cheerful about any circumstance I find myself in. They have taught me that.
And if they can be so kind and sharing when they have so little then we can perhaps all dig a little deeper with our own generosity. And just in case this post has inspired your own generosity, I am still fundraising here.
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AuthorChloe is running 1000 miles to raise money for Global Action Nepal. She's also an engineer and a Mum. Archives
August 2017
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