The Esther Benjamin’s Trust was set up in 1999 and has led the way in the provision of full-time residential childcare in Nepal focusing solely on improving the lives of Nepal’s most vulnerable children and young people.

These children and young people include:  

• Children of prisoners previously forced to live alongside their convicted parents in Nepali jails

• Former street children

• Survivors of child trafficking whom we have rescued from Indian circuses

• ‘At-risk’ children: siblings of trafficked children still living in trafficking-prone areas

• Conflict-affected children  

How I Became Involved Since back2thewall gallery opened in 2007 it has made a concerted effort to source fair trade and handmade products, one company that we buy from is Hatti Trading, who set up in 2005 selling various goods including leather bags made by the young women of Nepal.

   “All the bags have been handmade by survivors of human trafficking or disadvantaged women in Nepal under Fair Trade conditions. We use natural materials and have sourced locally wherever possible to reduce carbon footprint.
Hatti bags provide a viable economic alternative to the flesh trade and a route to reintegration for women stigmatised and outcast from their communities” Hatti Trading  

The buffalo leather collection that the gallery holds is unique to Hatti.  They are all hand cut and individually sewn and these bags are still as popular today as they were two years ago. Any customer who has bought one will agree that they just get better and better with time.

 Fair Trade empowers disadvantaged young women to make choices when these young women are initially returned from a horrific life of abuse, they find themselves outcast from their communities, branded ‘unclean’ and unwanted with no future to look forward to; they are at very high risk of being re-trafficked.  However, through Fair Trade employment they often find themselves the highest income earner in a family and able to provide a valuable contribution, resulting in many of the girls being invited to live with relatives locally.  The difference is that the girls are empowered to make a choice, they are no longer desperate for acceptance, and they are valued and feel valued.  

You Can Make A Difference On the 26th March 2010; Diane from the back2thewall gallery will be joining members from Hatti Trading on their annual trek to Nepal to visit these women. The Annapurna Tea House Trek starts in Kathmandu, there we will embark on a 9 day trek through the stunning Himalayan mountains, visiting local villages including survivors of human trafficking who through the trust have been provided a viable economic alternative to the flesh trade.

I would like to raise £1000 to take with me to enable the rural craft co operatives to rescue and rehabilitate more of these women.  

I will be trying to raise funds through a number of activities including a "Closed Auction" We have a number of generously donated gifts from artists on display in the gallery soon to be posted on facebook.  

PLEASE HELP US RAISE MONEY BY MAKING A DONATION.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now..... Thank you Diane Thornton xx

The Trek

Day 1) 30.03.10 Bus from Kathmundu to Pokhara (if I survive the bus journey stay in hotel)

Day 2) 31.03.10 1 Hour bus journey to Kande. Walk Kande to Tolka stay in Tea House (our first tea house)

Day 3) 01.04.10 Tolka walk Ghinua arrive to take a relaxing dip in the hot springs, stay in Tea House (Luxury)

Day 4) 02.04.10 Ghinua walk to Chomrong, stay in Tea House (almost half way)

Day 5) Chomrong walk to Ghandruk, stay Tea House

Day 6) Gandruk walk Tadopani, stay in Tea House (Happy Easter)

Day 7) Tadopani walk to Ghorepani, stay in Tea House (Will be in desperate need of a shower)

Day 8) Dawn ascent of Poon Hill, Ghorepani walk to Tikhedhunga (downhill all the way) stay Tea House

Day 9) Tikhedhunga walk to Biretanti (Stop for a swim in the waterfull) Board bus back to Pokhara stay in Hotel

Day 10) Flight from Pokhara back to Katmandu

Day 11) Sleep!!!