On my resent trip to Nepal I was fortunate enough to be welcomed into the family home of who had been the guide for my trek, Arjun, and who has now become a dear friend of mine.
Located in a remote village in the district of Dhading, this entire area was severely hit by the devastating 2015 earthquake! Sadly, this village was no exception and what I actually visited was a pile of rubble with the hint of what was once a happy family home. Next to this they have been able to create a somewhat make-shift home, made from tin slats. They've been living in this for a year now with no chance of being able to rebuild.
Arjun and his two brothers, Akash (14yrs) and Ambir (15yrs) heartbreakingly lost their dad a year before the earthquake, and his mum, Sita lost her husband. This also means they have no head of the family to bring in an income. Any money they have comes from the money Arjun sends home from being a part-time trekking guide, the rest of the time he is putting himself through college in Kathmandu.
To meet this family is to meet true kindness and selflessness, and what upsets me most is that they welcomed me in with no questions, no expectations, they simply wanted to meet me and share a snippet of their life with me. I left feeling as though I was leaving family. Taking a final glimpse back as I said goodbye, I could see the remains of what was once their home, and I felt a pang of sadness I've never felt before. Imagine losing everything, but then imagine the feeling of never being able to replace that, first their dad, and then their home - the thought overwhelms me. I decided that I needed to do something, anything to try and help! Which is why I've decided to put this fundraiser together. With the help of all of you, your friends, your family, we can absolutely raise the money we need to rebuild. From the bottom of my heart I thank you for your donation, no matter how big or small - every penny will go towards changing an entire family's life.