Fundraising call: Deep bore well project, Kathmandu!

Kathmandu is once again in crisis. When we visited Asha and Devendra in January the conditions were dire. The Indian petrol blockade had crippled the country; our friends were cooking over a small fire, there were long electrical outages, people were freezing to death and the massive earthquake displacement camps were overflowing. It was worse than what I witnessed in 2009, and my heart broke for every family’s desperate story of barely surviving in the tragically altered physical and economic post-earthquake landscape. Throughout this journey, I held onto the comforting thought that at least the water was still flowing from the spigots, but last week Devendra broke the news to me that the water had stopped.

The groundwater has receded since 2009 and the well requires a new deep-bore drilling to 125ft, piping, and other materials and labour. The water from the will be potable, and Asha and Devendra will once again be able to help their community meet this basic need. They are still caring for 25 children, cooking over a fire, and leaving home in search of water for themselves and the vulnerable members of the community. Survival has become an all-consuming task.

The cost of the well is approximately $900 Canadian.

My husband and I have committed to Nepal for the long-haul and are in the process of starting a charity. It will take many months of jumping through bureaucratic hoops for that to happen, but these children and this community can’t wait. We need to help them now.

I am writing this to ask for your help. Many of you have helped us already, you have given the gift of food and shelter and medical attention and education to countless children in need. We are beyond grateful for the generosity of our beautiful friends in the West who have helped our beautiful friends in parts of the world that aren’t so fortunate. It is my sincere hope that we can raise $2,000 to dig the well, feed the kids, keep the families of the 25 poor children together in this time of crisis, and prevent abandonment in the orphanage system by parents who, without safe drinking water, choose orphanages because they don’t believe they can keep their children alive. The strain on these families and this community is incredible. Many have already lost their homes and livelihood in the earthquake and are already living in deplorable conditions, without gas to cook with or ways to keep warm. After watching people struggle to scrounge scraps of wood to use for cooking fuel, having no petrol or electricity, I can’t imagine the burden of losing access to water as well. The suffering and hardship is almost inconceivable to us in countries like Canada and the USA. Please consider helping us help them, and/or passing this message on. The cost of 2 cups of coffee can feed all 25 children today.

I will post the gift amounts on edited versions of this note to maintain transparency in the process. If you wish to remain anonymous please state so at the time of your donation.

We will post photos of the well and the children. Please keep them in your thoughts every time you reach for a faucet or use a stove or microwave today. Life gets so much harder than we know, but we can make it so much better. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Namaste,

- Kelly and Michael Davio

Donations collected:

Shirley $40

Sandie $25

Bobbie $40

Anonymous (S) $150

Cindy $100

Jacqui $200

Carol $50

Andrea $20

Robyn & friends $310

Lauren $40

Anonymous $30

Adrienne $1,020

Running Total: $2,025!

#charitableprojects #activecharity #volunteering