In late 2014 our family searched for and found a volunteer opportunity with a nonprofit in Nepal to help marginalized women and children and had planned a trip to Nepal that was canceled when the earthquake rocked Nepal on April 25th, 2015.
The devastating earthquake increased the daily challenge for the poor to survive and increased the opportunity for exploitation of women and children. Often when dealing with disasters of this magnitude, the short-term funds arrive quickly as do the volunteers but all too soon the volunteers leave and the money is spent.
Immediately after the earthquake we reached out to our new nonprofit friends in Nepal to see how we could help. We decided to organize a nonprofit that would have a long-term economic impact on the lives of women and their families by giving them the tools to compete in a global market.
We wanted our nonprofit work to be transparent. It is important to us that everyone know if they donate or buy a product from Hands of Nepal that their donation or purchase is going directly to help the women and their families in the Nepali weaving villages that made the product.
We wanted to create a nonprofit that would empower women and provide a lasting economic benefit instead of giving them charity. We also wanted to preserve the traditional Nepali art of weaving while creating jobs and increasing household incomes for the women weavers of Nepal. Once a Hands of Nepal woven product has been created and sold the proceeds from the sale will purchase the material needed for the next product to be made and provide a sustainable income for the artisan that made the product.
With your help we can help provide Nepali artisans the tools they need to compete in a global market which will increase the incomes and standard of living of many women and their families in Nepal. Thank you for your support.