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Our first priority is to get the start-up funded and and our gifts made. Each of our trainees are specializing in just one stlye. We have their bios and pictures up on our page. Donors can look at our hats being modeled by our knitters, each proudly wearing their own handiwork. We are asking for donations of just $30 (plus $15 shipping/handling) and will be sending hat/glove sets as 'thank you' gifts. Our donors will be able to select the style and colors they want. Here's our youtube video demonstrating our backpack you can have sent with your donation for an additional $15, about 50% its retail value in Europe. https://youtu.be/6mnc1EXivo8
How our money is to be disbursed:
Approximately 1/3 to 1/2 of the proceeds are used for expenses. After a small portion for each woman to save a little bit we will help 7 of these women and any who enter into our program in the future with such a need, with assistance in rebuilding their earthquake-damaged homes. Then the rest of the money will be used for our village projects.
There was a kind tourist who came to Changunarayan and made so many connections we all felt like he belonged here. He noticed a young man, a cook at a nearby guesthouse, who had lost his home during the earthquakes of 2015 and was still living in an earthquake shelter. The man had a wife and baby and the baby had been in the hospital several times due to diarehea and dehydration from the living conditions. The young man was such a hard worker and easy to get along with that our volunteer inspired others in the village to help this family with a home. Altogether, we collected 3,000 euro and the family has a safer place to raise their baby.
As time goes on, we hope to have an additional little bit for our own hardship fund to be used by members for micro-loans and hardship gifts.
We are also working on getting connections with high-end boutiques whereby we can provide non-sweatshop, above average paying jobs in Nepal and exceptional values for our western partners and donors.
Our vision for Changunarayan Village:
We hope first to help people rebuild after the earthquakes and then do projects for village beautification. We hope to help farmers transition from low-end produce to fruit trees and other higher yield crops.
Additionally, we hope to help women with female issues, such as prolapsed uterus and fibroid cysts. There is a high number of women with such issues that could be taken care of for well under $500. This is often a low priority in the family, as they would need to borrow on their land, therefore, most women suffer in silence. We hope to sponsor women's health seminars and similar such programs.
It's been the long-term goal of Kay Garnay for Nepal to encourage and help farmers to transition to organic, higher yield crops through projects such as a tool lending project, village recycling project, natural outdoor lighting, etc. Give us just 2 years and come to Changunarayan in 2020. It will be the highlight of your time in Nepal. Ultimately, we hope to make Changunarayan a 'Butterfly Village' worthy of a visit from every tourist coming to Nepal.
One of our long term goals is to promte and support Nepal's manufacturing industry. The idea is to change the society's dialogue. Presently, Nepal has a large import fee/tariff on imported items, but the people think the western goods like Sony and Panasonic are better, even when they cost 30% more than products manufactured or assembled in Nepal like CG and Wega. We, at Star View Guest House are commited to buying only Nepali mad products and will be using the logo here to make stickers for buses, etc.