#BeTheChange Nepal

Hello, I am the 2018 #BeTheChange ambassador for GSK.

About the project:

This project is called “Be The Change: Business Leaders on the Frontline” which as the name suggests is about taking people from the business world and using their skills to solve challenging, real-life problems in some of the poorest and most marginalised communities. On July 1st 2018 I will be joining renowned international aid worker, disaster management specialist, author, social entrepreneur and inspirational speaker, Linda Cruse on the frontline in Nepal. It’s an 8 day total trip so minimal time but maximal impact project.

Why you should donate:

Firstly this trip is generously funded by GSK so 100% of the fundraising is purely for me to take over and choose where it is spent after meeting with the villagers. This project is about providing strategic ideas for sustainable economic and social uplift. Help is provided by using a ‘hand up’ business-led approach not a hand out. Recovery takes time and there is a set process of selecting the most vulnerable families who will qualify for assistance for an income generating project. The assistance comes from your donations, and could be something specific like a goat ($50), candle making equipment ($150), community mill chiller ($2,500), stove or gas cylinder ($120), 100 chickens ($100). This is a unique opportunity to donate your money to something specific or make a smaller donation that will equally be greatly appreciated.

I will be based in a Buddhist village called Chelsa. Nestled on a Himalayan hillside and home to 100 families. Chelsa is one of the many traditional farming villages which punctuate the landscape, rich in culture, religious references, and ancient monasteries. The village is small and remote, set in a sacred environment which sees few outsiders. The landscape is diverse, fields of waving barley, tender kiwi fruit, and vibrant green watercress growing in the wetlands, against a majestic backdrop of mountains. Nearby lies Nepal’s largest Tibetan monastery called Thupten Choling Monastery which is home to 900 monks and nuns where we will have the honour of being immersed in their sacred and traditional ways.

A project like this will be life changing both personally and professionally, I absolutely feel like I am in the best position to help people that need it, I can relate to their grief and resilience. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generosity in wanting to help those less fortunate. I can’t wait to share my journey with you all.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world”– Mahatma Gandhi