Funding for A New Start

December 6, 2009

Well, we have been dropping enough hints and now we can spill the beans! The Australian Embassy, representing the Australian Government in Nepal, have a grant program called the Direct Aid Program which provides small one-off grants to specific programs all over the world. Some months ago, in very close consultation with the ladies we [...]

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November signs

November 24, 2009

Living in the Terai region of Nepal, you never really forget that trafficking is a tragic and frightening reality for many. I travel to Birtamod by bus along the East West Highway. At various points on the three-hour trip signs like these appear beside the road. BE CAREFUL The signs warn that when you marry, [...]

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Sushila’s story (Sushila is 22 years old and unmarried)

November 13, 2009

I live in Jhapa in Eastern Nepal. My family members are very hard working and dedicated and even though we were poor we were very happy. Our sorrows started when my brother got married. His was a love marriage and we didn’t know about it until he came home with his new bride. He is [...]

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Anjana’s story (Anjana is 26 years old)

November 3, 2009

I have been married for 9 years and have one son who is 8 years old. My husband’s family are farmers. There are 4 sons in the family and all are married. We all lived together in his parents’ small home (Ed: Maximum of 4 rooms). Right from the beginning of our marriage, even though [...]

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Packing and unpacking

October 26, 2009

Well, nearly 200 scarves, over 20 apron sets, countless potholders and mitts, many, many necklaces, bangles and earrings and a change of undies can be squeezed into three suitcases and weigh under our combined baggage allowance of 60 kgs. Just. It is humanly possible and all those Sammunat products lovingly made over the last six [...]

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Kopila and the story of “K”

September 15, 2009

I am Kopila Basnet. I have a husband and three daughters.  I live in Jhapa with my extended family.  My family, my two brothers-in-law and their families and my parents-in-law share my husband’s father’s house in Birtamod. When I started my career as a lawyer it was very hard for me to establish myself because [...]

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A Day at the Office

September 3, 2009

Our office is situated metres from the edge of the busy East West Highway which is filled with gaily painted trucks with musical horns, beeping cars, belching buses, motorbikes, pushbikes, rickshaws, cows, goats and brave pedestrians. The road runs through Nepal’s plains (Terai) region and connects Kathmandu and the Indian border at Kakkabhitta, just 17 [...]

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Teej and henna inspirations

August 26, 2009

Last month was Shrawan, the month in which the monsoon began (albeit a little late) and the month where ladies wear green saris or green kurta surwals and gorgeous green and orange jewelry. It is also the month to get elaborate and imaginative henna designs painted on your hands and arms. You can do your [...]

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Website magic

August 18, 2009

It has been an amazing time since our website launched. For those living in computer blessed countries where nearly every home has one, where broadband is the norm and where the connection is fast and reliable, it may be hard to convey the impact of the birth of our website. Some of the ladies were [...]

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First post…many thanks

July 2, 2009

You are reading this thanks to the support and encouragement of so many people from the local and international community. As we have said elsewhere, the very existence of this longed for website is due to the hard work, talent and generosity of Cynthia Tinapple of Ohio, US. Thanks too, to the following people who [...]

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