The Asha Project changes lives. Helping to rebuild homes and delivering school supplies impacts the people of Nepal immediately for the better. The Nepal Earthquake that struck Nepal in May, 2015 killed over nine thousand people, injured more than twenty-two thousand, and left hundreds of thousands of people homeless. Whole villages were leveled. The Asha Project works to help these people still struggling to rebuild. ASHA means “Hope” in Nepali language.
More than reconstructing buildings, the project enriches lives by making connections between volunteers and those helped. The Friends of Nepal-NJ organizes trips for people to participate in the Asha Project. While it sounds like a major endeavor, Americans traveling half-way around the globe to help people they never met, it is also something elegantly simple, one person easing the suffering of another.
Sebastian is one such person. He recently travelled to Nepal to serve. While there Sebastian helped deliver school supplies. Many children now have a better chance of getting the quality education needed for them to succeed in life. Sebastian sowed the seeds for the future of Nepal. One of the highlights of his trip took place about an hour outside of Pokhara. The children waited hours in the hot sun waiting for over forty bags of school supplies. After waiting for hours the children looked weary. It was almost a test of endurance for them to sit there.
Then the time came. A ceremony surrounded the gifting of each package to the children. As the ceremony started the fatigue dropped away and both children and parents perked up with renewed energy. The happiness and gratitude beamed from their faces. The ceremony varied from school to school but each reflected the joy and humble thanks for the aid. These moments resonated within Sebastian, enriching his life.
The connections made between Sebastian and the people he helped, in many ways, are more important than the supplies given out or the construction. The overwhelming kindness shown by people like Sujan Regmi, who helped organize the trip in Nepal, made the trip possible. Sujan performed every act with joy, from orchestrating where volunteers would eat to making sure they could attend church services. The warm welcomes made the service no work at all, but acts of love.
As Sebastian put it,“We sat down and began waiting for the bus and occasionally snapped some pictures of the people around us. Two young girls began to fill around 20 empty liters full of water. After a few moments I joined in and began helping them. The one aspect of this act of kindness was that there was no formal thank you’s, no picture taking, no formal ceremony ( which were all good and healthy); just a human helping another human. This moment was why I went on the trip; I have found that on this trip the informal acts of kindness not recognized by all seemed to be the most impactful moments in my own life.”
The Asha Project brings people together to change lives. The help that volunteers give improve the lives of children in Nepal, and it imparts deep connections to those who give their time and energy. Please reach out to the Friends of Nepal – NJ or The Asha Project to see how you can participate. The Asha Project is putting together a English illustrated book entitled “I CAN DO IT” Ma Garna Sakchu” to distribute to Nepalese students to learn English. If you like to support this project, please contact us or you can donate here.
The Asha Project 