Friends of Nepal Annual Appeal Letter
November 2021
Namaste, Saathiharu!
Thank You for Your Commitment
Friends of Nepal wishes to acknowledge and thank you as dedicated supporters and current, or future, contributors. Your donations allow us to operate the annual Small Grants Program, which provides grant funding to community development projects across Nepal.
For the last several years, FoN has sustained a “Let Girls Learn” initiative by partnering with groups that support girls’ education and women’s livelihoods. Selected projects have ranged from early childhood development, to job skills training for women, to the delivery of laptops and internet service in classrooms. And in 2021, during the Covid pandemic, we turned our attention to humanitarian aid.
Whatever the focus, the FoN Grants Committee has sought to work with grassroots organizations that have a longstanding relationship to the target area and its community members. FoN will continue to uphold this goal and advocate for the people of Nepal as we move into a new year. But, in doing so, we will address some additional looming challenges that Nepal is facing. In 2022, the Grants Committee will consider proposals related to climate change, conservation, and sustainability.
Climate Change, Conservation, and Sustainability
Over the years, many of our selected projects have overlapped with environmental causes. For example, one of our partner organizations, Himalayan Healthcare, is providing agricultural training in northern Dhading to women who have suffered from the economic fallout caused by the Covid pandemic. Not only does this benefit the environment, it also supports the entrepreneurial pursuits of women as they work to recover from the losses of this past year. The Grants Committee understands that these issues are interconnected, and we appreciate the value of a holistic approach to community development.
Climate change and environmental damage loom large in the agricultural and economic fate of Nepal. Every Volunteer has at one time or another witnessed villages scramble to repair the damage caused by heavy rainfall or a landslide. Earlier this year a USAID spokesperson remarked, “… erosion from mountains, heavy monsoon rains, uncontrolled burning, and forest fires make the country especially vulnerable to climate change. Climate change poses a direct threat to Nepal’s remarkable biodiversity and cultural diversity.”
Here are examples of important questions that
the Grants Committee will keep in mind as it
considers proposals in 2022:
● Climate Change - How can an agrarian nation like Nepal feed itself as climate change occurs?
● Conservation – How can Nepal’s incredible breadth of wildlife and ecosystems be taken into consideration in helping to stabilize the environment?
● Sustainability - How can people minimize the destructive impact of human activity in Nepal?
You Can Help
There are several ways to get involved with FoN initiatives and our Small Grants Program:
1. Join FoN or renew your membership. Your membership fee really makes a difference.
2. Make a donation. Most of our budget comes from contributions, large and small. We are a 501(c) charity and all donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.
3. If you are involved with a Nepali organization that fits our grants theme, sponsor them or help them submit a proposal.
4. Ask your employer about a donation matching program.
Every contribution adds directly and significantly to the FoN pool of funds available for effective community projects.
Thank you in advance for your assistance and especially for helping the people of Nepal. For more information, please email info@friendsofnepal.com or grants@friendsofnepal.com
With much gratitude and best wishes for this holiday season and for an auspicious New Year,
Dan Donaghue N-47
President, Friends of Nepal
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You can donate to this Annual Appeal in one of two ways:
● Go to our website at www.friendsofnepal.com and click on the “Donate” button. (You can join FoN or renew your membership there as well by clicking on the “Membership” tab.) or
● Send a check (made out to Friends of Nepal) to: Suzie Schneider, FoN Treasurer, 181 Mary Jo Lane, Sequim, WA 98382.