Putting Down Roots

This article below is from my favorite charity LWR (Lutheran World Relief).  See:

http://lwr.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=dmJXKiOYJgI6G&b=7535491&ct=13600533&utm_campaign=eNews&utm_source=16_January_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Learn%20Morew%20Text%20Link

Whenever I have an opportunity to donate to LWR, I do so, because I know the majority of the donation is going to the cause and not to overhead and fees.  I'd encourage you to consider the same!  Here's a bee-related sustainability project they have in Nepal. -Dr. Kathy

Putting Down Roots

By Nikki Massie

Lutheran World Relief has officially opened our own office in Nepal, making it possible to reach even more people with long-term, sustainable development projects.

Lutheran World Relief has worked in Nepal since 2009, in partnership with Lutheran World Federation (LWF), reaching out to marginalized people and helping them to grow food, support their families and prepare for and cope with natural disasters.

“As LWR has begun to increase both the number and scale of our programs in Nepal, it was important to establish our own office to better coordinate our work with local partners and the government,” said Nicole Hark, LWR’s deputy director for Asia & the Middle East.

The opening of the new office means that LWR can expand its work into more remote areas of Nepal and bring what we’ve learned from past successes.

Like that of Dhanbir Thada. His family struggled for years to grow food on a small parcel of land. Unfortunately, they could only produce enough to feed the family for three months each year.

With the help of an LWR project, Dhanbir received training on beekeeping, which is a traditional activity in the area that has the potential for a more sustainable income. One special skill he’s learned is how to transfer hives from the forest to his village, where they can be better maintained. With this new skill, Dhanbir has not just one new source of income but two. He is able to sell the honey produced by his own bees, and one day he hopes to make a profit by transferring hives from the forest for fellow community beekeepers.

“I am doing this not only for my family but the entire village depends on me for this transfer,” Dhanbir says.

This is exactly the kind of life-changing support LWR looks forward to offering to more people in Nepal. Kiran Ojha, LWR’s country director for Nepal said, “... our registration ensures LWR’s ability to scale up our work and helps us to better serve additional poor and marginalized populations in realizing their full potential.”

Thank you for your support of LWR. Because you invest in our sustainable development approach, we look forward to a long, productive future in Nepal. With your help, we’re putting down roots and helping people discover their own paths out of poverty and into futures brimming with promise.

Nikki Massie is LWR’s Staff Writer.