Viti Simmons Home Page

Day 5

Finally about to arrive... 

We have a delightful young woman who has joined our group from Germany. Naline's link to Hands with Hands is through volunteering work in two of the organisations Childrens Orphanage: Bhaktapur near Kathmandu and the Annapurna in Pokhara were we are currently. Naline's educational background is in Waldorfschule (Rudolph Steiner) which has been very influential in her engagement with social things. Students from this educational background are connected to social projects. The learn and see philosophy.

Naline heard Kira Kay speak about Hands with Hands when she was 13 at a festival so it was that connection that has linked her to HwH in Nepal now.

Naline at 'The Farm' 

Naline and Erin negotiating taxi cost for our trip to the Annapurna Orphanage.

Arriving at the Annapurna Orphanage. It has been 4 years an 9 months since I last visited. Very exciting to see Sarada who runs the orphanage and the mothers who assist her. There are 32 children at this orphanage and all receive a private school education. Obviously,  will not be able to share the whole picture of their self-sustaining business model. However, what I can tell you is it is amazing on so many levels.

A short video captured as we arrive at the Annapurna Children's Home.

So special to meet up with this Sarada 

who has run the orphanage from its inception.

The following Images are self-sustainability practices at the Orphanage where they have leased the home and land. The following activities alongside growing their own vegetables (surplus sold at the markets) are: producing their own milk and selling compost from their block to the local community.

 Compost generated at the orphanage is sold

Erin capturing the moment.

Water source for the cows.

Twenty minute walk into the more rural area to visit 'The Farm'. This has been a vision of Sarada's with the support of Kira Kay and Dipendra KC, Co-Founders of Hands with Hands. Considerable work, planning and local community support has gone into this development over time. It is not possible to capture the 'whole' but are sharing some photos from this special afternoon.

Viti crossing the bridge to the farm.

Arrival at the farm - being greeted by the woman who lives at The Farm house. 

 View from the front of The Farm house.

Erin heading to the top section of the farm. 

The women have planted 500 fruit and nut trees such as: guava, orange, pear, macadamia, mango and citrus. The surrounding fields have mainly rice and millet in this rural pocket. Kira was having discussion with two visitors with backgrounds and expertise in architecture and rammed earth buildings to view The Farm at the same time we were there.

Pranathi with Erin and Viti. She initially worked in Commercial Architecture then Landscape Architecture. Pranathi was educated in India.