Travel report - visit to Nepal 2024

After more than 20 hours of travel, we arrived tired in Kathmandu. There we were warmly welcomed by Narayan and taken to our small Airbnb apartment, which was just outside of Thamel. Our hosts, a loving couple, were incredibly welcoming. Hari would have spoken French perfectly - unfortunately not my strong suit - but we were able to communicate well in English.

We spent three nights in Kathmandu, showing the children around the city and visiting friends. The two of them did great, even though everything was new to them: the hustle and bustle, the smells, the noise. They really absorbed the energy of the city, which really challenged us as parents. We visited some sights, met old friends and immersed ourselves in this exciting, foreign world together.

Conditions in caste and comparison with Grang

65 families live in Kaste and cope with their everyday lives in a challenging environment. When we included the village in the goat project, we initially divided it into two groups because we didn't believe we could provide so many animals and donations at once. But thanks to the great support, especially from the Lions Club Hochwald-Hermeskeil (DE), we were finally able to raise enough funds to support all families at the same time.

However, obtaining the animals was a big challenge. Our experiences from the village of Grang, which we supported a few years ago, were instructive. In Grang we had sourced goats from distant areas, which was problematic for some animals - particularly because of the cold and wet climate on the northern slope, where they could not thrive optimally. This time we decided to only get animals from the immediate vicinity of Kaste. However, the large number of goats required – including two breeding rams that had to be “equally good” to avoid jealousy – still made the organization extremely difficult.

Three men worked for almost two months to ensure that all the animals arrived in the village on time. Their work was intensive: animals had to be selected, checked, transported and distributed. For their tireless efforts, they received a salary of 400 CHF, which they shared.

Kaste itself is located in the Dhading region - a region that is lush but characterized by steep slopes. Villagers do not have direct access to a water source, meaning they have to travel long distances to fetch water. Growing rice is also difficult in this area, which further complicates the food supply.

The village is spread out, but community is very important here. In difficult times, the family that is doing best helps the others - no one is left behind. What is particularly noteworthy is the strong solidarity among women, who often have to cope with everyday life without male support. Single parents or widowed women are accepted into the village community, so that female faces are clearly in the majority here.

Despite the difficult living conditions, people in caste have impressive resilience and solidarity, which has shown us once again how important and effective projects like this are.

The ceremony

This time the goats had already been distributed in the village before we arrived, so we were immediately presented with a wonderful picture: many happy faces, proud with their new animals. We were warmly welcomed and sat down in a decorated square where traditional flower wreaths were hung around us - a gesture of gratitude and appreciation that touched us deeply. Our twins were also included. The Nepalese love children, and so the two quickly became the center of events. Everyone wanted to pick her up or at least touch her briefly. This warm but unusual closeness was too much for one of our daughters, and my husband withdrew a little with her to give her a little break. The other daughter bravely stayed at my side and took in the colorful hustle and bustle with wide eyes.

Narayan, our long-time friend and on-site coordinator, began the ceremony with a speech. He welcomed the villagers, explained the background of our association and listed WIR BEWEGEN 's previous projects. His words got us thinking - it's incredible how much we've achieved together in the last few years.

Then things got celebratory: the names of the beneficiaries were read from a list and each person came forward with their animal to show us. In Grang a few years ago I had the opportunity to photograph every animal and its owner. This time it was a little more chaotic - with a six-year-old girl at my side who asked curious questions and at the same time needed a lot of attention. She did a really great job, but it was still a challenge to keep track. In addition, I had adjusted the camera incorrectly because of my excitement, which made me really uncomfortable. Unfortunately there is not a photo of every animal - a big sorry to all donors! Nevertheless, during the speeches I was able to see the list and confirm the number of people and animals: there were actually 65 goats and 2 breeding rams that were proudly presented to us.

After introducing the animals, the speaker from the first group took the floor. She thanked all donors who made this great goat donation possible. It is a gift that the villagers could use very well in the future and that will help them to better cope with the challenges of everyday life.

Afterwards we were invited to a lovingly prepared buffet. I have rarely enjoyed such a rich and delicious dal bhat in Nepal - and to the delight of our children, there were even French fries.

After we had fortified ourselves, we visited two families who told us their stories. Two generous donors donated a significant amount of money through crowdfunding to support the stories of these families. It was very moving to hear about their experiences and circumstances. The paths between the houses led through a small jungle on a steep slope, which we had to struggle to conquer - a symbol of the challenges that people here overcome every day.

Time in Bhumesthan

After our stay in Kaste, we got back in the jeep and headed to Bhumesthan. The journey over the bumpy track took a good hour and, as always, demanded our full attention and patience. When we arrived it was still relatively early and most of the villagers were still at work. This gave us the opportunity to arrive in peace without being immediately invaded from all sides.

Narayan's mother received us with a loving blessing. It was a touching moment because she had never met our children in person and was visibly happy to finally see them.

Narayan's family's small house next door, which once stood above the goat shed, had finally been rebuilt after the 2015 earthquake. So we were able to spend the night in the newly renovated rooms. For our children, a lot of blankets were placed on the board, which served as a mattress to make their sleep a little softer and more comfortable. The “bathroom renovation” was particularly exciting. After Arjun's severe back pain last year and Narayan's mother having to undergo surgery for gallstones, they had now installed a western toilet in the small toilet block. This was a real blessing for our children because they were uncomfortable with the traditional toilets with holes in the floor.

After another delicious dal bhat, we soon went to bed - the jeep ride had left us all pretty tired.

The next morning we greeted the villagers who welcomed us with flower wreaths and tikas. It was a beautiful moment of community and gratitude. We had small gifts for the residents, including the chocolate we brought with us, which was very well received. Of course, the Voltaren cream was not missing, which has almost become a standard gift here. This time we also had paracetamol with us, as the local paracetamol supposedly causes severe side effects.

Afterwards we walked through the village, stopped at various houses and - as is tradition here - were warmly welcomed everywhere. There was tea and something to eat on every corner as a token of their gratitude. It was particularly exciting for our children to see all the animals running around freely. For us, however, it was a joy to see all the familiar faces again and to spend time with the people who have become so dear to us.

The next day we took a trip to a sacred waterfall. Even though the waterfall had little water at this time of year, the view was breathtaking and the silence of the place invited you to pause.

On the way back we stopped by the school I had attended two years ago. It was nice to see that some of the children recognized me. Our twins were stared at curiously, but they didn't really like it. Luckily we found a quieter corner where there was popcorn and eggs - which was a welcome change.

The evening had a special highlight in store for us. The newly founded “Bhumesthan Women Group” had gathered to present their community to us. This group of women has made it their mission to start projects together and thus escape the often monotonous everyday life. They sang and danced full of joy - it was an incredibly touching moment. The mood was so contagious that we ended up dancing with them. This evening will surely stay in our hearts forever.

The last days

Our journey continued to Pokhara, but before we could enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the city, we had a tiring drive ahead. Although the route is only 180 kilometers long, we spent 10 hours in the jeep. The road conditions are still a challenge - bumpy slopes and tight curves demanded a lot from us.

Pokhara itself has changed significantly since our last visit. The city has grown but has retained its charm. For us it remained a small oasis in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Nepal. Here we were able to breathe a little and enjoy the time.

One of the highlights was our trip to Sarangkot, a viewpoint above the city. The sight of the majestic Himalayan mountains rising on the horizon is always overwhelming. It was a special moment to show our children this breathtaking landscape that is so typical of Nepal. 

We spent our time in Pokhara primarily with Narayan, who visibly blossomed in the company of our children. The three of them got along great, played and laughed together as if they had known each other forever. It was wonderful to see how well children and adults can communicate without a common language. Narayan doesn't speak German, our children don't speak English, and yet the interaction worked magically. It was as if they had found their own, universal language.

After a few relaxing days in Pokhara, we had another long jeep ride ahead of us - this time back to Kathmandu. Another 10 hours on bumpy roads, this time even on the so-called “Nepali Highway”. The name “highway” seemed rather ironic, but the scenic backdrop along the route made the hardships at least a little more bearable.

Back in Kathmandu we used the remaining days to experience a few more special moments. Together with Narayan's family, we took a trip to Chandragiri, a popular viewpoint at an altitude of 2,500 meters. The place can be reached by gondola, which in itself was a little adventure for our children. The day was clear and the view of the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas was simply breathtaking. It is always impressive how majestic and sublime these mountains are.

We spent the rest of our time in Kathmandu with friends, doing some shopping and visiting the city's diverse restaurants. It was nice to once again enjoy the Nepalese hospitality and the delicacies of the cuisine.

But then the day of the return journey came. After a good two weeks in such a different world, it was time to say goodbye. We were on the road for 24 hours, from one door to the next - exhausted but full of unforgettable memories. When we finally lay in our own beds, the relief was great, but the longing for Nepal didn't take long to arrive.