Nepal 2025 – My Nepal Reflection: From Awareness to Action
A month on, Nepal hasn’t left me
There is a paradox at the heart of Nepal.
The beauty. The colours. The warmth.
And then the devastating truth of why organisations like Asha Nepal and Salvation Society Nepal must exist at all.
Many of these girls were never given a chance.
Some come from families so impoverished that daughters are sold for as little as ten dollars.
Others are taken under false promises.
Some are born in brothels and grow up hiding under beds while their mothers work.
Others come from the Badi community, one of the lowest castes in Nepal, where they are told their fate is fixed.
It is not.
Over a month ago, I was there. And the contradiction of it all, the joy of these children and the horror of their histories totally rearranged something inside me. It still sits with me every day.
The people who hold this mission together
It took days to process everything.
The strength of the girls.
The generosity of the hostel “mum and dad.”
The leadership of Bimbla (Asha) and Netra (SSN).
And the volunteers — Jess O’Reilly, Mark O’Reilly, Raquel Izzard, Rebecca Haly, the alumni, who have given more than a decade of their lives.
Standing beside them shows you what sustained, humble service truly looks like.
And to share this journey with an extraordinary group including Jo Gaines, Bertrand Garnier, Sam Steele, Stephen Casey, Alice Naughton, David Barker, Sarah Westoff, Dwayne, Rachel O’Reilly, Luana Silk and more, was an absolute privilege.
What we help work on
1. The Hostel
Home to 17 girls, including two sisters aged just 2 and 4.
No major maintenance in 10 years.
Funding helped provide:
• A new hot water tank
• A scooter/emergency vehicle — essential on a landslide-prone dirt road, a road so extreme we once had to jump out as a truck approached on a 60-degree incline.
Access is fragile. Safety is fragile.
Every dollar matters.
2. The Training Centre
We moved sand and stones, repaired paths, painted, created learning spaces.
This centre teaches leadership, tech, dressmaking, agriculture and other skills that can shift generational trajectories.
3. Building a Home
For a widowed mother of four.
She had been living in a mud room beside her animals.
We built two safe cinder-block rooms and dug the foundations for her first-ever toilet.
Seeing her face, tired and worn, smile at the end was everything.
4. Time With the Girls
Where everything changed.
We danced, talked about dreams, made bracelets.
Listened to stories no child should carry.
One girl made me pinky-swear I’d return.
I cried.
Of course I will.
5. Clothing Distribution
Thanks to generous donations, the girls received essentials and small moments of joy.
6. Community Day
The entire village gathered.
We cooked, played, connected through smiles and gestures.
One of the most beautiful days of connecting and seeing the importance of community.
Leaving Nepal
The last day was heartbreaking.
Returning to Singapore, the contrast hit hard.
But clarity followed:
This cannot be one trip.
It is now David and my mission too.
Why I’m committed
I grew up with safety, love, opportunity and men who respected me.
That is privilege.
And privilege becomes responsibility the moment you recognise it.
I cannot change everything. As much as I wish I could.
But I can change something, consistently and with intention.
I commit to returning every year, fundraising every year and helping build long-term sustainability in education, nutrition, safety and skills.
This isn’t charity.
This is dignity.
How you can be part of this
The fundraising links have closed, but the work continues every single day.
If any part of this moved you, here are meaningful ways you can help:
1. Join next year’s mission trip.
We need hands, hearts and people who want to make long-term impact.
DM me and I will share details when planning begins.
2. Support ongoing needs.
From education to emergency care, the girls and community always need help.
If you would like to donate directly, I can connect you.
3. Collaborate or get involved in other ways.
If you have skills, networks, resources or a desire to contribute, message me.
There are so many ways to make a difference.
One girl changed is a future changed.
A future changed becomes a community changed.
And that can ripple for generations.
This is only the beginning for me.
I hope some of you will walk this path with me.
Big love,
Aisha xox
