(translated from Nepalese --translated even further, it becomes IT TAKES GUTS)

At last, I have safely returned home to the U.S. after executing our REBUILDING NEPAL: Seeing The Future Work program. The program was a huge success; my sincere gratitude to the sponsors and partners. The journey has been beyond incredible! Together, we delivered training and technology worth $200,000.00.

I will take a moment here to describe the current turmoil engulfing Nepal. Human safety is jeopardized, mobility has become impossible, even putting food on the table daily has become a challenge for most. The economic sanctions by India –in response to the Madhesi Morcha uprising- are suffocating Nepal and the Nepalese people. However, in true Nepali fashion our team, with the help of family, friends, and local district leaders worked together to overcome these obstacles. At times we traveled with a military escort (protecting our busses from mobs throwing rocks), rode for hours on motorcycles, and billeted with family and friends. The motto: “Aant Ta Garaun Na -Take The Guts” became a reliable recipe for planning and mobilization.

As a result, the REBUILDING NEPAL: Seeing The Future Work  program was conducted in five different locations covering plains and mountain regions:

1. Sarswati High School in Damak,
2. Jhapa Association of the Blind in Birtamod,
3. Sunsari Association of the Blind in Dharan,
4. Morang Association of the Blind in Urlabari, and
5. Dhankutta Association of the Blind in Dhankutta.

Our training reached 500 participants. This program specifically aimed at preparing local associations to implement their own employment and technology training. When those 500 are multiplied, the impact is even greater.

Again, Aant Ta Garaun Na!

Success breeds success. True leadership requires mastering our fears first –as a model for ourselves and for others.