Before our first trip to Gaati Niklas and I met many people dedicated to helping Nepal recover from the earthquake, here are a few of them and their messages they were kind enough to allow us to film and bring to you all.
Yogina Shakya " The people's needs will last weeks, months, years..." We first met Yogina while we were working with Backwards Society Education in Dang District. After the earthquakes, she and a group of like minded Nepalis started their own volunteer relief program, mobilising funds and distributing aid to villages in Sindhupalchok. She helped set up our first trip to Gaati and put us in touch with Beebal Sing Lamu. We caught up with her in Lalitpur Durbar Square where she had this message for you...
To hear more about Yogina's story go to www.yoginaatblog.wordpress.com
Erika Keese - "Acting as parents to grown people without accepting their involvement, it doesn't just create dependency but shows a lack of respect for the local people"
As with many meetings it all started in a coffee shop in Thamel, (asking directions to the VISA office!). We quickly got on and found we had similar aspirations. Erika was volunteering in medical camps and health programs around the Kathmandu Valley while staying with a Nepali host family. We caught up with her at the host families home in Kathmandu to get her insights from a Western perspective...