A Mountain of Change

High in the mountains of Nepal are hundreds of tiny villages, subsisting on terrain that’s as timeless and vulnerable as the people themselves. 

People like Dilliram Bhatta. 

Bhatta, his wife, Goma, their two sons and his elderly parents live in Gorkha, a village that’s not only on the edges of society, but also on the margins of disaster in the world’s 11th most earthquake-prone country.

Because Gorkha has historically had no source of clean drinking water, Bhatta and the other villagers regularly trekked 45 minutes downhill to get water for their households and livestock, only to have to carry it all the way back home on their backs. 

This water scarcity, which was a part of their daily life, became even worse in April 2015, when the region was struck by a massive earthquake. Tragically, 9,000 people lost their lives in the disaster, and 22,000 more were injured, making it the worst natural disaster to strike the country since 1934. 

And Gorkha was at the epicenter of it all. 

The village suffered catastrophic damage, including the destruction of its nearest water supply. Bhatta’s family and neighbors were left with no choice but to travel even farther for water, as appeals to the local government proved fruitless. 

But Juneli Nepal, a small nonprofit run by women, heard their cries for help. 

A Refreshing Future 

Founded shortly after the 2015 earthquake, Juneli Nepal sprang into action to provide urgent relief to earthquake victims while continuing to honor its original mission of improving the lives of Nepalese girls and women by confronting gender-based untouchability within Nepalese society. 

To address Gorkha’s immediate need, Juneli Nepal worked in collaboration with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the local government to provide Bhatta’s village with its own drinking supply. By 2018, a total of 75 households were provided with safe, clean drinking water. 

"The work that Juneli Nepal has done in partnership with the PC(USA) is a very strong testimony of what working together looks like for sustainable change,” said Presbyterian Disaster Assistance director, the Rev. Edwin González-Castillo. “Through our joint efforts, we are able to provide not just immediate relief but long-term solutions that empower communities in Gorkha to rebuild their lives again with dignity and hope.

Before the 2015 earthquake, Juneli Nepal’s president, Anjila Khadka, never imagined a life in social work. “Growing up, I was privileged to have a good life and education,” she said. “I never knew the villages. But after the earthquake, I came to know that people in our country are suffering so much. In the villages, life is terrible. People are living with the bare minimum.” 

Yet, thanks to support from generous Presbyterians like you, life for the villagers has begun to improve. Your gifts through the Presbyterian Giving Catalog create change and help to empower people to build brighter futures for themselves, their families and their communities.  

“Giving generously is a way to live out the Christian values of compassion and service. It reflects the call to love and support our neighbors, both locally and globally, without any discrimination,” said Khadka.