We are very happy to announce that after the 49th days ceremony for the loved ones we have lost in Langtang, the women of langtang have started with their handicrafts work on 18th June. Ones the products are ready, the shipping process will carry on. At first the products will be transported to Canada to Sustainable Steps Nepal and to Langtang Disaster Relief Fund in Spain. Than we will sell it through our associations.And also there is a possibility to buy directly from the refugee camp.
Why we started with this small knitting project?
The people of langtang were evacuated to one monastery in Kathmandu after the devastating nightmare caused by earthquake followed by avalanche. I went to Nepal just the day after the earthquake with a hope that people are safe. Unfortunately my village was gone.
I was there in the camp with the villagers for 2 weeks. The feelings I had in the camp was just the mixture of pain and happiness. Pain because these people have lost everything and everyone. Happiness is just because they tend to give a beautiful smile to me. They were the suffered ones but they were the ones to give me a courageous words to overcome the pain of loosing my mum.
Usually the women are vulnerable. When I talked to them, they expressed their pain and also their desire to do something in the camp. They were the one to tell me if we could give them an opportunity to do a knitting stuffs. I was surprised, although I grew up with them and I knew how strong these women were. This was the motive of initiating the knitting project.
I know them and I know how strong they are, but I was surprised that in those hard moments, under the stifling heat of the camp’s plastics, they wanted to start knitting. That’s why we decided to start the craft project, because they deserve it.
How do we sell the products???
I would like to thank Sustainable Steps Nepal for being there for the Langtang people from the beginning. So the handicrafts will be sold via the website of SSN and Langtang Disaster Relief Fund. We would appreciate if anyone interested would like to participate in the distribution and selling of the final beautiful handmade stuffs.
Where does the profited money goes?
The money we earn by selling these goods will go 100% to the lovely women working on it. We will take a required amount to buy the materials ones again so that we can provide them the materials and they can work for a long term. The money of knitting project doesn´t go in the general fund. It will be only for the women.
Very soon the reconstruction will starts in Langtang and people will return there. But everyone have their kids studying in Kathmandu. Many women are widow and they will not have an income source for a long period. But as a mother I am sure they would love to visit their kids in Kathmandu. So the money of knitting project will also help these women interested in coming to Kathmandu for few days to see their children.
Is the project long term?
It depends on how much we can sell and how much support we get from the people. We will try our best to give these women a work and a hope for long term.
I would like express my gratitude to Dechen Tamang and Amit Shapira for being there with the women and helping them on ground.
I hope these lovely women gets the love, support and hope from the entire world.
