This above photo is a young teenager from Manegau, whom we were privileged to call our brother. He is standing in front of his devastated home; a home that we were welcomed into daily. In this home there were no televisions, computers and devices; there was in fact no technology but one mobile. Yet the walls of this house were filled with love, education, entertainment and hospitality.
We, the alumni of Tevel Be’tzedek, AUJS, Stand Up, ‘Exchange for Change’ 2013/2014, come to you in a plea for help for our family and friends across the globe in Nepal in their time of need.
Manegau is a village located 2 hours out of Kathmandu, Nepal. This village is not just beautiful because of the nature surrounding it; it is beautiful because of the nature of the people living there.
This village, is but one example of so many that have suffered significant destruction from the recent earthquake, and it is in need of funds to help repair homes.
Volunteers such as us have been working with the people of Manegau through a program initiated by Tevel b'Tzedek. Tevel B'Tzedek is the Israeli organisation that facilitated our volunteering in Nepal. It aims to create a path for Jews to integrate universalism and Jewish identity and enliven the Jewish discourse on economic justice, poverty and the environment. It also strives to discover and disseminate the most effective and sustainable methods for ending poverty and environmental devastation, and for spreading knowledge and empowerment.
We were lucky enough to spend time with the people of Manegau, so we are shocked and saddened by this news. The people living there had extremely little to begin with, it is heartbreaking to think that even this has been taken away from them.
These people are not just villagers in a distant land, they are some of the most beautiful people who welcomed us into their community and into their families with open arms, calling us their brothers and sisters and treating us with the same love, care and hospitality as members of their own family. In this village are youth that we trained to be confident group leaders, women we supported in setting up their own womens’ collective and a community of 75 families that are strong, positive and loving people.
We are lucky to have the technology that allows us to help from the safety of our own homes. Please use this avenue to make a donation to our fund, which will then be directly deposited to the ground staff of Tevel B’tzedek in Nepal; the phenomenal Israeli organization, that we know and trust, who we know are on the ground doing direct relief work.
With immense gratitude,
Thank you,
Ari, Liv, Martha, Natasha, Liv, Lani, Rachel, Nickle, Alice.
(a.k.a. Hari, Thara, Fullmaya, Sita, Poymo, Ruppah, Sanumaya, Chandramaya, Rajkumari)
From CfH Melbourne with love, to a great cause!