‘Dharti’: A special visit

While the earth rumbled devastatingly in Nepal on April 25th’15, Change Fusion’s founder Sunit Shrestha was on the flight from Korea to Malaysia. Immediately, after landing he heard the news of the 7.8 Mw earthquake and called Nepal where he found that the Change Fusion Nepal’s team members were fine. Without wasting any minutes, he talked with the colleges there and started the online fundraising ‘Saving Nepal’ campaign. Over the period of three months post the disaster, he brought together different organizations, foundations, stores, concerned groups and individuals to contribute to the campaign which led to the ‘Dharti’ and ‘Hridaya’ Helping Hands Initiatives. The ‘Dharti’ project revolves around the relief and restoration efforts at Bhattedadha, whereas the ‘Hridaya’ Helping Hands provides mentoring and fund support for social entrepreneurs whose ventures got affected post earthquake.

Also, Sunit and his team members at Bangkok hosted a special networking session where our social entrepreneurs during their Bangkok trip, connected with diverse social entrepreneurs from Thailand.

After four years, Sunit visited Nepal for few weeks where he spared his time to go around town and visit CFN’s initiatives along with the workstation of few social entrepreneurs. The first stop was at ‘A Shop with a Story’, our collective store which completed one year of self sustainability. The store has been an outlet for variety of social ventures ensuring utmost quality and authentic products under their collective ownership. Sunit shared in his creative ideas and feedback regarding the Shop’s promotion and explored prospects of its global recognition and growth.

He then visited the social venture which specializes in hand made designer felt accessories, Friend Handicrafts in Kathmandu. Established by two best friends, Shanti & Nirjala Shrestha, the venture strives for quality produce and women’s economic empowerment by employing hundred women staff.

Next stop was at the social venture which uses cent percent natural forest resources for coloring which was at Kakani Himalayan Natural Dyes (KHND). Shanti Dolma Shakya, its founder provides employment to 25 women of the community. The earthquake destroyed her house and workstation and the Hridaya project is helping her to reconstruct her workstation. As the workstation is also supported from the funds collected through the ‘Saving Nepal’ campaign, Sunit with his friends and our team members saw KHND’s new workstation area currently under construction. He was very happy to see the work progressing and Shanti will soon go back to normal self, feeding her family and workers with the completion of her new workstation.

Later, Sunit joined the social entrepreneur’s enterprise development workshop run by Change Fusion Nepal and guided by the professional Ashutosh Tiwari. The class was lively and practical based which gave valuable business insights to the social entrepreneurs along with boosting their confidence.