THE DIDI STORY- (Didi means ‘sister’ in Nepali)
From my very first visit to Nepal in 2009, I fell in love with this beautiful country and the humble and inspiring Nepalese people and also felt so much ‘at home’ in the community I was staying in. I was also mesmerised by those glorious Himalaya mountains, that on a good day, surround the Kathmandu Valley. Then in 2011, on a holiday visiting my now friends, I was confronted with a heart wrenching story of two children whose parents had died and who desperately needed to be cared for. My heart ached as I listened to the sad story of these two poor children. My Nepali friends looked at me and said, ‘Why don’t you help’, so on this day in April 2011, my world changed and it saw the birth of Bright Future Learning Centre.
With wonderful support from friends and family in Australia and a tight network of Nepali friends, we developed a strategic plan, set about to find a home, employ staff, source everything you need for a home for ten children. On returning to Australia we sought sponsors to ensure the stability and longevity of the home. Many sponsors have shared our highs and lows of this journey from the early days of sick and emaciated children to beautiful and healthy children who are well educated and live in a stable home full of love and kindness.
By 2012 I had a greater understanding of the social structures of Nepal and it became evident that some children were being abandoned due to mothers, for what-ever reasons, being unable to care for them. This realisation empowered me to oversee the birth of The Didi Foundation Inc. The aim was for the creation of sustainable, self-funding lifestyle programs, to educate and empower disadvantaged women and with a vision to enable mothers to better care for their family.
Together with Sudip Koirala we established the Didi Foundation Nepal, which was registered as a charity in 2013. What began with four donated sewing machines has blossomed into many areas of humanitarian aid, maternal and child health and basic education for underprivileged women and children. Having lived through the tragic earthquake of 2015, the Didi Foundation embraced new challenges and we proudly did what we could to assist disadvantaged communities.
I never imagined that saying ‘YES’ in 2011 would impact and change the lives of thousands of Nepali people. I still have a stress attack before I say ‘YES’ but once I have said it out loud, the universe (and my awesome friends) just seem to take care of the rest. With such a wonderful Nepali team and fantastic supporters, the future is so exciting and I can not imagine what we will be doing in the near future. I do know one thing….. it will be fantastic…empowering Nepalese through education.
I hope you will say ‘YES’ and follow our journey in helping the people of Nepal.
Jan Pryor- Founder
OUR HISTORY
Chronological Order
| 2011 | The opening of Bright Future Learning Centre |
| 2012 | Registered The Didi Foundation Inc as a registered charity in Australia.
Opened our first sewing room with four sewing machines |
| 2013 | Registered Didi Foundation Nepal as an Non-Profit Government Charity in Nepal
Commenced the manufacture of ‘Days for Girls’ re-usable sanitary kits. Expanded sewing school to include 10 sewing machines |
| 2014 | Implemented a women’s Reproductive Health education program in order for women to learn about their bodies
Delivered Women’s reproductive Health education to 856 women Ran free medical clinics for 350 women offering free health checks and free basic medicines Provided Prolapse Education with Stage 1 replacements Commenced volunteer program for friends of Didi to support vocational programs Installed Solar panels in Bright Future Learning Centre (BFLC), Didi Headquarters and Deaf Boarding School. This will ensure there is electricity 24 hours a day so that education can continue Commenced sponsorship with goods in kind to:
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| 2015 | Didi Foundation Nepal Headquarters was established to house all projects in one space.
Didi Headquarters runs vocational training courses in:
Graduate sewers program which manufactures ‘Days for Girls Sanitary kits’ Development of a library A Women’s Co-operative was established for graduates to manufacture products for sale
100 women a day attending Didi Headquarters |
| 2015 | Re-Build Nepal:
Post Earthquake
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| 2016 | 75 women a day attending Didi Headquarters ( space could not cope with 100)
Built a school in the Ramechhap District Didi Foundation Nepal worked in conjunction with the Nepalese government to run:
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The Didi Foundation Inc is an Australian registered Not for Profit Charity. ABN 37 055 803 721 with fundraising status CFN 22445
The DIDI Foundation is based on the Central Coast, NSW, Australia. Get in touch by sending us an email at: didifoundationinc@gmail.com