2021 Back to School

2021 Back to School

by | Oct 27, 2021 | Outreach Programs, Women's Centre

The Didi Foundation collaborated with CLCR Nepal to deliver 300 backpacks and school writing books to disadvantaged school students in remote areas of Nepal.

Regardless of having to walk up to two hours in all weather conditions, to get to school, most of these students had never owned a school bag, Therefore, their school books were often damaged. Two of these remote schools were in the Ramechhap and Sindhuli districts and the other school is in Bhaktapur.

The Didi Foundation has had a long relationship with the school in Ramechhap which we rebuilt after the 2015 earthquake. Since then we have annually supplied the school with educational resources.

Didi Foundation has supported the Bhaktapur School for many years by supplying uniforms, educational resources, technology, and a school feeding program.

Education is the road out of poverty.

2021 November School Bag delivery Ramechhap and Sindhul -Didi & CLCR (18) (1)

Didi team delivering school bags

Collaboration between The Didi Foundation and CLCR Nepal

Collaboration between The Didi Foundation and CLCR Nepal

 

2021 Didi’s Beauty School

2021 Didi’s Beauty School

by | Aug 15, 2021 | Women's Centre

After months of lockdown Didi HQ’s started our first vocational course ‘Beauticians Course’.

The two-month course teaches women the art of nails, beauty treatments, hair care and design. Also, training in bridal hair and makeup. 15 women were selected from 129 and were selected due to their current social and cultural dilemmas and their desire to succeed.

Graduates will have the opportunity to work in this growing industry or start their own business. Didi Savings and Credit Cooperative will support eligible women with a small low interest, start-up loan to commence their businesses.

This course was sponsored by the Municipality.

Successful applicants for the Beauticians Course

Successful applicants for the Beauticians Course

Tutorial lesson on Beauty Course

Tutorial lesson on Beauty Course

 

2018-21- Didi HQ – The Construction Journey

2018-21- Didi HQ – The Construction Journey

by | Aug 5, 2021 | Didi HQ Building

The seed had been planted to expand Didi HQ to cater to the growing need of women seeking to become independent through vocational education. The Didi Foundation was growing its reputation of being a safe and welcoming place for women of all caste and religions to learn skills. By 2017 we had definitely outgrown our rented three downstairs rooms of a house in Kageshwori. 

With the support of wonderful supporters, we were able to secure land in Mulpani Kathmandu and raise the funds to build our own purpose-built building. Mulpani had very few community services for women. Therefore it was the ideal place to establish Didi Headquarters. 

Stage 1

Construction started in January, 2018 and complied with all local regulations and was built to be earthquake-proof. 

January 2018 - Construction started

January 2018 – Construction started

2018 April and second floor added

2018 April and a first floor added

2018 September -Stage 1 completed

2018 September -Stage 1 completed

   Stage two

Construction commenced adding a second floor with the support of an Australian Aid Friendship Grant

2019 Second floor constructions with the support of a Australian Aid Friendship Grant

2019 June – Second-floor constructions

2019 August. Second floor completed

2019 August – Second floor completed

Stage 3 

A Pre-fabricated class room was added to the 3rd floor

2021 December - Sewing room added to third floor

2021 December – Sewing room

2020 Didi’s Cooking School

2020 Didi’s Cooking School

by | Jul 11, 2019 | Didi HQ Building

Didi’s Cooking School

We’re creating a new cooking school on the second floor at Didi HQ’s which is in partnership with an Australian Government AusAid Grant.

The cooking school is to be constructed on the 2nd floor of the new DIDI Headquarters in Mulpani, Kathmandu Nepal and will:

  • provide employment opportunities for graduating marginalised and deaf students
  • provide opportunities for disadvantaged women and single mums to learn culinary skills (we now have the creche to support young mums)
  • provide workplace training opportunities
  • provide employment opportunities
  • be income generating for Didi Nepal
    (we already have orders for hundreds of cupcakes)

I am sure you will agree that partnering with the Australian Government and flying the Australian logo will empower Didi Foundation to move forward in 2019-20. It will support our aims to provide vocational life skills programs and to encourage the development of independent and sustainable futures for more women.

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2019 Didi Aid Tour

2019 Didi Aid Tour

by | May 14, 2019 | Didi Aid Tours

An amazing group of ‘friends of Didi’ joined us for an adventurous and productive 10 days. We visited Didi HQ and visited Jagriti School while taking in the sites of Kathmandu.

We headed east to our remote school in the high desolate mountain area of Ramechhap where we were greeted by the students with massive garlands of flowers and excited children who were ready to party. The road up the mountain has been mostly tarred which took at least an hour off the trip.

As usual, Sindhuli School just filled everyone’s hearts with happiness as we implemented a sports program and did storytelling and colouring with these highly disadvantaged children. Sadly, in Nepal, if you are born with a disability, your family is said to be cursed and you are worthless. Together, we are making small steps towards breaking down this century-old stigma by incorporating inclusivity into our work at Didi Headquarters with the future vision of supporting the graduating deaf students with career opportunities.

It was a great tour packed to the brim with activities and I think we were all in bed at 8.30pm every night in order to kick start early the next day. Everyone enjoyed the trip to Chitwan National Park where we saw rhino’s, crocodiles, elephants and monkeys in the wild.

A huge shout out to Sue, Bev, Jenny, John, Gail, Rubilyn, Val, Bettina and Jo for making a fabulous team and a big thank you for donating a sewing machine and computer for our Women’s Centre, together with the mountain of resources that you brought with you.

See more photos: 2019 Didi Aid Tour
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2019 Aid Tour-Lower Mustang

2019 Aid Tour-Lower Mustang

by | May 14, 2019 | Didi Aid Tours

Ten adventurous souls set off in jeeps on a mammoth journey to Lower Mustang. They were on a mission to deliver educational aid to a remote school in Kagbeni.

The sometimes nerve-wracking hours in the jeep encountered narrow dusty and rutted dirt roads which occasionally turned to unpredictable mud tracks where the jeep slipped and slidded. But this drama was overshadowed by the intensely beautiful and towering snow-covered Annapurna Mountains and the twisting, turning, everchanging and unpredictable Kaligandaki River that verged into sometimes dry and arid riverbeds, or swollen fast moving and dangerous rapids. We rested in the beautiful and calm town of Marpha, famous for its apples and white painted brick homes and narrow alleyways.

Unpacking the surprises of the medieval town of Kagbeni was like unveiling a jewel. Sitting on the Kaligandaki River and flanked by black onerous mountains of rubble and rugged rock formations which were beautifully juxtaposed against snow-capped mountains. Deep in the bowels of the town was a hidden medieval village that is home to a small thriving community that was living like it did hundreds of years ago.

We were the first ever aid team to visit the Shree Janashanti boarding school for 165 students. It was worth the journey to be at the school where we supplied and implemented sports programs, dental hygiene and a girl’s reproductive health lesson implemented by Molly. A visual flip chart gave the girls an open forum to discuss their menstrual issues. We handed over 65 re-usable sanitary kits that were made at Didi HQ.

Thank you to David, Geoff, Molly, Linda, Chris, Wendy, Val, Anne and Michael for making this a memorable experience.

See more photos: 2019 Didi Aid Lower Mustang Tour
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2019 Opening of new Didi HQ

2019 Opening of new Didi HQ

by | May 14, 2019 | Didi HQ Building

25th April 2019 was a very auspicious day for all of us here in Kathmandu and for the Didi Foundation

  • It was 4 years, to the day, since the tragic Nepalese earthquake of 2015
  • It was Anzac Day, a special time for commemoration
  • AND it was the opening of our new Didi Foundation HQ, which is a symbol of hope, growth, equality and empowerment through education.

The Australian Ambassador to Nepal, His Excellency Pete Budd and his wife Emma Stone attended the lavish ceremony and he unveiled the inauguration stone of the new Didi Headquarters. The ceremony was attended by:

  • Municipality Mayor Krishna Hari Thapa, who was acknowledged for his continued support. He was joined by other senior local government ministers and dignitaries
  • 18 Australian guests joined us in Mulpani Kathmandu for the grand opening
  • Over 250 women gathered to celebrate the opening and hung on to every word that spoke of their opportunities for empowerment.

The 25th April will always be a significant day in the growth of the Didi Foundation and congratulations must go to the Didi Nepal team for their effort in creating such a celebratory day.

Regardless of race, colour or caste we are CREATING A FUTURE AND CHANGING A DESTINY for hundreds of women in Nepal.

See more photos of the event: Grand Opening of new Didi HQ
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We love our Tradies!

by | May 2, 2019 | Uncategorized

Tradies Underwear have sponsored us with 180 pairs of underpants for use with our reusable sanitary kits.

And we’re spreading the Tradie spirit across Nepal. The underpants will be included in the kits distributed to highly disadvantaged schoolgirls during our humanitarian aid tours. Some will be delivered to Lower Mustang and others will go to schools in the Ramechhap and Sindhuli Districts.

In remote regions families cannot afford sanitary items and girls miss out on school for up to seven days a month. Giving girls these reusable sanitary kits empowers them not only with dignity, but equality in education.

Our girls at Bright Future just love them!

Thanks, Tradies for empowering up to 180 school girls in Nepal.

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2019 Aust. Aid Friendship Grant

2019 Aust. Aid Friendship Grant

by | Jan 17, 2019 | Didi HQ Building, Women's Centre

Here at Didi Headquarters, we’ve been biting-at-the-bit to share with you some really exciting news. So here goes… drum roll…

The Didi Foundation is the recipient of a $35,000 Australian Aid: Friendship Grant from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to construct a cooking school at our new Didi Headquarters.

The cooking school will:

  • provide employment opportunities for graduating deaf students
  • provide opportunities for disadvantaged women and single mums to bake products for sale at home
    (we now have the creche to support young mums)
  • be income generating for Didi Nepal
    (we already have orders for hundreds of cupcakes)

I am sure you will agree that partnering with the Australian Government for this new project and flying their logo is a fitting finale to an awesome 2018 and augurs well for a bright future for The Didi Foundation’s vision to provide life skills programs to encourage the development of sustainable futures.

2019 make a difference in Nepal

2019 make a difference in Nepal

by | Jan 16, 2019 | Didi Aid Tours, Didi HQ Building, Events

Join the Didi team in Nepal in 2019 as we double-up our humanitarian aid efforts to Didi projects.

In April 2019, Didi Nepal is organising 2 Didi Aid Tours on either side of the Grand Opening on the new Didi Headquarters in Kathmandu on 25 April 2019 (Anzac Day). Join us for one or both Didi Aid tours! Don’t think too long as spaces are strictly limited.

Didi Aid Tour 2019 – Lower Mustang, Nepal

Commences in Kathmandu: 15 April 2019
Finishes in Kathmandu: 24 April 2019

Our tour takes us to LOWER MUSTANG in the northeast region. LOWER MUSTANG oozes Tibetan culture in an isolated and arid environment. Once an independent Tibetan kingdom, it is now overseen by Nepal. Join us as we deliver aid to isolated and very poor government schools. Visit our Didi Projects and whilst in Kathmandu, spend time with the children at Bright Futures Learning Centre. Attend the official opening of the new Didi Headquarters.

Note: Not for the faint hearted – wild jeep driving – optional trekking

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mustang-1

Didi Aid Tour 2019 – Kathmandu, Nepal

Commences Kathmandu: 25 April 2019
Finishes Kathmandu: 4 May 2019

The Didi Foundation Nepal offers an inspirational 10-day humanitarian aid tour where you will experience first-hand Nepalese culture, support local community projects and see the wonders of Nepal.

Your world will open up to the medieval city of Kathmandu. You’ll stare in disbelief at the gigantic Himalayan peaks and look in wonderment at remote rural communities. Be overwhelmed by how far a little goes when you visit our outreach community projects that support disadvantaged women and children to develop sustainable futures.

  • Visit the ancient sites of medieval Kathmandu
  • Visit Didi Headquarters and Bright Future Learn Centre
  • Join us for the official opening of the new Didi Headquarters
  • Travel down to Chitwan National Park for some jungle adventure
  • In Pokhara, sit by Fewer Lake and gaze at the Annapurna Mountains
  • Note: 5 day Annapurna Trek is an optional extra

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2018 Didi Aid team at Ramechhap School
REGISTER YOUR INTEREST TO ATTEND

GRAND OPENING – new Didi Headquarters
Kathmandu – 25 April 2019

Join the Didi Team for the official opening of our women’s centre. We are honoured that the Australian Ambassador to Nepal, His Excellency Pete Budd, will open Didi’s new vocational centre. Many Nepalese dignitaries and Ministers from various government departments will also attend the opening. And we’d love you to be there too!

did-hq-new