This is an emergency Call to Action! Help Nepali villagers struck by Covid and lockdown.

UPDATE: Since starting the work of giving food to local families who were struggling in lockdown, we have expanded our intention to help those same families with their pressing needs of simple shelter and safety. We discovered a family of six were living with no windows in their house and monsoon rain coming in through the walls and roof; one room is permanently flooded, and Bishnu, who is studying hotel management, reads from textbooks that are always soaked. Another family of seven, not far away, have no doors or windows; the leopard has been to visit them three times now, eating rabbits and chickens, and most recently it came into the room where all seven sleep for safety. This is terrifying, especially considering they have a ten-month old baby. 

In both cases, the families were pushed off their land with short notice when the owner decided to build a hotel. The second family's income relied on tourism, so in lockdown it is impossible for them to change their situation. With your support, we aim to give these families a safe place to sleep. 

We are Himalayan Yogini, a yoga centre on the outskirts of Pokhara in Nepal. The second wave of Covid recently came over the border from India, and the country is in lockdown once more. We have been moved to do something to help the local people around us who have no support during this time. In Nepal, millions live on a day-to-day wage, so they really have to work to eat each day. We have begun to provide food for those in need, and we would greatly appreciate your generosity. Just £40 / $60 is enough to feed a family for one month.

After the 2015 earthquake, Himalayan Yogini began developing a network and resources to support those who had been overlooked by the government and other organisations. In the village of Bompale, 12 houses had been destroyed. Thanks to the generous support of friends, family and our past yoga students, we were able to help rebuild those houses and provide 12 families with a safe place to live.

Now we are building on that network to support the people who have been hardest hit by the lockdown: those on a daily wage, who live in rented accommodation, and now can't afford enough food to eat. Here at Himalayan Yogini we are connected with local people who are in need of support. Your donations won't be siphoned off by officials or trickle away into bureaucracy; they will go directly to those in need. We are supplying food, from local shops and farmers where possible, and distributing it to the households we've identified.

Out of respect for privacy, we won't share anything online about who we are supporting. However, we'll keep donors updated with what happens next, and give you contact details so you can get in touch with those you have helped.

Please share this appeal with your friends and family, and connect with us on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with our work. All support is welcome. Your generosity is what makes this work possible.

We are also asking our friends in Nepal to reach out to us if you or someone you know is in need of support. Contact us and we will do our best to help.

With love,

Himalayan Yogini