Who is this money going to?

This is Gopal Dhakal: a kind, charismatic, and talkative man, who lives in Kathmandu with his Wife, and three children. I met Gopal while exploring the maze-like streets of the city center, where He showed some of the most beautiful parts of the city, and even took me to his mandala studio, tucked away along a small residential street. The April 2015 earthquake led to hard times for the country and for Gopal. Both recovering collapsed buildings and infrastructure, and in a sudden and dramatic decrease in tourism meant few opportunities and less money coming in. After the Covid-19 pandemic, things got even worse. They could hardly afford basic necessities, and even with community support he had to take out a loan to support his family. Today it is hard to find work, and he still has not been able to pay off his loan. With tourism only expected to decrease this coming year, our support will be needed more than ever.

How will this money be spent?

Gopal's main concern right now is to pay for his two sons, Arush and Ashik, to go to school. Each month of school for them costs around 4,000 Rupees, which is close to $30 USD. With prices increasing every year, their education would cost something like $15,000 in total. We're hoping to raise just a portion of that right now - only $3000 - so that he can ensure Arush and Ashik can go to school for the next few years.

Right now GoFundMe doesn't operate in Nepal, so I will be withdrawing donations to my bank account, and wiring the money to Gopal via Western Union. We'll be keeping a spreadsheet with funds transferred to my account, and recieved by his to make sure everything gets where it needs to go.

What does this mean?

This money isn't just going into a void on the internet, it's helping a real family. Every donation will be spent to ensure that Arush and Ashik can get an education and have a bright future. Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity, and please share if you can!