
Help Sabina achieve a better life in Nepal
Donation protected

Hello, my name is Austin and I am raising money for an amazing young woman called Sabina. She lives with her two younger sisters in a children's home in Sarangkot, a village perched on top of a steep hill overlooking Pokhara in Nepal. She is now 18 years old, and her ambition is to pursue a career in hotel management. There is a Bachelor course available in Pokhara, but Sabina cannot afford the fees to take advantage of this opportunity. I intend to make a contribution myself, and I am hoping that my family, friends and colleagues will join me in helping Sabina to realise her dream and secure a better life for herself and her siblings.
SABINA'S STORY
Sabina and her sisters Sanjiana and Sanjita have been living in the children’s home since it first opened in 2018. Their father disappeared in the 2015 earthquake and, being a very poor family from a remote village, they had little hope of rebuilding their lives and so left for Pokhara to find work. Their mother had mental health issues and was unable to look after the girls and their 2 brothers (who were both sent to a religious Hindi school to become priests). Being the oldest, both in her own family and in the children’s home, Sabina has always felt a strong sense of responsibility, taking on additional household duties and looking after the younger girls. She is hard working around the home, is open to learning new skills such as sewing, and never hesitates to offer a hand where help is needed.
Sabina has now reached the end of grade 12 at school and is expected by the Government to fend for herself as she progresses into adult life. Her dream is to make a career in hotel management, but her options are very limited without financial support. For such a bright and ambitious young woman, it is vitally important that she continues her education on a path that will lead to a profession with real job opportunities. There is a 4-year degree course in nearby Pokhara that she could apply for once she has finished her final exams. However, the full cost of the course is approximately USD 6,000 (GBP 4,750). If she lives in shared accommodation with other students, she will also need additional funds for rent and cost of living. Sabina is fully committed to working hard on her studies, and she is also willing to do a few hours per week of paid work (using her sewing skills, for example) to help with her outgoings. Alternatively, she may be able to continue living at the children’s home and commute to and from town on a daily basis. The aim is that, at the end of the course, she will have a good job in hotel management and be fully independent. She will then be able to support herself and, if needed, help her sisters to embark on their future education journeys.
MY STORY
I am a former secondary school headteacher, who now specialises in providing interim leadership to charities in NE England. In 2013 I spent nearly 4 months in Nepal, working as a volunteer teacher at Bindhyabasini School on the outskirts of Pokhara. This placement was organised by Alliance Nepal, a community organisation run by Krishna Timilsina and a group of local people. While I was there, I lived with Krishna and his wife Bimala and family. This was one of the most wonderful experiences I have have ever had!
I returned to Pokhara in 2015, a few weeks after the devastating earthquake that robbed so many people of their lives, homes and livelihoods. Before I went, I raised money from family and friends (using GoFundMe) to help Alliance Nepal provide badly needed resources for some temporary schools that had been hastily built in remote villages totally destroyed by the earthquake. Two years later I returned for another visit, this time raising funds to support "dental camps" for some remote communities in the region around Pokhara. The money raised was used to pay for a dentist, doctor, medication and transport so that every child (and in many cases their parents too) had a full dental and medical check-up, received any necessary treatment (including extractions!) and took part in a dental health education session - and they were all provided with free toothbrushes and toothpaste.
In May 2024, I will be returning to Pokhara for the fourth time - 6½ years since I was last there. Once again I will be staying with Krishna & Bimala and their family, and I am really looking forward to catching up with all my friends and former students. When I asked Krishna for his advice on a project to support financially, he sent me Sabina's compelling story - and that is why I am asking for your support! While I am there, I am hoping to meet Sabina and her sisters - and I am happy to provide updates on their progress over the coming years.
Organizer

Austin McNamara
Organizer
England