By Lisa Lyons | US Director
As of Giving Tuesday (December 1, 2020), thanks to so many good friends like you, we exceeded our fundraising target for "Finish Strong/Jump-Start!"
The overarching goal of this project was to wrap up our work in the villages of Dolakha District where we'd been working since 2014 and then transition to a new set of villages in Sunsari District, to begin a new multi-year program cycle. The pandemic obviously threw a wrench into the works, timing-wise. But although the transition process has been stretched out, we can report success.
What has this meant in practical terms?
It has meant that we were able to support thousands of women, children, and families in Dolakha with life-changing resources and training, in the time leading up to the pandemic. The 973 women's group members, 4,000-plus students, and all of their family members have benefited enormously. The skills they've gained will not wear out; they'll continue to help people make better lives for themselves for years to come. Women farmers will continue to be able to grow more and better food. They'll be able to earn more money, often by selling their excess agricultural produce. The schools will continue to be more welcoming places to learn for thousands of children each year. Teachers will use their training and networks every year, resulting in greater student engagement and improved job satisfaction for themselves.
In the COVID era, it has meant that we provided masks and soap for 1,500 families (7,500 people) in Sunsari. It has also meant that we are able to make plans to begin working in Sunsari more intensively, come January. We must and will take due precautions to ensure the safety of our staff and the village residents alike, but there are activities we can do - and they are so badly needed. The marginalized families of Ramdhuni Municipality in Sunsari are eager to learn the new skills and gain the initial resources that will help them break the cycle of poverty, end their food insecurity problems, and improve the quality of their children's educational experiences. And ETC is ready, willing, and able to work with them to achieve those goals.
We've started a new GlobalGiving project to reflect our upcoming work in Sunsari: click here for information.
And, once again, thank you from all of us at ETC. This life-changing work is only possible because of friends like you.
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