Water projects opened by Gurkha heroes

Last month, Gurkha veterans and widows from one of our Residential Homes were VIP guests in their local villages.

They cut the ribbon at the grand opening of two of our water projects, bringing clean water and sanitation to remote areas of Nepal.

In Nepal, as they are in the UK, the famous Gurkhas are revered and respected by the public. So, it was especially exciting for the local communities to celebrate their brand-new clean water systems with Gurkha heroes, some having served in World War Two.

Bringing clean water to Gurkha communities

As part of our community aid efforts in Nepal, we create access to clean water for villages who do not already have it. Just last year (17/18) we built 70 new water projects. The majority of these are funded by UK Aid from the British people in partnership with the Department for International Development (DFID). They have committed to continue funding our water work until 2020.

For each water project we deliver to a village, we install individual tap stands to every house. As a result, the arduous job of fetching of water, a task traditionally undertaken by women and children, is no longer an issue. This leaves children with more time to receive an education and prevents health risks to women.

Working with local communities

Building new clean water systems can take us years. We ensure that the local communities are involved every step of the way:

• First, the application for support must be made by a community within which a Gurkha veteran or dependent lives.

• Then, we select a Water Supply and Management Committee and appoint a Community Health Worker to educate villagers and maintain the sanitation.

• The planning and the labour is also, for the most part, undertaken by the community themselves.

Partying with Gurkha pensioners

After all of that hard work, it’s no wonder they like to celebrate in style! And who better than to officially ‘open’ a water project, than the Gurkha veterans who are so treasured within their community.

Guests at our Residential Home for veterans and widows in Dharan are always more than happy to oblige – and are always keen for a good party!