The most basic function of human beings is to live. Before we communicate, we must eat, breathe, walk. Likewise, if our goal is to build sustainable communities, we must provide the resources to nurture healthy individuals. The health care system in rural Nepal unfortunately lacks this ability.

This is primarily because of a lack of infrastructure needed for access, with poorer communities in small rural districts facing the greatest challenges.

Nepal is fragmented into 14 zones and 75 districts. The country’s population is spread out, with 86% of its citizens residing in mountainous rural areas, making modern transportation nearly impossible. Due to this fact, the Ministry of Health has local sub-health posts scattered throughout the hundreds of villages in Nepal.

This makes community health volunteers the primary health care providers in rural Nepali districts. The Ministry of Health reports, there are more than 48,500 community health volunteers. Although a significant health care labor force, the local sub-health posts lack the capabilities to test for certain diseases due to limited supplies, unstable energy sources, lack of training, etc. This unreliable infrastructure causes many patients to be referred to better equipped hospitals, often miles away from their geographically isolated locations.

If a local sub-health post is unable to properly treat or test for a specific illness, they will refer patients to the nearest hospital in the region that has proper resources. These referrals leave patients unable to work due to the long distances they would have to travel, and for rural families struggling to get by, that time off is far too costly.

Even in cases where patients do receive proper medication, they often face medical supply shortages. If there is an outbreak in a populated region like Katmandu, the medication is routed to those urban centers. This leaves the poorer communities in the Nepal countryside without medication for a long period of time, creating even more health complications due to the lack of consistent prescriptions.

Furthermore, providing medical support to address Nepal’s infrastructure problem is critical to reducing poverty. According to the World Health Organization’s report on the effects of health on communities: disease creates poverty, but health will create economic growth. In order to achieve this, financial constrains must be eliminated by increasing investments in health.

According to the WHO Nepal case study report, coordination between the MoH and NGOs needs to be further developed in order to improve health outcomes and alleviate poverty. The government needs to engage with the NGOs in the private sector and by doing so, will increase access to Essential Health Care Services (EHCS) and the number of staff at local sub-health posts in the rural isolated regions.

NGOs, like Possible (a partner organization of Paul Farmer’s Partners in Health), work to rebuild these health centers. The organization utilizes a “durable healthcare model”, where the Nepali government pays the NGO to distribute care to specifically poorer Nepali citizens. Since Possible’s first engagement in 2008, the NGO has treated 276,050 patients and is currently building 21 health care facilities.

More NGOs need to collaborate with the Nepali government in order to address its infrastructure problems and more community health volunteers need to be trained and deployed to rural areas. In doing so, we can expand access to health care, bolster community development and allow these culturally rich communities to Thrive.

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Over the past two and a half years, our team at Thrive has often been asked why we focus on education rather than food or water or any other challenge in disaster areas and developing economies. To me, the answer is simple:

“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”
-Malcolm X

It’s through education that we create long-lasting change – alleviating poverty and empowering people to write their own destiny. And while it may not be the easiest or the most glamorous solution out there, the thing about knowledge is that once you have it no one can take it away from you. Education, therefore, becomes the medium through which we solve more complex problems locally and sustainably. This what we at Thrive Projects believe, and it is what we have put into practice over the last two and a half years.

We have made a clear effort, not just to make education more accessible, but to improve the quality and relevance of the material our students learn. Research from the World Bank backs up this philosophy: showing that by improving the quality of the education, and by providing and preparing good teachers, we can enhance learning outcomes and speed community development.

Moreover, in countries like Nepal where we primarily focus it becomes even more important to bring education to students within the confines of their home community. For many who live scattered amongst the remote hills, traveling great distances just to go to school is not worth it – they would rather prioritize working in the fields. Such challenges may explain why, according to UNESCO, one (1) out of every (4) students who begin their elementary school education will not see it through to completion.

The reality is that for many of the young people we work with and their communities, it is a greater risk to give up one (1) dollar working the fields today than it is a reward to make five (5) dollars in a skilled profession tomorrow. This remains a challenge that we must continue to overcome because it is absolutely an investment worth making.

We will only be able to conquer current and future challenges if we inform and prepare the next generation of community leaders. If we fail this mission then we will surely never see the full potential of these resilient, vibrant communities be realized.

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On April 25, 2018, hundreds of people gathered around the fallen Dharahara tower in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal in remembrance of the 60 victims tragically buried under its rubble three years ago following the devastating 2015 earthquake. It was a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the loss of the monument was a significant blow to human history. A day later across the Pacific in Washington D.C., the tragedy was remembered in a different light.

The status of the nearly 9,000 Nepalis staying in the United States under Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, had been terminated, according to the announcement issued by Homeland Security Secretary Kristjen Nielsen. The TPS Nepalis were given 12 months to make arrangements to return to Nepal, or face deportation.

According to a Homeland Security statement,“the disruption of living conditions in Nepal … [has] decreased to a degree that they should no longer be regarded as substantial, and Nepal can now adequately manage the return of its nationals”. The statement argued that the conditions have improved significantly for the people of Nepal, a stance which has been contested by others.

“The facts are clear. Nepal has barely begun recovering from the massive earthquake,” said Jeanne Atkinson, Executive Director of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc. The organization worked with a Nepalese advocacy group Adhikaar to assess the conditions in Nepal following the 2015 earthquake. According to Adhikaar Executive Director Pabitra Khati Benjamin,  “Hundreds of thousands of TPS holders are scrambling to figure out how to either adjust their status or leave behind everything they have built, including their homes, businesses, children and families.”

But the Nepali government did not request an extension for TPS by Homeland Security as it had done since the earthquake in 2015. According to the Kathmandu Post, the Nepal government did not request the extension of the TPS by the US government because of the assumption that Homeland Security would end it regardless, indicated by a high ranking official at the Foreign Ministry of Nepal saying “The US government decision to cancel the temporary residency permits of about 9,000 immigrants from Nepal, is unlikely to change… the Trump administration assessed that Nepal’s reconstruction pace is gaining momentum, so it is meaningless to request the US government for the extension”.

In a press release provided to Thrive Projects by Nepal’s Housing Reconstruction and Recovery Platform which partners with both the government of Nepal and NGOs, they urged that they are committed to making sure that nobody is left behind in the rebuilding process.  In regards to the end of TPS, they stated, “the impact of the reconstruction on [returning Nepalis] is expected to be limited. There may be opportunities for these people and families to contribute to the reconstruction.”

Despite the optimism of the Housing Reconstruction and Recovery Platform, organizations and lawmakers in the United States have urged against the termination of TPS for Nepalese. In a letter from 38 members of congress to Homeland Security, lawmakers insisted that the designation be extended as the conditions in Nepal were “uncertain and potentially unsafe.”

With different narratives coming from various organizations it is difficult to understand the conditions of Nepal and whether it is truly ready to accommodate its citizens living in the United States. Understanding this is essential, as sending back foreign nationals to an unsafe situation will not only look poorly for the US but could potentially violate American laws and values.

After the Earthquake struck Kathmandu, Nepal in 2015, the Obama administration granted TPS for Nepalese in the U.S., and in response 14,791 Nepalis obtained the designation. Many found a home in the New York City area where they could find decent paying jobs, send their children to school, know the water from the faucet was safe to drink, and sleep soundly knowing that their homes would not collapse due to recurrent aftershocks.

While seemingly commonplace in a country like the U.S., these are luxuries that are hard to afford in Nepal. Nearly 800,000 homes had been destroyed, large amounts of infrastructure was turned to rubble, 8,000 schools were leveled, and access to food, clean water, and adequate medicine was stripped from those in affected areas – around 8 million people.

According to Gita, a Nepali TPS recipient whose name has been changed to protect her identity, the decision has been a devastating one. She is a nail salon worker in the NYC area, and has found peace there for three years. “With TPS, I was not afraid…I got a work permit and health insurance,” said Gita. “It made my life easier for me and gave me the confidence to advocate for myself with my employers.” Gita is strongly advocating for a path to citizenship for the TPS recipients in the US, as for many there simply are none.

Recovery in Nepal is occurring, but at a frustratingly slow speed for many survivors.
Much of Nepal that was affected by the earthquake has not been repaired. The government reports that only 18.5 percent of homes were rebuilt as of April 24, 2018. It was also reported that 57 percent of homes were under the process of construction, and the remainder of homes represent the most marginalized of the population who are unable to afford to rebuild properties to government standards.

Many of those who have not finished their homes remain in temporary shelters or with relatives, and for them life is challenging and uncomfortable. After the quake struck, shelters were generally constituted of tarps and tents that provided minimal protection from the environment. Today, the shelters are constructed from metal, which although is more structurally stable, still offers limited protection from the environment.

According to Dorje Wangchuck, the executive director at Thrive Projects’ subsidiary Thrive Nepal and a resident of Kathmandu, in the hot Nepal summer the metal sheeting of the shelters vastly amplifies this heat, creating unbearable temperatures inside the homes.  In the winters, temperatures in the shelters become so low that often times people are forced to wear 5 to 6 blankets just to stay warm.

Temporary Shelters set up in Boudha, Kathmandu after the earthquake in 2015. Photo by Brian Kam.

Grants issued by the government are available for rebuilding, but they only cover a small percentage of the cost. According to the Housing Recovery and Reconstruction Platform, or HRRP, the government will provide only 300,000 NPRs, or $2,773 USD, to aid in the cost of construction.

According to Wangchuck, the financial burden of construction runs households in Nepal up to $18,000 USD. This amount of capital is difficult to save for the average Nepali citizen as the nation is among the poorest in the world, with about one quarter of its population living below the poverty line.

This raises a major ethical consideration in sending Nepalis in the U.S. back to Nepal: many of those living in the United States send money back home to aid the recovery process. This is important for the Nepali people, as nearly 50 percent of the population rely heavily on money sent from relatives abroad.

Individual financial burden isn’t the only thing impeding a swift and sustainable recovery, as the Nepalese government is notorious for its instability. This is particularly troublesome when the government must oversee the monumental task of rebuilding nearly 800,000 homes. Recently the government of Nepal held an election to establish a new constitution, and this has lead to an increase in the material cost of construction supplies, according to sources on the ground in Kathmandu.

And with all of this, Nepal has endured yet another natural disaster. In 2017, an unusually strong monsoon devastated the city with the heaviest rainfall in 60 years. The Terai region of Nepal, an area that was affected by the 2015 quake, was left inundated with flood waters in its aftermath. As transportation in this region is primarily upon dirt roads, the rain rendered the transportation of construction materials impossible. This greatly delayed the reconstruction process, and damaged about 60,000 homes.

Temporary Protective Status, by nature, has always attracted much criticism from both sides of the aisles in the United States. Although it was always made clear that it was a temporary designation, after extended stays in the nation recipients tend to invest in their lives here, buying cars, homes and developing careers to support their family at home and abroad. In the past year, hundreds of thousands of TPS designations have been terminated. Nations such as El Salvador, Haiti and Sudan too must now accommodate those who come back. Many situations to which they will be returning may be dangerous or unpleasant, but according to Wangchuck, the news could be worse, “The situation and lifestyle has changed drastically… but there are opportunities in Nepal. There is hope.”

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Three years ago today, April 25, a devastating earthquake brought unprecedented damage to communities across Nepal, leaving around half a million buildings destroyed and displacing an estimated 2.8 million people. Since then, international aid has poured into the small developing nation from both foreign states and NGOs, totaling around 4.1 billion dollars.

Despite this, reconstruction has been slow. As of six months ago, only five percent of homes had been rebuilt. The National Reconstruction Agency, the organization tasked with allocating money and overseeing development progress, has blamed the delays on a shortage of skilled workers and a “lack of substantive initiatives among the survivors”, according to the Kathmandu Post.

The international community has raised billions in relief, but for the people of Nepal to successfully recover from the tragedy inflicted on their society, we at Thrive Projects continue to believe that education and knowledge will be of paramount importance. That is why, rather than simply donating money and supplies to the Nepalese government, we have taken an on-the-ground approach to sustainable development of communities in need.

Implementing the vocational training programs SPARK (Solar Powered Auxiliary Relief Kiosk) and FLARE (First-Line Aid, Response and Evaluation), the Thrive team has been able to teach community members how to utilize solar panels, electrical components, and first aid equipment found in their local community. Through work with partners in Nepal – Global Peace Foundation Nepal, All Hands Volunteers, HEAL Nepal, the Lincoln School, and Service for Peace – these programs have already contributed more than 2,000 additional hours of community lighting and augmented the wellness of more than 14 schools and communities..

With both SPARK and FLARE, 250 students have been exposed to STEM education and basic medical procedures that are not available to many in Nepal. This education has been critical for the empowerment of young people as 8,000 schools were destroyed in the 2015 earthquake, according to Plan International.

Knowledge of first aid and electrical sustainability also remain key in this region of the world in order to mitigate the effects of subsequent natural disasters. This was seen first hand by the members of Thrive when a devastating monsoon submerged and marooned thousands of villages in Nepal with catastrophic effect nearly one year ago. Many people were displaced, faced food shortages and rampant disease.

As these disasters remain a threat, addressing the underlying vulnerabilities of the people of Nepal will continue to be essential to the approach of Thrive, and with the support of our donors and partners, we can continue to work towards a comprehensive and inclusive recovery for all Nepalis.

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By Dorje Wangchuck

In the first 3 months of 2018 Thrive Nepal has continued taking steps towards our mission. We trained 91 people with our Solar Powered Auxiliary Relief Kiosk (SPARK) training for people of various backgrounds in different geography of Nepal. The training has been a major part of the project and we aim to train more and more people so that we can spread this knowledge. This year, we are focusing more in educational institutions where people are ready to teach and learn.

One and half day travelling from Kathmandu, we went to a Newar settlement of Dhading and stayed there for 2 nights to train 39 individuals at Shree Bhariravi School. There has been talk about the training for months and it’s so nice to have people waiting to learn it. The desire to learn did made the difference in impact. As we were training at school, it’s obvious to expect children as our trainees but we had teachers and villagers too over there who wanted to get involved. The best part was to be able to include so many people from different walks of life. A sad reality that some teenagers walked more than 6 hours back and forth every day to attend 4 hour classes left us shaken. But this is the value of education!

For the second year in a row we worked with the students of Lincoln School, to train them to be trainers for another school on their service trip. SPARK training was given to 18 students at Lincoln School so that they could train more students with the same training. The goal was to begin the phenomena of spreading the knowledge and that went well. These 18 students from Lincoln School gave SPARK training to 32 students at Shree Sukute Basic School. In my understanding, learning by hands gave them a whole different perspective to the compared to what is taught with lectures.

But while training is one wing of Thrive Nepal, to help with Solar System installation is another one. This year, together with Lincoln School, we helped to install 6kW solar power system at Shree Sukute Basic School. The system is more than double powerful than the one we did previous year and will now be the primary source of power for laptop computers, fans and lighting at the school.

So, looking back at what Thrive Nepal did in the past 3 months, we have couple of projects that led us towards our goal. To simply do is one thing, but to do in such a way that it would have a continuing impact is another – yet, this is our mission. We look forward to creating more impact in the coming months.

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January 27, 2018

Hey #ThriveNation! Recently, I sat down with co-founders Brian Kam, Ryan Brinkerhoff and Joshua Moon to talk about Thrive’s core values, current programs, and journey that got us to where we are today. With mentions of some of our personal favorite milestones and inspiring stories over the past year and a half, join us as we reflect on how Thrive continues to support community building in the face of natural disasters.

Thrive Projects, Inc. is a non-profit organization that supports community development projects around the world through customized vocational training.

Amanda Chou: Let’s talk about how the mission of Thrive Projects really began. What are some of the most pressing challenges that vulnerable communities face after natural disasters?

Brian Kam: More remote communities face challenges such as little to no access to national infrastructure. These communities are not able to receive immediate help from emergency responders because of communication barriers. More urban communities face more obstacles with long term recovery. Sometimes, certain political challenges prevent urban communities from improving infractural and architectural development, aid and medicine distribution.

AC: So, how does Thrive Projects support community development?

Joshua Moon: Development starts with the youth, which is why we believe our programs help with community development. S.P.A.R.K. and F.L.A.R.E. attract the younger generations because they get to learn new skills while being hands on, rather than being talked at during a lecture.

Ryan Brinkerhoff: Exactly. One of the more unique things we have been able to do at Thrive is to customize our programs top to bottom. By working with communities to utilize local resources and meet specific needs, we can take a more sustainable approach to development.

AC: In what ways is Thrive Projects interacting in local communities in Nepal?

RB: We largely work in two different ways. The first is through schools in more urban areas of Nepal where we can provide skills training to a larger amount of students. The second is through larger scale community development projects that take place in more isolated areas of the country.

AC: Tell me about an instance when a student took an innovative initiative in his/her community after attending a vocational training program run by the team.

BK: After the successful completion of our first S.P.A.R.K. program in Nepal, our students began applying the portable solar energy system where they saw fit. A group of students in Siddhipur removed the toolbox completely and installed lights in different sectors of the community, allowing their neighbors to walk home after dark safely.

RB: One of the proudest things for us to see is that our students continue with our work even after we leave. The best example of that might be the students at our partner, Lincoln School. After taking part in our training and working together on a community project, the students at Lincoln founded a club that works year round to raise awareness and funding to help communities in need.

AC: Let’s talk about self-sustainability and resiliency on the local level. What sort of approach is Thrive taking in order to encourage education and engagement?

JM: A part of our focus is to encourage students to not only go through our programs, but to also help us teach their peers. Many of our students have come back to either volunteer with larger projects or to help us teach more members of their community.

AC: How should we all be thinking about supporting community development?

RB: I think one of the biggest challenges for people who want to help communities in need is that they don’t know where to begin. The first thing I would suggest is to do some research. Learn from nonprofits who work on issues or in areas that interest you so that you can at least speak on the issues and help raise awareness.

BK: And we should all approach community development through a “community-centric” approach. Over the past few years of working directly on the ground either as a first responder or as an instructor, I have learned that surviving as a group is always easier than surviving alone. Developing the community as a whole is key to group survival.

JM: I completely agree. The key to supporting community development is to shift the focus from individual growth to community growth. Everyone in any community has to play a part for the benefit of others.

Don’t forget to follow us on our social media platforms, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, we’d love to keep in touch.

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By Karma Wangyal

December 11, 2017

A couple of months ago, we were introduced to the Janaki Nagar community by one of our partners Global Peace Foundation Nepal. When we touched down the community for the first time we were shocked to see the condition of the people and the village there. Our partner had been working in the community to uplift the life standard of the community through education and health. We are privileged to work with them and being able to light up the village where there were no lights at all.

When we were there for the first time they had no electricity at all, it is not that the electricity is not easily accessible but the fact is they couldn’t afford the electricity bill. They don’t make much money, little money they earn is hardly enough for them. They don’t really like to think about spending extra money on the other things besides their basic needs. So even if the village is dark and hard to travel around at night, they don’t really care about the problem. They are not only financially weak but also education and awareness as well and that is why our partners have taken the initiative to work on.

So back then in June 2017, Team Nepal travelled along with four members from Thrive USA, Joshua, Ryan, Amanda and Khalid, we installed two SPARK systems in the community to light up the village. With the help from Global Peace Foundation Nepal, the local partner Service for Peace and the villagers we successfully installed the system. Villagers were happy to have a light and we were happy too to be able to contribute and make them happy. But at the same time we felt that just two systems were not enough and we made up our mind that we will get one more system in the next visit.

Everything is a gradual process; nothing could be done overnight or at one shot. The first trip for us was great learning experience, knowing the people and community and the place. After we left the system, we faced different problems on it. It was a rainy season and somehow the rain got inside the bulbs and holders, and it was all rusted. We didn’t really think about it when we started the project. It’s always hard to jump into some different communities and trying to work there but big shout out to our local partner Service for Peace for making everything possible.

This time Thrive Nepal went to Terai with our very own brother, who’s been volunteering since the beginning Mr. Raskin Maharjan. He’s contributed a lot to us and it’s always pleasure having him in the team. Our motive in this trip was to install one more system and organize the previous ones that have been installed. Before, the two systems had burden of all the lights but this time we shared and divided into three systems adding few more bulbs. This will lessen the burden on the particular system and can be more productive with lesser light and more life. Overall the trip went well with successful installation of one more system.

By the way besides all these works Sarlahi is also a nice place to hang around and sunset in Terai is always a special thing.

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By Dorje Wangchuck

August 25, 2017

Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about my friends in the Terai region of Nepal. It has been more than a week now that Terai along with many districts of India and Bangladesh have been swept away by this flood. Reports state that millions of people displaced and more than hundreds were killed. In South Asia, the heartbreaking news were all over social media.

The Thrive Nepal team knew immediately that we had the resources to help out our friends in Sarlahi, a district to begin with. In the span of a day, we planned our transportation from Kathmandu to Terai and started collecting all necessary relief resources.

As I am writing this post, it is 4:48PM Monday, 21 August, 2017, and I’m back to office at Boudha after three day trip to Sarlahi District of Terai. The day before the trip, the office was full of solar energy systems, mattresses and a bit of stress about our upcoming journey. Now, I’m back in the office and I see nothing around me except chairs and a table. It gives me immense pleasure to be back in an empty office full of stories from Terai.

Flooded Terai only came into our view on the second day of our trip. On day one, Thrive Nepal drove to Hariban, Sarlahi with Muskan Prasai from Global Peace Young Leaders and with all possible supplies and donations that we could gather to buy needed materials at Sarlahi for flood victims. Our Jeep set off from Balkhau at 7AM. Winding through the muddy roads of Pharping, a bulldozer was clearing a landslide after Chaimaley. The foggy weather with landslide did made our prediction come true about the journey but suddenly after Sisinery, the road was unexpectedly clear and no obstructions at all. Passing through Hetauda – beginning of inner Terai – in very normal weather circumstances made us question ourselves that is it how it’s supposed to be? Our eyes were going crazy for not seeing such scenes that were shown in the media.

Gradually, the jeep started to pass by bridges and we stared seeing huge trees under bridges. No water at all but huge trees was dragged under bridges. Similar scenes repeated in other bridges too. We couldn’t even drive pass in one of the bridge. It was broken by flood. That’s what flood did to the forest and wildlife but the effect on human was yet to see and hear.

On day two, we drove from Harioan to Harkatauwa for 2.5 hrs towards border with a jeep loaded with solar systems, mattresses, sacks of rice, hygiene kits and water purifiers. Reaching Area Police Post Office, Harkatauwa, we saw hundreds of flood victims waiting to receive tarpaulins, food and anything. Army joined police to control the crowd.

Leaving the jeep inside the area of Post Office, we took a tour to the villages. We managed to visit 2 villages, the first on the outer section of river and second on inner section. The water level at river was barely a foot deep but it was the toughest job of the day. One of our team members was needed to be carried on back. Immediately, we learnt that water level was more than 5 feet in the morning of 13^th August, 2017. It froze us. Everyone had to move out of house. The houses were slowly falling off and getting banished in water. You could not see crops in the field. Livestock had to be untied and grains, cooking utensils, clothes, furniture and all became wet yet had to take higher than water level.

The water remained there for three days and gradually the level went down. What didn’t happen in three days? Lives of millions turned upside down and turn poor Madhesis into the poorest.

We reached over there after a week of the flooded day. In a way, we were expecting to see villages drowned into water and were not convinced how bad the situation was when we didn’t see it immediately upon arrival in Terai. We realized that just because there isn’t emergency drowning doesn’t mean people are not suffering. People lost everything except crops in the field which is also not going to yield good this year. Schools are shut down since the flooded day and are likely not to open for 2 next weeks. Food supplies are finishing and open defecation and bad water would spread communicable diseases like wildfire. Tarpaulins multiply the temperature and in the sunshine in Terai, people are being boiled yet no option. Their need for aid is very urgent. People should have good water, enough food, toilets and shaded place to live. It needs to happen as soon as possible.

My friends in Terai are in pain at this moment while my other friends around the globe are working hard to earn better life. While earning better life for self, please have a bit of thought of those who lost it. Terai is in pain but not the whole world. My friends around the globe please help us to help my friends in Terai at this point. Big or small, every single penny values and work will be transparent.

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By Ryan Brinkerhoff

August 10, 2017

After 18 months of planning, fundraising and ground work in Nepal, Thrive has officially touched down in a new country. But before sharing that experience with you, our whole team would like to say thank you to our beloved Thrive Nation and our new friend, Monsieur Bob Hood — without all of you our journey would not be possible.

With your support and our incredible team continuing work in Nepal we decided to spread our wings a bit, and on July 28th, Brian, Josh and I arrived in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, and set off on our newest adventure. Our first impression? Haiti is not Nepal (surprise, surprise). To begin with, they are located in opposite regions of the world. Haiti is an island of hills while Nepal is landlocked on all sides and divided into regions by entire mountains ranges and valleys.  Moreover, there is a distinct difference in the atmosphere: the Haitian people are noticeably more defensive, especially towards foreigners, but let’s come back to that.

I will say that we were fortunate to have done some networking before arriving and decided to stay with our new friends at Haiti Communitere (HC for short), an eco-friendly guest house and co-working space for NGOs that also happens to have a branch in Nepal! Once there, we met locals and foreigners alike, all working to better communities in Haiti and they made us feel right at home.

We learned from them fast and (to an earlier point) found out there is a long history that explains the seemingly defensive nature of many Haitians. From the country’s early experiences with colonization to global isolation and failed long-term aid efforts, the experience of foreigners in Haiti has rarely been a positive one. With that in mind, I can’t blame them for being skeptical of our presence.

But while some people might think you can learn all this on the internet or question why we put ourselves in that position to begin with, it was important for us to be on the ground for these assessments. By physically being there we could could feel the tension when we made the wrong impression or found ourselves in an a new group. Only by being on the ground could we smell the salt fade from the air as we drove up the coast to the more isolated jungle communities in the northern end of the island. We could get a real feel for the environment.

More importantly, it is only by our direct interactions that we could begin to earn the trust of the people we want to help — that is, if they will accept our help at all. And it is through conversations with the locals that we learned what they really want and how they want it to be delivered. We have seen the value of this approach time and time again in Nepal, and it was clearly even more crucial during our time surveying in Haiti.

Through this process we were able to see many differences that will influence our work in Haiti going forward, but we also saw many similarities with our Nepali friends.

Here’s the short list:

1) They want to work

2) They want their kids to learn and go to school

3) They want to start businesses

These things are understandably difficult when you lack critical infrastructure and qualified teachers and community leaders. These challenges are amplified when many outside NGOs offer only temporary solutions that end up harming local businesses and even worse, create new issues, such as increased waste.

As we return to the U.S. we take these lessons with us, hoping to integrate them into programs that will bring truly sustainable change to Haitian communities. We plan to return by the end of 2017, and we do so because the communities we met from Port au Prince all the way up to Cap Haitian ASKED US TO. The change starts with them, but if they are willing to welcome us again then we will be glad to roll up our sleeves and work TOGETHER.

Thank you to all those dedicated members of Thrive Nation who continue to follow our journey, and for more up close and personal stories from the field check out our YouTube channel: Thrive Projects

Live, Learn, Thrive.

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July 17, 2017

স্বাগতম (Shagotom – ‘Welcome’ in Bangla) from Bangladesh, Thrive Nation!

After a memorable experience in Nepal, my travels took me to the city of Chittagong, Bangladesh to attend the first-ever Bangladesh-Nepal Youth Convention, hosted by Youth Alliance International (YAI). Ever since joining Thrive Projects, I have always been interested in finding ways to bring our mission to my home country, Bangladesh. Bangladesh and Nepal are neighboring countries so they share many cultural similarities. After seeing first hand that customizing Thrive’s vocational training programs not only works but also works well, this possible expansion slowly grew in potential. So when this networking opportunity arose, I jumped at it immediately.

Upon landing at Hazrat Shah Amanat International Airport, I was welcomed with monsoon, which continued throughout my stay in Chittagong. I arrived two days before the start of the convention, and thus was able to experience the city with the help of Shah Imtiaz Hossain, co-founder of YAI and Umar Khan, Executive Member of YAI. I spent the day with Imtiaz Bhai (Bhai meaning brother in Bangla) and Umar Bhai, and talked about our goals, aspirations, and motivations.

A few days later, I walked into the first workshop of the convention. When I looked around, I noticed an even mixture of 15 Nepali and 15 Bangladeshi individuals. This sight confirmed my assumption that this event would be an incredible networking opportunity that opens doors to two countries, cultures and languages.

The convention was held in a classic workshop structure where we were taught the basics of business model making, especially in context of the South Asia region. As this was my first time encountering the entrepreneurship culture in Bangladesh and Nepal, I was intrigued by the interest that the convention had generated. In Bangladesh, and most South Asian countries, the labor market is heavily influenced by nepotism, so even an entry-level job opportunity is a rare commodity for recent graduates. Thus, many look towards entrepreneurship to bring their ideas to life and build a living.

In later workshops, we also discussed many recent successful local start-ups, including HelloLaundry.com, 10-Minute Class and DBjobs.com. I realized that many of these ideas had already existed and had been successful elsewhere in the world, but had never been done before in Bangladesh. Over recent years, Bangladeshi entrepreneurs and businesses have made a great effort to increase access to many resources previously denied by geographical or economic means. Now, after attending this conference, I’ve come to the conclusion that a new wave of startups is now tackling the next barrier Bangladesh faces – those on the social level.

The fruitful workshops and conversations I participated in during this convention reaffirmed a value that Thrive holds highly: that for any great idea to be successful, it must be customized to cater to the local audience.

Not only was this convention an educational one, but also a celebration of Bangladeshi and Nepali cultures. In true South Asian tradition, the last day of the convention was deemed a “cultural day”, where we danced to traditional music, showcased locally handmade goods and shared gifts. I was gifted a beautiful black Bhadgaule Topi (black Nepali hat made of ‘dhaka’ cloth) on behalf of all of the Nepali participants.

What an incredible experience this was! I look forward to updating you, Thrive Nation, while the team looks into the possibility of working in Bangladesh in the near future.

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