“In Nepal, children with disabilities are not treated as human beings.” — Sobita (pictured above)
When Sobita's daughter Sophie was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, their community turned its back on them. Children refused to play with Sophie. People declared Sobita’s “sins” were to blame for her daughter’s disability.
Then a neighbour told her about the Nepal Disabled Women's Association (NDWA). And suddenly, so much changed. NDWA provided Sophie with a wheelchair, connected Sobita with other parents of disabled children, and helped her invest in her small business. They gave her a community and guidance when she needed it most.
142 compassionate supporters have already donated £7,270 to our Big Give challenge for NDWA and the disability community in Nepal. Their donations have been doubled to £14,540. But we're still £38,460 short with just 4 days left!
Don't miss your opportunity to make twice the impact with one donation - helping more women like Sobita and Sophie find the support they deserve.
When Sophie was 6 months old, Sobita saw issues beginning to surface. She was in and out of intensive care and when other children around her started to walk, Sophie couldn’t.
But Sobita’s family and friends weren’t there for her. The stigma surrounding disability in Nepal was too strong. Instead of supporting her, they accused Sobita of not taking care of her daughter. Sobita fell into depression.
But through NDWA, Sobita felt a weight was lifted, and she became more positive. They kept checking in with her, seeing what she needed. They provided essentials and two years later, Sobita is still part of their supportive parent groups.
NDWA understands that considering care for carers is a crucial element of disability support. And so that’s just one of the programmes they carry out.
NDWA needs us to hit this fundraising target so they can continue to help many more women with disabilities and their families in Nepal. Honestly, the NDWA team is so committed, it’s incredible what they have achieved with so little funding. They’re passionate about their work. We can only imagine the amount of impact they will have for women with disabilities across Nepal if we reach our target.
John, donate today. You only have 4 days to have your gift doubled as part of the Big Give. It only takes a minute.
I hope many more women in the future will receive the far-reaching support and care from the Nepal Disabled Women’s Association that Sobita and Sophie have.
Thank you for your time and attention today.
Sierra Schraff Thomas
Programme Manager: Partnerships and Innovation Womankind Worldwide
Header image: Sobita standing outside her tailoring business that received seed funding from a previous project with NDWA and Womankind. Through tailoring, Sobita can earn a steady income for Sophie's treatment and other family expenses. (Credit: Sajana Shrestha / Womankind Worldwide)
