An intense trip in the name of solidarity and unforeseen events through extraordinary lands: Nepal and India. This past April, Peroni&Parise’s CEO Valeria led the first humanitarian mission of KIRAN – ray of Light ODV, association of which she is president. Together with a group of volunteers she brought concrete help to children, monks, socially marginalised women and struggling families.
The group departed from Venice and, after various ups and downs -common when travelling to Asia- they reached the first stop of the mission: the Tsechen Kunga Choekhor Ling monastery, in Jomson, located in Nepal’s Mustang region. Home to 22 young monks coming from disadvantaged families that can now eat, have proper clothing and study to one day become a resource for their families. Kiran donated clothes, toiletries, toys, school supplies and a monetary contribution sufficient to cover healthcare-related issues pointed out by Kiran’s doctor when individually visiting each monk. An incredibly impactful first meeting in which they shared moments of prayer, games, tears and laughter.
Back in Pokhara, the team met up with two amazing local realities: WSDO (Women’s Skills Development Organization) and YES Helping Hands, associations that train and employ women victims of domestic violence and vulnerable and disabled individuals, offering them economic independence through artisanal production. Kiran’s last Nepalese project was the Phenday family house just outside Kathmandu, built and supported by the association Friuli Mandi Nepal Namaste. The house accommodates 30 boys and girls, either orphans or from very poor families in the surrounding Himalayan valleys. Thanks to donations, KIRAN was able to guarantee them a whole year of education, covering academic fees, books and uniforms, an immense joy for everyone, for us and for them!
Transferring to India for other projects and new emotions
The second part of the mission began with a transfer to India, to Vrindavan, a sacred city on the river Yamuna in which Sri Krishna spent his childhood over 5000 years ago, according to Hindu religion. It is here that, for over twenty years, the Food for Life (FFLV) project has been providing an education, meals and medical care to around 1500 little girls. Valeria and all of Kiran immediately fell in love with this project, which was founded by two Italians, and they decided to start supporting three girls and a college student -to start.
Last but not least, the final stop was the Ling Gesar School in Dehradun, where 88 kids receive a free education. The school is supported by KIRAN with the monthly payment of the salaries of the eight teachers and two members of staff. “We then visited around ten of our students’ families, which led us to start the Family Emergency project. Their poverty and immense dignity deeply marked us, we simply couldn’t not do anything: they need food, water, clothes, new roofs, medical care…”, Valeria tells us.
The mission came to an end with a spiritual stop in Rishikesh, a city in the foothills of the Himalayas, where the sacred Gange river flows. A moment of reflection and recharge to face the trip back and to process everything they had experienced after meeting around 1600 girls and boys other than families and associations.
With this first mission, Kiran strengthened its bonds with local realities and their precious local correspondents. A trip of love, effort, discoveries and gratefulness, which can be summarised as “be the change you want to see in the world” – Mahatma Gandhi.
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