On 25th April 2015, a huge earthquake devastated Nepal. At 7.8 magnitude, followed by aftershocks, over 8,800 people lost their lives, villages were flattened and thousands of homes damaged or destroyed.

We were deeply shocked and saddened by the news. Just two months earlier, we had participated in a number of programs designed to empower healing, dignity, joy, and transformation for the students and teachers at Bright Horizon Children’s Home (BHCH), a school and safe haven for nearly 300 orphans and vulnerable children from the poorest, most remote areas of Nepal. We were relieved to hear that all the children, teachers, and staff at our partner organization were alive and safe, with minor structural damage to the school.  And we were also moved and heartened by the many messages of support received from our community of everyday activists asking how they could help, where best to donate, wanting to do something to alleviate the suffering seen in the media in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake.

So the Nepal Solidarity Fund was started, our approach: 'to be patient and thoughtful about how to distribute the funds in an ethical, equitable, and sustainable way'. To support locally led groups providing relief and rebuilding at a grassroots level, because we believe that local change-makers know best. Our decision to partner with the Tibetan Buddhist monks at the Porong Gompa monastery in Kathmandu to help remote communities recover and rebuild was inspired by Porong Gompa's commitment to a quick response, deep, local connections, desire to serve those remote villages who may have been forgotten, and compassionate approach, regardless of religion, ethnicity, or caste.

​We are pleased to report that, together with funds from other global supporters, your generous donations are bringing shelter to residents of Sisneri, a remote village 4 hours from Kathmandu, Nepal, whose mud and thatched rooftops crumbled during the earthquakes. After surveying the need, Porong Gompa returned to distribute strong metal sheets to rebuild rooftops and give clothing to the 85 families in the village.  

Our heartfelt gratitude to Porong Gompa for helping to support and sustain the villagers of Sisneri. And to our community who gave so generously to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Nepal. Thank you!

We are thrilled to announce the recent launch of the life skills and leadership class for high school students at Bright Horizon Children's Home (BHCH).  With the healing skills learned through the Safe Embrace Trauma Healing (SETH) training program in January 2015, local teachers are now equipped with skills to address symptoms of trauma, empower students to develop self-confidence and emotional intelligence, and promote healing, leadership, and personal transformation.  

We are incredibly grateful for BHCH teachers' efforts in spreading grassroots healing skills to communities in Nepal.

Thanks to a connection with the School of Architecture in Barcelona (ESARQ) we advertised for a volunteer architect to help supervise and advise on this project. And we got lucky with two Italian architects, Francesca and Veronica, who are on site daily and send us weekly reports on the progress of the construction work. We are happy and grateful for their collaboration, advice and help, and to see the building grow and change week by week. 

Check out their latest report on the house progress!

We are so excited to announce a new partnership with RetailMeNot to support the sustainable housing project for the Maisha children's home.

"We at RetailMeNot are incredibly proud to support The Gracias Foundation and the Maisha Home for Children in Nairobi," said Giulio Montemagno, SVP of International at RetailMeNot, Inc, and a regular volunteer at Maisha.   "We have witnessed first-hand the caring and safe environment the Foundation has provided for the children and the incredibly positive impact this had on their lives, empowering them to overcome past traumas, restoring hope and enabling them to pursue their dreams."

The housing project is already underway. We expect the project to complete by early 2015. Checkout our Facebook page for regular photo updates.

A warm-hearted Asante Sana from The Gracias Foundation and all the kids and staff at Maisha!  We are forever grateful for your support! Read on for the official press release below...

(Reposted from The Gracias Foundation, now called Global Gratitude Alliance)

We are deeply honored to announce a partnership with MoneyGram Foundation to empower the Maisha children in Kenya with secondary tuition, academic tutoring, a computer lab, and support for a new boarding house for the existing kids and the next generation of Maisha scholars.

"MoneyGram believes education transforms lives, and the foundation is privileged to work with worthy organizations that are providing life-changing education programs to those who need them the most," said Pamela H. Patsley, chairman and chief executive officer, MoneyGram.

School tuition and tutoring support will span the next 5 years, while the computer lab and boarding house projects will commence this year.  

A huge thank you to MoneyGram Foundation for their commitment to empowering quality education for children around the world. Asante sana! Please read on for the press release below...

Starting today, all donations to the Maisha safe housing project will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $20,000, thanks to the generosity of our ecstatic activist and 2x Maisha volunteer, Giulio Montemagno.

The Maisha kids are desperate for better living conditions and enough space to safely grow into young adults. Construction will start in just a few weeks, but we've still got a big gap to close.

So, join us in empowering dignity for these extraordinary kids, and for the next generation of Maisha scholars.

(Reposted from The Gracias Foundation, now called Global Gratitude Alliance)

This January, we're turning two!  We are thrilled by how much we've achieved together, and YOU are at the center of it all.  So, a huge Thank You (Gracias) to everyone!  We hope you'll enjoy our birthday video!

(Reposted from The Gracias Foundation, now called Global Gratitude Alliance)

The red earth of rural Kenya is great for growing plentiful crops, trees and flowers. But not for roads. When it rains, a sticky, mucky surface forms, which dries into ruts, bumps and potholes. A good, sturdy, reliable vehicle is needed to navigate these obstacles and reach a destination safely and quickly. Additionally, the cost of a single round-trip to Nairobi for food shopping, hiring an old, unreliable taxi is around $37.

After many months of research and planning, we are pleased and proud that we have been able to purchase and deliver a Toyota Voxy minivan to the Maisha home. Our board member, Bence, travelled to Kenya and used his extensive knowledge about vans to oversee the purchase and ensure the best quality, price, and value for the donated van funds. 

Shhhhhhh!  Don't wake the sleeping babies...  

Check out our latest photos from Jelly Tots daycare in Imizamo Yethu township, South Africa.  The tots use their new mattresses every day and can now sleep in peace and dignity (no more sleeping on bath towels on the cold floor).  A big thank you to all the donors!