The earth roared, the mountain fell, and the village was gone. Not damaged, not devastatedtotally gone. Disappeared – as though it had never been, and with it the lives of most of those who lived there, men and women, children and grandchildren, their cows and goats and their donkeys. All gone. And not just one villagemany. A scene repeated across Nepal. And not a few lives lost, but over eight thousand, with tens of thousands injured and over two million people left homeless – most of whom remain at risk today.

The earthquakes that rocked Nepal in April and May of 2015 were devastating and frightening and captured the international community’s attention for a moment in time but then the next headline came, the next disaster struck, and the world moved on. But the Soarway Foundation did not. Soarway was created, just days before the earthquake struck, with a mission of disaster risk reduction and preparedness in Nepal because we knew that a disaster such as the one we subsequently witnessed was inevitable. And we know it will happen again with the potential for the same devastating consequences unless we act and act now.

But we also recognize that we preparedness is not just building stronger homes or safer schools, as important as those things are. We also need to build a stronger, more resilient society. We need to empower the most vulnerable citizens to be able to play a meaningful role in shaping their own futures and making the choices that will keep them and their loved ones safe in the years ahead.

That is why in addition to our work in risk reduction we also engage to empower women, to support and protect vulnerable children. We have launched and will continue to support programs to deliver health services, to offer entrepreneurial training, to work with communities in protecting their environment and to create new opportunities for the future.

Soarway believes that working in partnership with the people of Nepal we can help create a more resilient nation – a stronger and safer nation – and in the process preserve a culture that is a treasure for the world. Nepal needs a champion, an advocate and a partner – Soarway aspires to be all three and together we can create a future that Nepalese will face with confidence rather than fear.

Our Executive Director, Ambassador (ret’d) Scott DeLisi came to Nepal first in 1982, early in his 34-year career in the diplomatic service, and again later in the same decade when served as the State Department’s desk officer for Nepal. Nepal’s spirit touched him deeply, as did the graciousness and gentleness of the Nepali people, and he was thrilled to return in 2010 to serve as American Ambassador to Nepal. For them, and for so many others supporting Soarway, there is something magical about Nepal that inspires our commitment to its very special people.

Although Nepal may be one of the poorest countries in the world it is rich in spirit, in the strength of its people, and in the love that so many have for this mountain nation nestled in the Himalayas. We hope you’ll want to be part of our quest to assist the people of Nepal to help themselves before the next disaster strikes. Together we can build a new future for Nepal. Join us!