Est. 2019Pachabhaiya, NepalCanadian non-profit

Small projects, chosen by the people who live there.

We work with 300 families in one Nepali village, 200 kilometres west of Kathmandu. Community leaders decide what gets built. We fund it, and we show you exactly what it was.

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Fig. 1 — Residents of Pachabhaiya, Kaski District. Photograph by Lilly Mason.

300

Families in the village

2015

Working here since

10⁺

Projects completed

Paid coordinators

How we work

Three commitments that decide
which projects we take on.

i

Assisting those experiencing hardship

Our focus is small-scale projects for individuals and families, prioritised by urgency and basic needs, alongside community development resources that create long-term skill and learning opportunities.
ii

Working directly with villagers

We consult with villagers to determine how best to improve their lives in both the short and long term, and partner with community leaders to increase employment opportunities.
iii

A chance to give

All donations will be greatly appreciated and wisely spent. Programme coordination is entirely volunteer-run, so money goes to local labour, materials and instructors.
Donate today

See the work

A short film about the people
and places we serve.

Fig. 2 — Pachabhaiya village and the work in progress.

Why we started

From earthquake relief in 2015
to a registered non-profit in 2019.

Mist settling over the hillside village of Pachabhaiya — Fig. 3 — Pachabhaiya at dawnCh. 01

2015

Earthquake relief, before there was an organisation

Our founder Maury Mason had been helping the community of Pachabhaiya — a village 200 kilometres west of Kathmandu, near the city of Pokhara — since 2015. Those early contributions helped people recover from the earthquake damage and the economic hardship that followed.

Homes first, then the paths between them

The first projects rebuilt and repaired damaged homes. From there the work expanded into village infrastructure: pathways, stairs, and connecting homes to water and hydro.

Community leaders bring us the project. We fund the materials and pay local labour to build it.

The operating principle, unchanged since 2015.

Village workers carrying materials along a hillside path — Fig. 4 — Local labour on siteCh. 02

2019

Incorporated in Canada

In May 2019, together with Robbie Prokop, we incorporated as a Canadian non-profit organisation. The operating principle did not change: community leaders bring us the project, and we fund the materials and the local labour that builds it.

A group of villagers gathered together in Pachabhaiya — Fig. 5 — Pachabhaiya residentsCh. 03

2020

A wider base, more work

In 2020 Lilly Mason came on board and helped expand our fundraising base, which has enabled us to take on considerably more projects — including the community centre now underway.

Current focus

One building, a dozen
programmes, ongoing.

A community fitness class gathered outdoors in Pachabhaiya — Fig. 6 — Weekly fitness class, one of the centre's first running programmes.

Pachabhaiya Community Development Centre

Local community leaders approached us with an opportunity to take over a large three-storey building that had recently been left vacant. We are converting it into a community resource centre for educational and skill development workshops, including a demonstration permaculture garden where locals can learn sustainable agriculture.

Weekly fitness classes and children's art classes are already running. Management and programme coordination is volunteer-based, but we provide income for local labour and workshop instructors.

Planned workshops

Permaculture garden
Bee keeping
Jewellery making
Literacy classes
English classes
Home repair & tools
Environmental stewardship
Children's art

See the full project ledger

Donate today

Every dollar becomes materials and local wages in Pachabhaiya. Coordination is unpaid, so nothing is skimmed for overhead.

Choose a method

Give by credit card

Please be aware that donations to the Nepal Life Improvement Foundation are not tax-deductible.

Canadians wishing to donate by e-transfer can send to nepallif@gmail.com.

Pachabhaiya, photographed

Select a plate to enlarge.
Nine of several hundred.

Sun setting over the hills beyond Pachabhaiya — Pl. 01 — Valley sunsetLilly Mason

Portrait of an older man from the village — Pl. 02 — PortraitLilly Mason

Portrait of a young boy from the village — Pl. 03 — PortraitLilly Mason

Portrait of a woman from the village — Pl. 04 — PortraitLilly Mason

Close-up of a flower growing in the village — Pl. 05 — FloraLilly Mason

Begnas Lake seen from the surrounding hills — Pl. 06 — Begnas LakeLilly Mason

Cloud formation curling over a mountain ridge — Pl. 07 — Cloud dragonLilly Mason

The Annapurna range under clear sky — Pl. 08 — AnnapurnaRobbie Prokop

A rainbow arcing over village rooftops — Pl. 09 — RainbowLilly Mason

Project ledger

Everything funded to date,
most recent first.

01

General

Pachabhaiya Community Development Centre

A three-storey building converted to host educational and skill development workshops. Coordination is volunteer-run; local labour and instructors are paid.
02

Health

Medical treatment

Urgent medical and dental care, including life-saving treatment for a two-year-old boy with a serious kidney ailment. Without government-supported healthcare, many cannot afford proper care.
03

Health

COVID-19 food drive

A ton of rice, half a ton of lentils and 300 litres of cooking oil distributed through the village — enough to give many families two months of food security until the harvest.
04

Infrastructure

Construction and home repair

New construction and necessary repairs on several houses damaged by the earthquake and severe monsoons: replaced roofs, new kitchens, strengthened walls and foundations.
05

Infrastructure

Pathway and stair restoration

Improved pathways and new stairways across the village for safer mobility, especially for the elderly and children.
06

General

Craftsmanship tools

Stone and woodworking tools purchased for local crafts people.
07

Infrastructure

Gumba Stupa roof

Repairs to the roof of the Gumba Stupa Buddhist temple after monsoon damage. An important cultural and spiritual centre; most of the labour was donated by village volunteers.
08

Infrastructure

Window installation

One family had endured monsoon season after monsoon season with no protection from insects, weather or snakes. New windows were purchased and installed.
09

Health

Sanitary facilities

Every household in the village now has proper bathroom facilities.
10

Infrastructure

Landslide restoration

Repairs to damage caused by landslides during the 2020 monsoon, plus reinforcement work on homes identified as at risk.