Tourists and locals marching down the

street to the paddy fields.

Pokhara Rice Planting Festival

Objectives:

For June

Continue assistance for the local community of Pokhara post-earthquakes Work closely with local partners and strengthen our relationships within the

community New staff member to learn the traditions and culture of Nepal by participating in the

annual festival

Summary:

Nepal post-earthquake is in the process of doing what it can to recover and rebuild. The country is still experiencing aftershocks and the people of Nepal and we have been continuing to support our community projects and the wider community of Pokhara. We have been maintaining our relief efforts and have been receiving many donations from wonderful supporters of GVI and Nepal. But this month marked some positive steps within community especially here in Pokhara. The community is doing what it can to send a message to its people and the world that they are moving forward.

Report:

On the 30th of June Pokhara held its 12th Annual Rice Planting Festival. The festival attracts hundreds of

tourists each year with its famous mud fights, tourist tug a war and parades through the streets. The

earthquakes had impacted tourism severely in Pokhara so this year there was question as to how many

people might attend. Staff members Binita Gurung and Bronwen Maher decided to join in and show

their support.

It was very pleasing to see that in fact

there were hundreds of tourists in

attendance. All these foreigners had

emerged from nowhere to suddenly fill

Pokharas streets again. Many tourists

that we met mentioned they were in

Nepal to support the community and help

in whatever way they could even if it

meant putting a bit of cash back into the

economy.

The festival was a huge affair and hundreds of locals came along to celebrate, show their support and

watch the tourists throw mud at each other!

The rice planting festival sent a strong message that Pokhara Nepal is looking to the future and whilst

still recovering and inviting tourists back.

.

We look forward to welcoming more volunteers and tourists to Pokhara. Nepal has shown strong resilience during the earthquakes and we are proud at how united the Nepalese people are. #stillNepal #stilltravelling #stillSmiling

Staff members Binita Gurung and Bronwen Maher with the children from the

Street Rehabilitation Centre post mud fight.