In 1998, I had an opportunity to share my favourite country, Nepal, with my mom, who was 71 at the time. We spent 21 days trekking in the Annapurna Base Camp area, which is where we met Nabin. Although we hired him to be a porter, Nabin became a trusted, loyal friend. He protected my mom every step of the way, over landslides and mudslides, over creeks, river crossings, and rickety old suspension bridges, and even through sickness.

After 21 days of trekking with Nabin (travelling to 4800m), we had the pleasure of meeting his family when he invited us to dinner in his village. His village is a full day walk from town, and does not have electricity or running water. His home, where he lived with his wife and two daughters (a third child – a son –  has since been born to their family), consisted of a single room with a dirt floor. After having watched us clean our plates and glasses throughout the trek because of concerns about our health, he used some of his hard-earned trekking money to buy a bar of soap and used corn husks from the back yard to wash his metal plates. Although they did not have a lot, his wife cooked a wonderful meal for us and Nabin gave us the last two tomatoes from their vine. His family smiled and posed for photos and, although Nabin was the only member of the family who could speak English, we were still able to communicate our new friendship and appreciation for their effort to make us feel welcome.

Just over two years ago, the civil war in Nepal made it impossible for Nabin to find work in Nepal. Nabin and thousands of other Nepalese left their country in search of work in the Middle East (Qatar, Saudi Arabia etc.). Working conditions there can be horrendous; temperatures often top 40 degrees Celsius, and workers perform heavy manual labour and live in cramped conditions. Hundreds of thousands of Nepalese are working abroad to send money home, and can spend years away from their families. At home, with only one parent in the village, parenting ranks second to survival. Mothers left behind tend fields and work to keep the family fed. Older children are often responsible for their younger siblings –  5 and 6 years olds carry baby brothers and sisters in sacks on their back while they walk for water or help in the fields. Playing is not a normal part of growing up in Nepal. Survival is the purpose of every day.

Since making our journey to Nepal, we have maintained contact with Nabin and his family. We were touched by our experience meeting his family. He shared his culture and love for his country and family, and taught us about generosity. Now that a plot of land has become available for purchase in his village, there is a concrete way for us to return the favour. With our – and your – help, Nabin can return to Nepal to build a sustainable future for his family.