Out of Kathmandu Valley

We will be visiting our women producers in the Terai for the next couple of weeks. The Terai is a belt that runs east to west on the southern strip of Nepal (India border). There is loads of violence in this area due to the up-coming elections. Political candidates are harassed, killed and injured daily by rival parties. It is not a Hillary-Barack type of campaign here, as you can imagine. I can't imagine Hillary rolling a boulder down a hill, crushing Barack as he tries to climb up, carrying his party flag...or Barack splashing tar on Hill's face and locking her up in a tiny cow shed while starving and mentally abusing her. That is how they roll here...real lawless. We will hopefully stay clear of all of this... We will be living in the villages, amongst the people. No running water, electricity, phones, Seinfeld re-runs. Basic life. Let's get to it. The images should be great, stay tuned....

Harry and LLoyd's Aspen (Himalayan) Adventure

The start of the Annapurna Base Camp Trail


A treasure along the way


Rowing on Phewa Lake with the Dutch boys


Erin takes the helm


View from our scooty adventure


Riding along side the Himalayas


"Get 70 miles to the gallon on this hog"

After over two months in the dusty city of Kathmandu it was time to get some fresh air. Hanging out on Phewa Lake with our friends and hiking around in the Himalayas was like a dream. At the end of our hike to Dhampus, we ended up at a family's home in the village. The women, the only ones around, invited us to hang out in their backyard and enjoy their stunning view of the Himalayas. We drank tea, played with their children, and basked in the sun. They spoke no English and just laughed and stared at us with amusement. It was just a random schack on the trail- an old man showed us the way after we asked him where to get tea. The hospitality of this family is the true spirit of Nepal and renewed my faith in the general goodness of people. Erin and I also rented a scooter from 1970 and took it off road, discovering sights that represent the real Nepal. Now I know what all the fuss is about and my batteries are definitely recharged and ready to tackle the challenges of starting this business!

Starting a Business in Nepal?!

We think the numbers pretty much sum out how difficult this business venture will be here in Nepal:

Exploring Economies
This page shows summary Doing Business 2008 data for the selected economy. The first table lists the overall "Ease of Doing Business" rank (out of 178 economies) and the rankings by each topic. The rest of the tables summarize the key indicators for each topic and benchmark against regional and high-income economy (OECD) averages.

Economic data:

Nepal

Region: South Asia
Income category: Low income
Population: 27,658,148
GNI per capita (US$): 290.00

Ease of Doing Business 2008 rank (out of 178 economies)

Doing Business----- 111
Starting a Business------ 60
Dealing with Licenses----- 125
Employing Workers------ 155
Getting Credit------- 97
Paying Taxes------ 92
Trading Across Borders---- 151
Enforcing Contracts----- 123
Closing a Business------95

Trading Across Borders
The costs and procedures involved in exporting a standardized shipment of goods are detailed under this topic. Every official procedure involved is recorded - starting from the final contractual agreement between the two parties, and ending with the delivery of the goods.

Indicator----------------------Nepal----Region---Dev. Countries
Documents for export (#)----------9-------8.6--------4.5
Time for export (days) ------------43------32.5-------9.8
Cost to export (US$/ container) 1,600----1,179.9----905.0

*We eat figures like this for breakfast...bring it on!*

More info: http://www.doingbusiness.org/ExploreEconomies/Default.aspx?economyid=136

Flying in the Himalayas

Erika goes flying video


View from the sky


Erika flying high with a Himalayan Vulture on her 6


Erin heading to do acrobatics over the lake


"Fish Tail" Peak from the air


Phewa Lake and Pokhara

In lighter news...
It feels great to be a bird. This past weekend, we got to fly with the Himalayan vultures over the mountains. We went paragliding in Pokhara, 7 hours from Kathmandu, and it was absolutely breathtaking. Thirty minutes soaring in the sky with the Himalayan Mountain Range in full aerial view was such a freeing experience. About 3o seconds into the flight I decided I never wanted to come down. Erika got some shots of me (red chute) and I took some of her (white, red, blue chute). We were swarmed by birds playing with us and trying to land on our chutes, unfortunately my camera died and I couldn't get the shot. The silence up there was great and worries floated away in the wind. We give it a big recommendation to anyone who wants to feel alive.

Pictures from Kathmandu Protests

A Tibetan nun prays during a prayer meeting at a Tibetan refugee camp in Kathmandu March 18, 2008. The meeting was held to show solidarity with 11 people who are on a hunger strike to protest the situation in Tibet.


Protesters sit holding a photo of the Dalai Lama at a Tibetan solidarity rally outside the UN office in Kathmandu March 17, 2008.


Blood flows down the face of a Tibetan monk after he was hit by police during a Tibetan solidarity protest outside the UN office in Kathmandu. Police fired tear gas on Monday at about 200 Tibetan exiles, including monks and nuns, who staged a brief protest in front of the United Nations office in Kathmandu. Police used batons to break up the protests and detained dozens of protesters.


Tibetan monks and nuns take part in a prayer at Baudha in the Nepali capital Kathmandu March 18, 2008. The prayers are to show solidarity for the Tibetan people and for those killed during protests in Lhasa. The painting in the background is that of the Potala Palace in Lhasa.


Tibetans take part in a hunger strike in the Tibetan refugee camp at Jawlakhel in Kathmandu March 19, 2008. Tibetans living in Nepal took part in a 24- hour hunger strike organized to show their solidarity with protests in Tibet.


Tibetan protesters hold a candle-lit vigil as part of an anti-China demonstration at the Swayambhunath Temple in Kathmandu

A woman holds a Tibetan flag as she is driven away in a police van after being arrested for taking part in a peaceful Tibetan solidarity protest outside the U.N. headquarters in Kathmandu.

Tibetan Protests

As some of you may have heard, people are taking to the streets in Kathmandu to protest the recent killing and suppression of Tibetan protestors in Lhasa, Tibet. At least ten people were hurt in clashes between the police and protestors at what was initially a peaceful demonstration (candlelit march) in front of the United Nations building in the center of the city. Tibetan protestors were there to submit a memorandum to the UN to put international pressure on China against the violent crackdowns in Lhasa. Police resorted to baton charges and tear gas shelling- they also arrested 48 people including several nuns and monks. Last week another protest turned violent in the prodominately buddhist section of the city.


I was not at either protest, but it has been widely reported that the police used excessive force and even the United Nations Office of the High Commisioner for Human Rights expressed concern over their actions. The pictures coming out in the paper and on the internet are very graphic- I have posted some in another blog. Seeing the Nepali police in action, I am not surprised that they took liberaties with the protestors rights to peaceful assembly. Most of the protestors look to be either women, nuns or monks- are they that scary and overpowering that the police must spray them with tear gas and beat them with batons? It is disconcerting because most internal human rights organizations in Nepal are run by people whose ideological inclination is by and large towards Communist Party Nepal- Unified Marxist-Leninist (CPN-UML)- a party which advocates communism and a one-China policy.

This is all so crazy to me because about a week ago I sat at my friend's house and watched a video he made while walking down the streets of Lhasa, Tibet. He was there just three weeks ago and in the video the city looked so peaceful and full of love. Children were smiling and playing around and everyone was with family praying or in devotion. In the next morning's news paper I saw picutres of Lhasa literally burning and the streets filled with smoke and violence. It was unrecognizable from what I saw on the video. In the article the first line was, "as tanks approached the city streets in Lhasa.." Tanks, or any other mechanism of violence or aggression should never be in the same sentence as the Lhasa I saw in those pictures- or the Lhasa I have always imagined in my mind.

The defense of human rights, in princple and practice, has no geographical boundaries. I hope the international community actually takes a stand against what is happening throughout Tibet right now and even here in Kathmandu. It hits home because it is now in my backyard and I can not ignore it or say that it doesn't effect me. I have lots of Tibetan friends and I can see the hurt this has caused them and the negativity is has brought to their cause. Hopefully the violence and volations will end soon, but as China likes to sensor the media and block reporters from accounting truth, I imagine we will never be able to see what is really happening.

Village Bound

We are very excited to be traveling next week to Janakpur, the town where most of our product is produced. It is in the Terai region of Nepal in the south, on the border with India. We will be meeting with the women artisans who will be making our handbags, cushion covers, curtains, felt items and tablewares. The group of women producers work in a tiny village outside the major town. They work in a small house, but do most of the production outside in the grass. We work directly in Kathmandu with the woman who coordinates and runs the operation in the village. She is originally from Janakpur and has been involved in women's development for over 20 years. It is comforting to know we are in partnership with an organization that not only promotes women's skills in production, but is also owned and operated soley by women.


This is what the project is all about- interacting with women in rural areas and creating a connection between their goods and the worldwide market. We can't wait to go, get dirty and start the thing!

Weekend in Review

Spring is here and we fully took advantage of it this past weekend. On Saturday we stopped by the city center to observe the International Women's Day Parade. It was wonderful to see so many women and children marching through the streets for the empowerment cause. Afterwards, our Nepali friends took us on motorcycles up in the hills to Godawari for a traditional Newari lunch. We also sampled the local brew "chang," which tastes a bit like lemon rice water. Newari food is very spicy and includes around 100 dishes using buffalo. It is so yummy! We love to ride on the back of motorcycles around here, especially in the mountains- it is an escape from the polluted and crowded city. Helmets aren't required for passengers, so the feeling of freedom is really heightened.

That same evening we trekked to the other side of the hills to a birthday party for a friend from the US Embassy. It was on top of a very steep hill at a beautiful lodge. It was really nice to chat with some Americans around the bonfire. It felt like camping with old friends from home. Later that evening my friend let me drive his SUV in Kathmandu. The stick shift and steering wheel were on the left, so it felt a little strange, but was a thrill. I think Erin had a heart attack in the back seat.
The next day we had a few friends over for lunch at our place. The boys from Amsterdam made a killer pasta and then we enjoyed watching the sunset from our rooftop. It was nice to cap off the weekend with stimulating conversation and wonderful food.

International Women's Day

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY- MARCH 8TH, 2008

International Women's Day is being celebrated throughout Nepal today. Articles in newspapers, rallies in the streets and speeches at conferences around the nation are all part of this exciting day. It is encouraging to see this significant occasion be recognized by grassroots women, urban women and most notably, men. The women in Nepal are some tough cookies. They are the glue that holds this whole thing together (even if at times the country's stability is fragile as best). On this day especially, it is apparent that when Nepal decides to truly invest in the future of women and girls they will begin to see prosperity and progress.

This day may be a ceremonial event, but honoring, respecting and recognizing the strengths and achievements of women should be celebrated daily. That is what the Global Daughter Movement is all about.

International Women's Day is now an official holiday in Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. The tradition sees men honouring their mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, etc with flowers and small gifts. In some countries IWD has the equivalent status of Mother's Day where children give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers.

The new millennium has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in both women's and society's thoughts about women's equality and emancipation. Many from a younger generation feel that 'all the battles have been won for women' while many feminists from the 1970's know only too well the longevity and ingrained complexity of patriarchy. With more women in the boardroom, greater equality in legislative rights, and an increased critical mass of women's visibility as impressive role models in every aspect of life, one could think that women have gained true equality. The unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts, women still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women's education, health and the violence against them is worse than that of men.However, great improvements have been made. We do have female astronauts and prime ministers, school girls are welcomed into university, women can work and have a family, women have real choices. And so the tone and nature of IWD has, for the past few years, moved from being a reminder about the negatives to a celebration of the positives.

Annually on 8 March, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate their achievements. While there are many large-scale initiatives, a rich and diverse fabric of local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events through to local women's craft markets, theatric performances, fashion parades and more.

Many global corporations have also started to more actively support IWD by running their own internal events and through supporting external ones. For example, on 8 March search engine and media giant Google even changes its logo on its global search pages. Corporations like HSBC host the UK's largest and longest running IWD event delivered by women's company Aurora. Last year Nortel sponsored IWD activities in over 20 countries and thousands of women participated. Nortel continues to connect its global workforce though a coordinated program of high-level IWD activity, as does Accenture both virtually and offline. Accenture supports more than 2,000 of its employees to participate in its International Women's Day activities that include leadership development sessions, career workshops and corporate citizenship events held across six continents - in eight cities in the United States and in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Spain, South Africa and the UK. Accenture also coordinated am IWD webcast featuring stories about Accenture women worldwide that ran uninterrupted for 30 hours across 11 time zones via Accenture's intranet. Year on year IWD is certainly increasing in status. The United States even designates the whole month of March as 'Women's History Month'.

So make a difference, think globally and act locally!! Make everyday International Women's Day. Do your bit to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding.

Lord Shiva's Night

Yesterday we participated in celebrating Lord Shiva, the most worshipped God in the Hindu religion. He is known to be the destroyer of evil and if you praise him on this particular day, your sins are said to be taken away. He is also the father of Ganesh, god of wisdom, prosperity, and good fortune. It is the one day a year where ganja is legal and everyone smokes openly.
After paying tolls to children who were out of school to pass through streets all over the city, we went with our Nepali friends to Pashupatinath, the temple where cremation is performed daily. I have been there before during the day and seen the ritual performed, but there was something very unreal about seeing it all at night with the lights and the rambunctious crowd. It was also nuts to see children of all ages smoking with Yogis. Yogis are the religious Hindu men who roam around smoking ganja and collecting money. People who are having trouble with fertility also look forward to receiving tikka (red paint for forehead) from the loins of the Yogis. We of course passed on that. If you're interested in learning more you can check out this link:
http://www.nepalhomepage.com/society/festivals/shivaratri.html

In Other News

I was walking down a main street yesterday when I passed a man with his face pressed up against the stone wall, squatting, pants down, and defecating right in the road. I see men fully-exposed peeing on the streets EVERYday in Kathmandu and it's no longer a shocker. As the people say here, "T.I.N": This is Nepal...and I love it.