// A NEPALI WOMANS VIEW ON OUR CELLPHONE SOCIETY //

"For a simpleton like me,

it’s difficult to understand many things 

of today.

 I don’t understand phones. 

And the songs they play.

 Today everyone has their own songs and 

everyone has their own phones. 

And little children wear lipstick and dance. 

Back then we sang the only one or two songs 

that everyone danced to and there were no phones. 

Back then everyone talked with everyone. 

Cried together, danced together. 

No lipsticks, back then." 

(Chapagaun, Lalitpur)

You can get more wisdom & good stories

at 

www.storiesofnepal.com

Slow Fashion Love

Karoline & Anne-Marthe 

// DECISION HAPPINESS //

"I am trying to be a happy person.
Every morning, I wake up and decide
that I will be happy.
But sometimes it is difficult to be happy
no matter how hard I try."

 (Kanchi Maharjan, Chapagaun, Lalitpur)

One of the things we admire the most
about Nepali people is how they are able to
be content and find happiness despite
their rough and hard lives.

So if you're not happy today,
maybe you can wake up tomorrow and decide
to be happy then, or at least content
with your life and what you have?

Still not happy?
It's time to change something in
your life, but only you know what really
makes you happy and what makes your
life worth living.
Good luck and enjoy the journey.

For us the start up of A/BARENESS
and our Give Back project gives
lots of meaning all though
 still no salary, but that
just proves yet again;

Money isn't everything!!!

// Namaste //
Karoline & Anne-Marthe

// THEY MADE YOUR JEWELLERY //

FASHION REVOLUTION WAAAARM UP!!

Our manufacturer Yala Mandala and
A/BARENESS are active partners
of Fashion Revolution Nepal, the domestic
program for the international
Fashion Revolution Campaign.

You may wanna check
out some of the
relevant hashtags: 
#fashrev #fashrevnepal#imadeyourjewellery

Here you see 3 of the skilled guys, 
who crafts the A/BARENESS Jewellery and who
who we are so lucky to work with! 

PSST! If you want to see more of 
what's movin within the
fashion revolution? 

Follow @fashrevnepal on instagram
or on Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/
Fashion-Revolution-Nepal-368521696673062/


Slow Fashion Love
Karoline & Anne-Marthe 

// ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE //

"I nearly burnt my house down
because I forgot to turn off the oven
in excitement to go
 pick him up
at the airport."
 (Himal & Radha Gurung, Pokhara)

#truelove

// WHO'S TO BLAME ? //

"She makes me laugh."
"No. She makes me laugh."
(Hetauda, Makawanpur)


AAAAAWWWWW,
can't really blame any
of them for making
 eachother laugh, nah?

More stories
www.storiesofnepal.com

// YOU GOTTA FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS //

We are kicking off 2016
with this super-inspiring guy.

( If you have ever traveled in
Nepal you know very well that
getting around, even
without
a wheelchair (!) may be 
challenging due to all the rocky, 
unpaved roads, 
if you are even 
lucky enough to travel by road, 
that is. ) 

Hats off to Mr. Yatri
and here is what he 
shared with Stories of Nepal: 

"I have travelled to 71 out of the 75 

districts and 

all the way from Mechi to

 Mahakali, 

alone in my wheelchair,

 to raise my voice for equal rights

 for 

people with disabilities in 

the new constitution."

 (Surya Bahadur Ranabhat Yatri,
from Pokhara)

What do you want to fight 
for in 2016? 

Getting a more

meaningful life, usually starts with

creating more meaningful tasks 

in your life.

Good luck to you whatever or however you

find your path. 

More stories
at
www.storiesofnepal.com

// MADE IN NEPAL //

We are so happy for this article in
 the latest edition of the
Norwegian magazine
HENNE <3

The multitalented Nepal lover,
mountain climber,
 fashionista, journalist & blogger+ ,
Elisa Røtterud,
 has written about one
of her latest trips to Nepal
in June 2015,
after the Earth Quake,
and
about Norwegian brands and designers
 working
with, in and for Nepal.

Thank you for your support,
Elisa, by
traveling there, time after time
and
also for supporting us that works with
the beautiful people
in
this beautiful country.- NAMASTE - 

PSST!
We love Elisa's cool & inspiring
blog too, check out:

www.elisarotterud.no

It's in Norwegian, but luckily there
 is lot's of cool pics
 that will inspire you anyways (:

// OUR ADVENTUROUS UNIVERSE //

Hello, you (:

Don't forget to follow
us at Instagram for
more updates on
what's moving
in our world,
both in
 Nepal & Norway.

@abarenessfashion 
https://instagram.com/abarenessfashion/ 

Peace & love
from
Anne-Marthe & Karoline 

// THE END OF A FRIEND //

My friend had colon cancer. 
She was very close to me, loved me.
A typical Limbuni, both stern and fun.
Very clean and organized. She'd prepare lunch
in just 30 mins.
When I see people hurting and
 I am unable to help, I tend to run away from them.
When her health started deteriorating,
I started avoiding her.
Every time I saw her I felt very helpless.
I could not explain this to people because I knew they
wouldn't understand how I was feeling.
I did go meet her one time when she was in the hospital.
She was in the bed. She was in pain.
She started crying and I just couldn't.
I got up and told her I had to go to work and I left,
 crying the whole way.
She passed away and I couldn't even go to her cremation.
After two three months she came in my dreams.
 She looked her healthy normal self. She said,
'It's okay, I am in a better place'.
I felt glad that she was in a better place,
without pain."
(Abhilasha Subba, Kirtipur)


More stories:
www.storiesofnepal.com

// THE GOOD ONES //

"I cannot handle people's suffering.
When I see someone in need,
I feel their sorrow like it was mine.
Even though I have very little,
all I think about is giving what I have
to the ones in need, the ones in the
streets,
 the ones who have no home.

 And when I have money, I do.
 When I don’t,
I shed a tear and walk away fast."

(Krishna Bahadur Tiwari,
Khalte,
 Dhadhing, Nepal.

www.storiesofnepal.com

// KIDS //

#COOLKIDSNEEDCLEANWATER

Pic by Jay Poudal
 @storiesofnepal

// COMPASSION IS ..... //

"Every time I went to the train station

 to buy goods,I would see him,

 quietly sitting by the corner. 

He wouldn't be begging. 

I heard a few people say that one day 

he just arrived 

there and has been there since.

 He would eat what the nearby shop-owners 

offered. 

So one day, I went to talk to him, 

but he didn't answer much. 

He would just utter a few words.

I felt sorry for him. 

So I decided to take him home. 

I tried to find out where he is from but 

no one knew so I assume he has wandered

 a long way. 

It has been six years now and I and my family

 take care him.

 He has become family.

 And we worry if he wanders too far." 

(Sanjay Yadav, Alau Kuniya, Parsa)

You want more stories 

like this? 

Click into 
www.storiesofnepal.com

// EDUCATION FOR EVERYONE //

May this brother
and many other brothers
and sisters,
get an opportunity to go to school
 and new lessons of equality,
 compassion, tolerance
&
 freedom be taught,
this we hope. 
#nepalsnewconstitution

Jay, Stories of Nepal

( www.storiesofnepal.com )

// BEAUTIFUL NEPAL //

'With every journey I embark on,
I discover new things about Nepal
and her beautiful people.
 A deep sense of realization as to how
I have taken Nepal for granted many times.
 And it is only through travel will I unlearn
what has been fed to me.
Recently, I have been walking
 the western hills of Nepal,
talking to people and taking pictures.
 A few of these villages are quite remote,
 but pristine.
 The nature here is a feast to the eyes
and the people are holy
- innocent, welcoming and resilient.
Amidst all hardship of poverty,
years of neglect,
social ills and unfriendly geography,
 they still prevail with their
heartfelt stories of daily struggles
and there hopes and dreams.
What will follow is my experience
of talking and listening to their stories

Some laughter shared,
some songs sung
and
some tears shed.'
Words & Pic by Jay Poudal,our friend and the guy behind
www.Stories of Nepal.com

// THE PRICE FOR RICE //

"When the food runs out,
I go to the
well-to-do
of the village
and ask them if I can borrow some rice.
 I tell them,
'I will repay if I can, but if in case
 I am not able to,
you can take away my land.
But I hope you won't take away
my land.'"
(Ram Bahadur Kumal, Kewul, Gulmi)

See more stories
www.storiesofnepal.com

// KIDS //

What do you like about your sister?
"She gives me sweets."
What do you like about your brother?
"His happiness."

We <3 this pic & this story.
You like it too?
See more at
www.storiesofnepal.com

// TASTE OF NEPAL //

Follow this link to see plenty
of reasons you
have to go to Nepal at least once
in your lifetime:

https://vimeo.com/128578009

Some of the scenes are the most
beautiful shots of Nepal
I have ever seen.

I can almost "taste" Nepal
when I'm watching it.

Miss Nepal and the Nepali
people so much.

(Not to mention the food!!
I might have to cook some Nepali 
style food one day ) 

Karoline

// THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV? //

'This is the second time we have become
 homeless.
 The first time was when that landslide
 came.
You wouldn't know about
 that.
I don't know if they showed that
one on TV.
Last time I watched TV,
it was just girls and boys dancing.'

Majhi Didi,
 from Gaikhura, Ramechaap, Nepal.

______________________

You can help build transitional
 shelters
to Nepal Earthquake Survivors
by
donating to:

Stories of Nepal
Earthquake Recovery Fund.
igg.me/at/sonerf

You can see more stories
and read more about how they work
here:
storiesofnepal.com

// Sharing is Caring //

Love from Karoline & Anne-Marthe

// EDUCATION FOR EVERYONE //

"I appeared for SLC this year.
But I have heard that they are going
to cancel the results.
 I don’t know how true it is.
 But there are other things that I hear too.
 About new earthquakes. I am afraid.
I hope they will publish the SLC results.
 But I have heard that they are going to cancel
 all results.
 I did good in all the subjects
and
was waiting for the results to come out
and go back to study.
I always came 1st division in my class.
 I want to become a maths teacher.
But the school has come down.
I don’t know how they are going to teach
the students now."

(Sarada Thapa, Shyamsadhu,
Ghumtang 7, Sindhupalchowk)

See more stories from 
Nepal here:
http://storiesofnepal.com/

*** NEPAL IN OUR HEARTS *** 

// STORIES OF NEPAL; MIRA RAI, SOOOO INSPIRING! //

“I come from a place where life is
 the most difficult. 
The closest source of drinking water 
was 40 minutes from my house. 
Everyday I walked several hours with over 
25 kilos of weight in my back. 
And my family’s immediate concern for many 
years was the next meal.
 Rough terrain and hard labour was the way of life.
 But I always knew one day I will do something,
 become someone.
 I was always looking out for opportunities. 
In 2005, I joined the maoists rebels 
and was involved in their activities for 2 years. 
I saw this as an opportunity for exposure. 
I was good in sports particularly running. 
I excelled and kept to it. 
12 months back I got an opportunity to participate
 in a 50 km race and I grabbed it.
 I won and I never looked back. 
Today I have participated in over 9 international 
ultra trail runs – 
running the most difficult of terrains 
and altitudes in several continents
 and I have won 8 of those races breaking
 records in 4. 
But my story will always start from where
 I came from,
 from the days I walked 40 minutes every day 
for many years just to fetch water.”
 - Mira Rai.

You can check out more 
stories here: 
http://www.storiesofnepal.com