The Impact of COVID-19

Hey all,

Some of you have been asking so we wanted to provide a quick update about how the Coronavirus is impacting our work and those we serve.

The country of Nepal is currently on lockdown, which means the kids are also out of school. March is when the children in Class 10 usually take the SEE Examination (Class 10 Final Exam), which is a mandatory exam that every student takes in order to graduate and move on to Class 11 (High School). For now, this exam has been postponed, which has also postponed the children's graduation. 

Just like here in America, everything in Nepal is on hold for the moment. Once things get back up and running we'll work with our contacts in Nepal to continue to support the children we serve.

The work of Milwaukee's Newest Artisans is also on hold since there aren't any markets to go to!  :)

Additionally, we spoke with some of the artisans prior to the onset of the Coronavirus in order to better gauge what their goals and plans for the future are. We are trying to guide them onto a path of self-sufficiency and encouraging them to take more initiative. Let's just say this is a work in progress! If any of you have ideas about other avenues in which the artisans can sell their baskets, or if you might be interested in taking the women to a market for the day (once markets resume), please reach out. We are definitely open to new thoughts and ideas to better support our local refugee population.

As always, thank you for your support and continued generosity.

Stay healthy!

Shannon