In response to Nepal’s second wave of COVID-19, our hub’s Mental Health team organized a fundraiser called “WellnessWeekends4Relief”. The initiative used social media platforms to solicit donations in exchange for wellness activities and classes hosted over four weekends.
Four 1-hour sessions were held each Saturday starting May 15, 2021:
Donations of any amount were accepted through eSewa/Khalti. The goal was to raise as much money as possible to help those in need while offering programs that addressed mental health struggles many were experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The initiative successfully raised NPR 50,000, which was distributed to organizations addressing the crisis. Hami Nepal Youth Organization (working in various areas of COVID crisis management) used the funds to provide rations to 178 people living with disabilities. Women for Human Rights Food Bank used the funds to provide cooked meals to health workers. The remaining Rs. 23,271 was initially intended for SOCHAI’s Nutrition Drive program. However, due to an emergency, they instead used the funds to buy tarpaulins for flood victims in Sindhupalchowk, in collaboration with Help Nepal Network.
