Current Project Needs

Demi Moore, the actress, recently produced a graphic TV documentary called “Nepal’s Stolen Children”. It tells horror stories of how young Nepali girls trapped in the cycle of poverty in their villages are offered jobs in India. When they arrive there they discover that there is no job and the only option left to them is prostitution in order to survive. It is estimated that in New Delhi alone, 60,000 Nepali girls are basically sex slaves.

International Needs Nepal wants to do something to help these vulnerable young women before they are tempted by the lure of “high paying jobs in India”. They offer a six month residential training course (called Lydia) that teaches these young women sewing and craft skills to a level that they can make a living when they return to their villages armed with a sewing machine. The course is also a discipleship course that seeks to empower these young Nepali women to succeed in life by changing their “karmic” world view to a Biblical one.  Many have gone back to their villages transformed and become financially self-sufficient or supplemented the income of their family, started small businesses in their village employing staff, and become effective evangelists in informal settings as messengers of hope.

Over the past year, the Lydia residential program was forced to shut down because of the threats of violence by an extortionist group, who threatened not only I.N., but other Christian organisations . The extortionists are now in jail so it is safe to begin again. Because of the closure of the program, many who supported Lydia changed or cancelled their support. International Needs is now looking for people who will partner with Nepal to help these vulnerable young women. The $40 a month sponsorship means that two ladies a year will have their lives changed for ever. Now if you stay with Lydia for say 10 years – that will mean 20 girls will have a chance at succeeding in life – impacting the families and communities that they are a part of.

Contact Ginny at International Needs (0800 144 646) to explore getting involved with Lydia.