| Founder of Women's Literacy and Awareness Initiative, Aasha Mendies, with her husband, Aswin Mendies. |
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| Above and below are women in the remote regions of Nepal. Aasha has visited these women and have learned of their circumstances and challenges. |
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Dear Women of the World Partners,
I want to introduce you to the Women's Literacy and Awareness Initiative founded by Aasha Mendies!
During recent visits to rural villages in Nepal, Aasha witnessed realities that deeply burdened her heart. In many of these communities, women were living without dignity, voice, or opportunity. In this context, the birth of a baby girl is often met with disappointment. Many women are silenced, and some are even labeled as witches when they try to speak for themselves. Domestic violence is common, yet endured quietly. In some places, men take multiple wives, and women are treated as replaceable. Girls are often not allowed to go to school, and as a result, many women grow up unable to read or write. Even within some churches, women feel they have no role because they lack basic education. This affects their confidence and participation, and they often feel unseen and unheard.
When Aasha sat with these women and listened to them, many opened up with tears. They shared a deep desire to learn simple things, to read, to write, and to understand basic numbers so they could better live their daily lives. Their longing to learn and grow touched her deeply. Through prayer, Aasha felt led to begin something small but meaningful: a Women's Literacy and Awareness program.
The vision for this program is to see women empowered through literacy, awareness, and the love of Christ, so that they can live with dignity, confidence, and purpose. The plan is to run literacy classes for women through local churches, creating a safe and welcoming place where they can learn and grow!
1) Each center will include 20 to 25 women.
2) Classes will run five days a week, for three hours each day, over a period of two years.
3) Each class will be led by a local Christian woman who has a heart to serve. She will be supported by a volunteer and guided by local church leaders. We will provide basic training and ongoing support to help them lead well. As relationships grow, they will gently share about God’s love, helping women understand their value and identity.
Many women carry deep emotional pain, and it is the hope this program will also bring healing, hope, and encouragement in their lives.
This initiative has the goal to begin centers in the following communities:
1) Dhading – Tamang community
2) Dhusrang – Chepang community
3) Madi – Chepang community
4) Sauraha – Chaudhary community
5) Bajura – lower caste communities.
After completing the two-year program, women will be able to read and write basic Nepali, do simple mathematics, and participate more confidently in their homes, churches, and communities. They will begin to see their worth and value, and this change will not only affect them but also their children and families. When a mother learns, the whole family benefits.
I believe this is a mission from the heart of Jesus! I would love to see WOTW help Aasha get started! WOTW has committed to raise $5,000 to launch at least one of these centers. The funds will cover support for a teacher, educational materials and stationery costs for students, and a feeding program for the women attending.
Your financial and prayer support will help create opportunities for women who have never had the chance to learn. It will bring hope where there has been silence, dignity where there has been rejection, and light where there has been darkness. We believe that even a small beginning can lead to lasting impact, one life at a time! Please help get this new initiative started!
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10
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LIVING HOPE RESCUE AND REHABILITATION CENTER
UPDATE!
Last week the Living Hope Rescue team worked with local police to rescue three children who had been trafficked from different places in Nepal (above pictured). The children are now safe and currently under the care of Nepal Police and our team. These three children come from very poor and vulnerable backgrounds.
The first girl is Gyanu BK, who is 12 years old. She is from Darchula, which is one of the very remote districts of Nepal. Gyanu comes from a very poor family and from a marginalized (Dalit) community. Her father works in India as a security guard in a residential colony, and her mother is a housewife. Both of her parents are illiterate. She also has three younger sisters at home. Gyanu shared that she did not want to return home because she had been facing very difficult situations in her family environment. While her mother would go to the jungle to collect grass for the family cow, her uncle would behave inappropriately toward her. When she was younger she did not understand what was happening, but as she grew older she began to feel uncomfortable and afraid. She told her mother, but unfortunately her concerns were not taken seriously.
Later, a woman from the neighborhood who often traveled to India for work began talking with Gyanu. She told Gyanu that she could take her to India where she would be able to stay in a hostel and receive a good education. Believing this promise and hoping for a better life, Gyanu left home with that woman without telling anyone.
The second girl is Muskan, who is 14 years old is also from a marginalized community and was Gyanu’s neighbor and close friend. Muskan’s parents work as tailors, and she has two older brothers. Because she and Gyanu were very close friends, Muskan decided to go along with Gyanu and the woman so they could stay together.
The third child is a boy named Prabin from the Tharu community in Kanchanpur, Bagphata area. Prabin is an orphan and lives with his grandmother. He is a very quiet and shy boy and did not speak much during the rescue. He only shared that he lives with his grandmother and misses her. Prabin was also taken by a person connected with the same woman. In this case, the traffickers involved were women.
How the rescue happened: By God’s grace, the rescue happened in an unexpected way. The children and the traffickers stopped at a restaurant in India to have lunch. The restaurant owner noticed something unusual about the situation because the children seemed uncomfortable. When the owner asked them questions, the children responded in Nepali and mentioned that the woman with them was not their mother. This made the restaurant owner suspicious, so he contacted the local Indian police. The Indian police then informed Nepal Police, and together with our team they coordinated the rescue operation. Through this cooperation, the three children were safely rescued.
The current situation: the children are now safe and receiving care. However, they are emotionally shaken and very afraid. When they realized they might have been taken somewhere unknown, they became very frightened and cried a lot.
Please pray for these children!
--Pray for their emotional healing and recovery.
--Pray that they will feel safe and protected.
--Pray that God will provide everything they need for their future.
--Pray that they will experience the love and hope found in Christ.
We are thankful to God for protecting these children and for using people in the right place at the right time to help rescue them.
Currently, they have new clothes are are enrolled in school. They are living at the Living Hope Rescue and Rehabilitation Center until they have adequate rehabilitation, safe placement, or if possible, a return to their families.
The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free!
Luke 4:18
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| Above pictured are Gyanu, Prabin, and Muskan with their new clothes, backpacks and school books. Women of the World was able to fund the rescue and rehabilitation of these precious children! |
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| The church is growing in Nepal! Below pictured are Drs. David and Lynn with Pastors Prakash and Naina Sharma from Nepalgunj, Nepal. Pastor Prakash has sent an exciting report regarding multiplication of believers in this region along with increased water baptisms and a daughter church planted in a nearby village! |
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| Below pictured is Pastor Prakash's church members in Nepalgunj! They send their Easter greetings to WOTW partners! |
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Pastor James and Shepu Mahji are going to have a baby!
In February we visited Shepu and James and took time to pray for this precious couple to have a baby. After many years of praying for this miracle, it is now happening! We received a report in early April that they are pregnant! Please pray for Shepu and the baby for good health, a full term pregnancy, and a safe delivery. |
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Women of the World is launching a new website this month! After final completion, a special E-Newsletter with our new website address and link will be sent to you.
Our website will be something you can share with others when explaining WOTW and what we do throughout the world. It will be user friendly and the WOTW mission will be clearly articulated. I look forward to sharing it with you! |
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HOW CAN YOU GIVE?
If you would like to give to the Ministries of Women of the World, please visit our Website at www.wotw.co and click the "donate" tab (or see the link below)
You can also write a check to WOTW and mail to:Women of the World
7491 Crawford Drive
Gilroy, CA 95020
Please place the ministry name for your gift designation in the memo of the check.
You can send your contribution via Zelle at the above QR code. All financial contributions will receive a charitable donation receipt at year end. Women of the World International is a 501c3 charitable organization. A Tax Deductible receipt for tax purposes will be provided at end of year. |
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