Tomejhong Village is located in the foothills of the Annapurna mountains and populated by the Gorkha people who arrived in western Nepal from India centuries ago.

 

They trace their roots to the Rajput clan – part of the Kshatriya, or warrior class – from classic Hindu tradition. Their culture is a fascinating blend of their Hindu roots and local traditions like shamanism and Tibetan Buddhism. The Mother’s Group at Tomejhong known as Ama Samuha has played a significant role in women’s empowerment locally. They’ve banded together to focus on social awareness of child care, primary health care, nutrition, sanitation and family planning. Working with the local leaders, we’ve developed projects to help improve daily life for everyone in the village.

We purchased and installed a flour mill to grind wheat, millet and other grains. Having the mill close to home has saved time and energy for the women in this village, and also given the community a new source of income which can be used for village development.

The small village of Tomejhong had no street lamps, so traveling through the village at night was a concern for many. We installed solar powered street lamps throughout the village, making it safer to walk through the village at night.