A Connection That Changed Lives: Aphelion’s Journey in Nepal
- Secretariat Aphelion
- Mar 14
- 7 min read
Updated: Mar 27
Springtime 2013. It was just another ordinary day when Leo Giannotti, founder of Stichting Aphelion, received an email. The email was from Bishnu Gautam from Laxmi Pratisthan, a man he had never met, living in a country thousands of miles away, in Kathmandu.
Bishnu didn’t write to ask for charity. He didn’t plead for money or list a hundred problems waiting to be solved. Instead, he told a story. A story about children in the hills of Nepal who woke up every morning with empty stomachs and dreams too fragile to hold on to. A story of mothers who had no means to earn a living and fathers who left their villages in search of work, hoping to send home just enough to keep their families alive. A story of entire villages struggling in silence, far away from the world’s attention. Leo read the email and chose to act.
Summer 2013. Leo traveled to Nepal, met the people behind the stories, and saw firsthand what needed to be done. That was the beginning of a partnership that would impact hundreds of lives.
From Words to Action: The First Step Toward Change
When Leo arrived, he found himself on the rugged trails of Nepal, walking alongside Krishna, Bishnu’s son, meeting the people behind the stories. He saw the faces of the children Bishnu had described and their eyes full of curiosity, their hands clutching torn notebooks, their bare feet dusty from trekking miles to school on an empty stomach. He met the mothers, strong and resilient, their hands rough from years of work, their hearts full of unspoken hope.
It became clear that this wasn’t just about a one-off charity action but about creating something sustainable. Something that would last. This was the beginning of Stichting Aphelion’s involvement in Nepal. A journey of empowerment, dignity, and transformation.
Empowering Villages, Transforming Lives
One of the first villages Stichting Aphelion worked in was Kanda, a very remote Chepang settlement where families faced extreme poverty. Misery beyond words. Uncertain chances of survival. It was a community of around 400 people, completely isolated from civilization, that Bishnu had discovered and visited some months earlier. They did not know agriculture. They survived gathering the plants they knew. The children were malnourished and naked. Their eyes, truly, had no joy. No toys, no houses, no toilets, no shoes, no clothes, no food, no school. It was not a matter of having little; it was a matter of having nothing at all. Most families lived in fragile shelters that barely withstood the monsoon rains. All this, Bishnu had described in his email. Leo could see it with his own eyes.
Bishnu had gathered the entire community. There are photos available of that first contact. They sat all around a circle, to listen, to decide what to do for the survival of their children. Some parents had left for months in search of work, leaving their children behind, unsure of when they would return. Most adults were themselves frightened to leave the valley where they lived, because they knew nothing of how they would survive if they left the little that they knew.
One year earlier, in 2012, Aphelion had launched in Nepal a women’s empowerment program, providing 40 women with sewing machines and vocational training. For many, it was their first chance at earning an income. Over time, they built small tailoring businesses, became financially independent, and secured a better future for their children.
Leo and Bishnu organised a mission to Kanda. They met in a location in Chitwan, with two cars and one motorbike, very early in the morning. There were 14 volunteers, and they set out to reach the valley of the Chepang people. The roads were very difficult, and also very dangerous, because of possible landslides. They reached a river, and they could not go any further with the cars. The Chepang people had come down from the hills, to help carry the goods that Bishnu and Leo had with them. Then, they walked, uphill, until they reached the valley. They crossed another river. They finally met the villagers. When food was prepared and served, there was an unbearable silence. The children were frightened. Some of them were visibly sick. The boys were on one side, the girls on another. They sat in a semicircle, to watch the volunteers unpacking. Blankets, food, and also blue school uniforms, that the women who attended the tailoring course had prepared. There were plastic sandals, as all the children were barefoot. There were school bags, there were pens and pencils, and paper copybooks. The children had no idea of what to do with the uniforms, with the sandals. Bishnu called one of the boys, and helped him to dress in the school uniform, and then to see whether any of the sandals was of the right size for him. Little by little, all the other boys imitated, and then they started to help each other. Also the girls did the same.
After that, there was the distribution of the blankets, and of the backpacks, and of pencils and pens. That was done with dignity, with a quality of giving, without humiliating anybody, in a fatherly manner, respecting all the fathers and the mothers who were present there, who could not offer themselves those goods to their children.
A woman, who had encouraged his own son to come forward, smiled. She wanted to show reciprocity, and she approached Leo with a pumpkin. That was all she had, to reciprocate with a gift. Leo took the pumpkin graciously, knowing the meaning of the gesture. Quality in giving, quality in receiving, quality in responding to adversity. This is the hallmark of Aphelion.
That was only the beginning. Bishu is a formidable leader. Less than two years later, he orgainsed the construction of a school. Yes, you read well: an entire school, with dormitories, and toilets, and rooms for giving school classes. Three teachers were recruited, and cooks. The children could have a shelter, three meals a day, and a school education. Leo received the photos of the day when the beds were brought - on the shoulders, because there was no road - in the dormitories. The beds had sheets and blankets. Can you imagine the sense of fulfillment, after so much effort? There was nothing there, and because of the willpower of Bishnu, now there was a school, and clean dormitories.
To further support sustainable livelihoods, Aphelion donated a vegetable garden, in the middle of the school courtyard. This was an idea of Susanne, Aphelion’s Treasurer. “In this manner, the children can learn about agriculture, and if in any case eat the food that they themselves see growing”. It was a brilliant idea. It worked very well.
A few years later, Aphelion introduced beekeeping programs, giving families the opportunity to earn a steady income while also benefiting the local environment. Guido and Barbara, with their own motivation and with support from Aphelion, travelled to Kanda, to teach beekeeping. Beekeeping not only provided a new source of livelihood but also helped improve agriculture through natural pollination, leading to better crop yields for farming families. Over time, more people in the community embraced beekeeping as a way to create financial stability, allowing them to support their children’s education and daily needs.
This is what Bishnu and Laxmi Pratishan did in Hattidap, for the Chepang people. Aphelion supported this process of transformation. There was no food, no shelter, no clothes, no hope. Education, most importantly, was out of reach for those children not because they lacked the will to learn, but because they lacked the most basic necessities. Without food, shoes, and shelter, they had just nothing. Many children had to walk long distances barefoot, while others stayed home, unable to participate due to the distance. Laxmi Pratisthan stepped in. Bishnu is a formidable leader. Aphelion stepped in to support Bishnu. They removed these barriers, ensuring that every child had shelter, food, and care. The uniform to wear, sandals to protect their feet, and a backpack filled with essential supplies which Leo delivered were a symbol of solidarity, like saying “we shall not abandon you”. That action created trust. The impact was immediate, attendance increased, children gained confidence, and for the first time, they could focus on learning instead of struggling to keep up.
Then, in 2015, disaster struck. A massive earthquake devastated Nepal, reducing homes and schools to rubble. Aphelion responded immediately, providing emergency food supplies, blankets, temporary shelters, and entire communities were supported in their recovery, ensuring they could rebuild their lives with resilience and hope.
This, Aphelion did, with very little means. Yet, the glory is to be for Bishnu, who is a formidable leader, a man who is capable of making a difference, where he is.
The Present: Aphelion Food for Children Day (March 13, 2025)
Fast forward to March 13, 2025, a special day dedicated to a cause close to our hearts: feeding children so they can learn and thrive. This day marked the inaugural Aphelion Food for Children Day, and across two districts of Nepal, hundreds of little stomachs were happily full.
This initiative provided nutritious meals to over 200 Chepang children in the care of Laxmi Pratisthan, across the Kanda (Chitwan) and Kavre hostels. These children, many from Hindu, Buddhist, and animist backgrounds received not just food, but a moment of joy, nourishment, and care, ensuring they could focus on their education and future with strength and dignity.
The event was not just about one meal. It was a seal to a commitment to ensuring that children have consistent access to food so they can focus on their education. By working with local schools to establish daily meal programs and supporting families with nutritional resources, Aphelion has partnered with Laxmi Pratishan, laying the groundwork for long-term change.
How You Can Be Part of This Journey
Reading about Aphelion’s journey in Nepal, it’s natural to feel inspired and perhaps to wonder, “What can I do to help?” The beauty of Aphelion’s story is that it was written by ordinary people coming together to do something extraordinary. And you too can be a part of this ongoing story.
Here are some meaningful ways to get involved and support Stichting Aphelion’s mission of uplifting vulnerable communities:
Donate – Your contribution can fund education, food programs, and livelihood training.
Volunteer – Use your skills to support Aphelion’s work and expand its impact.
Partner – If you’re part of a company, school, or organization, join us in building sustainable solutions.
Because real change doesn’t just happen. It’s created one action, one person, one community at a time. Visit Stichting Aphelion to learn more.
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