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A local charity dedicated to supporting and bringing clean drinking water to Gurkha ex-servicemen in rural Nepal is celebrating having raised more than £1m since its launch nearly a decade ago.
Since being founded in late 2014, the Gurkha Welfare Trust Jersey has helped to provide safe water to 11 Gurkha villages.
This year, with support from Jersey Overseas Aid, the GWTJ aims to fund five more water and sanitation projects for Gurkha villages in East and West Nepal.
"We believe that Jersey, including our GWTJ supporters and with the superb support of JOA, has made a very substantial contribution to the Gurkhas since GWTJ was formed at the end of 2014," said GWTJ chair John Pinel.
"This is a prime example of how aid from a small island community can have disproportionate benefit for a relatively small, but much less fortunate, community halfway across the world."
The objective of the local charity is to raise money for the Gurkha Welfare Trust UK, which supports the relief of hardship amongst Gurkha ex-servicemen, who typically live in rural Nepal, according to Mr Pinel.
Mr Pinel confirmed that since January 2015 the total funds raised by the Jersey branch of the charity and sent to GWT has totalled £1,017,358.54, as of December 2022.
He added: "By ensuring a safe water source and reducing open defecation, we see sharp drops in water-borne diseases such as dysentery.
"Having a water source close by also reduces the burden on women and children, who traditionally spend hours collecting water each day. GWT works with the whole community to deliver the projects.
"Sanitation is always included as an integral part of our major water projects, and we have a team of social workers who spend time with local communities to educate them in hygiene and waste management before construction starts."
Click to enlarge the map below, highlighting the Gurkha Welfare Trust's successful projects over the years...
Jersey's links to Gurkha's marked by new charity (2014)
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