Andrew’s story
“We never set out to change the world, or even everyone in Nepal, but we felt we could make a difference to the small group of people that we had touched.”
The career choices I had made undoubtedly played a big part in the breakdown of my marriage. At the time, I was successfully working in a pivotal position for a large US company, and my beautiful son was just 6 years old. I was in my late thirties, and I hit a point where I felt I needed to do something just for me, so I decided to go somewhere exotic and do something adventurous; trekking in the foothills of the Himalayas was it. Stepping off the planet to visit a faraway place seemed like a luxury I deserved, except I quickly found I was totally out of my comfort zone.
I found the trekking so tough. I spent far too many hours looking down at my boots, making sure I didn’t fall over, and sometimes, putting one foot in front of the other seemed impossible; the uphill was crushingly hard. Surely it was the heat, humidity, and altitude that sapped all my strength, speed and breath; it could not have been my lack of fitness or training! Having to admit to our guide, Ram, that I was not always fit enough to carry my poorly packed backpack was, frankly, humiliating. His kindness to keep me safe and cared-for by sometimes carrying my backpack when I was struggling was very humbling.
Three things happened.
Firstly, the route of our trek became more level, and for maybe just a couple of hours on one of the days, there were no more ups and downs, just flat. This meant I could carry my own backpack with ease, not fixate on my feet, and could breathe normally. It was such a relief, and I chose to walk alone. For the first time, I saw the beauty and majesty of Nepal. It had always been there but now I was able to lift my eyes and not be distracted. Ironically, and in a different way, it was breath-taking and for me very emotional. I was happy to be alone and simply contemplate my life, surrounded by nature.
After that, and secondly, I was able on one of the days to walk and talk with our Nepali trek guide, Ram. Because I had never travelled to this part of the world before and because I had lazily not done any research ahead of my arrival, my head was full of questions about life in Nepal. Ram was a professional trekking guide living in Kathmandu and he spoke perfect English; he also had a very keen sense of humour and had spent some of his adult life living and working in the USA. I instantly liked him, and he graciously met my curiosity with direct answers and colourful images that would sink deep into my brain. What I learned from him shocked me; so many of the population were so desperately poor and vulnerable, especially if disabled or orphaned or worse, both. Ram shared with me his association with the Hope Centre and about some of the children and adults that lived there. Despite the array of physical and mental traumas that each member of the Hope Centre had experienced, they lived as a close and happy family, supporting each other every day, working towards a better life even though they had so little. To fundraise for food and schooling, they did street plays, made chalks for school blackboards and many other things. It was an eye-opening and sobering conversation, which left an everlasting impression on me.
Bizarrely, the third thing happened during the period after the trek, when the holiday was all over. I had returned home to the UK, and the stark reality of being back to work kicked in. Several of my fellow trekkers, none of whom I had ever met before our rendezvous in Kathmandu, agreed we would swap contact details and keep in touch, the usual holiday thing! But it was during one of those early email exchanges that the idea was floated of us sending money to Nepal to try and make a small difference to the Hope Centre. To my amazement, others in the group had been thinking to do the same thing, so for me, and now “us”, our charitable project started.
We never set out to change the world, or even everyone in Nepal, but we felt we could make a difference to the small group of people that we had touched. I knew that I wanted to try and make a difference to the people in the Hope Centre. Nepal had changed me; when I arrived there, I was unprepared, naïve, unfit and needing to rebuild my life. Ram took care of me during my adventurous but tough trek to make sure I was safe and cared-for and I think I simply wanted to do something in return and follow his example.
I succeeded in completing the trek, meeting some great trekkers that became lifelong friends, visiting my exotic place, being selfish and doing something for me. But unexpectedly, I also succeeded in having my eyes opened and my heart melted. I felt happy and rewarded, like you would if you could eat a grapefruit and then grow a new tree from its seeds.
I had never imagined how beautiful a country Nepal is. Even before the trekking started, I had the chance to get close to Mount Everest, the World’s tallest mountain. It was an unplanned and unexpected opportunity that meant getting up in the dark and heading back to the airport to board the smallest of aircraft; the whole trip lasted for maybe an hour and was so exciting, the views of the mountain and surrounding Himalaya were spectacular. And a few days later, during the trekking part of my adventure, I remember the excitement of walking up into the snowline. In the morning we were walking in brilliant sunshine through lush countryside, being amazed to see wild orchids growing in the trees and the artfully terraced hillsides, and then, as the afternoon progressed, we crossed the snowline and were needing to put on long trousers, hat and gloves; it was simply unimaginable for me.
Nepal changed my life forever! I went to Nepal for purely selfish reasons but came away wanting to help a small group of people at the Hope Centre who were really struggling through no fault of their own. To this day, New Futures Nepal is still driven to help in small ways, and we are still making a truly positive difference.
Looking back, my journey in Nepal, full of challenges and revelations, has profoundly shaped who I am today. I've found myself in a much better place emotionally and mentally now. The lessons from Nepal have become my bedrock of strength and resilience. I'm grateful for the unwavering support of the charity I co-founded, and rest assured, my dedication to the cause has only grown stronger over time. The charity has remained a steadfast anchor point in my life, providing not just a sense of purpose but also a community that feels like family. My commitment to this mission has deepened, and my enthusiasm is stronger than two decades ago. Nepal's echoes continue to inspire me, reminding me that every trial can lead to growth, fulfilment, and lasting connections.
Moreover, I rediscovered love and am happily married with two more children. Sharing Nepal's beauty and magic with them brings immense joy. Introducing them to the vibrant culture, breathtaking landscapes, and the spirit of resilience that I encountered there has been a deeply enriching experience. This journey has taught me that life's remarkable tapestry continues to weave threads of happiness and fulfilment even beyond our most trying moments.
Andrew Small
“Nepal changed my life forever! I went to Nepal for purely selfish reasons but came away wanting to help a small group of people at the Hope Centre who were really struggling through no fault of their own. To this day, New Futures Nepal is still driven to help in small ways, and we are still making a truly positive difference.”
