I was very lucky to meet with a woman in New York this summer named Maggie Piper. She was a friend of the designer Lucy Barnes and when I took a batch of samples from the women’s cooperative over to her for viewing Maggie was visiting there as well. Maggie said she was actually moving, with her family to Kathmandu in the fall. I asked why? She said her husband, Robert Piper, was taking a position as the head of the UNDP in Nepal. So on this trip I called Maggie and set a lunch date to meet with them. Robert was as nice as Maggie and I feel they will bring a lot of grounded energy to Nepal in these fragile months leading to the countries new constitution. Actually, the UN in Nepal has taken a very important role in assisting the government in the process. I spoke with Robert about Citta’s project in Humla and the great progress we were making. I know there is a lot of interest in developing those regions now that the Maoist conflict has subsided and we have a wonderful foundation set up there already.

Robert asked what some of the major hardships or obstacles we are facing and I mentioned the exorbitant cost of flying medicines to that region from Nepalganj to Humla. I also said that I was aware that the world Food Program (WFP) had regular flights to Humla to drop off food for the “work for food” program they ran in the Humla Himalayas for the workers building the road to China. Robert said he would look into that with the head of WFP and get back to me.

On the following morning, Maggie and her friend Roberta Taman from justice reform (justicereform.com) came with me to the Women’s center. They both wanted to get an idea of what was happening there so they may be able to gather support from other contacts they have both locally and in their respective countries (Australia, Canada, France).