Rotary Foundation Minute

Forty-five years ago, Tulsi R. Maharjan came to America from Nepal with hope and a chance for an opportunity. Now and for the past 25 years he along with his son Anil are giving back in the form of humanitarian projects. His club – the Rotary Club of Branchburg and District 7510 in Pennsylvania and New Jersey provides scholarship funds, micro-credit loans and training programs through international grants. These projects partner with many community organizations to create a new network of hope.

In response to the April 2015 earthquake in Nepal they traveled to Nepal with the goal of rebuilding homes. He realized that house building was not enough. For a country that has spent decades dealing with political turmoil and economic instability, they recognized that simply resetting life to what it was like prior to the earthquake, was only a beginning. In response they created The Asha Project; which builds homes to help create stronger families, creates microcredit loans to provide individuals with a prosperous future and provides scholarships for under–represented ethnic groups. With collaboration from other organizations, they sent eight Rotaract students to volunteer in Nepal and recently welcomed a student from Nepal to complete his master’s program in health management funded by a global grant scholarship. They are presently working on several digital divide computer projects to connect students with the outside world. Patience and persistence have enabled Dr. Maharian, his son, their clubs and their district to complete many humanitarian projects in Nepal. With such support, hard work and dedication, many children in Nepal will have the opportunity to be what they wish.

Your contribution to The Rotary Foundation provides hope and opportunities for millions of people around the world. Thank you.