Mum and daughter’s goal to give Nepal earthquake victims ‘hope for the future’

Justine Williams said it is a ‘privilege’ to have the chance to return to Nepal after she and her mother Gabi Butler flew to the country to help build homes last year.

Months after their visit, Nepal was struck by a devastating earthquake, plunging more people into poverty and making the need for safe shelter greater than ever.

Justine said: “This time it is to give some people hope for the future because they have just had that massive earthquake out there.

“Everyone is the same, we want a safe and secure environment for our family and the prospect for a good future.

“We had a connection with the area, so we thought we would do what we could to help.”

Gabi, 72, from Southwater, and Justine, 47, from Mannings Heath, will travel with the international development charity Habitat for Humanity.

They have previously travelled to South Africa for their work with the foundation.

The pair made an emotional connection with Nepal last year, Justine said, and did not have to think twice about returning to help once they established friends in the country were safe in the wake of the disaster.

A total of 9,000 people died while more than 23,000 were injured after the devastating earthquake in April.

Justine said: “Habitat go in before and establish community links and then establish how they are going to prioritise the building process.

“We are working alongside the person who is going to live in the house we are building.

“It is just incredibly moving and it is a privilege.”

She added that the trip would be an ‘amazing adventure’ for Gabi.

Justine said: “She is pretty fit, but she was by no means the oldest out there (last time) - there was somebody out there in her 90s.

“It is an amazing adventure for her, you meet people from different cultures and different backgrounds.”

Following the earthquake, Justine was able to contact a young Nepali volunteer they met last year.

She was reassured that the new community, though shocked, was not damaged.

This time, they will travel to a more rural location directly affected by the disaster.

Justine explained that improved housing directly leads to better health and education, therefore having a huge impact on quality of life for poverty-stricken communities.

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