REACH for Nepal

Lou Nulley (SJOC 1974)

It was the 25 April 2015, when I saw the news flash on TV about the devastating earthquake in Nepal, and shortly thereafter, receiving a call from my Nepalese friend (Lachhu Thapa) living in Canberra advising me of the catastrophic impact of the disaster. Some weeks later, it was revealed that around 9,000 people lost their lives and the country was in desperate need for assistance. In August that year, Lachhu and I set up a not for profit foundation called REACH for Nepal, where the objectives of the foundation are defined through the acronym ‘REACH’ - Rebuild, Educate, Assist, Children/ Communities (giving) Hope for Nepal. What sets the foundation apart from many others, is that every dollar raised in donations is sent to those in need in Nepal. All work in Australia is done on a voluntary basis.

Over the last three and a half years, more than 100 people have travelled to Nepal through the foundation and we have raised over $100,000 to assist in a rebuild program at the grass roots level, in remote and poor parts of the country. Invariably, the response from people participating in these projects is “we have given these people so little, and they have given us so much”.

We now have schools and the University of Canberra actively participating in a range of activities with the University incorporating work in Nepal as part of their health degree course. The focus of their work is to educate women and children in villages on hygiene and nutrition.

The work of the foundation was formally recognised on the Nepal National Day in September 2018 when I received one of four awards presented by the Nepalese Ambassador to Australians for their contribution in making a difference in Nepal. I feel very privileged and blessed to be able to facilitate the connection between people here in Australia to those in Nepal, and as a result, the people from both countries are so much better for the experience.

Personally, I love the work I do for the foundation as it ticks all the boxes important to me. I am semi-retired and now have the time to pour my energy into what I feel really passionate about. It gives me great joy to make a real and tangible difference in the lives of people in small villages, and to give those travelling to Nepal an experience that will last with them forever. I am also a very active person and I love trekking and taking in the views of the majestic Himalayan mountains, and together with the beautifully natured Nepalese people, it makes leading groups in Nepal a wonderful and truly rewarding experience.

Many of the people travelling are students, the leaders of tomorrow, and they walk away with much to think about. Many of the children they see in villages have very little, but they are so happy, and perhaps more bewildering, is that they can beat the older visiting boys in soccer, playing with bare feet!

Some people say that helping a handful of communities in Nepal is not going to change the world, but the assistance we provide through the foundation changes the world for those communities. The foundation is directly aligned with the values most important to me, with our focus being ‘every life matters’.

My family and St Joseph’s College were instrumental in my faith journey and the values I hold in life, something to which I am still very much committed and grateful. At one point in my time at St Joseph’s College, I had four of my brothers (George, Joe, Rob and John) attending at the same time, as well as my father George, who was teaching Maths and French. Six members of the family at the same school, which therefore resulted in an article and photo in the Virtus.

Soon after I graduated from Deakin University in 1979, I started a career in IT, culminating in the CIO role in running Medicare and other major government health related programs. My wife Gabrielle and I are celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary this year and we have three boys, all pursuing their individual calling. Jonathan our eldest is about to head off to live in the UK with his English born wife Johanna. Paul our second son is Parish Priest at St Joseph’s in Canberra, and Daniel is in Melbourne studying and working in a specialized IT area.

In addition to my role as co-founder and director of the foundation, I am occasionally requested to undertake short IT consultancy assignments, and 12 years ago, I set up my own mindfulness, meditation and yoga business, running courses and classes enabling people to maintain a sense of perspective and calmness despite the stresses of life.

Life for me has been an amazing journey (with many ups and downs) and I am still learning new things and being