This selfless nurse in Bhutan is rewarded for her sacrifice

Would you do a job that doesn’t pay you money if it meant you could help save thousands of lives? Because one such person did just that. Sangay Lhaden is a 28-year-old who embodies the spirit of giving and sacrifice.

After completing her nursing degree in India, Sangay returned to her homeland Bhutan to join the healthcare workforce. The pandemic struck and her small country, like so many others at that time, was badly affected. The government could not afford to suddenly hire more people.

She still enlisted to become a volunteer at the only hospital in her city. “At that time, our country was suffering a lot. Our King, he had invested funds from various other fields and healthcare system,” she thought service was her way of giving back. At times, she would get some allowances but it was not consistent.

It’s only two years later that Sangay finally got a formal nursing job offer where she can get paid. Then comes another problem: her parents who supported her financially are now retiring and are returning to their village. Her lack of steady income has left her unable to secure her own place in  the city.

She willingly gave two years of her life for others without expecting anything in return! When Project Nightfall Philanthropy learned about her story, we knew that Sangay deserve some relief from her worries. We will cover her first few months’ rent as she settles into her new work. A boost like this is all she needs right now toward a more stable and secure future.

Sangay’s story is a testament to the incredible impact of selflessness. In a world often consumed by individual pursuits, her actions remind us of the power of altruism. May Sangay’s journey inspire us to bring out the best in ourselves and extend a helping hand to those who need it the most.

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Breaking myths about periods, changing lives of girls

Remember those days in school when you really wanted to skip class? Maybe it was because you were feeling lazy or hadn’t finished your homework… We’ve all been there!

But for many girls in Nigeria, they miss school for a sadly specific reason…Their PERIOD! And it’s not even because of physical pain, but because they fear getting teased or bullied for something entirely natural.

“I feel so conscious of myself that I might not… Maybe people making jest of me during the period,” shared one girl.

Imagine this happening every single month!

Nightfam, unfortunately, there are still so many parts of the world where women and men alike think menstruation is a curse! They don’t understand what a period is. Globally, 500 million women and girls have no access to menstrual products because they could not afford these basic things. This is called PERIOD POVERTY.

But Project Nightfall Philanthropy wouldn’t allow this to continue. We partnered with Youth as Gender Initiative to distribute reusable pads to 400 school girls in Nigeria! Not only that, but the girls also got essential education about periods, breaking the myths and stigmas!

This is not the first time we’ve done something like this, Nightfam, and certainly wouldn’t be the last. Thank you for fighting period poverty with us! We hope that this help from Project Nightfall Philanthropy inspires the girls to NOT PUT A PERIOD to their own future.

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From “food waste” to healthy meals?!

If there was NO FOOD for you to eat except leftovers, would you eat it?

To you, it may seem like an extreme scenario, but for millions of people who live below the poverty line, it could be their only desperate choice – scavenge for leftover food or rotten produce from dump sites and trash bins just to survive.

Yet there is hope.

Fundación Alimentar Colombia has found a solution to address at least two of the biggest WORLD PROBLEMS – food waste and hunger.

“We served here around 84 child[ren] per day, that’s how we started,” Juan David Gonzales, the foundation’s Director for Operations shares. The group initially provided ready-to-cook food bags for families, but these often ended up being sold or exchanged for other basic needs.

Later on, they shifted their approach, transforming leftovers and non-commercially viable food into safe, edible meals feeding more than 1500 children every day in one of the poorest cities in their country. We are proud to say that 92% of that food has been recovered from restaurants, food markets, caterers, and hotels. We have created a sustainable model in which we could utilize this food surplus to help prevent starvation in this community.”

As their success and impact grew, they ran into another challenge – they have no storage for the food they collected! Without sufficient space, the recovered food could go bad and no longer be usable. And so Project Nightfall Philanthropy and the Nightfam stepped in by buying two large freezers for them!

With the new equipment, Fundación Alimentar can not only extend the shelf life of their food, but they can also feed hundreds more children and families! Your support allowed us to do this, Nightfam, thank you so much!

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A mother longing sight for her daughter sees new light

Look around you and answer this: Will you still find the world beautiful…if your loved ones can’t see its beauty? This is the incredibly difficult question Baby Lyn has to confront because her daughter has been blind since birth.

Every day, Baby Lyn is witness to Sarah’s struggles, observing the little girl as she incessantly rubs her eyes and presses her head against the mattress in frustration. Although she wishes she could provide comfort and a cure for her four-year-old, she lacks the necessary resources to do so. “I don’t know what she’s feeling…but she’s moody because of her eyes,” Baby Lyn shares. Sarah, who is also unable to speak, relies solely on her body language to communicate.

Sarah is in need of maintenance medication, but her mother could barely afford to buy one. The young girl is supposed to have regular eye check-ups, but her last doctor’s visit was still two years ago!

The story of Sarah and Baby Lyn highlights their extraordinary strength and determination. However, they need a miracle to alleviate their mounting bills and give Sarah a chance at a normal life. In their darkest moments, the hope of a compassionate community like the Nightfam becomes their guiding light.

With Project Nightfall Philanthropy’s help, Sarah is finally able to have her eyes checked again! Additionally, we are providing Baby Lyn some capital to replenish her small business, with the hope that she can finance Sarah’s future medications.

“Thank you, thank you so much!” A teary-eyed Baby Lyn was almost speechless.

Nightfam, please remember Sarah’s story and let it serve as a reminder that even in life’s darkest moments, your support can shine a light. Thank you for standing by us!

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These girls were banned from school but we’re not letting them give up their dreams!

Have you ever wished for something desperately, only to have the world deny it to you simply because of your GENDER? If your answer is “NO”, then you are incredibly lucky. Because for at least 1.1 million women and girls in this country, the problem exists!

Nearly two years ago, all were left in shock as the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. The consequences were devastating, with lives lost and survivors left with nowhere to turn. Amidst the chaos, a significant casualty went unnoticed: education.

“Currently, we’re banned from schools and universities which limit[s] our access to education,” shared a girl who experiences this firsthand.

Azar*, a compassionate individual who believed in the right of these girls to receive an education, took action together with his friends.

“I can’t wait and sit when my sisters are banned from most academic places. I feel responsible for them…We are like a library…we lend books for free. Every week they can exchange their books,” Azar shared. The group also organizes online classes and workshops.

And with your support, Nightfam, they are not stopping there. Through our donation, they can expand their library and will fund more scholarship workshops and school lesson packages for college applications abroad. These will benefit hundreds more girls!

“We have to study, we have this right and we will fight for this right. We will not disappoint, we will not lose hope. This nightmare will be over one day,” said another girl.

Let us hold onto the hope that this day will arrive soon because, as the saying goes, when you educate a girl, you educate an entire generation. Thank you, Nightfam!

*Real name withheld.

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