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Could having tea change someone's life?

“Because you’ve come into our home and are having tea with us, we feel touchable,” the family told us.

We had just finished visiting the home of someone from the Badi people group. The Badi are some of the most exploited and discriminated people in Nepal. They are often forced into sex work to earn enough money to survive.

So often when we hear about issues like these, it breaks our hearts. But it’s often hard to know just how to help. The problem feels overwhelming.

But tea is a good place to start. Sitting side-by-side, looking each other in the eye, and acknowledging the value in the human being across from you. Silently sipping tea. Listening. Offering a smile. We believe this is where revolutionary ideas start.

Five14 believes that each life has inherent value. That’s why we take the time to listen, to take tea with our partners, and seek to walk alongside these people towards a better life.

As we’ve begun working in this community, the leaders have agreed to partner with us to launch, “Goats for Girls,” our program to keep young girls in school and prevent them from being forced into prostitution. We will run “Goats for Girls” to keep daughters in school and out of prostitution by giving them goats to raise, and paying them an income to contribute to the family.

We are excited to see where this project goes and how it could lead to transformed lives in this partner community.