 
            
                I’ve known Lily for around five years and during this time, I have always been impressed by her determination, passion, and ability to meet challenges face on. Never more so than during the covid pandemic, when she established Lily’s Leaves, and against the odds helped improve the lives of so many others in the most difficult circumstances. I was fortunate to be able to spend three months in Nepal, interacting with Lily and her staff both in Kathmandu and Madesh Province. The hearing-impaired young women with whom she works at Lily’s Leaves in Kathmandu are an inspiration themselves, showing such talent in both jewellery making and tailoring. Their work, in turn, benefits more young women from poor backgrounds by providing school bags, uniform and reusable sanitary pads. 
Having accompanied Lily on a couple of trips south to distribute these products, I have seen just how dedicated she is to improving the lives of the disadvantaged in Madesh Province. In addition to the distribution process, Lily takes the time to talk to the girls, and boys, about menstrual health, child marriage and education. All of this on top of producing a very impressive selection of jewellery and textile merchandise that is very difficult to resist!