On April 20, 2011, CAWST lost a dear friend, Raju Shrestha, the coordinator of the ENPHO Water Education and Training Centre in Nepal. The news of his death came as an incredible shock to us, since many CAWST staff had been with him in Zambia, less than two weeks before, at the WET Centre Learning Exchange.
Raju inspired us all during the learning exchange with his ideas and heartfelt commitment to bringing safe drinking water and sanitation to the people of Nepal. He spoke with great pride of the entrepreneurs and community leaders in his country who are championing the cause and improving local conditions.
Many of us also had the pleasure of spending time with him in the evenings, learning about his life in Nepal, exchanging videos – and even dancing. He had a vibrant and fun personality, and was wonderful to be with. We will treasure the time we spent with him and continue to work hard to further the cause that he felt so passionately about.
The morning before he left Zambia, Raju did an interview with CAWST to tell us about the achievements of his WET Centre and what he appreciated about the Learning Exchange, which we will share at a later date, in honour of our great friend. Our condolences go out to Raju's family, friends and colleagues in Nepal.
