Testimonials - Dave Newlands

Although most won't experience Nepal in the same way I did, in fact I am certain that few will, as I was privy to a major political turning point in Nepal history that one can only hope will catapult Nepal into a new progressive era, with no need for further major revolution, this is not to say the majority of my experience cannot be shared by future visitors.

From the moment I walked through customs, I was greeted by the welcoming face of Ramesh Sharma from SADP. Though I cannot compare SADP to other volunteer organizations I have worked with because they are just too dissimilar, I can say that Ramesh's efforts in the way of hospitality far exceeded what I had come to expect. He was eager to give me a comprehensive experience of greater Nepali culture in addition to my volunteer work, which I greatly appreciated. From Katmandu to Pokhara to Lumbini, I found every moment of the trip enlightening and delightful in its own way.

As for the volunteer work, while it leans more toward eco tourism than full scale work, I cannot complain about my experiences with Seti Valley Organic Farm, or Baniya Eco Farm. At both locations I was excited to see ambitious development and improvement of the sites was underway, and planned for the future. I felt fully apart of the family at Seti Valley, and of the community at Baniya Eco Farm, and truly these people are dedicated to improving the quality of life in their respective villages.

Both SADP sites I visited were a pleasure and a unique experience that I am proud to have been able to participate in. I would recommend this as a more attractive alternative to standard agro tourism any day of the week. I cannot express enough how enriching this trip was for me.

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