November 2019

Life throws you a few surprises from time to time, but I feel that some of the most beautiful surprises are in meeting and sharing with amazing people. One of the people I have been very grateful to meet on my journey in this life is Pierre Robilliard, who has not only been a great volunteer on site but is also raising money with his skills. I recently spoke to Pierre further to find out more detail about his journey in Nepal and how he raised the money.

Background

Pierre first came to Nepal over three years ago and has volunteered on three separate trips (the second and third were with us), and he still plans to come back to offer further assistance with the Budland School building phase. I find this kind of support incredible. On top of that he’s been doing some pretty creative things to raise funds that I was not always aware of until quite recently.

Pierre’s relationship with Nepal started in late 2015, hearing stories from Geatan Lievens who was telling of his experience around a fire while sharing a late summer beer in Lille, France. I had actually been Volunteering with Geatan early on that year on my first trip to Nepal after the earthquakes and Geatan had left me some of his corrugated tin for the roof of the house I was to build, knowing I would put it to good use. I had a very beautiful time with Gaetan, who is a remarkable and genuine guy that has also supported us with donations, which we are very grateful for.

Pierre was an old friend of Geatan. Inspired and excited through their passionate fire lit conversations whilst catching up, Pierre mentioned his desire to go to Nepal to another friend, Axel, and they all decided to visit Nepal together with donations for the earthquake victims. Within eight months, together they had raised over three thousand Euros collectively and couldn’t wait to begin, putting it towards a displaced community’s early learning centre in Selang, Sindophalchok District. If you look carefully on a clear day you can see the closest city of Selang, named Chotara, across the vast valley of mountains from where we sleep in Kavre district, on our current project.

This was Pierre and Axel’s first experience out of Europe and he was amazed at the simplicity of the world they were living in, under the stars which seemed so close on the mountain slopes of Nepal. The village had been entirely destroyed by the earthquakes. While Pierre joined them within their makeshift, displaced village he was curious of their reliance on fire and almost enjoying the peace of life with no smartphones or technology. The romantic way that he first viewed Nepal’s simplicity was both a mix of their displacement and also being from a rural minority in a developing country. Soon Pierre realised how challenging it can be in that situation, especially after such a catastrophic devastation. There was still no electricity in that region for example.

I first bumped into Pierre around this time outside of his project while reconnecting with our mutual friend Gaetan in Kathmandu, they were about to head out on the project, while I was actually about to build Budland School some much needed toilet facilities, little did we know then how connected we would become.

Pierre’s Birdboxes for Building Budland

Further inspired by his first month in Nepal which was so intense and overwhelming that it breezed by, all he could think about as he flew back to his homeland was returning to Nepal.  When Pierre arrived back in France, he returned to his job as a cabinet maker, and thought about returning. Soon he would come across the further news of our project to build Budland, which only excited his passion to come back to Nepal and travel with purpose again.

Two months before arriving back in Kathmandu, Pierre had started using his skills making bird boxes to raise money. His good friend Axel joined his mission, recycling wood to create small boxes for birds in which to nest, protect and raise their young.

“This is where my passion for wood started, making bird boxes as a child to put on the farm, and now I am continuing my passion for helping the same way.”

Pierre and Axel met at the same college in Lille and studied cabinet making together, even working since then together professionally. Axel was excited to assist Pierre wherever possible, joining the mission of the bird boxes, telling me that it never felt like work alongside Pierre, and that it was in fact a pleasure helping, motivated by knowing that they would help other people’s lives as well as the birds. They both fully committed to volunteering their time for the mission. Firstly, they made thirty bird houses, but with them selling out fast they soon made thirty more, and then further batches of thirty when in demand. Sometimes another friend, Julien Barrail, also joined them to help continue their mission.

“I00% of the money I raise goes to a project, I take no expenses and donate any costs myself with the time I volunteer to make them. I like to volunteer my skills on site to the projects we support too”.

Pierre visited Nepal again to see the village and project he had heard about online and when reaching out to me. It was his will to see the country further and gain a deeper understanding of the nation before any project work started, having only really been intensely volunteering in one village before. Pierre decided to go on his first trek which he claims has only deepened his love for the amazing country. He hiked through the highest pass in the Annapurna region, “Throng La Pass”, approximately 5300m above sea level. His eyes light up when he tells you “it was incredible”. So incredible in fact that he decided to do two more treks in the Annapurna region, the ‘Annapurna base camp’ and the ‘Mardi Himal’. Pierre seems to be fulfilling his many passions as soon as he’s introduced to them, with his desire to share everything with everyone that he can. I’ve seen this myself through knowing Pierre a little, he makes the space around him comfortable for all to enjoy his company. He is a quiet man, but very spirited. Conscientious and mindful of others.

Soon I arrived back in Nepal and met up with this eccentric French guy who has become a very special friend indeed over the course of this beautiful journey. We were both excited to meet each other again. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that he had started raising money and I could feel his passion as he enquired about the project’s developments and depth, about its heart. We struggled to converse back then, but our French friends Kevin, Margot and Marcel, who were also joining us for the ‘The Great Wall’, helped the conversation. Pierre found it very inspiring and motivating to meet more of the people that had been before and willing to help with the project raising the money for the ground work to be able to start on site.

Being in the village more, he saw more depth to the project in its early development, and it really started to make more sense to Pierre. After two months of trekking and relaxing he was ready to get his hands dirty as we started to build the first retaining wall.

“Volunteering in service of the community let me feel and experience the country very differently from the trekking. Through meaningful hard work and contribution, I have made very real friends in the rural community.”

When you ask Pierre about the village life, he will often include stories of food. Pierre has a great passion for food, and growing up on a chicken farm, he has a keen interest in all of the preparation. He loves to share the experience with people while learning from other cultures, also showing those that can’t travel to France or elsewhere in the West, how things are cooked back home too.

Ramesh and Parbati had just finished building their new home and shop (a similar design to the one we built for Raju), which we were sleeping in while they waited for the plaster to dry. Since then we have continued to develop the homestay for the projects. Pierre would often cut the meat with Ramesh for dinner but on a special day of progress on site Pierre had said he wanted to do a special BBQ and to show them his chicken and mashed potatoes because they may not have tried them.

“Ramesh and Parbati have become like family to me, we have become so close preparing food and helping to entertain the volunteers; it’s an amazing homestay.”

For the first BBQ, Ramesh got out an old bicycle wheel for the grill. It was a complete mystery where it came from, and as Pierre intended, we had a lot of fun. These kinds of good times have become a traditional staple in the project’s monumental moments on site, where we all put together for the meat and drinks to share with the Nepali builders and our other village friends. Although we lost the bicycle wheel, we are currently using an old fan guard as a grill. Pierre has left his legacy for us to keep sharing these nights on Building Budland projects which since then all volunteers have thoroughly enjoyed.

Pierre was so excited giving the mashed potato to our very dear friend Bishnu that he needed to be reminded he had forgot the chilli and masala. I love Bishnu, he has such direct honesty. How it should be.  Since I met Bishnu in 2015 he has welcomed us as a volunteer group to his house for drinks and food more times than I can remember,  which I fully appreciate, sometimes I’ve reminded him he puts too much chili in his food only for him to give me another sweet roxy to help balance my palate.  The drinks flow and the bonding of the team is tight. Volunteering never gets better. These nights have now grown into a perfect hybrid between the two cultures, the rest of the time it’s strictly Nepali, naturally.

“Every day was energised by the people. Work on the walls was tough but the atmosphere and purpose keeps you motivated. Every evening we became closer as friends, every day the work became more fun, it was a tight unit, good times and genuine love of people and the mission. Good times!”

Pierre continued to say that like all creative work, including his carpentry, the brief can be intimidating at the beginning but as you work and see the progress you get more inspired. The progress and accomplishments keep pushing you forward. I have to agree with him. There have been many challenges but it is the people believing as well as the straight purpose that have continued to put the wind in the sails of our projects. Laying the first stones of such a big wall, Pierre reminds me how hard that felt. We were a smaller team in that moment too, but he’s quick to point out how amazing it felt at the end. For me it was absolutely incredible seeing this, seeing Pierre and the team so energised. I hadn’t expected it. We were building a retaining wall, I didn’t think the site work would see this much passion until we started the main school building, but it’s been incredible, because of people like Pierre showing passion with every drop of sweat and each smile shared.

“When I could see what I would be able to create with wood I fell in love with my job. It’s the same when you know something is created to serve a purpose, its important. If it serves to help then it’s an accomplishment, I am proud to of helped”.

Since volunteering with us on the first wall, Pierre has been in Australia travelling and working as a carpenter. In France; Axel, Geatan and his family have all been continuing to sell the bird boxes steadily whenever possible and they still are. Pierre’s family sell them on their farm and in local markets alongside their chickens, Axel sells to friends and customers at his mother’s beauty salon, and Geatan in his family chocolate factory.

Pierre came back with Nuria this year to build the next retaining wall and has informed me that they have hit one thousand Euros and have deposited the money into our charity account, informing me there are more bird boxes available. What an amazing success Pierre’s mission has been!

In some free time while I was also waiting for the design to be passed, I visited Phul Maya and Raju to check on them and the house we had built for them. Since I last saw them, they had settled in and looked much happier with life. They had received the beds I had ordered, and now had the freedom to really concentrate on their sustainability. Admittedly this was still a struggle, but it seemed that things were slowly coming together. My heart melted and to be honest I thought the house lacked a little warmth, so I decided to personally gift them a basic carpet, being that culturally in Nepal they sit on the floor for everything, I felt they needed it. Pierre said straight away that he wanted to measure and cut the carpet, installing it with his girlfriend Nuria and myself assisting him.

“Visiting Raju’s home was amazing, they looked after me with tea while I worked and looked so happy, but with genuine appreciation. The house was well made and beautiful. I could see how their life has changed from the project. Seeing this beautiful project [from building budland] gives me confidence in the school project, we will build it!”

To be honest, I don’t tell him often so I’m just going to say right here, Pierre is a true blessing and amazing. May your heart never be tainted, and may you always fight the good fight brother!

Continuing the work on the second wall with Pierre and Ujwal was like a dream for me. Nostalgic but real, a brotherhood in service. The voluntary commitment these two guys have given is overwhelmingly astounding. There have been quite emotional times which can be evidenced by the ridiculousness of every goodbye, knowing we will see each other and face more challenges together again in the future, which I always look forward too. Beautiful times indeed.

“I was planning to come to Nepal for two or three weeks, to see friends, but I ended up staying nearly three months so I could help [the Budland school project] more!”

Finally I would just like to add that there are more bird boxes still available. Please get in contact with Pierre if you would like a bird box, or email me at david@buildingbudland.com.

I personally guarantee that all of the money paid for one, and also all donations received will go towards the materials, transport of materials, and to the local Nepali community’s builders’ wages.

A special thanks to Pierre, his friends Axel, Julien, Geatan and to their families for all of their time and effort to help support for our project, and to everyone else who has contributed in any way whatsoever to help make the dream of Building Budland a reality. With your help we will make it happen!