One Year On.

It has been a year now since Odyssey Films visited Nepal. As we keep working on the editing of our documentary, Butterfly Wings, which tells the story of how Eva, one ordinary person, created extraordinary change in people’s lives, thousands of memories come to our minds and warm our hearts. With so much gratitude to the Gayatri Fund and Eva Holmberg-Tedert for allowing us not only to film but also to live their every day work and passion for helping children in Nepal, we are happy to share two clips that illustrate two of the projects: the building of a school in the remote Himalayan village of Rathankot and a water project in Maghi Gaun, which allows children to go to class instead of spending the day collecting water for their homes.

With every project we filmed, we got to know the people behind them, we got to hear their stories and motivations, we got to witness every child’s dream and the efforts and unconditional love that Eva and her invaluable team put into every action, every decision, every idea. Thousand of seeds are planted daily so children can grow with hope for a better future.

You can view our clips by clicking the links below. We hope they open a window into the world of these children so you can also be inspired by the power of just one person, one moment, one decision to step out of her comfort zone to make the world a better place.

In the meantime our editing work continues. We cannot wait to show you the documentary finalised.

If you feel inspired by the Gayatri Fund project and would like to contribute, you can visit their facebook page, where you will find more information and the opportunity to donate.

We would love to hear from you. Which clip did you enjoy the most? What image touched your heart? What are your thoughts? Tell us on the comments bellow.

Hello to all the children of the world.

Dear friends,

We have been back from Nepal a few weeks now and we thought of giving you an update on the progress of our documentary, Butterfly Wings.

For three weeks we filmed the two childrens' homes in Kathmandu, visited medical students, trekked to the school in the Himalayan village of Rathankot, travelled to Magi Ghaun and filmed their fresh water project, sang with the women in their co-op, danced with the small children in Manjushree, celebrated Tihar (Diwali) with the girls at the Gokarna home, joined the mantra chanters around the Buddha stupa and, most importantly, we listened to the stories of dozens of people. Some stories brought tears to our eyes. Stories of  love, sorrow, resilience, compassion, activism, hope...

As you know, our story started with Eva Holmberg-Tedert and her decision to help the street children in Nepal, but very quickly  we saw that Eva's inspiring story could not be told without other people's stories. Intertwined, entangled, everyone contributing to a beautiful mesh, to this big heart that is keeping alive the dream that Nepal can be a better place for their children and their children's children.

It was such a joy to witness and film the every day lives of so many people in Nepal who have been touched by the Gayatri Fund and The Society for the Street Children of Nepal projects. It was a real treat to see Eva in action. True compassion in action! Her selflessness and courage are certainly moving mountains and planting seeds that will keep on growing for generations. We feel so honoured and privileged to have been there and we are working hard on the editing now so we can bring this story to all of you and to the world.

We are now deep into the editing process, which is lengthy, laborious and costly. We are working using all our free time and our own resources and that makes the process slower.  For that reason, we'll keep the GoFundMe campaign open. Every little contribution will help to forward the documentary towards its final completion and eventual distribution.

If you feel called to keep supporting Butterfly Wings, please help us spread the word. This is an amazing story of hope and compassion and, in a world where we are constantly bombarded with news of war, hatred and greed, it certainly needs to be told.

Thank you so much for your ongoing support. We could not have done it without the help of so many people who believed in the project. Thank you.

With so much love and gratitude,

Rory and Veronica

Odyssey Films

A female medical doctor for Humla, Nepal.

Eva Holmberg-Tedert (in the middle) and Jyoti Botsford (at Eva's left) with the medical, nursing and midwifery students in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Humla is considered as one of the most remote and isolated regions in Nepal, reachable only by foot or small aircrafts which are irregularly landing in the district headquarter, Simikot. It is situated high in the Himalayas, in Karnali zone, North-western Nepal, bordering the Tibet Autonomous Region.  Its elevation ranges from 1,524 to 7,337 meters above the sea level. This region has two very contrasting faces: On one hand, breathtaking landscapes, untouched nature, the purest air and organically grown food. On the other hand, isolation has left Humla in a very precarious position where poverty and harsh living conditions are making this beautiful area a tough place to live and thrive in, especially in regards to health assistance and education. 

When Eva travelled to Humla, she had to take a flight and trek for nine days through the Himalayas in order to reach Pema Dechen's village. However, Eva was determined. Pema Dechen had proven to be an outstanding student and was willing to take her education further and help people in her area. The Society for Street Children of Nepal received a donation aimed at supporting a motivated Nepali student through medical college, so Eva was traveling to Humla in order to visit Pema Dechen's parents to discuss an opportunity for Pema to embark on a medical degree in Kathmandu. 

Pema Dechen's parents were delighted that her daughter was given this opportunity, the whole community welcomed the idea to have a local medical doctor among them and Pema was over the moon to be able to further her studies and help her people in the future. 

I need to pause here: this is huge.

There are various variables to consider: 

1.A student from a remote area in the Himalayas going into Higher Education.

2. Studying a medical degree. 

3. Becoming a medical doctor and returning to her village to serve the community at the same level than the shaman. 

4. A GIRL.

Ten years ago, when Eva started talking to the street children in Kathmandu, she realised that the main reason why they had ended up in the streets was because their mothers had died. She kept enquiring and she learnt that the most common reason for women to die at a young age was childbirth. Eva likes to work both on the current problems but also on its causes. The problem: lots of children end up in the streets after losing their mums in childbirth. A cause: Nepal needed more health care professionals and birth assistants. A way forward: there are girls in need of a dignifying education. The education for medical professionals project was born. Ten young girls are currently benefitting from this initiative and the number is growing. These girls study in Kathmandu but will be returning to their places of origin all around Nepal to help their communities for at least five years. 

Butterfly Wings is a documentary film that tells the story of an ordinary woman, Eva Holmberg-Tedert, doing extraordinary things. We are filming in October 2017 in Nepal. We are launching a crowdfunding campaign on the 4th of September to finance it. Click here to find out more about it or watch the short video below for more information. 

Video blog: Eva tells us about the school the Gayatri Fund built in Rathankot, Nepal

Rathankot Village, where the school funded by The Gayatri Fund was rebuilt after the 2015 earthquakes. 

Watch Eva Holmberg-Tedert telling us about the school in Rathankot and a water project in Maghi Gaung.

Butterfly Wings is a short documentary that shows how one ordinary person can do extraordinary things. It's the story of Eva Holmberg-Tedert, who we met in Nepal last year and we feel extremely honoured to tell her story. We are filming in Nepal in October 2017. If you want to get involved and become part of the producing team, please help us by spreading the word, like us on Facebook and donate as much or as little as you wish to our crowdfunding campaign, which will start the coming Monday, 4th of September.

Thank you for being here. Namaste!

Eva at the inauguration of the water project. 

Video blog: Eva talks about how she founded her first home for girls in Kathmandu

Butterfly Wings tells the story of Eva Holmberg-Tedert, a Swedish 60 year old civil servant who, after attending a talk by a Tibetan Lama in Sweden, felt the urgent call to help street children in Nepal. For the last 9 years, and after founding the Society for Street Children of Nepal and later on directing The Gayatri Fund,  she has helped, protected and given education to so many children. She has created two homes for girls in Kathmandu, built a school in a remote Himalayan village, delivered water filtration systems to slums, help rebuild a traditional well in a historical town and boosted small villages' economies through donating goats and yaks. 

And the most impressive thing of all is that all started with her, one person, saying yes to her heart, and gathering the courage to follow her call. She's a whirlwind of compassion, but not of any kind, as Eva would emphasise, 'compassion in action'.  

Odyssey films are so proud to be filming her story. We need as much help as possible. If you feel called to become part of our producing team and contribute to Butterfly Wings, please donate as much or as little as you wish to our crowdfunding campaign by clicking here. 

Thank you so much for being part of this. We all can create extraordinary change. Namaste!

Butterfly Wings: The Gokarna Girls

When I arrived in Kathmandu, Nabaraj, Eva's driver, was waiting for me outside the airport. It was late in the evening but the tiredness of a long flight quickly vanished when I saw the magnificent spectacle in front of me: a city of lights. It was the first day of Tihar (Diwali in Nepal) and the buildings where sparkling in the thick night air.  

I was driven to Gokarna, a home for teenage girls that Eva had funded. She wouldn't arrive until later on and I was unsure what to expect. After cruising through a cacophony of car horns, loud music from speakers, drums and prayers, animal squawks, grunts and bleats, I arrived to Gokarna. The air was a little bit fresher there, the iron gate opened after I knocked and a group of vivacious girls between 7 and 17 years old came running to welcome me with a warm hug and thousands of questions! They told me about the earthquakes, how they were living in tents, how scared they were but also how much fun they had living all together outside and playing all day. It was love at first sight. 

After I learnt the stories of some of the girls before Eva found them, I could appreciate even more the tough but fruitful journey that each one of them and also Eva and her team had gone through. I found out that it wasn't just about helping one girl now, it was about giving them the education and tools to have a dignified life now and in the future. This will impact their children and their children's children. It is a small home, only 14 girls, but it is already changing the way Nepal sees and treats women (especially poor ones), one girl at a time. 

Why girls? There is an outrageous high percentage of street girls who are snatched at a very young age by human traffickers and some are even sold by their families. Eva is currently writing a book about this topic. The homes in Kathmandu protect and educate girls so they have a present, a future and can also heal their past. It was a truly heart-opening experience to listen to the Gokarna girls talking about their future careers and their dreams and how each one of them were committed to make Nepal a better place and help others. Right, I thought, I am here with you. As much as I can I am committed to help you. And here we are, traveling again to Nepal to produce Butterfly Wings, a documentary about how ordinary people can create extraordinary change. Eva Holmberg-Tedert is just one person helping a limited group of people, who will be helping others, who will help others... That's the power of true compassion. 

The girls in the picture above are Tenzing and Renuca. One morning they appeared outside my room 'dressed like Lakshmi', the Goddess of Abundance. They brought me breakfast and they asked me to take their picture. Renuca wants to be a doctor and Tenzing was not sure yet, either a clothes designer or a cyclist. The fact that they can even dream and feel that they have the choice to decide their future is already so powerful. They are learning to be free. Confident, empowered, intelligent, energetic, aware, skilled, compassionate. These girls and many like them are the future of Nepal. 

Butterfly Wings, as with Eva's projects, is multilayered. By telling Eva's story we are also spreading the word about how important each individual is and how every single person is a powerful agent for change. Each one of these girls will create a better world for themselves, their children, their communities, their country. We cannot be more honoured to be telling this story. 

We have been crowdfunding in the past and saving as much as we could ourselves. But to make this documentary we need as much help as we can have. If you feel called to help us tell Eva's story, please share our website, connect with us on Facebook and become part of our producing team by contributing with as little or as much as you wish when our crowdfunding campaign goes live on Monday 4th of September 2017. Thank you so much. Namaste!

Rory and Veronica.

Odyssey Films

Butterfly Wings: School in Rathankot

This short video was filmed last November during my visit to Rathankot. The children here are siting in their temporary school, since their usual one had been destroyed by the 2015 earthquakes. The Gayatri Fund, directed by Eva Holmberg-Tedert, provided the materials and training for the villagers to rebuild their school. 

Specialised training was provided to learn how to build earthquake-resistant bricks. With this knowledge the village has built their new school but has also boosted its economy as they can offer this service for other villages. 

The new school is now finished and was opened last March. We can't wait to go to visit in October and film there. 

That's the way Eva likes to work: small scale projects with large impact. 

Help us tell her story an join our crowdfunding campaign on the 4th of September 2017. 

Eva Holmberg-Tedert, the power of compassion

Butterfly Wings is a short documentary that tells Eva Holmberg-Tedert story. Eva is just one person. One person amongst billions, one person who felt called to make a difference and is now changing the world for the children of Nepal. However, Eva is no different from you and I. And that is the beauty of it. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

Eva Holmberg-Tedert /Photo by Veronica Layunta-Maurel

Today we are presenting  an interview carried out last year, where Eva tells us all about how she started her work in Nepal.

Meeting Eva has inspired us beyond belief. Butterfly Wings will make you wonder what your unique gift is and how you can make the world a better and more beautiful place. Who knows, you might feel called too to bring it to life. 

For the last nine years, Eva has provided a home and education for girls from pre-school age to teenagers, some of whom are already training to be doctors, nurses and midwives and who now want give back to their communities. She has re-settled many children back with their families or other relatives and provided sponsorship for education and health costs. She’s provided rural areas with livestock and water supplies, and helped re-build a school that was destroyed by the earthquakes of 2015. All in all Eva has touched and changed the futures of hundreds of children.

We are so privileged to tell this story, but we need help to do it. If you feel inspired and called to help us film Butterfly Wings, a documentary, please share this blog, like us on Facebook and click here for more information on our crowdfunding campaign, which will start on the 4th of September.  Help us tell this story and become part of the producing team!

Butterfly Wings, a documentary

Odyssey Films Are Both Excited And Honoured To Tell Eva's Inspiring Story In Our Documentary, Butterfly Wings. We Are Committed To Tell Uplifting Stories  Featuring Ordinary People Creating Extraordinary Change

Eva is just one person. One person amongst billions, one person who felt called to make a difference and is now changing the world for the children of Nepal. However, Eva is no different from you and I. 

‘I am a truly ordinary, middle-aged woman,’ Eva describes herself and laughs. ‘Rheumatic, asthmatic, deadly scared of snakes and heights. 'My ‘tiger mum’ instincts to protect those children still surprise me!’

After a fateful encounter in Sweden with Pema Dorjee, a Tibetan Lama who works for the Dalai Lama in the exile, Eva learned of the plight on the streets of Kathmandu and the rural areas of Nepal, where thousands of children are left homeless, neglected or snatched by human traffickers taking advantage of a developing world and natural disasters. She could not remain indifferent. 

For the last nine years, Eva has provided a home and education for girls from pre-school age to teenagers, some of whom are already training to be doctors, nurses and midwives and who now want give back to their communities. She has re-settled many children back with their families or other relatives and provided sponsorship for education and health costs. She’s provided rural areas with livestock and water supplies, and helped re-build a school that was destroyed by the earthquakes of 2015. All in all Eva has touched and changed the futures of hundreds of children.

But there are still thousands of children living on the streets of Nepal and some say even thousands more girls are sold into prostitution. It seems like a fruitless battle but Eva shows that one person can make an enormous difference for the individual lives and future of these children and their children. She embodies a legacy that will ripple through time. Through her amazing compassion and selfless action, Eva teaches us that in order to create extraordinary change and make the world a better place, the only requirement is to have a truly open heart and enough courage to follow it.

Eva's story deserves to be told. 

We will be filming in Nepal in October 2017 and are setting up a crowd-funding campaign with GoFundMe.com to help towards the cost. The campaign will be launched on September 2017.

By donating whatever you can to this project you are helping us tell Eva's story.  The money will go towards equipment costs, travel costs and production logistics and anything leftover will go directly to Eva’s charity projects.

Most importantly, with your donation you will help us raise the profile of her work and expand her reach. There are still so many children who need help!

Our crowd funding campaign will go live on the 4th of September 2017 and will last until the 24th of September. If you feel called to be part of this project and in order to keep up to date with our news and be reminded when the GoFundMe campaign is launched, you can join our mail list by filling in the form below or like us and follow us on Facebook. 

We are eternally grateful for any and all contributions. 

Rory and Veronica

Odyssey Films Ltd

Find out more about Eva and Odyssey Films here

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Eva Holmberg-Tedert with some of the Gokarna girls in one of the homes she founded in 2011.