Nivas

“Impact cannot be delivered; it has to be co-created.” - Sushma Shrestha

Meet Sushma Shrestha, Country Director – Nepal, who sees beyond building homes to building the systems that make these homes possible.

At NIVAS, Sushma brings over a decade of experience across the development sector, with a focus on strategy, partnerships, and impact. She initially led efforts around fundraising and program development, and today plays a key role in strengthening how NIVAS operates at a systems level, building trust with government bodies, deepening partnerships, and expanding the reach and recognition of our work.

Beyond scale and strategy, she believes impact must be co-created with communities and partners, placing women at the center as decision-makers in their own lives.

For Sushma, housing is not just about shelter. It is about identity, dignity, and security, especially for single women and their children. Her focus is to ensure that our work goes beyond construction, strengthening agency, rights, and long-term resilience.

This belief is grounded in moments from the field, such as supporting a differently abled woman in Dang to secure land ownership after sustained engagement with her family and local government. What followed was not just the construction of a home, but a visible shift in confidence, stability, and possibility for her and her children.

Whether she’s advocating for land ownership, building partnerships across sectors, or shaping the future direction of NIVAS in Nepal, her approach remains grounded in one belief: sustainable change happens when women are seen, heard, and empowered to lead.

We’re proud to have her leadership guiding NIVAS in Nepal. Behind every home built is a network of support, and people like Sushma making it possible.

Sita is a 29-year-old single mother living in Makwanpur, Central Nepal with her young daughter - age four. She depends on daily labor wages to meet their basic needs, and with a disability in one hand, the work is physically demanding.

For years, they lived in a fragile house that offered little protection from rain, wind, or insects. Life in that shelter was exhausting and insecure. All Sita wanted was simple: a clean home where she and her daughter could live with dignity.

Sita worked to build her home from the ground up, with support from NIVAS and our partner Tukee Foundation, creating a safe and permanent space where her daughter can sleep peacefully and grow without fear. With this stability, Sita looks ahead, hoping one day her daughter will be educated and become a teacher.

Sita earns around NPR 350 ($2.45 US) each day by carrying water and cutting grass in her village. She is now starting a small goat farm in a pen provided through her partnership with NIVAS. Even after losing one of the goats, Sita remains determined to succeed.

What stands out most, however, is not just her determination but her generosity. Even as she rebuilds her own life, Sita aspires to give back. She says:

“Now that I am raising goats, I want to help others, too. If I have an extra one, I will give it to another single woman so she can start her own journey.”

Sita’s story reminds us that safe housing does more than protect; it restores dignity, strengthens resilience, and creates space for compassion and hope to grow.

Today is Colorado Gives Day — and it’s the last day of our Matching Campaign.

Every gift made today will help families in Nepal secure land, build a resilient home, and gain the skills to generate income. This is the kind of progress that sets a family on a stronger path for years to come.

And today, every donation is doubled.

Your support fuels the full pathway to stability:

🏠 Land rights secured in a mother’s name
🧱 Disaster-resilient homes built w/ local teams
📚 Practical income-generation skills
💼 Home businesses launched and supported
🌱 Land-rights training for Indigenous families

These are real, measurable changes that create lasting impact.

Any way you give today counts toward the match — and helps us unlock our share of Colorado Gives $1M Incentive Fund.

www.nivas-built.org/donate

www.coloradogives.org/organization/Nivas

Venmo:

Match Sponsor: Storm Design Build

When families in Nepal secure land, build a resilient home, and gain the skills to generate income, it changes the trajectory of their lives — today through December 9th, your gift will be matched to help make that happen.

Your support helps families:
🏠 Secure land in their own name
🧱 Build earthquake-resilient homes
📚 Gain income skills that support long-term stability
💼 Launch small home-based businesses
🌱 NEW: Access land-rights literacy designed for Indigenous communities

These aren’t short-term fixes — they’re foundations for stronger futures. And today, your impact goes twice as far.

Matching campaign ends December 9.

Donate via:
nivas-built.org/donate
coloradogives.org/organization/NIVAS
Venmo:
Facebook Donations

SPONSOR: Storm Design Build