The journey so far
In 2024, Charlie travelled to Nepal and met Nirmala Bhandari - a para-athlete, amputee, and founder of the Nirmala Foundation. Her dream was to trek to Everest Base Camp. A goal that many people with two legs never achieve.
This summer, she did it.
In 2025, Step Three led a fundraising campaign that raised over £30,000. This was enough to bring Nirmala to the UK and fit her with a high-performance prosthetic leg through leading specialists Ottobock. Rehabilitation took time. Learning to walk again with a new prosthetic isn't straightforward. But Nirmala worked through it, and this year she trekked to Base Camp.
Nirmala is currently in the UK for follow-up treatment with the Ottobock team before returning home to Nepal shortly.
“Meeting Nirmala in Nepal was one of those moments that really stays with you. Her determination, and the way she’s using her own experience to help others, is incredibly powerful. As a team we felt strongly that if we could help support her work, then we should. What she’s building through the Nirmala Foundation deserves to be seen and supported.”
Charlie Rivers, Director, Step Three Construction
What the Nirmala Foundation is Doing Today
The Base Camp trek was a personal milestone. But for Nirmala, it was never really about the mountain.
Back in Kathmandu, she's building something that matters. With a small local team, the Nirmala Foundation is working to create real opportunity for people with disabilities across Nepal.
Current work includes:
The Voice and Visibility podcast, sharing the stories of disabled people in Nepal
Inclusive sport programmes, including wheelchair basketball and amputee football
Education and awareness sessions in schools
Community outreach and advocacy
It's consistent, committed work. And it's making a difference.
Why This Matters to Us and How You Can Help
For Charlie and the wider Step Three team, this cause has become deeply personal.
Having seen first-hand the work being done in Nepal, and the determination behind it, supporting Nirmala’s mission felt like something we had to stand behind.
Step Three is supporting a fundraising campaign to raise £15,000 to cover the Foundation's core operating costs for the coming year, helping to keep the programmes running, supporting the local team, and giving Nirmala the stability to keep building.
Every donation goes directly towards that work.
A Joint Effort with New Futures Nepal
For over 20 years, New Futures Nepal has supported children like Nirmala, helping to break down barriers and create brighter futures. Today, they are proud NGO partners of the Nirmala Foundation, backing this campaign alongside Step Three Construction.
All funds are managed by New Futures Nepal (UK Registered Charity 1142984), long-term partners of the Nirmala Foundation, ensuring donations are handled transparently and tax-efficiently.