Raising enough money to build a home in one night may seem like a lofty goal, but it helps to have some of Australia's most popular musicians on side.
On October 11, Katie and Maggie Noonan will headline a concert at Churchie, with all funds raised donated to Prisoners Assistance Nepal - an organisation which supports around 80 children whose parents are in jail.
Hosted by the Nepal Australia Friendship Association (NAFA), the money raised will go towards building a new home for the 20 teenage boys who rely on the services of PA Nepal in a village just outside of Kathmandu.
UQ Honourary Senior Lecturer in Social Work and long-time NAFA member, Dr Deborah Setterlund, said the new house would make life much more comfortable for the extended PA Nepal family.
"Because the children stay at PA Nepal for some time, the boys are starting to mature and are now 15 to 18 years old," Dr Setterlund said.
"They're in a home that's fairly crowded and they've had to move out into an old farmhouse which is not that safe - it's kind of a temporary measure.
"They need a space of their own where they can start to learn survival skills and become more independent, and also be away from the teenage girls.
"Even though they've grown up together, it's not appropriate for them to be under one roof."
Established by a group of Brisbane volunteers in 1989, NAFA is an aid organisation which supports charitable projects in Nepal.
Remote cataract surgery clinics, child education sponsorship programs and poverty alleviation programs are among NAFA's many initiatives.
With the aim of generating $25,000 in one night, this concert marks the organisation's most ambitious fundraising event to date.
"We've never imagined raising that much money," Dr Setterlund said.
"It's very rare that a little group like NAFA could raise this much money - normally we raise $6000-$7000 from our fundraisers."
The concert is being held at Morris Hall, Churchie (Anglican Church Grammar School) on Saturday, October 11 at 7.30pm.
Tickets to this event cost $50 for adults and $25 for concessions, and are available by calling Mike on 3369 6839 or Karen on 3850 7600 (BH only).
For more information on NAFA activities visit www.nepalaust.org.
Media: Penny Robinson at UQ Communications (07 3365 9723, penny.robinson@uq.edu.au)
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