She had just given birth 10 days ago. Now, the 22-year-old Nepali found herself frightened, clutching her baby at the shores of the Arun River.
For years, she had suffered abuse at the hands of her husband, who would often beat her, sometimes even slash her with blades. Finally, she had mustered the courage to escape, but with nowhere to go, all she could do was wander.
As she paced at the water's edge with her newborn, another woman noticed her distress and asked her if she needed help. The new mother burst into tears as she explained the horrors she had escaped from.
“She shared that the reason why she had been pacing by the river was because she was contemplating walking into it,” said Victoria's Rob Tournour, co-owner of RTM Masonry, who would later hear her story. “And I get emotional talking about this, but it was because she didn’t think she had any other choice but to.”
Finally safe, the woman was fed, taken to hospital and then to a women’s safe house, which wouldn’t have existed if it weren’t for Changing Lives Nepal (CLN) and a Victoria-based organization, Another Brick in Nepal (ABIN). CLN funded a temporary Safe House in 2022, and then Rob Tournour and his co-founded organization, ABIN, took the lead in designing and constructing the permanent facility.
Tournour started his grassroots organization, which was primarily focused on rebuilding schools in Nepal, 10 years ago with co-founder Randy Jones.
It started when he saw a newspaper photo of the wreckage left by Nepal's devastating 2015 earthquake.
As co-owner of Rob Tournour Masonry, it was the image of crumbled bricks that 'reached out' to him.
Among the destruction, more than 7,000 schools were damaged or destroyed in the quake. Tournour has since leveraged his experience and connections in the construction industry to help rebuild, focusing his work in the country's east – an area often neglected by international aid due to being far from trekking trails and tourist dollars.
Since then, Another Brick in Nepal has built five schools, assisted with small grants, and most recently, constructed the Khandbari Women's Safe House – a first in the region.
Tournour highlighted the Khandbari Women’s Safe House and Shelter, which opened in March in the province of Sankhuasaba, as a notable project for the organization.
The house offers victims of domestic abuse, rape or other sexual violence a safe space, access to an onsite counsellor, and connection to medical and legal services. Its 10 residential rooms are on a donated property where residents can grow crops and raise livestock.
In Nepal, domestic violence is considered a significant issue, with around one in four women experiencing at least one type of violence in their lifetime, according to the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey.
"It has far-reaching impacts. It's the first women's safe house and shelter in the region," Tournour said, noting 12 out of 14 mayors in the local province attended the ribbon cutting. "In Nepal, they call the women SOVs, or Survivors of Violence, and before this place opened, they had no place to go."
To make the mission a reality, Another Brick in Nepal joined forces with U.S. sister organization Changing Lives Nepal, which launched the space in a small rented facility around three years ago. Without construction experience, they relied on Another Brick in Nepal to build a permanent facility.
Another Brick In Nepal and Changing Lives Nepal team members toured the completed Khandbari Women’s Safe House & Shelter in March 2025.
Another recently completed project was the Mahendra School for Deaf Children in Khandbari, which opened in 2023 and supports students in a deaf program.
"The previous facility that these children were in was very rudimentary and would definitely not have survived an earthquake of any significance," Tournour said. "So now, they've got this wonderful facility."
'What keeps me going is that support'
Another Brick in Nepal is 100 per cent volunteer-based, and Tournour said he owes a lot of gratitude to the construction industry, which has been a "huge supporter."
TL Housing Solutions of Vancouver, for instance, has given $10,000 towards each of the last five projects they've done. RTM Masonry and TL Housing Solutions have worked together for almost 20 years.
All funds raised go directly to projects or necessities like marketing, accounting or legal. "None of our personal expenses are shouldered by the charity," Tournour said. Even when volunteers travel to Nepal, they pay for their travel, meals and accommodations.
Tournour said it's the community support that has enabled the organization to make the difference it has over the past 10 years.
"What keeps me going is that support," he said. "I've taken many people to Nepal on these trips, and they've always found it to be life-changing."
While it's the support that keeps him going, it's the positive effects and his love for the people of Nepal that keep him passionate about the cause.
"The passion comes from the people and the need, the interaction with the people who have so little, but are always so very grateful."
Looking to the future, Tournour said fundraising and planning for the 7th construction project will start in 2026.
"There's always a need," he said. "I was in Nepal for four weeks in March, and we're always being approached with worthy projects over there."
Seeing that need, however, brings up emotions for him.
"There's a trend lately, sadly, much of it originating south of the border in Washington, of bending away from supporting aid projects globally."
Tournour emphasized the impact international aid can make.
"Despite our economic difficulties, a little amount of money can go a very long way to changing lives over there."
The Women's Safe House, for instance, was built for around $40 a square foot, including furnishings. In comparison, a decent quality house on Vancouver Island runs $400 to $600 per square foot.
Despite the changing political climate, every visit to Nepal reignites Tournour's commitment.
During his last trip, one profound moment was holding the baby of the 22-year-old woman who was finally in a safe space.
"I've met her and held the baby who's six months old now," he said.
"That's why we're doing it."