News
Read stories and updates from our work with the children of Nepal. To find our old newsletters from 2003 to 2018, visit the archive! Otherwise, click in the search bar below to locate blogs on a topics you’re interested in.
Hello from Kathmandu!
Namaste! My name is Sara, and I'm an American nurse living in Seattle. I first learned about the Mitrata-Nepal Foundation for Children when I helped with the Climb for Himalaya Children nearly five years ago on Mt. Rainier. Since then, each July I have either carried gear to camp to lighten the load for the climbers, or I've led a rope team of climbers all the way to the summit! Every year I am so impressed by the dedication of the climbers, both in their efforts to reach the summit and their efforts to raise funds to support Mitrata. The Climb for Himalaya Children is one of the highlights of my summer every year.
Join Us at Cherokee Street’s Cinco De Mayo Festival
The 2018 Cinco De Mayo festival will take place on Saturday, May 5th from 11:00am-10:00pm on Cherokee Street, between Nebraska and Jefferson, in St. Louis, MO. The festival will pack Cherokee Street with people enjoying authentic food, drinks, music, entertainment. Stop by Mitrata’s booth in the first block of Cherokee near Jefferson, numbered 8-9. We will be sharing information about our children in need and offering henna for $10 donation. Join us in a celebration of community and one of the largest and most diverse festivals in the St. Louis area.
Trivia Night: Sincere Thanks
Our sincere thanks to all those who attended our April 21 Trivia Night. We raised more than $22,000 for our underfunded children, necessary clean water for our Contact Center, one year of salaries for Mitrata university student Sangeeta to work as a tutor and a second part-time teacher, after school snacks and supplies and a few treats, ice cream and pizza! It was an incredible evening for our children.
Trivia Night 9 Days Away: Tables & Rounds Sponsors Still Available
Three tables and two round sponsors are still available! Reserve Now
It's not too late to join us for our annual Trivia Night. Expect an evening full of fun and interesting pop culture trivia and beautiful handmade Nepali handicrafts and the opportunity to gift our children necessary clean water, after school activities and a few treats!
Homeward Bound!
On Friday, our last day in Kathmandu, Rick and I typed up the updated bio's of the children, packed our suitcases and said our goodbye's. Looking back on our two weeks in Nepal, we felt good about all that we have accomplished: taking videos and photos of the children, updating their bio's, delivering sponsor letters, visiting the Contact Center, shopping for the upcoming bazaar at Trivia Night, providing trainings for the students and meeting with the BSF staff to discuss policies, current challenges, and future plans. Phew! We were busy! But it was wonderful to see the children and to work collaboratively with the BSF staff who showed us such kindness and hospitality.
You Gotta Love These Faces!
Today Rick and I continued doing interviews with the kids who attend Vibhuti Vidya Mandir School or who live at home and are able to walk to a good private school nearby. I am impressed at how the BSF staff here in Nepal are able to individually plan for each student and choose the living situation and school which best suits the child's needs. Such individualization, however, creates a tremendous challenge for the staff who must either travel distances to visit the children or arrange transportation to bring the children to the BSF office.
Reliance Residential and Trinity School Updates
Today, we were in the BSF office in Sukedhara meeting with our students who attend the Reliance Residential or Trinity Co-Ed school. Their ages ranged from seven to 14 and the grades they just completed ranged from 1st grade to 8th. In addition to taking pictures and videos, and updating biographies, we captured some family photos as a few of their mothers accompanied them.
A Visit to Dhulikhel
On Sunday Rick and I traveled by van about 90 minutes outside of Kathmandu to the small town of Dhulikhel. Our purpose was two-fold: to escape the Kathmandu pollution and breathe some fresher air, and to see Rabina, one of our nursing students attending a medical college there.
Contact Center Singing and Dancing
On Friday, we visited our Contact Center, where Mitrata and BSF provide early childhood development, hygiene and nutrition education, school readiness, and healthcare, for approximately 30 children in the Kathmandu area. Upon graduation and with the help of our sponsors, many of them are ready to begin third grade in local schools.
Celebrating Freedom
Yesterday we celebrated freedom of various kinds. We began the afternoon by visiting the Children's Model Higher Secondary School where nine of our Mitrata students attend. They had just completed their last exams that morning, and were looking forward to their summer vacation. When asked, "How do you feel?" the most common answer was "Free!" And later that evening we celebrated a Passover meal, commemorating the Jews' passage from slavery into freedom.