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.
A Fulfilling Request
“We currently have a higher than typical number of new children entering the program and needing support. If you have ever considered becoming a sponsor, now is a great time to learn more about sponsorship!” A message on sponsorship from Danny Williger, the Chair of Mitrata’s Sponsorship Committee.
A Message from Sudan, Mitrata’s first Graduated Medical Doctor
Sudan, one of Mitrata's long sponsored children, graduated from Mitrata into independence and completed medical school in 2022. He is now working as a medical doctor in a clinic in rural Nepal-a goal he had for many years. He is the only doctor in the clinic serving local people in great need of medical care. Read the heartfelt blog he wrote to be shared with the Mitrata Family here!
Travel to Nepal with us in 2023!
We are thrilled to announce our 2023 trip to Nepal from September 29-October 15. We are so excited to return to Nepal this year, and we would love to have many friends of Mitrata join us in this incredible experience!
Time to Say Goodbye… For Now!
After two wonderful weeks that were spent trekking in the Annapurna range, exploring Kathmandu and Bhaktapur, and most importantly meeting and enjoying time with their sponsored children and the kids at the Contact Center; it was time for the Mitrata Child Sponsors to head home. Three members of the Mitrata leadership team remained behind to get some important work done. Executive Director Dr. Christine Schutz, Advisory Board member Stephanie Recht, and Sponsorship Committee Chair Danny Williger settled in to tackle serious business. And they did. They tackled it Mitrata Style!
It’s a Graduation Celebration!
One of the most exciting experiences for our Sponsors, and one of the most anticipated moments in the lives of our students is the Mitrata-Nepal/BSF Graduation Ceremony.
Throughout the pandemic, our NGO partner, Bhuvaneshwori Satyal Foundation (BSF) was not able to hold a graduation ceremony. For this reason, this year’s ceremony included all our 2020, 2021, and 2022 graduates.
A Busy Day At The Contact Center
Eight sponsors, Dr. Christine Schutz and Anna Wertman spent a busy day at the new Contact Center, our early childhood school readiness program in Balaju, Kathmandu. After spending a busy morning at the Contact Center, we left the children to their studies and went to visit the Vibhuti Vidhya Mandir School. We were then able to take a walk through the neighborhood and visit a few of our Contact Center students at home.
Warmest of Reunions
Shortly after arriving in Kathmandu, six jet-lagged sponsors went to dinner with their sponsored children in a beautiful open-air restaurant in Thamel, a bustling area in the heart of the city. The fatigue left over from days of travel quickly slipped away, replaced by joyous laughter, long anticipated hugs, and the joining of communities from opposite sides of the globe who think of each other often and wait in anticipation for just this day…
Gertraud Wild: One of Mitrata’s First Sponsors
Although our 20th Anniversary Celebration is over, we are still taking the time to reminisce on the past 20 years. This week, we are sharing a lovely story from Gertraud Wild, one of Mitrata’s first child sponsors. Gertraud was brave enough to go with Christine on the first sponsor trip to Nepal in 2003, despite the country being in a Civil War! Keep reading to learn more about these experiences from Gertraud’s perspective:
Mitrata’s Child Sponsors join Leena & Yogesh for “Sponsor Coffees”
While visiting St. Louis, Leena and Yogesh Satyal, the Executive Director and President of the Board of Directors of Bhuvaneshwori Satyal Foundation (BSF) were able to get together with our child sponsors for a cup of coffee while sharing updates on their sponsored children, their progress, and the programs in which they participate in Nepal. As Chair of the Sponsorship Committee, Danny Williger was able to attend most of these “Sponsor Coffees.” Here’s what he had to say about the experience…
The Early Children of Mitrata
Mitrata Nepal Foundation for Children was born from Dr. Christine Schutz’s heart for the children of Nepal. Now, as we look back on the past 20 years, we see many familiar faces of our first sponsored children, though they are now young adults. These early children have now completed the program, graduated, and are working in their chosen career fields. Keep reading to hear the stories of nine of Mitrata’s early children and where they are now.