Stichting Kind in Nepal

Nepal boosts the highest mountains in the world. With about 28 million inhabitants is also one of the poorest countries in the world. In 2005, the gross national product per capita was $322 ranking Nepal 167th place in the world. In contrast, The Netherlands ranks 10th place with $38.618 per inhabitant. That's 120 times more! Additionally, Nepal’s economy and inhabitants is mostly affected by a civil war. According to the UN, more than 30% of Nepalese live below the poverty level. In such circumstances, children are invariably the first victims, with approximately 30% of primary school aged children not able to attend school.

Since its founding in 2002 the Foundation for Child in Nepal has been trying to change that situation for poor and disadvantaged (orphan) children in Nepal. The Foundations helps with care, education and the ability to then learn a trade. The aim is to:

Under this motto, the foundation supports various activities, the most important being

The Buddha Academy in Kathmandu was founded in 1989. The school focuses on orphans, semi orphans and other disadvantaged children from all ethnic groups in Nepal. A portion of children come from the Himalayas, including Tibetan refugees. In all cases these are the poorest children in Nepal who, without financial help, have no chance at a good education.

The school currently has over 600 pupils, both girls and boys ranging in ages from 4 to 18 years old. The school runs from kindergarten to secondary education. About 350 children are residents while 150 are day- students.

The training lasts 10 years in principle and will be completed depending on the interest and abilities of the child. Some children receive practical training, while others are prepared for secondary and higher secondary education. In addition, several other training programs are offered as funding and resources allows. A few years ago the school bought a piece of land on which students can learn basic agricultural work.

The school receives no subsidy from the Government of Nepal and is entirely dependent on aid from abroad. In many cases several years of single student sponsorship help a student accomplish their goals. In 2010, 38 children were sponsored by the Foundation.

Since 1991, Mr. Dorje Namgyal Lama Buddha is director of the Academy. He himself was an orphan who was removed literally from the streets and so ended up in a proper boarding school in India. Now he sees it as his mission in life to give other street children a chance in life.

This is a children's home in Latlipur, just south of Kathmandu. It was founded by Mrs. Rupa Sunar, who sold her own land to realise this. The daily management is now run by her daughter Rina Karki, who is assisted by her husband Santosh Karki.

CWC focuses on orphans, children in trouble who have been socially abandoned by their parents and their environment. The children live in the home and during the day attend school nearby. Some follow further education elsewhere.

Several years ago with help of several foreign organisations a new building was established large enough for more than 70 children. Unfortunately they do not receive sufficient help from abroad to be able to fill the house, therefore it is still partly empty.

In 2011 Foundation Child in Nepal sponsors 4 children in the house and 4 who follow a professional education in Kathmandu.

The Pokali village is located about 2500 meters high in the mountains south of the Mount Everest region. It can only be reached by foot. The nearest motorway is 2 or 3 days walk. It is an area for people from the "lower" classes. This is an area where hardly any tourists visit. Apart from the primitive agriculture no work is available and many of the village men look elsewhere for work.

Namgel Sherpa, a Sherpa guide from the region, spoke with one of our board members about the problems of his village during a recent trek. Particularly the children do not have a school to attend. The Foundation then raised money to build a school for the village. It was opened in 2007 and was a great success serving more than 150 children. The need was greater than the building could hold and in 2010 four new classrooms were built.

The school has seven teachers. Of these, 3 are paid by the government. The Foundation has pledged to cover the salaries for the other four teachers for at least 5 years. There is also a permanent lack of learning materials and school supplies. The Foundation also tries to supply these items to the students.

For a comprehensive report on the establishment of this school see: " Travel to Sherpa Land "(pdf file, Dutch version).

In the area of Pokali many babies die during or shortly after birth. At the urging of the villagers, the Foundation made it possible to build a health center. This center was inaugurated in 2009. Every day patients come to the center for maternity care, health advice and medication. There is also a small infirmary. In 2010 and addition was build for a separate nursery. The Foundation pays the salaries of two nurses, who now have a part time midwife to follow expecting mothers in the Kathmandu Valley.

Mr. Namgel Sherpa is the instigator of these projects and the contact between the Foundation and implementing projects in Pokali.

Sundarijal is located just northeast of Kathmandu. Since 2005, the Foundation helps some children from this village and its surroundings attend school, whose parents are otherwise too poor to take them to school. In 2011 40 children are helped by the Foundation. This was accomplished by a number of individuals who act as a sponsor for one or sometimes several children.

In the Sundarijal Children project, the children usually live at home. The sponsor pays the school fees, the school supplies and school uniforms and shoes. The project manager makes sure that the money goes directly to the school and is always informed of the children’s progress.

Some children live too far away in the mountains to travel back and forth to school every day. For them an appropriate solution was sought, such as a hostel during the week or sometimes a boarding school.

In 2009 the complete board, accompanied by some sponsors, visited the governement school in Sundarijal. They were able to give the school five computers. Additionally, the Foundation installed much needed handrails along the stairs and the gallery on the first floor. This brought an end to a life-threatening situation.

1. Sponsor a child

2. Contribution to a particular project

3. Other donations

1. Sponsor a child

This is the most direct form of assistance to a child in Nepal. The sponsor commits to at least 5 years for a particular child to financial support so that they can attend school. The Foundation is an intermediary for sponsorship of individual children:

The Buddha Academy (B.A.B.S.)

The Children Welfare Centre (CWC)

The Sundarijal Children Project (S.C.P.)

2. Contribution to a particular project

You can also give a special gift for one of the projects or activities of the Foundation, such as the Pokali School or vocational training. Occasional contributions to the Buddha Academy, the Children Welfare Centre or Project Sundarijal Children are also welcome if you prefer to give a gift to a particular destination.

3. General donations

Obviously we are very grateful for general donations, leaving it to the discretion of the Foundation to determine where your money will be spent.

Tax deductibility in the Netherlands (see Ducth text for details)

The Buddha Academy is a continual need for new sponsors for the students. The school charges a fee of $ 500 per child per year for training, shelter, food and care. We ask that sponsor commit to the full 5 years of sponsorship of ‘their’ child. Of course our people really appreciate if the sponsor's entire education continues.

The Foundation "Child in Nepal" asks sponsors, instead of $500 per child, to donate an amount of €500. In the first place to absorb any fluctuations in rate of exchange. Second, if necessary, to anticipate any special needs of the school and finally to ensure that children sponsored through the Foundation "Child in Nepal" are covered until they have completed school.

The sponsors receive a report in December and a message from the Buddha Academy in which they could see the progress of their sponsored child. The kids expect it, but generally find it nice when the sponsor hears of their progress, for example, through a letter or a card.

The Children Welfare Centre tries to find an individual sponsor for every child. Because several major sponsors had to cease their support recently, there is a large and acute lack of sponsors. For €400 per year, a child gets nutrition, housing and education.

Sponsors receive an information pack on "their" child and also 3-monthly reporting programs on his or her personal development and wellbeing.

If you consider sponsoring the training of one of the children from Sundarijal, there are three possibilities:

58 88 36 419, name: "Stichting Kind in Nepal" (Fundation Child in Nepal), place: Reeuwijk, NL

49 81 36 248, name: "Stichting Kind in Nepal" (Fundation Child in Nepal), place: Reeuwijk, NL

Address: Foundation for Child in Nepal by Doornappel 1, 2811 CV Rijswijk the Netherlands