The Kids Head to School

Almost everyone who comes to Nepal leaves with the certainty that without proper education for the children, many of the problems in this country will never be solved. Education at the Kathmandu orphanages is often not a priority and funding is just enough for basic primary needs, such as food and clothing. In our organization, our primary goal is to provide orphans with the resources needed for a quality education.

When we first came across Sahayogi Samaj Nepal orphanage, the two eldest children, Supriya and Sulav, had been in school for a year, but needed the uniforms required for Year Two. Five more children were of age and ready to start school, but unfortunately, there weren't enough funds for uniforms or tuition.

Quickly after its founding, Sunsar Maya provided the money to enroll all seven children and get the required uniforms and supplies. The kids head to school every morning now, each with a smile and their own backpack filled with books and crayons. They return with excitement and stories from the day.

An inspiring case is Richa (see photo), an incredible child born with multiple disabilities and in need of special care. A previous donor had provided the money for weekly physical therapy, but the costs of transportation (usually by taxi) to and from the institution were too high and could no longer be afforded. That’s when we found SERC (Special Education and Rehabilitation Centre for Disabled Children). Richa is picked up every morning by the school van and dropped off at home in the afternoon. At SERC, Richa receives physical therapy, speech therapy, music and art therapy, and a specialized education. In her assessment, the director of the institution said that with this new therapy Richa is already feeding herself, learning to speak and identify her needs, and there is hope that Richa may be able to stand and possibly even walk one day.