Orphan Help Center Kathmandu, Nepal : Update

Nepal is a nation that loves to celebrate! Teej holidays were held in August, which saw the kids have two days off school. It was also 'Women's Festival' where all Nepalese women fast for a day and use the time to sing and dance all day and visit the Hindu temples.

In August, the children also had the opportunity to visit PA Nepal's other home/orphanage in Sankhu, East Kathmandu for a weekend. They got to meet the other children connected to our organisation and enjoy the fresh air in Sankhu that they don't normally get in central Kathmandu! It was good for them to travel and see something beyond their own little community.

Thankfully, we are picking up on the sponsorship. Rupesh, Aita, Kalpana and Shanti are the only children left who require minimal part sponsorship now.

The kids are well...Sarita Waiba has fractured her arm which is now in a cast but apart from that, they are studying hard and enjoying visits from sponsors and volunteers. Punam and Kalpana's mum is much better, she is now able to walk. Thank you to our general sponsors for supporting her in the road to recovery. Due to tough economic times, we are short on sponsors. The following children need sponsors: Nishu, Bidi, Bishesh, Rupesh and Aita. So if you know of anyone wanting to help, please send them my contact details. Thank you! Check out the latest campaign where you can win a trip to Nepal, visit the kids, get a free Intrepid Trek in the Himalayas and some new Icebreaker gear. Go to: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=87895633646&;ref=ts Finally, I want to thank the supporters who have given the kids calculators and new colouring books/pens recently. They are much appreciated!

May 2009:

It is wonderful that so many people are willing to help our Nepali children, who would otherwise be subjected to a life of poverty and/or abuse. The NASA team recently checked the children's eyes whilst they were in Nepal and they are soon to be sending out complimentary eye glasses to Bijay, Laxmi and Aita. It is great to be able to help Ranjana who has epilepsy and has just been for her second follow up treatment to determine whether her medication needs changing. The children are typical children and have had their bouts of sickness: fever and conjunctivitis of late. But we have a staff nurse that PA Nepal provides to take care of them. Glenn Marvin, a major fundraiser from NZ, is in Nepal now visiting the children. He reports the children and staff are very happy in their new home. At the moment all the kids are practising dance as they are having a music festival on May 24. It is a programme conducted by PA Nepal to advertise the organization. I will send you some pictures of the children. Finally, we have two new children who we are seeking sponsors for. Please view their profiles: Bidi and her brother Bishesh. There is also Nishu to be sponsored. So please spread the word! All in all, we love and nurture 19 children at FCH. Have a great month!

April 2009:

It has been a great month for the kids, all of whom are nicely settled into their new home, which they are now calling FCH (Firefly Children's Home). Under the Nepali law, we are not able to call ourselves OHC anymore, because we have re-registered as a new branch of the umbrella organisation PA Nepal. The Nepal government is closing down small, private orphanages, particularly those that are foreign funded. If it weren't for the changes made earlier this year (making ourselves part of PA Nepal) OHC would no longer exist. So I am thrilled and relieved with the events that occurred. Our children are safe! The website will remain as OHC, as the name doesn't effect our side of the world. However, we will eventually change things over to the new name of FCH when domain name fees are due. Back to the kids... they were excited to receive visitors from NASA last week. Indira had connections and the NASA members visited the children at home when they were on their way to do an Everest Trek. The children learnt a lot about travelling in space and I'm sure many now plan to be astronauts! This exposure to knowledge is so good for the children who would otherwise not learn about such things as space. School exam results are listed below (some of the kids are missing from the list below - will send separately) Laxmi Tamang 99% Sujan Tamang 95% Sushma Gurung 96% Kasmir Tamang 85% Sarita Waiba 58% Kalpana Tamang 70% Poonam Tamang 51% Shanti Tamang 79% Ranjana Dhakal 58% Santosh Tamang 85% Hom Bahadur 68% Sarita Lama 64% We have a few more children ready to be accepted into our home but are in need of more sponsors, so please let me know if you have any friends or family who are interested.

March 2009:

It's been a while since the last update but a lot has happened at a very slow (Nepali) rate. As you all know, OHC has partnered up with PA Nepal, Indira Ranamagar's reputable organisation. In January the children moved to our new home, still in Naya Bazaar. The house is bigger so the older girls now sleep in a separate room than the younger girls, which is making everyone happier! We also have a study for the children to do their homework. The decision to move is benefiting our children immensely. First, there is a water crisis in Kathmandu, meaning it is difficult to have running water in all parts of the city. People are getting it delivered in taxis/rickshaws. Indira's family is being extremely supportive and we are getting clean water from a family members restaurant. We have bought a new water pump to get water from the reservoir under the house, up to the roof. Wells are being dug, deepened and enlarged all over Kathmandu so the well diggers are flat out but we are getting a quote to deepen the old well we have, hopefully allowing us to access the cleaner water in the lower levels. Everyone is settling into the new home well. Geeta, our house in charge (the kids' mummy) is enjoying being partnered with Indira, who has a wealth of experience and is able to guide and mentor Geeta as well as keep a good eye on the running of the organisation. Indira's office is based in our new home. PA Nepal has some great programs running and they are working in a sustainable way. Food is brought in from farms on family land in Eastern Nepal which means if food shortages occur we will be less affected. We have one months' food stored in case there are major strikes or political unrest, which happens often. The children are all fine, studying hard for the final exams next week. They have had quite a few days off because of strikes and "National Womens Day" which gave them plenty of time to start the new garden. Next on the list is starting work on a compost heap. One of the public holidays was Shiva Ratri, where tradition has it that kids set up blockades along the paths everywhere and exact money from strangers to buy lollies and water balloons. Our kids finished the day off with a campfire in the backyard. Geeta and Jim are working hard to discipline (yet again) the children in personal hygiene, particularly hand washing, nail trimming and water drinking, to avoid unnecessary trips to the hospital. This month we have invested in new sinks (to keep hands clean) and we are looking at setting up a system to dispose of the rubbish that accumulates outside our home. Those of you who have been to a third world country will know exactly what I mean! Also, as we lose some sponsors in these tough times, I am pleased to say we welcome three new sponsors resulting in accepting two new boys from very poor backgrounds into our home. Their information will be on the website soon.

December 2008:

I have just returned from a lovely trip to Nepal to visit the kids at OHC. We played lots of games, braided hair, performed dances, learnt lots of songs, went shopping for clothes. We had a ball! Part of the reason for this trip was to find a solution to the local and political issues that go hand in hand managing an NGO from a distance. In a great turn of events, Indira from PA Nepal, who works with our other charity GEN, has welcomed us to form a partnership with the PA Nepal orphanage. Everything remains the same except the children will be living at PA Nepal, five minutes down the road from where OHC was located. They will still wake up to and be nurtured by the same loving staff and attend the same school. They will remain a family - something that we have always prioritised at OHC. Please visit panepal.org for more information about Indira's organisation. I strongly believe in their values and am thankful for a solution that exceeds my expectations. The children were most grateful to receive the clothes and gifts I took over for them. They loved learning about their sponsors and continually asked me questions about you all! What is her job? Do they have children? etc. I did the best I could on your behalf! Have a Merry Christmas and thanks for your support this year. All the best for 2009! Amanda

November 2008:

Below are the latest school exam results. Laxmi Tamang 99.73 Sujan Tamang 91.15 Sushma Gurung 88.77 Shree Krishna 86.13 Sajina Gurung 87.89 Kasmir Tamang 71.45 Sarita Waiba 48.68 Sarita Lama 61.18 Santosh Dimdung 82.78 Chhewang Tamang 84.63 Hom Bahadur 66.13 Kalpana Tamang 69.18 Punam Tamang 53.95 Aita Tamang 79.83 Shanti Tamang 77.25 Rupesh Tamang 79.50 Ranjana Dhakal 59.20 Bijay Waiba 65.29

October 2008:

HAPPY DASHAIN to our children in Nepal. Yes, it is that time of year again when Nepali people celebrate the 15-day national festival of Nepal. This festival, like our Christmas, is known for emphasis on family gatherings. People will return from all parts of the world, as well as different parts of the country, to celebrate together. So most of the children in the orphanage have returned to their villages to celebrate...and to enjoy two weeks without school and homework!! The children who remain at OHC are with Geeta, our new house-in-charge. Geeta is doing a wonderful job! The children adore her and she is bringing so much love, discipline and good values to the center. She is attending to their health issues and revising their daily nutrition as well as learning how to do the administrative work. We are incredibly happy with Geeta's work and diligence. Recent news... We are integrating our new arrival, Sushna, into the OHC family. I will have more information on her later. We have bought two new beds for the girls who have been squeezing into one. Little Laxmi had a wort on her hand removed by minor operation. Shree Krishna will meet his brother after Dashain vacation. Punam and Kalpana continue to be at OHC daily while tending to their mother in the evenings. Finally, a big thank you to Kiwi Glenn Marvin who hosted a fun and very successful fundraising evening in Auckland. About $10,000 was raised for OHC and GEN. Already we have put some of it to good use at OHC - new government rules state that all charities need a safety fund in the bank (in OHC's case USD $1500). So we have been able to do that and consequently successfully renewed our charity registration in Nepal a few days ago. We have also spent some of the money on setting up new girl Sushna (school uniform, clothes etc) and also furniture for Geeta, as well as covering the hike in food and fuel costs that sponsorship no longer meets. Throughout the next year we will continue to tell you how this money is being spent. A big thank you to those people who have sent clothes my way so I can deliver them to the kids in November. I now have well over my quota!

September 2008:

At OHC we welcome a new 'house-in-charge', a woman called Geeta Pathak who was once an orphan herself. She is going to take over Anandi's position who has gone on to start a life with her boyfriend. Geeta starts this week, she has experience teaching and working in NGO's in Nepal and is passionate about children's welfare. The children are doing well. After an eye check up, two of them needed glasses; Ranjana and Sarita. It was great to have the money to provide these essential items! In New Zealand, a big fundraising event is happening on 13 September, hosted by an inspirational Kiwi guy Glenn Marvin. Glenn is training for the Everest Marathon 2009 and has chosen OHC as one of his charities to raise funds for. Check out his website for more information: www.knockthebastardoff.blogspot.com I would like to thank the following people for their generous contributions to the evening: Smith and Caughy's Newmarket gift basket - Kinesiologist Naomi Kitchener Voucher - Artist Linda McFetridge Painting - Gordon and Belinda Kyne Waiheke Getaway - Chardy Ridge Accomodation Waiheke Island - Rangihoua Olive Estate Waiheke Island - Sky City Newmarket Movie Tickets - Kym Vickery Dancers (who will perform on the night) Finally, this week we received our Certificate of Registration from the Charities Commission. We are listed as the New Zealand Orphan Help Centre Charitable Trust. This means all future donations from New Zealand residents are tax deductable. If you have any questions about this, please contact me. Thanks for your continued support!

July 2008:

This month at OHC some sad news has occurred. The mother of Punam, Kalpana, Sujan and Kasmir has been in a horrible accident. Hit by a motorbike when walking to work, she has damaged a leg and an eye. Thankfully the four children are well entrenched into the OHC family and are being taken care of with extra compassion and sensitivity. The emergency fund, made up of one-off donations, will be used to take care of her medical expenses if necessary. The children will be escorted to visit her in hospital regularly. On a happier note, volunteers Sarah from Auckland and Chloe from Cananda have recently finished their time at OHC. Both had a brilliant time and brought a lot to the kids and to the running of the center. It seems we have four new volunteers lined up from August through December. Remember if you ever want a new uplifting experience - we'd be happy to welcome your visit and/or your volunteering! Times continue to be tough in Nepal, as they are globally, with food and petrol prices hitting the roof. During these times we are extremely grateful for the extra funding we receive from one-off donations. Thank you!

May 2008:

They say it all happens so fast - With our four year anniversary approaching in August, OHC is going through some changes...nothing to do with the monarchy! Not only are the children growing up (voices breaking, acne apparent and talk of further study and careers!) our organisation is making some necessary changes. We are setting up new administration structures to meet Nepal government requirements. Part of this process is making changes here in NZ. For NZ sponsors of OHC and GEN, the recent changes to the NZ Charities Commission Act requires all charities to be registered. Accordingly, the Orphan Help Center has applied to be registered and we are currently awaiting our confirmation and registration number. The significance of registration is that all donations to the Charity will be tax deductible to those giving the donation. The earliest this will apply will be in the 2009 income tax returns. We will be sending out certificates highlighting donations made immediately following the end of the 2009 financial year to facilitate your claim for a tax deduction. This seems a very fair an equitable result for those generous enough to donate to worthy causes. At OHC we currently have two volunteers; Chloe Rew from Canada and Sarah McDonald from Auckland. They will both be with the children until the end of June. I am sure they will update us with their experiences. Aside from that OHC is ticking along nicely, the children continuing to enjoy school and bonding together as a family at home.

March 2008:

Nepal is currently in " Constitution Assembly Election" mode and the political leaders are dedicated in spreading information about the CA Election among the Nepalese people, so a fair and just election can take place. Most schools have final examinations now in order to finish exams before the election. On election week, everything stops! Our children's school exams started 16 March. The younger children have exam in the morning, the older students in the afternoon. Worth a special mention; in the second term exams, Laxmi ranked first. Others including Sajina, Aita, Shree Krishna and Cheewang did very well in the second term so we shall see what the latest results will be... Recently, we received a generous donation (thank you!!!) so we have spruced up the orphanage, which was in dire need of it! All the walls have been freshly painted which has delighted the children. They were really excited when the painting was finished and they felt they had a brand new house. We have just renewed our licence to run as an orphanage. The welfare inspectors have insisted that we improve the accommodation for our children. So our next job, using the donation received, is to carpet and lino the floors, buy tables and chairs for the children. This means winter will be a lot more bearable and the kids will be able to sit up and eat their meals and do their homework. I am very pleased that the authorities are cracking down on the standard of orphanages throughout Nepal. By doing this, orphans are being looked after on a national front. The children at OHC are growing fast particularly those who are reachingtheir teens. Bijay≠s voice is deeper and acne is prominent. Bijay has become a great leader for the other children when Anandi not at the home. Other children; Ranjana, Shanti, Aita & Rupesh are also growing up and changing physically. Ranjana is very mature in her speech and takes responsibility for the small children. Sometimes, Ranjana organizes a dance program at OHC for the girls and teaches them how to dance. Sajina, in particular, has become an excellent dancer. Rupesh≠s English has improved so much that he is becoming really fluent. He is the first one to talk to volunteers or visitors who come to OHC about all sorts of topics! This last month, we have had a Danish volunteer, Camilla, at OHC. A kind and dedicated young woman, she has helped the children with their homework and has taught them many games and creative activities, often taking the children to the park.

October 2007:

Tis≠ the trekking season in Nepal so we have had a lot of visitors to OHC - some sponsors who have gone to meet their children and some ex-volunteers who have returned to see how much the kids have grown! Leen is back for a few months and has been in full swing at OHC; helping the children study for the exams they just sat. (We will get the results once they return to school). The tutor, Anandi and Leen gave a lot of attention to the kids studying an exam they failed last time. They were all a little nervous about mathematics!

At the moment Nepal is celebrating Dasain (a religious and cultural festival entailing the 'Festival of Lights'≠ much like Christmas in the Western world). So the country shuts down for 2-3 weeks. Many of the OHC children have returned to their villages to stay with relatives, which is very exciting for them.

New bed linen and towels are being purchased in the meantime. Kasmir and Sujan (the two brothers we have taken in recently) have adjusted wonderfully. Although school is a new concept for them, they seem to be enjoying the learning and the social interaction. For two boys who were quite malnourished when they arrived, they appear to be doing well now.

I will be in touch with the school results very soon.

August 2007:

In July the children did some lovely drawings for their sponsors. I hope you have all received them.

So far this year we have had a run of excellent volunteers, who have stayed for long periods of time, which is best for the children.

Our most recent volunteer Diarmuid has returned home to Ireland after having a wonderful time at OHC. Diarmuid put in place a few child protection measures namely reducing the number of candles the children handle during power cuts. Four rechargeable lamps have been purchased and a new rule that candles are for adults only! Diarmuid took the children swimming twice during his time there √ we have bought swimming costumes for all the children and there are now enough inflatables to keep most of them afloat. The children absolutely love it so they will now go regularly as it doesn≠t cost much at all.

Another regular activity has been established to keep the children involved and interested in life - a measuring stick has been painted on the wall recording each child's initials at their current height. The idea is to do it every year.

Diarmuid says "Thanks for the opportunity to help out at OHC, I had a fantastic time, they are a great bunch of kids"

Last month's donations saw all the children have a new pair of black shoes for school. The smiles on their faces were priceless! It could be the new shoes...but these latest exam results are excellent. In particular, our two new boys Kasmir and Sujan (brothers) did extremely well considering it was their very first term in school and their first exams ever!

1.Laxmi - first 98.89%.

2.Sajina - first.96.99%.

3.Rupesh - second.83.75%.

4.Bijay 60.04%

5.Aita 69.83%.

6.Bina.55.08%.

7.Shanti.71.03%

8.Shree Krishna - third.94.04%.

9.Santosh.76.67%

10.Hom.63.31%

11.Chhewang.80.68%

12.Kasmir.84.00%

13.Sujan.98.00%

14.Sarita.73.09%

15.Ranjana.59.63%

16.Kalpana.60.53%(failed)

17.Punam.48.48%(failed)

18.Yubraj.38.84%(failed).

19.Big Sarita.53.41%(failed).

20.Dhan Maya.79.06%

April 2007:

We have just received the latest results of the childrens' school exams. Once again we are very proud! The children have been working very hard at their homework and after school tutuoring so it is really paying off. See below:

Laxmi 99%

Sajina 99%

Shree Krishna 98%

Sarita (small) 92%

Cheewang 91%

Santosh 89%

Rupesh 82%

DhanMaya 80%

Aita 73%

Shanti 66%

Hom Bahadur 65%

Bijay 65%

Sarita (big) 63%

Kalpana 62%

Ranjana 55%

Punam 51%

Bina 51%

Yubaraj 50%

A New Zealand television documentary has been produced about OHC, by a tv company who make the 'Intrepid Journeys' series. The documentary will give you great visual insight into the orphanage and the individual children. We are unsure when it will air but I will let you know in advance so you can make a night of it! It has been suggested it will air towards the end of this year.

We have two new additions: Kalpana and Pumam's two younger brothers have become part of our OHC family. Their mother is still very ill, so we are feeding, clothing and educating all four of the children and they go home to sleep at night. Originally we only took the girls on but we now have the resources to take on the little brothers.

Just recently, we paid the school fees and purchased new uniforms and shoes for all the children. They are very proud of their fresh and fitting outfits so I'm sure that will help the studies move along nicely too!

January 2007:

Happy 2007 to you all! Well into the New Year now, OHC continues to evolve and the children continue to blossom.

With Biba now in the US with her husband and sons, Anandi is at the helm...and shining. Biba obviously trained her well! The kids seem to love her a lot and the fantastic recent exam results show Anandi is keeping them in line!

But before we boast about the results, here¢â¡Ás what has been going on.

Leen (who helped Nonna and I establish OHC) has been back in Nepal for a few months and doing a wonderful job at OHC. Leen's specialty is discipline and she has kept a close eye on that whilst she has been there. Pratista (a Nepali Kiwi) has also been volunteering there for 3 months and is doing a wonderful job.

Exciting news - Leen married her Nepali finance in December and invited the children to the wedding. I understand they had a wonderful day!

More good news - Nonna is back in Kathmandu on a work contract for three years. The children are thrilled to see her back and I think they will be particularly grateful for their recently acquired electric water heater organised by Nonna, so they can have hot showers in winter. With the temperatures dropping to below zero degrees soon, cold showers aren't exactly inviting!

Now, the results from their exams. We are so proud of them.

Those who failed last time - Bina, Yubaraj, Punam and Ranjana - did very well. The exception being Punam. She gained 48% but we know her mum is very ill and being the oldest child, she has been working a lot around her own house and cleaning other houses with her mom for income.
Bina came 19th in her class with 50%
Yubraj (class 2) also passed with 50%
Ranjana (class 4) 58%
Shanti (class 3) passed with 57%
Kalpana (class 2) 62%
Bijay (class 6) 9th in his class with 64%
Aita (class 3) 18th in the class with 67%
Hom Bahadur (class 2) 67%
Sarita Lama (class 1) passed with 77%
Rupesh (class 4), third in the class with 78%
Santosh (class 1) 7th in his class with 90%
Chhewang (class 1) 6th in his class with 91%
Sarita Waiba (UKG) 96%
Shree Krishna (UKG) 9th in his class with 99%
Sajina (UKG) 2nd in her class with 99%
Laxmi (LKG) first (again!) with 99%

Thanks again for all your support - you can see what a difference it is making! We now have a new volunteer from Denmark at OHC who will stay for 5 months. I will keep you informed about her experience.

October 2006:

Sadly, the day has finally arrived... Biba and her two sons have gone to America to be with her husband Jay. This is a great opportunity for Biba's sons but she is very sad to be based away from the rest of her sons and daughters - the OHC children! Biba will continue to keep in touch with Anandi on a daily basis to see how the children are getting on. Anandi is well-trained by Biba to run the orphanage and the children adore Anandi. She has a lot of energy and love and is pleased to be in a position to make a difference in her own country. Anandi is helped by the other OHC employees and volunteers. Biba intends to go back to Nepal as often as she can.

Meanwhile, the children have celebrated Dashain festival (like Christmas to our children) so it has been an exciting time of good food and new clothes. Nonna is in Kathmandu for two weeks and tells me the children are doing extremely well. Leen is also back. She is spending time with a few of the kids tutoring them in subjects they are struggling with. Go Leen!

Sept 2006:

Judo is the way our kids are keeping fit and healthy! Bijay, Bina, Sarita, Yubaraj, Aita and Rupesh have all started judo classes and they're loving it. As the others get older and take an interest, we will look at putting them into classes as well.

Three Hep B injections later, all the kids are doing well. It is wonderful for these children to be immunized against a rampant disease that causes terrible illness and takes lives in Nepal. Thanks to sponsors' money we have been able to give the children this extra protection. Aita is much better after his dog bite too, thanks to medicine and Biba's loving care.

Anandi has stepped into a more significant role at OHC, doing all that Biba does. She is a great 'mum' to the children and they love her to bits. Mine, our teenage helper who lives at OHC, continues to be an excellent help to the children especially to the bigger boys who look up to him.

I will be sure to let you all know when OHC features on the upcoming episode of 'Intrepid Journeys' here in NZ. I'm certain you will find great delight in seeing the kids in action!

July 2006:

At long last, after a busy (political) time in Kathmandu, we have updates about the children. They have just sat their recent school exams and the results are as follows:

Laxmi 99.96% Sajina 98.4% Shree krishna 97.4%

Santosh 89.55% Chhewwang 86.57% Little Sarita 81.71%

Dhan Maya 80.95% Rupesh 71.67% Kalpana 65.76%

Aita 64.5% Hom 63.63% Punam 59.76%

Sunil 56.25% Bijay 54.05% Big Sarita 53.52%

Ranjana 48.65% F Yubaraj 48.25% F Shanti 44.93% F

Bina 44.02% F

As a result of the four failed examinations, Biba is hiring a new tutor for two to three hours a day after school.

Hepatitis B is a huge problem in Nepal so we have just begun a series of immunisations for the children. Recently Aita was bitten by a dog on the way home from school and he is under treatment for that. At times like this it is wonderful to have the funds to help our children, especially on the health and education front, so thank you sponsors!

Finally, a volunteer group of Americans based in Nepal have fitted a water filter at the center which is a lot less work for Maya, the didi, when it comes to purifying the water every day! Biba is consulting with this US group to see if they can provide any medical assistance in the future. Apparently they are one of a few groups who are in Nepal to provide health instruction. So many people doing such wonderful things around the world!

1 May 2006:

It has been a month of unease in Kathmandu with strikes and curfews. You might have seen media coverage of the rioting and demonstrations and the subsequent reforming of the parliament. Prices have soared and many people have been affected. Things have now returned to normal, and the air is full of excitement and anticipation. This is just the beginning and Nepal has a long way to go to full democracy, but at least it is a step in the right direction and fighting has stopped for now.

Our OHC children have started going back to school again and our volunteer Tania from NZ can now go out and see a bit of Kathmandu. Below is a recent email I received from Tania about her time at OHC....

"I just want to say that I am having so much fun at the Orphan Help Centre. The kids are fantastic, Biba has been great and I enjoy every minute I spend with them. They have become like my family. I will be very sad to leave them all. I think it is fantastic how the sponsership program is helping them and I can see how the kids have blossomed from it. It's really neat to see."

Regards, Tania Ruddell

1 April 2006:

You'll all be pleased to know the fire damage has been cleaned up and everything lost has been replaced. As seasons change quite a few of the children have been sick but visits to the doctor have kept things under control. Without sponsors these children would not have the opportunity to seek medical attention, so we are truly grateful!

OHC now has a new didi (mother) called Maya. The children enjoy her cooking and she looks after them and the orphanage well. Maya has a 9-year-old daughter Shanti whom also lives at OHC now. Our general donors help pay for Shanti who attends school with the other orphans. Such a lovely opportunity for a lovely girl.

We have a NZ film crew shooting an episode of Intrepid Journey with a NZ volunteer working at the orphanange. I will let you know when this airs on television. I'm sure the children are finding this very exciting!

1 February 2006:

Hi all. There have been a few changes at OHC of late. The girls now have their own room, which is fantastic as some of the boys and girls are approaching adolescence and need their privacy! News of Biba going to join her husband in America is on the cards. She has gained a visitors visa and will stay in America for 6 months initially. Anandi - a lovely woman whom I have great confidence in - is going to take over, using the training Biba has given her in the last few months.

Also, it has been an eventful fortnight...we had a fire at the orphanage. All the children were in the kitchen and nobody was harmed. We lost everything in the boys room - uniforms, clothes, beds, books and toys - but the fire was put out before it reached the office or the girls room. Thank goodness! Biba and the children are cleaning up the aftermath and repainting the room. A local sponsor has donated US$250 towards the replacement of items and the building repairs. Thank you!

1 January 2006;

Happy New Year to you all! We had a very successful year in 2005 - all the children are doing so well and thanks to you - our sponsors - the children's needs have been met. Your support has been amazing!

Volunteers Faye and Anna had a great time celebrating Christmas with the children. They bought them some little gifts and made a christmas tree with stockings. The children made their own decorations and had a wonderful time. They were sad to see Faye leave on 27 December - she has been a great help to OHC in her short time there. Anna is also leaving after some very rewarding months at OHC. Unfortunately our NZ volunteer Khylie missed home and left her post early. So if anyone is keen (or you know of anyone great with children) to volunteer at a wonderful home in Nepal, with 17 beautiful children, then we welcome you! Contact me anytime.

Well, have a wonderful 2006 and I hope all your dreams become a reality. Thanks for making our dreams a reality!

November 2005:

Congratulations to the children for their latest exam results. You can view these under the individual children's names. A big congratulations to Sajina and Rupesh who got top of the class!

At the moment a woman called Faye Hauwai from NZ is volunteering at the orphanage. She is having a great time and it sounds like the kids are loving her energy and passion. She took over a lot of learning tools, games and activities. Apparently the children love playing Connect Four and Pick Up Sticks. They are also enjoying the colourful posters she took with her - from jungle animals to the alphabet. Faye has taken on tutoring the children after school in Maths and English.

Since she has been there, she has celebrated the Festival of Light with the children by marching the streets in colourful attire, singing and banging on drums. Sounds like they had a lot of fun!

Our next volunteer Khylie Tesar from NZ arrives end of November for two months.

August 2005:

Amanda is back after three wonderful weeks in Kathmandu with the children. "I am so thrilled with the children's behaviour and progress at school. They are extremely happy at the orphanage, are being loved and looked after so well. They are so grateful to their sponsors and know people on the other side of the world care for them." OHC has a new "mum" called Laxmi. She cooks and cleans for the children. We have also hired a tutor, Shova, who comes before and after school to help the children with their homework. Also, we sponsor Mine, a 16 year old boy, who lives at the center, goes to school and is paid a small fee to look after the children when they are home. We don't know what we'd do without him!

Amanda spent time at the school, meeting with the principal who commented on how well the children are doing, thanks to the good work at the orphanage. She also dished out the new clothes and books donated by people from New Zealand before she left, the children couldn't believe their eyes. So thank you!

Amanda and Nonna spent a lot of time developing a new programme called Girls Education Nepal. They already have enough funds to sponsor 20 girls and are in the process of setting up a website which should be live to the world in September. "We are really excited about being able to sponsor girls to go to school with the same values we foster at OHC."

Check out the website www.girlseducationnepal.org

July 2005:

It is wonderful to report that almost all our orphans are sponsored. Thank you so very much to our new sponsors and one-off donors.

We now have enough funds to start our Girls Education Programme, where we sponsor girls from poor families (not orphans) to attend school, complete with uniform, books, shoes and bags. Girls will be plucked out of the workplace, where some of them work from dawn till dusk six days a week.

June 2005:

Thank you to our new sponsors and interested volunteers! We are thrilled to have you on board. A big thank you also for the generous donations of clothes, stationary and a computer that have been donated recently. Amanda will take those to Nepal in July.

We have fantastic news! One of our older children, Bijay, is learning to use the internet to email his sponsors. This is our dream - to connect our children to their sponsors in a personal way.

Bijay's sponsors were thrilled to have this kind of communication with the child they are giving a bright future to.

May 2005:

Congruatulations to all the children for their latest school exam results! Everyone did so well. You can see their results in their personal profiles.

We would also like to welcome three new sponsors - Ute, Jean-Martial and Enora Marenne from Belgian, Kiwis Belinda and Darren Walker and a group of dynamic business women from Auckland who meet once a month. Thank you to all of you!

April 2005:

Nonna, a longstanding volunteer, is visiting OHC now. She is amazed at how good the childrens' English is. Well done kids! They have all just finished sitting their school exams. The results will come shortly.

Most of you are probably aware of what is happening in Nepal. Basically the parliament has been dismantled, the PM sacked and the country is under martial law with the king acting as a dictator. Most civil rights have been suspended, many students and human rights activists have been arrested. The situation is worse than ever. This means that for the average Nepali person things are pretty grim. Economy is at total standstill, there are routine general strikes and blockages when nothing moves - people cannot work or get basic goods such as vegetables.

So WE DESPERATELY NEED YOUR ONGOING HELP. OHC is running 100% on private donations. Please tell your friends about us.

February 2005: Wonderful news! We have our first outside sponsor, a New Zealand woman who has chosen to sponsor Santosh. Thank you for your contribution Jillian! We hope you are able to visit Santosh and the other children in the future.

Also, a big thank you to the couple from Germany who are choosing to make one-off donations to OHC. Also to a young New Zealand woman in London who is making a donation. Thank you all so much!

January 2005: Nonna, who has been involved with OHC from the beginning, visited the orphanage in December 2004 with her parents who fell in love with the children as much as Nonna did when she first met them. Her parents were most impressed with how healthy and happy the children are. Some of them are even starting to speak basic English, like 'see you tomorrow'.

The children have had the usual bouts of chicken pox, mumps and the flu. But with the help of sponsorship, they have all been treated adequately. They have also been treated for the head lice that school so kindly donated!

Through Nonna's dedicated fundraising, a very kind sponsor donated a solar panel to OHC in late December 2004, which means hot water for the children in the winter! This is one of the many delights achieved by your donations. The children were thrilled to not wash outside under the hose with freezing cold water anymore.