The children's project under discussion. Experienced House Mother Kabita (centre) assists in setting up the new project.
Some of the children arriving at the new hostel
2011 NEWS: Good news for the 24 children in our care!
We have secured annual funding for their education and accommodation. The shortfall is now just £800!
New home for girls planned - £15,000 neededAsha Nepal has committed to providing an education, free from discrimination and abuse, for children affected by trafficking. It started with 15 children who came into our care in 2008. All had come from desperate situations – some rescued from being trafficked, others born in brothels and rescued along with their mothers, one living on the streets, others the children of women who had been cast out. We found them a temporary home run by a small local NGO, and in 2009 took over the management as well as the funding, moving to a slightly larger building. We have now found a much larger building that caters for 24 children.
AN is very mindful that the best place for a child is with her or his parents. The objective of the home is to offer mid-term accommodation while the mother/parents are getting back on their feet. Children are expected to be with us for one year, subject to an assured safe and secure return to the family.
It took some time to find a school with a good standard of care and understanding for the plight of the children, and experience of working with similar pupils. The fees are high but the pupils are happy and well supported. AN also supports a further number of children on a non-residential basis, covering their education costs, uniforms, books and other expenses.
From May 2011 additional education support has come in the shape of an interactive, computer-based learning program designed specifically for disadvantaged children in Nepal by a Professor from New York State University. The program is designed to fill in the gaps left by the rote-based Nepali education system. It engages the children with the wider world, introduces them to human rights and the social structures of other societies, and encourages learning through their own research. Older children are encouraged to mentor the younger children living in the home.
New home for girls
A key objective for 2011/12 is to open a second home for girls of school age who have been trafficked and forced out of their family, who wish to return to full time education. Our research (on the long-term effects of trafficking, due for publication autumn 2011) shows that rescued girls entering low-grade employment face a difficult and often abusive future. Education to School Leaving Certificate (SLC) along with support into meaningful employment is the key to a truly self-sufficient future for these girls.
Asha Nepal urgently needs to raise £15,000 per annum to set up and run this second home.
Please support the children.