This trip is different from any other trip we went on before. We didn't pre-plan so well, and we did not buy round-the-world tickets. Before we left last June it was busy for everyone; Sonja was working and Matthew and Robin were in school. We more or less planned our Canada journey and we had a rough idea which countries we would visit during the coming year, but everything was kept flexible. Which suited all of us.
Nepal was one of the countries we wanted to go to. Thinking of Nepal, snow and ice and mountains as well as trekking with guides came to our minds.
It would turn out completely different. On the ‘Couchsurfing’ platform we found a lady who runs a house for less fortunate children.
After some e-mail exchange we decided to visit the house and help out where needed.
We first stayed a couple of days in a hostel in Kathmandu and we visited the sights.
We did a street clean up with the locals. The streets are filled with trash here and nobody seems to even realize that it looks bad, stinks and attract cockroaches, rats and such...
Have a look at the video here: FOLLOWS SOON
Arriving at the Children Welfare Home (CWH) we found quite some kids in Matthew and Robin’s age. This was great.
A total of around 50 children live at the CWH, partly babies and small children who are awaiting their adoption papers before they can move to their new parents. These kids are all orphans who were abandoned and were brought to CWH by the government.
Then there are the kids with less fortunate backgrounds, they mainly come from poor villages in Nepal and live in the house. Most of them still have either one or both parent(s) but these are unable to look after them at the moment. The boys and girls between 6 and 17 years old now go to a good school and get a real chance to change their family’s lives.
Within a few days we realized that the CWH is facing big financial difficulties. First the financial crisis hit, then the aid organizations were put in a bad daylight. People have stopped donating money to organizations they don’t know, and those who donate, give less. Together with some other people we try to help and improve their situation. Preferably in a sustainable way!
More to follow about this.
Here are a few pictures we took of the kids and the ‘didi’ – a didi is a lady who looks after the babies.
With Matthew’s involvement in the Mike Horn group, we spoke with the kids about the streets of Kathmandu. Even in front of their door there was loads of trash to be found.
Worse was that they, themselves burn all their garbage in their garden!!
Together we cleaned huge loads of half-burned garbage that was scattered through the garden and agreed not to burn it anymore.
We went one step further when the kids got really excited about trash and the need to clean it up.
The kids started a group of ‘activists’ and now regularly clean the streets and speak with neighbours and (school)friends about the need for a clean city.
Here the team, ready for action:
Before we knew it, it was time to go. Our visa almost expired and we were ready to discover India.
We are pretty sure we will return to Nepal in 2011.
Nepal was one of the countries we wanted to go to. Thinking of Nepal, snow and ice and mountains as well as trekking with guides came to our minds.
It would turn out completely different. On the ‘Couchsurfing’ platform we found a lady who runs a house for less fortunate children.
After some e-mail exchange we decided to visit the house and help out where needed.
We first stayed a couple of days in a hostel in Kathmandu and we visited the sights.
We did a street clean up with the locals. The streets are filled with trash here and nobody seems to even realize that it looks bad, stinks and attract cockroaches, rats and such...
Have a look at the video here: FOLLOWS SOON
Arriving at the Children Welfare Home (CWH) we found quite some kids in Matthew and Robin’s age. This was great.
A total of around 50 children live at the CWH, partly babies and small children who are awaiting their adoption papers before they can move to their new parents. These kids are all orphans who were abandoned and were brought to CWH by the government.
Then there are the kids with less fortunate backgrounds, they mainly come from poor villages in Nepal and live in the house. Most of them still have either one or both parent(s) but these are unable to look after them at the moment. The boys and girls between 6 and 17 years old now go to a good school and get a real chance to change their family’s lives.
Within a few days we realized that the CWH is facing big financial difficulties. First the financial crisis hit, then the aid organizations were put in a bad daylight. People have stopped donating money to organizations they don’t know, and those who donate, give less. Together with some other people we try to help and improve their situation. Preferably in a sustainable way!
More to follow about this.
Here are a few pictures we took of the kids and the ‘didi’ – a didi is a lady who looks after the babies.
With Matthew’s involvement in the Mike Horn group, we spoke with the kids about the streets of Kathmandu. Even in front of their door there was loads of trash to be found.
Worse was that they, themselves burn all their garbage in their garden!!
Together we cleaned huge loads of half-burned garbage that was scattered through the garden and agreed not to burn it anymore.
We went one step further when the kids got really excited about trash and the need to clean it up.
The kids started a group of ‘activists’ and now regularly clean the streets and speak with neighbours and (school)friends about the need for a clean city.
Here the team, ready for action:
Before we knew it, it was time to go. Our visa almost expired and we were ready to discover India.
We are pretty sure we will return to Nepal in 2011.
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