Provide a Safe Place for 15 Girls to Live in Nepal

A few weeks ago the girls from hostel came to The Mountain Fund house in Kathmandu and entertained our volunteers with a dance show. 

The next day we had the chance to see the performance they were rehearsing for in person when we attended the family day festival at Orchid Garden. 

Enjoy the photos from both the practice dance at our house and the on-stage performance the following day. It's really amazing how these children, all from Kathmandu's poorest families can put on such a great dance show. 

We have had some setbacks the past few months, I am sorry to report. The landlord from the first flat we rented to house the girls asked us to leave, claiming that 9 girls make too much noise. The current landlord is threatening to toss us out as well. In Nepal, people do not want to rent for children's homes and finding a cooperative landlord is an ongoing challenge. Perhaps one day we can purchase a home and be free of this constant threat that hangs over the girls. 

Dear Global Giving Donor 

I was fortunate enough to be in Nepal this fall and had the opportunity to get over to the hostel with my camera and grab some photos of the place, since many of you have asked to see what it is like. The hostel is located about 100 yards away from Orchid Garden Nepal which makes it really easy for the girls who live there to attend Orchid Garden school classes and for the OGN staff to take care of the hostel. 

I am also uploading a few new photos of Orchid Garden itself, founder Bina Basnet, a new classroom photo and one that shows one of the computers we now have so the older children can learn how to use a computer. 

Thank you for your continued support of this project on behalf of the 8 girls who now live safely at the hostel. 

Last month Bina (Orchid Garden Nepal Founder) brought the hostel girls to The Mountain Fund/The Mountain Volunteer house in Kathmandu for a day of fun and ice cream. I am attaching photos of the girls having fun at our house before heading back to the hostel, which is located next door to Orchid Garden. All are doing extremely well. There are a couple of photos in particular you may recognize as appearing in the video for this project as well as earlier still photos associated with the project. I think you'll enjoy seeing the change in their lives. 

This past month we were fortunate enough to have a group of 12 doctors from Rocky Vista Medical College in Colorado visit us in Nepal. During their stay they visited Orchid Garden, the organization that operates the hostel. We have ten girls living there full-time now and the house looks great. I'll be back in Nepal soon and I'll be sure to get some photos of the hostel itself which is a rented flat next to Orchid Garden. The girls from the hostel were all giving full physicals by our volunteer team of doctors and I'm happy to report, all are in good health. The exam also gives us a health record for each girl, something they did not have before, so that future volunteer medical teams will be able to compare their health at this time with the results of a future exam. While this kind of health record is typical for us in the west, it's unheard of in Nepal. 

I am attaching a photo of one of the girls you've seen in the video posted for this project. This current photo was taken during the health camp. 

We managed to find a flat and move into it this past week. It's very near to Orchid Garden which will make it easy to manage. Mountain Fund was able to provide beds, mattresses and some other necessary items to get things started but much more will be needed, especially as winter sets in. Warm blankets are the biggest challenge. 

We've got ten girls living now in the hostel and room to add five more. It's great knowing that these girls will no longer face sexual abuse and molestation. I am adding photos of the hostel, though as you will note, the kitchen is still bare. We're working on that now. 

Thank you !!!!