Wednesday 12 October 2011





Shopping for brooms & mops

 Arrived at the home to find Monica & Anne already there & had started interviewing children who were eligible to go on their camping trip. They had taken a group last year on a short walking camping holiday with the aid of a Nepalese man who runs an outward bound organisation for children – teaching them respect, responsibility, trusting & caring for others and looking after the environment by ‘leaving no trace’ by clearing up & disposing of everything you use.

They will be doing the same this year, for 5 days 4 nights, & as there are only 18 places some cannot go, so each child is being judged on their school work [improvement from last year], extra activities [judo & chess clubs etc], attitude, behaviour, how much they help with chores at the home and give a reason why they deserve to go.

I am disappointed because I have failed to be selected!! Because of my bad shoulder I cannot carry a heavy rucksack & it would be against the principles of the organisation & set a bad example for me to have a porter carry my pack when all the children – some quite small – have to carry theirs and be self-sufficient. So I will be staying behind and will do something special with the others who can’t or don’t want to go.


When I explained to one girl that I would need to ‘hire a porter’ she could not understand why I wanted ‘Harry Potter’ to come. When I explained we laughed so much and she said ‘I thought he was too little to carry your bags’!

Ganesh, a board member, arrived to talk about the trip & to show us the first draught plans for the new home they are going to build before taking us to see the land they have finally been able to buy. It has always been their intention to have a purpose built house since opening the home nearly 10 years ago.

We were taken outside the city centre, up onto a hill where we could immediately feel the air was fresher & when we saw the land that gently sloped to the south, which was planted with barley & mustard, we were so happy – it’s an ideal place to bring up the children with room to run around, fresh air to breath and views of the surrounding mountains, even snow capped ones in the distance.

They currently have bought enough land to put up the large building but need to buy more for playing fields, a garden to grow their own veg & maybe have a small holding with goats, hens etc.

Their next initiative is to raise £250,00 to build the house for 48 children & about 8 staff - wish it could be done immediately or some of the older ones may have left before they can enjoy living there – so if any of you would like to ‘buy a brick’ they cost 10p each, or a section of wall [we could even put your name on it] I will be happy to pass on your donation and it can be gift aided. Bricks are 9x4 red clay made locally

Monica Anne & I want to build a small house next door so we can come and spend time here whenever we want & also let it to other volunteers!

Seeing the site makes the dream a reality & wonderful to know it is finally happening as they have been talking about this plan since I first came in 2008 and pleased that they have asked us for our ideas, opinion of the plans & suggestions for any changes or improvements.

Three board members then took us out for a meal & two more joined us later – had a very good meal & even better talked & laughed about the children, also about their future, the fact that they are getting older & need more supervision & support out of school hours - and discussed the new building

A wonderful day – it’s days like today that make coming here worthwhile