Yesterday we got the chance to visit another orphanage, Nepal Child Conservation Home, which is sponsored by our agency. All I can say is what a wonderful job the director and Holt is doing. The children were laughing, the walls had murals painted on them, there were photos of the kids on the walls throughout the house. It seemed to be a genuinely loving environment. It was children’s day and so the children each had a special box of sweets and fruit to eat. They passed them out youngest to oldest. The children sang songs and danced. There were about 5 caretakers for the 23 children. The director said that they have special celebrations with the children, including celebrating each child’s birthday. In the directors office was a binder with each child’s picture in the spine – binders with all the information for each child. This orphanage was not included in the sending orphanages because it lacked a playground, but that has been fixed (the lot next to it was bought and is being made into a playground), so hopefully soon the children there will also be able to find loving homes. (The director said she had now submitted all 23 children’s files)
Because we were visiting with the Holt program director, we were treated royally. We were met at the gate by the children and the director placed a garland of marigolds around each of us and our children as she greeted us with a Namaste. After the children’s day celebration with the kids, we all sat down to a lovely meal and at the end of that the director placed a mark of red mixed with rice on our foreheads and placed a scarf on each woman and a nepali hat for each of the men. It was such an honor for us.
I know I’m biased because it is my agency, but the difference between orphanages that I’ve seen is night and day.
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