Mitrata Nepal today represents the hope for more than 100 children. Some of them are orphans, others have been abandoned and others come from families unable to meet their most basic needs. Since 2000, our years of hard work and generous support from sponsors and friends, Mitrata Nepal has managed to give these children a home, an education and the support necessary for them to develop their skills and abilities.
Our goal is that one day they will be autonomous, integrated into society and become useful professionals to the community, without forgetting where they come from and the support they have received. They all receive regular medical attention and their academic progress is monitored constantly. We try, that despite their personal stories often very hard and difficult, their self-esteem and emotional stability is adequate to look at the future with confidence.This whole process is carried out under the supervision of a dedicated board of directors. This board of directors works voluntarily and with complete transparency towards their sponsors and friends who support our project.But the challenges facing Mitrata Nepal are very important and we need your help to overcome them.
The building in which we are currently housed have several problems.
Inadequate space:
Since we arrived at our current location the number of children living in Mitrata has increased considerably. Moreover, we have been enriching the activities of the children with music, dance, arts etc. The house is getting too small to accommodate the children.
A problem of location:
We are in Naya Bazaar, an area that, due to the growth of Kathmandu, is now very congested. The increasing traffic and the activity of this area do not provide the best environment for children to go out of the house.
Conditioning problems:
We need to undertake structural reforms to tackle the current water supply and heating problems. These reforms would not be profitable because the building is rented and to that effect we have no support from the property owner.
Rental Payments:As with all commodities in Nepal rental prices are forever increasing, we currently spend almost 15% of our budget on rent. We recently received a notice from the home owner that as of 2012 this cost will increase by 40%. This dramatic increase will result in rental costs consuming 25% of our current budget. This scenario is of great concern to all supporters of Mitrata.
To combat this we have created a capital fund for the purchasing of land as soon as possible (land prices are increasing rapidly and so securing land is of high priority) with plans to construct a home as soon as possible. This ambitious development will have a large initial expenditure but ensure a safe secure home of our own for which the children grow and develop holistically. This project has been outlined in more detail in the New Mitrata.
Children Completing Education:
Another important challenge we face is to facilitate the transition of children in Mitrata from school to working life. Today we have in Mitrata 13 children in class 8 or above. In a few years some of them may continue their studies, but others will want to opt for independence and to exercise a profession. To take this step we need to implement new training and development projects in one convenient location.
For all these reasons we need:
THE MITRATA OF TOMORROW (THE NEW MITRATA)The long term solution is to build the New Mitrata. This is our dream, a dream that with everyone's efforts we can make real. Since the beginning of this year we are working on this dream and today it is already a project. This project includes the purchase of land on the outskirts of Kathmandu and to build the New Mitrata Home. We have considered the proximity of a proper school, communications, land costs, the possibility of building adequate facilities and a healthy environment.
Our project takes into account the basic guidelines of sustainability to make our facility more comfortable, more economical to maintain and more friendly with environment.The home will include all the essential infrastructure as well as basic health care facilities, training rooms for a variety of craft, professional skills development and leisure activities. We will build the home on the basis of sustainability, Nepali traditions and eco-friendly designing to instill in our children and the surrounding community the need to develop ourselves as well as care for environment.
How to collaborate with the New Mitrata?
We have opened a special account for our new project. We already have some contributions from some of our friends and sponsors. At this moment we have $15,000 this account.Following our policy of transparency, reports of the contributions received will be provided to the interested party. Other than that, all our friends have Mitrata Nepal doors wide opened. You will always be welcomed.
I appreciate the interest you have shown in our project and hope that together we will find ways to make this dream come true.
Thankfully,
Nanda Khulu
Founder of Mitrata Nepal
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