Funding Knowledge, Experiences, and Joy
This year’s St. Louis Trivia Night Fund-A-Need looks a little different than years past. Often the Fund-A-Need focuses on clean water, healthcare, or other physical needs. Thanks to the support of our many sponsors, donors, and other Mitrata events (shout out Seattle Trivia Night!), at this event, we were able to turn our focus elsewhere.
At our 2025 St. Louis Trivia Night, we are asking you to help us fund exploration, community building, and joy!
Unlike many children in the United States, children in Nepal don’t have the opportunity to go on school field trips, family vacations, or sometimes even travel outside of the village or city in which they were born. This lack of access can be very limiting when it comes to their sense of connection to Nepal’s broader culture and beauty. Currently, Nepal is facing a mass exodus of young people. An article in The Himalayan Times said, “Nepal is grappling with a significant challenge: the widespread exodus of its young population. Every day, thousands of young Nepalis depart in search of better opportunities abroad…”.
Mitrata’s very mission is “To educate and empower severely underprivileged children to reach their full potential as citizens of Nepal.” Because of this, we strongly discourage the children in our program from leaving the country of Nepal. We believe one of the ways in which we can encourage children to stay is to educate them on the beauty of their country, and the richness of their culture and history.
Weekend discovery fIELD TRIPS to pokhara
To help foster this knowledge, we are organizing an exciting opportunity for 43 of our older children from grade 10 through university to visit Pokhara, Nepal’s second-largest city, nestled at the base of the Annapurna mountain range. This trip will allow them to explore Nepal’s rich history, diverse culture, and breathtaking landscapes, helping them develop a broader perspective and a more profound sense of pride in their country. The staff of our NGO partner in Nepal, Bhuvaneshwori Satyal Foundation (BSF) will accompany the students on this trip to ensure it remains safe, fun, and educational!
Zoo FIELD TRIP, PICNIC & ICE CREAM SOCIAL
In addition, we aim to host our biggest picnic and ice cream social yet, along with a field trip to the Kathmandu Zoo, for 90 children from our Contact Centers, spanning grades 1 through 5.
If you ask one of the Contact Center children what their favorite food is, the answer is almost always either pizza or momos. Pizza and momos are very rare and costly treats for our children, parents, and teachers. (Momos are a delicious dumpling that are either steamed or fried and stuffed with vegetables or meat.) We also always have to wash down the pizza and momos with ice cream of course!
Outings like these are essential to our holistic approach to child development, providing children with vital opportunities for social interaction, learning, and self-confidence.
Your support of our Fund-a-Need initiative will empower these children and give them experiences critical to their growth and future success. The costs will cover transportation for all children and staff, ensuring every child can participate.
“These outings provide the students with more of an educational tour where they can learn, be with their friends, and enjoy the environment outside of their school. That is how they can learn more and connect. It is also a wonderful opportunity for the BSF coordinators to develop a stronger connection with the students and better understand their personalities and needs.”
