As we come out of the holiday weekend, Mitrata has reflected on what we are truly thankful for this year. No doubt this year has been hard on everyone — Mitrata, BSF, and our children in Nepal included.

We are thankful that now, as the month-long Nepali holidays of Dashain, Tihar, and Chhath (the Hindu festival dedicated to the Sun God) are ending, schools will be reopening. Some schools are now planning to offer limited boarding, which would benefit our children greatly. Those who returned home to remote villages or to be with their families when the COVID-19 lockdown started in March, will come back to Kathmandu where they can study, take their exams, and receive the nutrition and care of the schools as well as the BSF staff.

We are extremely grateful that our BSF staff and the children remain healthy and do not show signs of the coronavirus at present. This good health is the greatest blessing of all!

Cases continue to rise in Nepal and will likely rise even more now from the recent holidays. The country of Nepal has not been able to keep citizens safe, mandate masks, or social distancing guidelines. Hospitals, which have severe limitations in caring for patients, are nearly at maximum. Costs of treatment are also skyrocketing, and if you cannot pay in advance, you do not get treatment.

BSF staff are currently getting COVID-19 tested along with children returning to schools and to Kathmandu. It is a real challenge to find ways to quarantine children who return to the city, but the BSF staff are doing everything possible to insure the children’s safety, working closely with school administrators and utilizing the spaces at the Contact Center, the office, and the apartment for the older children as temporary living situations.

We continue to provide care packages with life giving food and supplies, counseling for families in crisis, and helping children to keep up with studies by tutoring, obtaining laptops and phones, and bringing school work to children’s homes. We are also prepared to take on any medical costs for the children associated with the virus or any other illnesses as a result of the months they have spent at home.

BSF staff bringing school supplies to students’ homes

Our children are fortunate to have BSF staff as advocates for them with schools and to obtain supplies. So many families in Nepal are desperate and do not get any help from the government as we often have here in the USA through food banks, SNAP, and unemployment benefits. We are thankful for our committed BSF staff who stepped up to the challenge of caring for our children during this pandemic without question or hesitation.

We are also beyond grateful to every single one of our supporters. Without you, we could not have enjoyed such success with our online events this year which will help support our children through buying them laptops, other school supplies, and paying for medical costs.

So, despite everything this year, we must still say: “Thank you.” We are humbled by your unending support, even in these difficult times. Our mission would not be possible without you. We hope you enjoyed a safe holiday weekend and for you to stay safe and healthy into the new year.

— Mitrata staff

Giving Thanks + Update on Nepal

Holiday Bazaar Results Are In!!

LAST week to shop our bazaar!