News
Read stories and updates from our work with the children of Nepal. To find our old newsletters from 2003 to 2018, visit the archive! Otherwise, click in the search bar below to locate blogs on a topics you’re interested in.
A Message from Sudan, Mitrata’s first Graduated Medical Doctor
Sudan, one of Mitrata's long sponsored children, graduated from Mitrata into independence and completed medical school in 2022. He is now working as a medical doctor in a clinic in rural Nepal-a goal he had for many years. He is the only doctor in the clinic serving local people in great need of medical care. Read the heartfelt blog he wrote to be shared with the Mitrata Family here!
Travel to Nepal with us in 2023!
We are thrilled to announce our 2023 trip to Nepal from September 29-October 15. We are so excited to return to Nepal this year, and we would love to have many friends of Mitrata join us in this incredible experience!
Learn more about Our Partner in Nepal
Over the years, as our partnership has strengthened and Mitrata has grown, BSF has grown as well. Just recently, due to the growing number of Mitrata sponsored children, BSF expanded to add two new staff members. With the addition of new staff members and our recent website updates, it was time for updated staff profiles on the “Our Partner in Nepal” page. The page was also updated to include more information about BSF, and links to other BSF blog posts!
Happy Holidays!
Dr. Christine Schutz, Executive Director, reflects on the past year’s events, including the 20th Anniversary Celebration, in-person Holiday Bazaar, and finally returning to Nepal! It was a year filled with many wonderful experiences, and it wouldn’t have been possible without YOU, our Mitrata friends.
Time to Say Goodbye… For Now!
After two wonderful weeks that were spent trekking in the Annapurna range, exploring Kathmandu and Bhaktapur, and most importantly meeting and enjoying time with their sponsored children and the kids at the Contact Center; it was time for the Mitrata Child Sponsors to head home. Three members of the Mitrata leadership team remained behind to get some important work done. Executive Director Dr. Christine Schutz, Advisory Board member Stephanie Recht, and Sponsorship Committee Chair Danny Williger settled in to tackle serious business. And they did. They tackled it Mitrata Style!
It’s a Graduation Celebration!
One of the most exciting experiences for our Sponsors, and one of the most anticipated moments in the lives of our students is the Mitrata-Nepal/BSF Graduation Ceremony.
Throughout the pandemic, our NGO partner, Bhuvaneshwori Satyal Foundation (BSF) was not able to hold a graduation ceremony. For this reason, this year’s ceremony included all our 2020, 2021, and 2022 graduates.
A Busy Day At The Contact Center
Eight sponsors, Dr. Christine Schutz and Anna Wertman spent a busy day at the new Contact Center, our early childhood school readiness program in Balaju, Kathmandu. After spending a busy morning at the Contact Center, we left the children to their studies and went to visit the Vibhuti Vidhya Mandir School. We were then able to take a walk through the neighborhood and visit a few of our Contact Center students at home.
Celebrating Tihar in Nepal
This week, our Executive Director and Founder, Dr. Christine Schutz, and Director of Development and Operations, Alexis Mead, are celebrating the Tihar Festival in Nepal with the entire BSF staff and Contact Center children. Tihar, also known as Deepawali, is a five-day-long Hindu festival celebrated in Nepal. They celebrate Tihar by honoring the Hindu goddess of prosperity, Laxmi. Tihar is also known as the festival of lights, where diyas are lit both inside and outside the houses to welcome the spirit of Laxmi. The festival is considered to be of great importance as it shows reverence to not just the humans and the gods, but also to the animals like crows, cows, and dogs who maintain an intense relationship with humans.
Happy Dashain!
Every year, our children and staff celebrate the holiday Dashain at our Contact Center. Dashain is one of the biggest Hindu festivals celebrated in Nepal every year. It takes place in the fall season, which is typically during our months of September and October. The festival lasts a full 15 days or more, and is meant to celebrate victory of good over evil!
Celebrating 20 Years of Mitrata
On Sunday, September 11, 2022 many of the friends of Mitrata gathered together to celebrate Mitrata’s 20th Anniversary. The celebration lasted from 1:00-5:00pm and was a wonderful open house that allowed Mitrata supporters to catch up with one another.