
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.

Christmas Celebrations at the Contact Center
The Contact Center kids celebrate Christmas with a surprise visit from Santa, special gifts, and a big meal!

Keeping warm and sleeping well this winter
BSF Board member Yogesh recounts giving the Contact Center children blankets and flannel sheets for the winter. In these cold nights, we hope this will help our children sleep better each night and come prepared to learn at school!

How We Make a Difference One Child at a Time
Executive Director, Christine, shares what making a difference one child at a time means for her, from Mitrata’s start with just 1 child to our 125 children thriving and moving into higher education and graduate and our new Contact Center kids who enter into our programs every year.
Happy holidays and a wonderful New Year from everyone at Mitrata. Thank you for all that you do; it really does make a difference!
Giving Thanks for a Great Trip, Wonderful Friends!
Christine gives her experience of 2019’s trip and give thanks for all of Mitrata’s amazing supports, wonderful children and graduates, and the hardworking BSF staff! Wishing everyone who celebrates a wonderful Thanksgiving, fun trip to our Holiday Bazaar on December 7th and 8th, and a restful and loving holiday season!

Our Dream for the Mitrata Children
BSF’s Executive Director, Leena, shares celebrating with the graduates, including Mitrata’s first child, Ishwori. She also tells of her experiences meeting up with past graduates who are now in successful careers but keep close ties with Mitrata and BSF. Once a family, always a family!

A Joyous Graduation
Pam Hughes shares her experience of this year’s graduation ceremony. The graduates dance and perform and are awarded with their graduation gifts. Everyone enjoys a delicious meal afterwards and shares in the love for these successful, young men and women.

Trekking in Nepal
Pam Hughes describes an amazing trek to almost 7,000 ft! She and the other travelers enjoy spectacular views and truly awe-inspiring moments together.
Help Us Move the Contact Center, Gift More Space for Our Kids
Our Contact Center is a successful school readiness program that has been recognized in Nepal as unique and effective in serving homeless children, victims of child labor, children with parents who are itinerant workers, and children not enrolled in school because their parents cannot afford the cost. These children are behind in grade, lack school-readiness skills, and are neglected and malnourished, all of which interfere with their ability to learn and succeed academically.
Mitrata’s commitment to grow, develop the communities where we work, and empower our children and their families in a thoughtful, holistic way begins with expanding our Contact Center program.
We completed our first phase this year by adding two additional rooms to our currently overcrowded Contact Center in an adjacent building. However, in 2020, we will need to secure a larger, permanent space, which we anticipate costing at least $36,000. Thanks to a few Mitrata friends, we raised the funds necessary for these temporary classrooms and the initial funds to relocate our current Contact Center to a new space with three large classrooms; two multi-purpose rooms for our before- and after-school programs, a playroom, and a dining room; one room for an office, break room, or counseling area; a kitchen; and one full bathroom.
Spending time with the Contact Center kids!
Ricki Koppel talks about meeting the Contact Center kids for the first time. They see the kids getting an afternoon, singing and dancing, and take the kids to the zoo!
Exploring Pohkara, Nepal!
Pam Hughes and the gang visit Pokhara, a vibrant city with good food, a fun museum, and a beautiful lake complete with an island! They quickly realize they’d like to stay for the rest of the trip!!