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.
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.
Warmest of Reunions
Shortly after arriving in Kathmandu, six jet-lagged sponsors went to dinner with their sponsored children in a beautiful open-air restaurant in Thamel, a bustling area in the heart of the city. The fatigue left over from days of travel quickly slipped away, replaced by joyous laughter, long anticipated hugs, and the joining of communities from opposite sides of the globe who think of each other often and wait in anticipation for just this day…
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.
Coming Up: Mitrata’s Annual Holiday Bazaar!
We know, a blog about the Holiday Bazaar may seem out of place right now. Holiday shopping is still ages away isn’t it? Although you may not want to hear it, Christmas is TWO months away! That means it’s time to start thinking about gifts for your holiday celebrations! This year, our Annual Holiday Bazaar is finally back in-person! Keep reading to learn more:
Gertraud Wild: One of Mitrata’s First Sponsors
Although our 20th Anniversary Celebration is over, we are still taking the time to reminisce on the past 20 years. This week, we are sharing a lovely story from Gertraud Wild, one of Mitrata’s first child sponsors. Gertraud was brave enough to go with Christine on the first sponsor trip to Nepal in 2003, despite the country being in a Civil War! Keep reading to learn more about these experiences from Gertraud’s perspective:
Strategic Planning
“This year’s strategic planning session was very special. It was the first meeting since 2019 that board members were able to attend in person. It was wonderful to see everyone again and reconnect. Back in 2018, Mitrata had laid out a five year plan, but like many things it was put on hold during the pandemic years. This year, our strategic planning session focused on making those plans a reality,” said Board President Jim Craig.
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.