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The Association

There are a number of charitable organizations committed to helping the poor in Nepal, but AA is a project with a difference. This organization concentrates on the education of girls. In total, we have 25 underprivileged children. There are numerous poor people who are desperate to give their children a better opportunity, but access to these individuals is very difficult. The children in the group have been identified through local contacts. The association works to establish a family atmosphere, a good system of education, and a better lifestyle for these children.

Location

The house and school are to be found in the Pokhara Valley at an altitude of 900m. Surrounded by beautiful lakes and overlooked by the mountains of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges. It is a valley of wonderful natural beauty. There are hospitals, schools and other centers in the vicinity of the Children’s House.

Why the priority for girls?

The idea of helping girls to go to school stems from my own experience. We believe that every child has the right to an education. A small girl is a future mother and the whole family benefits when the mother is educated. Research shows that families of literate and educated mothers have higher standards of hygiene, a better understanding of family planning, and an increased likelihood of children going to school.

What Les Elfes does to help

• A number of our staff travel to Nepal in order to volunteer on the ground
• Les Elfes pay the flights to each volunteer
• We provide financial support by donating a fixed percentage out of our camp bookings.

AS A SPONSOR, YOU CAN BE SURE THAT ALL MONEY DONATED GOES DIRECTLY INTO THIS PROGRAM.

THE RESPONSIBLE IN SWITZERLAND

Dhan Adhikari and Leonie Burtin have formed the Annapurna Association to help children of Nepal. Since last year the committee is enlarging from 3 more members Didier Jacquemettaz, Maryse Kaiser, Joël Hiroz.

"The AAN home is located in the northwest suburbs of Pokhara, in a much quieter and calmer part of the city, surrounded by crop fields with a mountainous backdrop. The girls have only moved into the new building this year for which they are so grateful for, as it is a much more pleasant environment for them to stay. Their new home has plenty of space and storage for all the girls, a large kitchen, a study room, and even outdoor space to grow their own vegetables.

The girls are looked after by home mum Niru along with a handful of volunteers who help with everything from housework, maintenance, and homework. The volunteers visit the home every day and you can see how much they mean to the girls, and how they have created a family atmosphere in the home.

At the time of my visit, there were 19 girls living in the home and they were studying hard for their upcoming exams. The girls all recogniSe how lucky they are to have the opportunity to such a good education and study hard every day. Typically, they study for an hour before school in the morning and for a few hours after, until they have completed their homework. Once their homework and chores are done the girls turn the study room into a playroom and dancefloor! Uno is usually a game of choice along with a mixture of traditional and modern dances.

During my stay I would visit the home twice a day, both before and after school, primarily to help the girls with their school work, along with help in the garden and cleaning around the home. I would help the girls study for their upcoming exams, particularly the younger girls with their English and Mathematics. The education system in Nepal demands a lot of hard work from pupils and it was a joy to help the girls and to see them progress every day.  As the younger girls would complete their homework we would play games and dance with them to give the older girls some time to study without distractions.

The older girls had some very important exams in September as they prepare for their future. I had the chance to speak to Santoshi who told me how she is studying hotel management and hospitality, as she hopes to join Pokhara’s growing tourism industry, with the area becoming more and more popular for trekking. She told me that she has been with the home for over 10 years along with two other girls. They have grown up together at the home and now have the chance to finish their qualifications and start a fruitful and successful career thanks to the support provided by AAN and the education they have received.

Seeing the girls’ progression from children without much education, to young women who have all the qualifications for a successful career was amazing. To see first-hand what opportunities AAN can provide these girls was incredible. Every donation and every bit of help AAN gets goes straight to these young Nepali girls, and it gives them a chance in life, that they might not have previously had.

Thank you so much for the opportunity!"

Sam