Volunteering In Orphanage In Nepal

Never having travelled outside Europe and being retired I had many anxieties about volunteering in Nepal for 5 weeks. These were soon dispelled when I reached The Innocent Children’s Home in Pokhara. The friendly smiling faces of the children and the warm welcome set the tone for the remainder of my stay which passed so quickly. It was undoubtedly the most enriching and memorable experience of my life. I was met at the airport in Kathmandu by Shantosh one of the orphanage staff and his wife who took me by taxi to a quiet hotel very close to the Thamel district of Kathmandu. Here we spent 2 nights before setting off early morning via tourist bus to Pokhara. During this time Shantosh and Asmita took great care of me while travelling around many of the tourist spots. After a very long but fascinating journey we arrived in Pokhara and were met my Krishna who took us to the orphanage by taxi. When I had decided to do voluntary work in Nepal I spent a long time deciding which orphanage to choose. I had heard lots of stories of people handing over large sums of money to agencies or directly to an NGO before setting out to Nepal and either being disappointed with their placement or finding out that their NGO did not exist and they had nowhere to stay and were now short of funds. One of the deciding factors for me was the fact that I didn’t have to hand over any money until I reached Kathmandu and was settled in my hotel. It was also much cheaper than going through an agency and all of the money went to the orphanage, where it was needed. My stay at the orphanage was demanding, sometimes frustrating but above all thoroughly enjoyable. The children present you with many challenges but are lovable, friendly and a pleasure to be with. I am already thinking about a return trip next year. Please feel free to contact me if you would like any more information. mikebarratt1@tiscali.co.uk Please see their website: www.thelovecompany.org.np