The Umbrella Foundation Nepal needs help to fund the 'Back to School' costs for the young former victims of child trafficking that we have rescued, rehabilitated and reunited with their families throughout Nepal.
Umbrella has reunited over 158 children (86 boys, 72 girls) in 25 districts of Nepal and, along with regular periodic monitoring, Umbrella supports the ongoing education and school costs for 84 of these children.
Those receiving educational support are in the high-risk category of being susceptible to child labor and/or re-trafficking if this assistance is not in place. The educational and school support enables the child to attend school in their rural home community surrounded by their own customs, cultures and, most importantly, families. This is a much more preferable alternative to growing up in urban based, "orphanages."
School shoes are a key requirement for getting to school in rural Nepal, where a child must often cover long distances, often over mountainous terrain and during adverse weather conditions, to get to school. the new Nepali school year starts in April 2014 and we need your help to get our kids shoes, so that they can get comfortably to school and kick start their education.
Profile
History
The umbrella foundation was set up in response to the growing number of children in Nepal who were displaced, trafficked or orphaned by poverty and the internal conflict in the country. Umbrella has rescued 380+ such children since 2005.
Many displaced children from extremely remote rural areas come to Kathmandu in search of education and the chance of a better future, but end up destitute on the streets, working as domestic slaves, or living in the poorly-managed and often illegal homes in the Kathmandu village. After their rescue, the children are initially placed in our residential childcare homes, where they receive medical and physiological assessments, as well as counseling. Work then begins to trace their children's families and obtain legal documentation on their background.
Our long-term aim is the reintegration of these displaced children back into their home communities so that they can resume their education after their, often, traumatic pasts.
Many displaced children from extremely remote rural areas come to Kathmandu in search of education and the chance of a better future, but end up destitute on the streets, working as domestic slaves, or living in the poorly-managed and often illegal homes in the Kathmandu village. After their rescue, the children are initially placed in our residential childcare homes, where they receive medical and physiological assessments, as well as counseling. Work then begins to trace their children's families and obtain legal documentation on their background.
Our long-term aim is the reintegration of these displaced children back into their home communities so that they can resume their education after their, often, traumatic pasts.
Impact
The Umbrella foundation has traced the families of and reconnected with them 384 out of the total 386 children rescued thus far. From this amount, 152 (45%) are living full time with their relatives with the support of The Umbrella Foundation. The remainder are still in our children's homes program in Kathmandu (22%) or have already grown up within our homes and are being supported by our youth program through vocational or college education (33%).
Our dedicated field team monitors the reunited children and check that their school attendance is at a satisfactory level and that they are happy and safe living at home.
Our dedicated field team monitors the reunited children and check that their school attendance is at a satisfactory level and that they are happy and safe living at home.
Team Credentials
The Umbrella Foundation has been working in anti-child trafficking for 9 years in Nepal. While largely supported by volunteers and sponsorship donations internationally, an experienced local team is employed in Nepal to oversee each program.
Umbrella employs an essential field staff to support and monitor the reunification process, including the school scholarships and support. This consists of a qualified Child Protection and Development Officer, a Reunification Officer and four assistant Child Protection and Development Officers. The field officers' role involves a) periodically monitoring the progress of children already reunited and resolving issues noted; and b) counseling those still within our homes for the details and effectively canvasing their suspected communities for the origin of their surviving relatives.
Umbrella employs an essential field staff to support and monitor the reunification process, including the school scholarships and support. This consists of a qualified Child Protection and Development Officer, a Reunification Officer and four assistant Child Protection and Development Officers. The field officers' role involves a) periodically monitoring the progress of children already reunited and resolving issues noted; and b) counseling those still within our homes for the details and effectively canvasing their suspected communities for the origin of their surviving relatives.
Updates
-
15 AUG 2014
Update from the Shoes for School Project!
With the help of your kind giving Umbrella has been able to provide school shoes for all 84 children who have been reintegrated with their families after they were rescued from very adverse conditions by Umbrella’s rescue team in the past. Most of the children are going to school in rural villages where many live at least half an hour walking distance from school. With the monsoon coming up they have to cross some very slippery mountain terrain, but luckily they don’t have to wear their slippery slippers anymore as they now have proper shoes to comfortably and safely get to their schools. This support helps the children not only to attend school, but more importantly to also stay in their home communities where they are surrounded by and can learn from their own customs, culture and families. [img]/images/user/9148_1870070494400301502.jpg[/img] -
14 AUG 2014
'Shoes for School' project success!
The 'Shoes for School' for project, sponsored by the Umbrella Foundation Nepal, recently reached their donation target! Below is a project update prepared by the Umbrella Foundation's Country Director, Caroline Scheffer: With the help of your kind giving, Umbrella has been able to provide school shoes for all 84 children who have been reintegrated with their families after they were rescued from very adverse conditions by Umbrella’s rescue team in the past. Most of the children are going to school in rural villages, where many live at least half an hour walking distance from school. With the monsoon coming up, they have to cross some very slippery mountain terrain, but luckily they don’t have to wear their slippery slippers anymore as they now have proper shoes to comfortably and safely get to their schools. This support helps the children not only to attend school, but more importantly to also stay in their home communities where they are surrounded by and can learn fro... -
11 MAR 2014
Photos of our Project!
[img]/images/user/9148_6606452016012222624.jpg[/img] [img]/images/user/9148_6491005790536773252.jpg[/img] [img]/images/user/9148_8909696451965759555.jpg[/img] Photos of our student's at school and with their families!
Donors
-
Janice Sprow Louisville, Kentucky, USA
- $100 Pledged
- $100 Total Donated
-
Elke Krekels Leiden, Netherlands
- $5350 Pledged
- $5350 Total Donated
-
givologynyc New York City, New York, USA
- $27582 Pledged
- $25580 Total Donated
-
Atthena Breitton
- $250 Pledged
- $200 Total Donated
-
elias sarkis
- $400 Pledged
- $400 Total Donated