Building a better tomorrow in Kathmandu

​Since 2008, we have established a strong partnership with Indreni, an International Foundation to support impoverished children in Nepal.

Stelfox Founder Keith Molony, met Indreni founder Ram Hari Khadka whilst in Nepal, and ever since has been heavily involved with Indreni at a strategic level. Stelfox has indefinitely committed a percentage of our annual profits to Indreni, to support the fantastic work they are doing. In addition, Stelfox employees have been heavily involved in fundraising efforts.

They provide quality education, healthcare, and a loving home where children can develop, grow, and be encouraged to reach their unlimited potential.

As a charity organisation, Idreni’s main objectives is to ensure that every poor child gets an equal opportunity to enjoy their rights of proper care and education so that they grow up to become responsible citizens and better human beings that can positively give back to their society

When a child grows up in poverty, deprived of basic needs, the child lacks normal growth and development. Every child has a right to proper education and care and to enjoy their growth and freedom and should not be exploited to do forced labour or otherwise. These are not just mere children but the future of Nepal and one day potentially the leaders of the nation whether it be in government, business or otherwise.

When a child is well educated, he/she becomes aware of social issues and becomes a responsible parent who will never let his/her children be deprived of their rights. A well educated person can easily get a job or create one and help improve their individual situation as well as that of society.

 

 

The Shwet Barahi School in Kathmandu

Rajendra shared the daily tasks carried out in the Shwet Barahi School. The school currently has 398 students, made up of 184 girls and 249 boys, but also a new class of 7 children with special needs. There are 25 teachers helping students achieve academic results to an overall high standard.

Shwet Barahi School started a Vegetable Garden and it’s been a continued success, both in feeding Indreni’s houses and generating revenue for increased sustainability.

Additionally, the school is thinking about starting a school program involving rubbish- plastic in particular – helping them reinforce the message of environment and recycling. In general, rubbish is a big problem across the board in Kathmandu/Nepal. Therefore, it would be crucial for all children to explore and learn more about this important topic.

 

 

Indreni’s work with the local community

Indreni is also building a second home, which is near completion. When finished, this extra accommodation will allow Indreni to have one house for the girls and one for the boys, as well as plenty of open space. Since health and security are two of Indreni’s concerns, the standard quality of the buildings is vital. That’s the reason why both homes are prepared to withstand an earthquake.

In order to develop local plantation, lots of different crops have been planted in the last few months, such as Walnuts, turmeric, ginger, and coffee beans. The potential of this activity may represent a new business for the local community that could remain in the villages and help this new activity grow, rather than just farm to live or feed themselves. This plantation can ultimately help increase the quality of life of the villagers through the additional revenue generation as well as a new understanding of the farming activity and its external use.

Indreni’s work gets easier every day since there are many volunteers who provide help and assistance. Every year, these people travel to Kathmandu, ready to give their best, while also learning about the issues experienced by the population. To ease their work, the organisation has just built a Volunteer Home. It will be a house for volunteers who are working both in the Simthali school and plantation, as well as a place for the older children whenever they have holidays and need to stay or work in the village.

 

 

Having a positive impact on the children’s future

Having the possibility to learn, and to also have access to free education, will have a tremendous positive impact on all of the children’s lives. Indreni is proud to see that change happening already. Many of the older students have started studying specific subjects and are keen on continuing their education all the way to college. None of this would be possible without the help of all the volunteers and organisations that work with Indreni (e.g SOAR, Stelfox, and many more).

Overall, 2017 was a really great year for Indreni. There is a real sense of progress and of expanding possibilities. As aforementioned, one hugely positive development has been the success of the volunteer groups travelling from Ireland to support the school’s maintenance and the vegetable garden. These volunteers also have a tremendously positive impact on the lives of the children and on their education. These trips have significantly increased the support base and given many Irish students and their parents a truly unique life experience.

We are particularly proud of how these initiatives have become an integral part of our DNA as an organisation. We are excited to be involved with Indreni at a strategic level, helping the continuous growth of this wonderful organisation.