Dear Friends of Nepal Orphans Home,

We would like to provide you with an update on Nepal Orphans Home and our plans for the future.

In 2024, Nepal Orphans Home began its twentieth year, providing for young children living with Papa’s House, supporting adolescents living in transition housing while attending college preparatory classes, and funding the higher education of young adults living independently and studying in university. The Chelsea Education and Community Center (CECC) entered its twelfth year of academic enrichment and life skills training for the Papa’s House children and its tenth year of free literacy classes for over a hundred local women in Dhapasi. NOH Outreach continued providing assistance throughout Nepal, including to the Goldhunga Blind Children’s Home and Kanti Children’s Hospital.

Last year was pivotal in the transition of Papa’s House NGO, with new management in Nepal, the establishment of a new Papa’s House NGO Board of Directors, and the phasing out of childcare at Papa’s House, according to the mandates of a new act passed by the National Child Rights Council of Nepal. With the aging of our children, progressing from elementary school to college preparatory classes to young adults leaving Papa’s House for university or transitioning into independent living, the number of children provided for in Papa’s Houses had already been declining. In the future the Chelsea Education and Community Center and our important outreach to Goldhunga and Kanti will be the primary operations.

As of the beginning of 2024, there are thirteen Papa’s House children attending Skylark School in grades 7-10 and living with family or Papa’s House guardians. NOH is supporting fifteen young adults in universities in Nepal, in programs including social work, computer science, hospital care management, business studies, Fine Arts, hotel management, and civil engineering. They are living independently with family or friends and receiving monthly stipends for food and rent. In addition, thirteen young adults are studying in foreign universities: four in Australia, three in Germany, and one each in Finland, Japan, Canada, and the U.S.

Under the leadership of Sushmita Thapa, in her second year as the new Director of Operations of Papa’s House NGO, the Chelsea Center continues its programs of adult literacy classes, workshops, celebrations for community women of Dhapasi and after-school academic enrichment classes and life skills workshops for Papa’s House and other local children.  Sushmita holds a master’s degree in gender studies and a master's degree  psychology. Before coming to Papa’s House NGO, Sushmita served as a senior counselor with TPO Nepal, one of Nepal’s leading psychosocial organizations.  Sushmita hired Jesika Maharjan as a general assistant director.  Sushmita had earlier worked with Jesika at CAP Nepal, a non-profit based in Kathmandu with a mission to emancipate women and girls from gender-based violence and discrimination. Jesika has a bachelor's degree in development studies as well as a master's degree in gender studies. Nepal Orphans Home is confident that Papa’s House NGO has a bright future under Sushmita’s and Jesika’s leadership.

Sushmita has initiated the HEARD (Helping in Education, Advocacy, and Resources for Development) project, as the new emphasis of the Chelsea Center. HEARD consolidates all existing programs while introducing new initiatives to facilitate holistic development of children and women within the community. Community-based psychosocial care and intervention have begun through the new International Child Development Program (ICDP) caregivers’ weekly meetings.

For the last twenty years, Nepal Orphans Home has guided and funded Papa’s House NGO. Two years ago, the NOH board began considering, but did not formally approve, the dissolution of Nepal Orphans Home, the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, incorporated in Davidson, North Carolina. The primary rationale for dissolution is that the NOH board leadership, Peter and Boo Hess, have served as president and treasurer from the beginning and wish to retire. Any dissolution of Nepal Orphans Home would give full autonomy to Papa’s House NGO, at which time Nepal Orphans Home would provide sufficient funds for the higher education of the remaining Papa’s House young adults and the continuation of operations in Nepal in years to come.

Younger leadership on the NOH board is needed but hasn’t been found yet. Therefore NOH is resolved to continue funding and guiding Papa’s House NGO and the Chelsea Center at least through 2026, when the next three-year project proposal to the Social Welfare Council is due. Peter and Boo Hess will continue to serve as president and treasurer until then, and current board members will continue serving in their respective roles.

Nepal Orphans Home, however, is now seeking new members to add to the board of directors. Please write to Peter (pehess@davidson.edu), with a personal statement explaining why you are interested, the knowledge and skills you have to offer, and how you could effectively serve. Note, no board members are financially compensated for their service; rather the compensation is the satisfaction of helping to improve the lives of hundreds of women and children in Nepal.

With gratitude for your support,

Peter Hess
President, Nepal Orphans Home Board of Directors