“We aim to utilize funds provided by Nepalis rather than international donors, and educate 5,000 children in the next five years,” says the graduate in social works from St Xavier’s College of Maiti Ghar in Kathmandu.CYF was started in May 2009 by her and a group of friends after they rescued 14 children from an orphanage called Light for New Nepal in Balaju.[break]
In order to nurture the children, the organization has been running its “Support a Smile” program that allows any independent donor to sponsor a child.
“We’re still looking for sponsors for our eight kids. Our other sponsors are all Nepalis, and we would like it to be that way.”
Every two to three months, CYF also organizes musical and other programs to collect funds for children.
“Everybody in the organization has been working voluntarily because we believe in our work and love children.”
As a child, she was taken on numerous field visits by her father who worked for Save the Children Norway. In 2006, when her father was going to inaugurate a school in Lamjung, he had an accident that left one side of his body paralyzed.
Even after the accident, he was willing to work for children.
“Looking at his determination, I asked myself if I was doing enough as a young and able person,” says Haushala today.
“People often ask me how I’m going to support myself financially in the coming years. But I don’t believe that money is everything. It’s the smiles of the children I’m helping which matter to me most in the world.”
Haushala means encouragement in Nepali, and Haushala Thapa lives it to the hilt.
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