Barnhemmet The Step

 

        Insamlingsstiftelsen Barnhemmet Sofia

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

 

               

 

   

 

Step International Girls Home

A child home for girls in Kathmandu, Nepal

 

 

The girls home ”Step International Girls Home” in Kathmandu, Nepal, is run by the initiative of the non-profit foundation ”Insamlingsstiftelsen Barnhemmet Sofia”.  The foundation was registered at ”Länsstyrelsen i Skåne län” on the 29th of February 2008 by Sofia and Christian Lindblom. The foundation is under Swedish government supervision and the organisation number is 802425-7845

 

The aim of the foundation is to start and thereafter run a girls home in Nepal.

 

In Nepal a similiar organisation was registrered at the Government of Nepal under the District Administration (DAO), Kathmandu, on the 20th of November 2008 by Rajeev Singhania. The organisation is under Nepali authority supervision and the registration number is 514.

 

Since the beginning of December 2008, the home is open. The first two girls then moved in and today there are nine girls living at The Step; Srijana, Samjhana, Mina, Rista, Yuta, Smitri, Kabita, Kalpana and Guddu. 

 

We, Sofia and Christian Lindblom, do this work together with our dear friends in Kathmandu, the Singhania family. We have known them for ten years – since our very first trip to the country. The oldest son of the family, Rajeev Singhania, is recruited as the local manager and is responsible for the process in Nepal and does all the practical work in Kathmandu, while we do the fund-raising in Sweden.

 

We receive contributions from private people, organisations and companies. Both smaller and bigger amounts – all as important! The core in our funding though, are our sponsors, whom we have signed long time contracts with to support The Step.

 

As it is written in the fund-raising foundations charter, the original document, this is a non-profit organisation. No payments are received and no administrative costs exist. Thus, we can guarantee that 95% of the funds from Sweden are going straight to the Girls Home in Nepal.

  

We do have a unique opportunity to do this work in an excellent way as we do it together with our good friends in Kathmandu. We could not have done this without each other. Together with Singhania family we can make a difference!

 

Background

 

The whole thing started with a trip to Nepal during the summer of 2000. Sofia travelled there and spent a month in the Himalaya area. It was during this first trip that Sofia got to know the Singhania family.

 

Sofia had barely left the country before she was longing to return and in February 2002, we, Sofia and Christian travelled there and spent nearly two months. Among other adventures, we trekked in the Annapurna area and spent time in Chitwan. A lot of time was also spent with our new friends in Kathmandu.

 

The following year we returned to Nepal and trekked in the Everest region. We spent considerable time in the valley of Kathmandu and socialized with Rajeev, Kamal, Konal, Bhiki and their parents. After being in the country for two months, Christian returned home to Sweden but Sofia remained and worked as a volunteer at an orphanage in Kathmandu. It was a truly fulfilling time to be able to work at an annatalai (orphanage in Nepalese) and with help from sponsors in Sweden, both companies, associations and private citizens we were able to create many changes. The orphanage, which housed 20 children, was renovated, school fees were paid, teaching materials were purchased and a number of excursions were made. All of the children were examined by both a doctor and a dentist. Different types of medicine were purchased according to the doctor’s orders.

 

It was now, in the fall of 2003, that the idea of starting a girls home in Nepal was hatched. When we saw how strong the will to help was - from several different sources - we realised that it would not be too difficult to open an orphanage on our own. An in important criterion was that there were natives of the country who were available to be responsible for the daily operations. We felt however, that this was too much to ask of our friends.

 

In the spring of 2004 we returned for a short visit to Nepal to attend the wedding of Rajeev. We were able to visit the orphanage and the school the children attended. We brought money from several companies and private citizens. We were able to buy school uniforms, pay the school fees, buy teaching materials, basic supplies and do some excursions.

 

It wasn’t until the fall of 2007 that we were able to return to Nepal. Our first child, Elliot, was born in the summer of 2005 and in the fall of 2007 it was Elliots turn to experience the Himalayas and Nepal. Rajeev and his wife Bhabi also have a son, Keshu, who is only a few months older than Elliot. We stayed with the Singhania family and our sons played together all day long.

 

One day when we were planning what contributions were needed at the school we have had contact with for some years, our friend Rajeev asked us if we wanted to start an orphanage! Without a doubt - immediately the plans began to take form. During this time we discussed the general guidelines together with our friends. As soon as we came home to sweden, we started to plan how we would solve the practicalities in Sweden and in Nepal.

 

This resulted in the fact that we decided to start a foundation to collect the starting capital we needed to proceed. We wanted to start an orphanage for girls; we would have 10 girls living there.

 

According to Rajeevs and our calculations, we estimated that we needed 100,000 SEK in start-up capital. This initial capital is needed for renting the site a year in advance, furnishing the orphanage, advance school fees, teaching materials, kitchen equipment, a supply of basic items, furniture and clothes. When one rents a house in Nepal, one only actually rents the concrete structure. One must finance everything else yourself- the flooring, doors, kitchen and bathrooms. The costs of running the place are approximately 10,000 SEK per month. This is to be used for food, school fees, salaries etc etc.

 

The foundation

 

Our intention is not just only to provide the girls a shelter, but also – and even more important - a secure and comforting place with competent and loving care taker. We wish to provide a homely atmosphere!

 

We believe education is very important. To provide the girls a good education, we give them the most important tool for a better and independent future; not only for the girls themselves, but also for their future families.

 

The reason why we have chosen to focus on girls are because they often have the most difficult situation. Moreover, one knows that when women educate themselves and get an income by their own, they tend to invest their money in a more efficient way that is better for their family and in the long run; for the whole society. Educated women also tend to give birth to fewer children.

 

To sum up, you can express it like Kamal, the second oldest son in the Singhania family, did in an e-mail to us when we were planning all this:

 

"I think the most positive aspect of our Orphanage will be that we shall not only be providing them decent living but as well decent education so it will give them a decent life ahead. A life full of rights, dignity, voice and freedom of speech. At last decent work is so crucial for the developing country and the rest of the world. So by starting a small orphanage we already have started a move of decent work and I guess and suppose that all great things starts from the small steps and, at least, we make some efforts to develop the life of some people who are sharing the same planet and who are exploited by the political conflict and the financial crisis of the country. The importance of orphanages in the poorest country like Nepal can hardly be exaggerated."

 

 

Contact information

 

e-mail: info@thestep.se

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sponsorer

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lions club Reftele/Bredaryd

 

 

 

 

 

 

Helsingborgs Soroptmistklubb

 

 

 

 

 

www.netatonce.se

 

 

Konstnär Ulla Bolin

 

Elektrobladh AB

 

 

 

Lions club Löddeköpinge

 

 

Evenemang i Sverige

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Step © 2013