Shelter for Street Children in Kathmandu

Orange Angel has been providing financial support to the shelter since 2014 and pays the rent annually.

On April 25, 2015, the earth in Kathmandu trembled in a way the Nepalese had never experienced before. A devastating earthquake measuring at least 7.6 on the Richter scale hit the city, which is already accustomed to earthquakes. But no, many had never experienced this before. Buildings collapsed like houses of cards, wreaking havoc all over the city and dead and wounded everywhere. Gerda Oosting, vice-chairman of the Kathmandu Street Children Foundation, was just outside the city on the back of Temba Sherpa's motorcycle at the time of the earthquake. “The first thing I thought was why I get so weird in my head, but Temba immediately shouted that I had to lie on the ground on the pasture. As soon as the weather was possible we immediately drove back to the city, at least what was left of it, because we were very concerned about the children in the shelter. Thank God there were no victims among our children but the home was badly damaged ”.

The foundation led by Lies Vink started almost immediately after the earthquake to build a new and earthquake-resistant house. With the help of a contractor friend from Kathmandu, a beautiful new accommodation has now been built, which was officially opened in May 2017. The home with the beautiful name Thiom Laura Marinka home now houses 91 children, aged 2 to 18 years. Fifteen members of staff ensure that everything runs smoothly in the home. At the time of my visit to the home, only around thirty children were present due to the school holidays. What is immediately noticeable upon entering is the open and positive atmosphere that both staff and children radiate. Everyone is happy and proud to be part of the children's home. The children all have a group bedroom divided into boys and girls areas and grouped by age. There are relaxation areas where children can watch TV, play music or practice dancing.