MITRATA-NEPAL FOUNDATION FOR CHILDREN
Making A Difference One Child At A Time
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Although there are government schools in Nepal, they charge extra fees that make it too expensive for many Nepali families to afford. Only about four out of every five primary school-aged children are in school. In addition, dropout and repetition rates are high, particularly in Grade 1, with one in three children repeating Grade 1 and 15% dropping out. When adolescent children leave school, they usually enter the workforce. Children of this age run a high risk of labor exploitation. 72% of children in government schools fail the School Leaving Certificate exam and cannot progress past 10th grade. In Nepal, only 44% of women and girls are literate. Education is viewed as a poor investment for girls from some families since daughters leave their family's home at marriage, and the benefit of their learning is given to someone else. If a choice has to be made between sending a boy or a girl to school, the boy will usually be given precedence.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Housing and Healthcare
Whenever possible, our children live at home with parents, guardians, or family. Most often the home environment is unsafe or unhealthy, in which case we enroll the children in quality boarding schools. Because family is so important, we continue to encourage positive connections with family members for boarding school children. When children are transitioning from elementary to secondary or university, they need creative housing solutions such as temporary hostels, apartments, or group homes.
Our children receive dental care, braces, vaccinations, glasses and regular annual exams. When children need surgeries or unexpected health issues arise, we take care of them. Our NGO partner staff take are often busy taking some of our 115 children to doctor appointments.Healthcare is not free in Nepal and often our families are unable to pay for medications or medical care.
Many of our children need extra clothing and personal items, which we supply. One of our favorite projects when we visit in the fall is to buy warm clothes and school supplies for the children.
Individualized Education
Each child is unique and special to us. We know each of them, meet their families and spend time getting to know them. With input from family and teachers, we evaluate and determine whether the child has economic need and which school setting will be best. All the schools we work with are private and teach English. Some of our children need more academically-oriented programs while others need more technical, diverse, or special education. Therefore, we match our children with schools that meet their individual needs and will help them become independent, self-sufficient adults.
Our NGO partner in Nepal maintains continuous contact with the children, families and schools to be sure that our children are healthy and benefiting from their education. We provide extra services, such as dance and music programs, tutoring classes, bridge courses to prepare for entrance exams, computer courses, and field trips.
Careers and Scholarships
Class 10 completion is a huge milestone in Nepal as children have to pass the School Leaving Certificate (SLC) national exam. Known as the Iron Gate in Nepal, this exam determines their future ability to attend any school past eleventh grade or obtain a future degree. If the child is not able to pass the exam, they have to wait an entire year before taking it again. If they fail the second time, they are not able to continue their education.
Empowerment
We offer counseling and resources to help each child complete 12th grade and go on to a vocational or university education.
We motivate children through contact with sponsors and staff who offer encouragement and support. Our sponsors receive personal information about the children, have regular personal contact and serve to encourage and build the self-esteem of our children.
Our founder, board members, and child sponsors make regular trips to Nepal to check on the children in person, audit the programs, and troubleshoot on a direct, case-by-case basis.
Operational Oversight
USA board members and staff make regular trips to Nepal to oversee the work being done, and receive monthly written and financial reports.
Early Childhood Development
Educating poor children in Nepal is challenging. Many children live in unsafe, unhealthy homes and work to help support the family. As victims of child laborer or having parents who are itinerant workers, the children are not enrolled in school. They lack school-readiness skills, are neglected and malnourished, all of which interferes with their ability to learn.
In order to serve these children, the Contact Center, located in Balaju, Kathmandu, was created. Here children aged 3-10 years old are provided an educational foundation in a nurturing, loving environment, similar to the Montessori model. Enrollment in the Center averages 26 students. The children enter at the preschool level, are taught basic skills, including reading, writing and an introduction to English. They are also provided with hygiene education, healthcare and two high-quality protein-rich meals each day.
After 18-24 months, many of these children are ready to enter the school system and after testing are placed in second or third grade. Even children who prematurely leave the Contact Center have benefited from the nurturing environment, nutrition, healthcare, and educational foundation. The Contact Center serves as a source of new children to our sponsorship program. In 2017 five children graduated from the Contact Center and were placed in private schools.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
Better Business Bureau 2018
External reviews
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
We are a 501(c)3 dedicated to educate and empower severely underprivileged children to reach their full potential as citizens of Nepal. We strive to maximally impact the lives of these children who in turn contribute to their community.
We provide early childhood development and nutrition/hygiene education, individualized private school education, housing, healthcare, counseling, scholarships, and career planning to over 115 children.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Our 2023 Strategic Plan is attached for our six committees and our Board.
Executive
Finance
Board Development
Fund Raising
Operations
Sponsorship
Please see "additional documents."
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Capabilities to Accomplish Goals
Strong long-term sponsor/donor relationships
Active, hardworking, skilled board of directors and staff
The effective annual strategic planning process
Shared mission with our partner NGO (Non-Government Organization in Nepal
Growing and developing a partner NGO with good leadership
An established financial plan, including endowment and planned giving
Investment in infrastructure/best practices for nonprofit management
A holistic approach to addressing the educational needs of children in Nepal
Established core values of the organization:
• A commitment to caring for children and making a difference in their lives in a tangible way
• A commitment to education as a foundation for a successful life
• A commitment to transparency in all our interactions
• A commitment to championing and empowering children to give back to their communities
• A commitment to respecting Nepali culture and traditions
Over the next five years, we have the potential to expand our services in the Kathmandu Valley, which is experiencing an influx of low-income, uneducated migrant workers families. Our expansion would address the needs of these underprivileged children and potentially double the number we could serve, given the financial resources. This expansion would aid in reducing the number of low-income children who do not enter the school system or complete their education despite the large number of schools available to them.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
5 university graduates, 300 children educated, 19 in univ/voc programs, 100% pass SEE exam we have met or exceeded our fund raising goals each year, we have met our goals as defined in the strategic plan.
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
MITRATA-NEPAL FOUNDATION FOR CHILDREN
Board of directorsas of 01/10/2023
James Craig
Nancy Williger
Sandra S. Hoffmann
James Craig
Ambrose Bittner
Pamela Caraffa
David Floeh
Rick Hendin
Pam Hughes
Len Kannapell
Matt Plank
Urmila Panthi
Juliette Schmidt
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
No data
Transgender Identity
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.