“Meg’s Children Nepal provides home, food, education and hope to 20 Nepali children and their carers”
Introduction
Megs Children is an Australian not for profit charitable trust, established in 2005. Our goal is to enhance the lives of 20 Nepalese children who do not have family to cater for their basic needs.
Since the establishment of the Megs Children trust we have worked hard and ensured that the children and their carers are provided with a stable and loving home, that their needs are met in terms of health and nutrition, and most importantly that the children receive a good education. The children will receive ongoing support and training in whatever path they choose to follow into adulthood.
The Committee members are as follows:
Kate and Bernard Toohey (Wodonga VIC)
Daron White (Wodonga Vic)
Libby Keogh (Mullengandra NSW)
Kerri Wise (Bowna NSW)
Jim Corrigan (Bowna NSW)
Elizabeth Young (Bowna NSW)
Kate Wedgwood (Mullengandra NSW)
Annie Brown (Bowna NSW)
Tony Nott (Bowna NSW)
Bryan Corrigan (Bowna NSW)
Trish Ryan (Bowna NSW)
Amber Fearne (Albury, NSW)
Kylie Jones (Albury, NSW)
Sharon Milsome (Albury, NSW)
The board in Nepal is headed by Bikash KC who is also the legal guardian of the children. He is ably assisted by house mothers, Nanda Shahi and Bibechana Bayalkoti.
The following has been transcribed by Bikash
OUR HISTORY
Two and a half years ago, when I was a student at Baneshor College, I decided to invest some of my time in social work. Even though my stay in the orphanage was brief, it was long enough to witness the corruption of the management, malnutrition and poor hygiene among the children, and above all the effects of the lack of love and affection towards the children.
Despite all the abuse and neglect I noticed that the children and staff were still able to express happiness and get along with each other. The moment I entered the orphanage and saw all the children smiling I knew I could not leave and I planned to do everything in my power to help them.
I found myself welcomed as part of their family and had to decide whether I should continue my education or stay. Making this decision was easy compared to the problems I would have to face in the future.
I began by approaching some of the social organizations of Nepal. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be to receive any form of donation so I could simply feed the children. In the end it was the generosity of international volunteers that made it possible for me to establish a new home for the children.
Of these volunteers it was notably Trish, a woman from Australia who made the difference. After the loss of her beloved daughter, Meg, she decided not to sit and grieve at home, but instead to come to Nepal to enrich the lives of people in need. From the moment she arrived back home she began raising money to support us. Since Trish is the primary reason our orphanage still exists today, we chose to name our home in memory of her daughter.
LOCATION AND SIGHTSEEING
We are located 6km outside of Bhaktapur. A ten minute bus ride or sixty minute stroll will take you through the pottery lined streets of Thimi, into the village of Bhaktapur. Not only is Bhaktapur the third major town in the valley, it is also the best preserved town in Nepal, making it a popular tourist attraction. As a UNESCO World Heritage site Bhaktapur is filled with ancient temples and traditional architecture. In comparison to Kathmandu, Bhaktapur is less polluted and congested making it much more peaceful.
A scenic one hour drive from Bhaktapur takes you up to Nagarkot (1985m/ 6512ft) where you can begin one of several day hikes or just stay and enjoy the view while reading under the pines. If you don’t intend on doing a trek in the Himalayas, Nagarkot offers the best alternative for you to admire the panoramic view of the towering snowcapped peaks.
If you are interested in doing some additional traveling while in Nepal there are several different options. You can visit Royal Chitwan National Park. As a part of the Terai region this area offers a tropical climate and a wide variety of wildlife. For those seeking a little more adventure, treks into the Himalayas let you experience Nepal from yet another angle. The length and difficulty of the treks vary, so even if you are not an experienced mountaineer you can easily find a trek that will suit your own capabilities.
Nepal is a landlocked Asian country bordered by Tibet to the north and India to the south. Being situated between these two countries Nepal offers the advantage of the unpredictable heights of the Himalayas in addition to the tropical plains. Since Nepal was untouched by Western influence until the 1960’s, the rich culture and religion has been well preserved.
