Ashana Orphanage

Ashana Oprhanage in Lamatar Click here to view the profiles of children

The orphanage took in 10 children when it opened. The number has since risen to 20 and will probably rise as orphaned children do not have many institutions to raise them in Nepal. The children come from many different regions in Nepal, mostly very remote. In the orphanage, the children have a large study and dinning room and enough area to play during their free time. Volunteers will live in a separate quarter with a host family, where individual rooms will be available if there aren’t many volunteers around.

Ashana Orphanage provides the children education and loving and homely environment, so that they will feel loved and cared. The orphanage hopes to one day turn the children into mature and responsible citizens who will serve Nepal well. The orphanage also hopes to expand the current facility and take in more children.

Why Ashana Orphanage needs Volunteer

Ashana Orphanage runs on donation. The Orphanage isn’t involved in any income generating activities and there is no help from the government. The donations to Ashana Orphanage mostly come from abroad and volunteers working in the Orphanage also contribute with their program fees. Though the program fee might not sound like much to you, you’ll be surprised how much the orphanage can do with that.

During your work at Ashana Orphanage, you’ll ease the burden on the staffs at the orphanage. The Orphanage is understaffed as it can’t afford to hire many staffs and the children demand constant attention. You’ll care for the children by washing them, changing their clothes, making sure they eat and helping them finish their homework and teaching them. You’ll try to improve your English. It’s an important subject as schools demand their students to be fluent English speakers and writers. But trained teachers are in short supply and the curriculum for English is very substandard. The students invariably end up knowing little. Help prevent that.

Volunteers will also provide the children with much needed love. This is vital as many children desperately need love as they’ve been separated from their parents early on. The trauma of separation can be very damaging if children don’t receive adequate love.

Volunteer’s room in Ashana Orphanage equipped with mosquito net

There is so much a volunteer can do. When you work in Ashana Orphanage, you really become the heart of the orphanage.

Meal/Accommodation/Support

While working in Ashana Orphanage, you will stay with a host family that lives very close to the orphanage. At the time of your volunteering, if there are only 1 or 2 volunteers staying with the host family, you’ll have a room for yourself. But you’ll have to share the facilities if there are more volunteers. The host family will provide you a secure and comfortable accommodation. The family maintains proper hygienic standard and will serve you 3 local meals a day.

A typical Nepali meal is dal (lentil soup), rice, vegetable curry and pickles.

During your stay, the director of the orphanage will supervise your. If any other problem arises, you can contact our Kathmandu office.

Daily Life of volunteers in Ashana Orphanage

Volunteers will have to wake up early. Enjoy breakfast before going to the orphanage to help children prepare for school. Make sure the children are awake, teeth brushed, washed properly and eat food given to me. The children often have a habit of only eating half the food given to them. Dress them up after the meal and drop them to school. You’re free after that until they come back.

Sample of activities that you’ll perform:

View from the Orphanage

• Teach the children for 2-3 hours a day according to demand. During exam time, you’ll probably have to teach little more. You’ll also have to help them finish homework. In schools in Nepal, the children usually end up with lots of homework. If they can’t finish it, they’re usually punished. Prevent that from happening.
• Personal hygiene: help the children brush teeth, shower them and change them into clean clothes.
• Drop off and pick up from school
• Organize fun activities like games, drawing, singing, dancing, and other creative activities
• Educational tours, time permitting, take children on a educational tours around Kathmandu Valley
• Help in administrative work, e.g. help in kitchen, office work
• Help in other activities or programs designed for kids (if any)