Sponsor's update from Itahari, Nepal

Child sponsorship update from the SOS Children's Village Itahari, Nepal from Winter 2008.

Dear Friend and Sponsor,

A year has rolled over without much notice, which ultimately provided us the opportunity to write another note of THANKS for your generous support, celebration of Christmas and greetings for New Year 2009. Please permit us to wish you

" MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY AND PEACEFUL NEW YEAR 2009 ".

May the joy of celebration of Christmas remain with you through-out the year and the inspiration of New Year 2009 last for long time bringing peace and prosperity in your life.

The year 2008 has been a milestone in the history of SOS Children's Village Itahari from different prospective. In this year we implemented different pilot projects such as Housing, Micro Finance and Emergency Relief programmes. The first two are for the marginal community people and the last one for the Flood Victims of Sunsari District. We are proud to mention that we have been successful in implementing all these programs to a great success. SOS Children's Village Itahari has a vision of "Homes-with-job" for the community people. We are working with three other Partners for these programs. Till the date; we have been able to construct and renovate more than 200 houses within the year and provide micro credit to more than 60 families to earn their livelihood. Each family has story to share about the programme.

In August the embankment of Koshi River was breached displacing more than 75,000 people of four villages. We happen to be the first one to provide medical support to these people by setting-up medical camp in one of the densely residing relief camps. Consequently, we have been able to manage one of the camps for about a month. We provided relief materials to the victims; manage the camp, run the class for children, set a trauma counseling centre and provided food to about 700 people for a month. Presently, we are running a Day-Care Centre for the children below the age of three.

We are providing nutritious food as supplement nutritious food besides a main meal in the afternoon. We have hired 12 women from the camp from amongst the victim families to work as baby sitter for 125 children.

In the village, we have 148 children of different age groups and 20 SOS Mothers to serve them. All the schooling age children attend village school in different grades. Village school has been upgraded to Higher Secondary School in management stream. Similarly, SOS Social Centre is catering service to many children from marginalised families through Day-Care Centre. The Skill Development Training Centre run under the Social Centre has been a boon to the local women who really want to learn some skill for their livelihood. The centre provides fund the trainees who want to start their entrepreneurship in the village from micro credit facility.

Like-wise the dispensary established in the centre is providing doctor and nurse service for pre & post natal care as yesteryears. Hundreds of children and families are benefitted from Family Strengthening program. We are planning to include many children under this scheme in coming days.

Dear Friend and Sponsor, we are very much aware that we have been able in providing all these services to the needy children and families only through your firm support. Thus, we highly value and appreciate your selfless and generous sponsorship. Hence, we would like to join all the benefitting children and families to thank you very much wish you Merry Christmas and a very tranquil & Happy New Year 2009.

With best wishes and greetings; we remain.

Yours Sincerely,
Ramesh Tamrakar
Project Director, SOS Children's Village Itahari