The first time I visited Nepal, I had arranged to meet my friend Marlies Kornfeld, who lives in Switzerland. She had been involved with the Tibetan people for a while in Kathmandu and we discussed her new Project and I was going to make some photographs to raise awareness about this good cause.

I was so touched deep within my heart by the dedication of the people involved in the Project and the love they showed for the children of Nepal. The village was being built, the standard of the whole Project was so high, so honest and open that I felt I wanted to get involved myself more.

The first encounter one has in a country where poverty is so high and politics are so difficult, can be quite emotional. Where do you start to help? I learned a lot about myself whilst I was in Nepal. We often think we can go to deprived countries in the world and do ‘good’, at least that is what we think with our Western minds. Well, in my case, that was quickly changed….The people I met, helped me. They taught me how to listen to their needs, the way they wish to live, and not to force our Western way of life in their culture. Although they also feel that they have integrated in the World Economy as it is just now, and to progress they are willing to always learn more about our ways so they can use the benefits, such as education and healthcare, for their people. But one thing that lives very strong within them is the sense of sustaining their own culture.

And this is what I felt so profound with the Bright Horizon Children’s Home Project.

The children are taught many things at the school, all related to their own culture and also about the rest of the world. The languages they learn are, Tibetan, Nepali and English. They are taught their Indigenous dances, customs, etc. The sponsors raise money to buy costumes for their dances, as their rituals are such an important part of daily life. And as many of these children are orphans, they have no means of being taught otherwise about the importance of their own heritage. The teachers are Tibetan and Nepali, and every dormitory has a House Mother/ Father to support the children when they are ill, need support, or just need someone to talk to and to be listened to. The children told me how important these people are for them, and how it gives them a sense of belonging in their Bright Horizon family.

After spending some time with the children, and the teachers, volunteers etc. I decided to sponsor a child. The money is not paid to big Agencies, but goes directly to the school and I get a report every year about the financial situation.

I am invited to meetings and get reports from my God daughter’s process.

The beauty I find is, that I can go at any time to the school and spend time with her to support her. Her name is Pema Drolma. When I visit her, I stay in a part of the school especially built for the sponsors to stay. I eat together with the children, we play in the playground, and I can be in the classroom if I wish with her. We can go shopping together, or do things we like to do together. To Pema, I am her mother, she is now 16 and growing into a beautiful woman. She is doing really well just now. She was very young and poorly when she arrived at the school. Now she tells me she wants to work in an office when she has finished school. She would love to buy a little house some day where she and her sisters can live and she can look after them, as they have no jobs, and beg on the streets in Kathmandu. I will visit her again this year, she writes to us so much and we can send her presents if we want, which she really loves.  I thought of bringing her to Scotland, when she was younger. A Tibetan woman, whom I met at a Refugee Centre, advised me not to do this, not to take Pema out of her culture, but to support her to sustain her culture instead. I think this wise woman was very wise indeed. And I am pleased I listened to her.

Lumphanan Primary School, has also sponsored, for many years now ,a boy called Bikhram. Bikhram is not an orphan, but comes to school on a daily base. He comes from a very poor family, is very keen to study. The school here in Scotland has set up a correspondence scheme, so the children all write to each other and they have done this for a few years. When I visit Nepal, I take things that they have made for each other backwards and forwards, wonderful!

The last time I went, the teachers had asked me if I could take shoes for the children. Luckily, my friend Sally came with me and we were able to take 100 pairs of shoes with us! It took some negotiating with our Airline, but it worked and the children had their shoes!

The beauty of my involvement with Bright Horizon lies in the ‘involvement’ .

I don’t just send money and hope for the best. It is like having another child.

She needs support, and looks so forward to my visits. It is always very hard to leave her, we are both not good in saying our ‘see-you-soon’s’…But I know, she is so well looked after by all the Bright Horizon family, and so does she. If she needs a new dictionary, she will write me, and I send it to her. We are connecting in many ways.

After having travelled in many parts of the world, and seen much poverty and children in need, I decided to help the cause that I found first. Because, it can be confusing if you see so much poverty, that you don’t know where to start. I work in the community here in Scotland, and feel I do give a lot back to life here. I also felt that it is important to give something back on another part of the world. My belief is that we take a lot from life, and to be thankful and have gratitude for the beautiful gifts we receive, it is important to give something back. I can never be grateful enough for the love, the teachings, the laughter and much more, that I have received from the beautiful people of Nepal and Tibet.

If you feel you want to join us on this journey to support this Project, please feel free to contact me by email or visit the website of Bright Horizon Children’s Home.

May all you manifest and create in live be for the highest good and benefit of others.Namaste!

Love and Blessings,

Claudia                     

www.bright-horzon.org