Orphanage - Volunteering

"Don't Ask Questions - Just Smile"

These were some of the first words said to us by the organiser of the orphanage in Khatmandu.

I may be cold-hearted though I don't feel the need to run to the toilet, bolt the door and weep at the sight of babies under a year playing in dirty clothes, 1 year olds playing in a tiny 3x4m room amongst bugs and flies, 5 year olds with mucky faces but huge smiles and hearing the stories from these children. NO!!!! I don't feel the need to cry as this man told me. I am more inclined to get down and play with these children, clean their noses, listen to their stories, go to the library and read with the children with Cerebral Palsy and go crazy spinning, chanting, singing and laughing with these children with the constant chant of "Let's go! Let's go!" in the library.

Some half-hearted research into the orphange I was helping in revealed some hard-hitting facts. A google search and speaking with some locals brought up many allegations of children being taken from rural villages with promises of great education, when really these illiterate parents are signing their much-loved children away for international adoption.

Nepal, with scenery that I have only seen previously in Disney films, is a land of corruption, everyone wants money, it's all about the money, even when it comes to a human life. As this little man told us "You Can't Change Anything!!!" So, bearing this in mind I decided to walk away from this orphanage.

The real people who help these children are the Didis who live there every day and night tirelessly working for these children who refer to them as "mum". Thanks to these ladies the children are always smiling and the orphanage is a happy home for these young individuals.

Volunteering in an orphanage sounds like a nice idea, though realistically, with noexpertise you are not changing anything. In hindsight, it would have made more sense to work with an NGO that provides water pumps with clean water in rural villages then hundreds of children can drink cleanwater in Nepal, were the water runs brown and many babies die before reaching the age of 1 because of the condition of the water.

If anyone is considering volunteering in Nepal I would advise to arrive in Nepal and do some basic research before any money exchanges hands. If you find an NGO or organisation that suits your requirements and perhaps expertise volunteering could be a very rewarding and pleasant experience.