Our Projects

Bal Mandir Naxal – MOU

Kathmandu, Nepal, 2018

Background : in 2016 Lisa Bono and her husband Jeffrey Katzman moved to KTM leaving their previous life as Waldorf Teachers in NYC. They went to meet their daughter who was living in Bal Mandir Naxal and after a 10 month adoption process their daughter came home. Jeff and Lisa worked at the orphanage each day of the 10 months bringing a new classroom facility, play spaces, higher levels of quality care and sponsorship to the young children living there. In this time, they met Noëmi Böken, who recognized the same needs and began committing her time and resources to the children.

Over 1 and half years of visits and dialogues, Sano Taraharu was born.

How we do this work is with the people – care mothers who have been entrusted to carry the daily needs of the children. These woman are usually over worked and underpaid. We offer training programs with mentorship and sponsorship for these woman. We spend time in the orphanage and work to build trust and grow our relationship with respect and care to those working with the children and to the children themselves.

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Part 1 of our project with the  Bal Mandir orphange in Naxal  is to raise funds  for fresh food given daily. Milk, vegetables and fruit. We also to work to ensure these funds are given directly to those entrusted to buy the food weekly. With out these funds and food, the children are given powdered milk, cookies and chocolate during the day. Rice and Dhal for breakfast and dinner and 1 egg per week. This is not enough to sustain their growing bodies.

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Past Project Bal mandir 2016 – Toddler classroom
Before the renovation and after the earthquake the children had class form 10am – 4pm in a 3 sided garage.

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We built a new classroom for children ages 18 months to 4 years old.
Construction of the Toddler Room

Finished room

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Our Current Project – to redesign the baby room – about 17 babies ( new born to 18 months) currently live in a small shared space. A new baby room will soon be constructed above the building seen below. and it is then through Sano Taraharu that the interior will be designed. We will donate all furnishings, appliances, clothing, bedding etc that is needed to ensure a beautiful, clean, large space. Each child will have its own bed, clothes and protected space for free movement and a designated separated cooking and diaper corner.

Current room