1 September 2021
Dear Friends of Meg’s Children Nepal,
As we all continue to live with COVID-19 health restrictions and come to terms with our new norm, including stay at home orders, the wearing of face masks and the seemingly ever-present worry about new outbreaks, I felt it was timely to give an update on Meg’s Children and how the kids are faring in Nepal.
As has been experienced across the world, the Delta variant of COVID-19 has emerged as the new threat in Nepal. Nepal has been struggling to get on top of this outbreak, case numbers are rising daily, and sadly so is the number of people who have died, now over 10,500. Day to day life is extremely difficult for Nepalese people, as lockdowns continue the economy has collapsed, and the hospital system is struggling. Tourism, which is one of Nepal’s main income avenues has also collapsed, leaving many who rely on the flow of international visitors to the beautiful mountain regions of Nepal without any means to support their families.
Our younger children who live in Noble House have also fallen victim to this harsh disease, with 15 of our kids recently testing positive. Fortunately, none of the children have been severely impacted, but all 15 were admitted to the Siddhi Memorial Hospital for treatment. They responded well and have since been discharged with all but one testing negative, and he remains in isolation at Noble House. The wonderful house parents at Noble House are fully vaccinated and in good health.
We are extremely grateful to have a wonderful working partnership with Siddhi Memorial Hospital, which has given us comfort in knowing our children have expert medical care when needed. This is a blessing in a time when hospital resources in Nepal are stretched.
Here in Australia we have been extremely fortunate to avoid the worst of the pandemic, although it remains a threat and continues to affect us all in a range of ways. For Meg’s Children, it has meant that we’ve not been able to host fundraising events for some time. We have very much missed getting together with our supporters at the range of great events we’ve become accustomed to hosting over the years. This has inevitably also led to a need to re-think how we raise the funds needed to continue to support our kids in Nepal.
The Meg’s Children Nepal Sponsorship Program is one simple, and COVID-safe, means by which many of you are already making a big difference, and I would entreat anyone who is in a position to sign up for a monthly donation to please do so. Donations are tax deductible, and sponsorship options start at as little as $20 per month, which is the equivalent of providing one child with food or schooling for six months. The Sponsorship Prospectus and further details are available on our website at www.megschildren.org/get-involved/.
The Meg’s Children Nepal Committee continues to meet regularly, and we are developing some ideas for fun and socially-distanced fundraising events that we look forward to inviting you to join us for. Further details will be provided soon.
We do, of course, understand that many in Australia are doing it tough as a result of the ongoing pandemic, including individuals and businesses that have been great supporters of Meg’s Children over the years. To those who are in this situation, our thoughts are with you and we appreciate that your ability to provide financial support to Meg’s Children will be limited at this time.
I thank you all for your ongoing interest in, and support for, our efforts in Nepal, which continue to make a difference to disadvantaged children, supporting them to grow, learn and achieve their ambitions. I hope you stay healthy and safe in these challenging times.
With warm wishes,
Trish Ryan
Founder
Meg’s Children Nepal
