Reuniting families makes us proud.
Maya was just 5 years old when her parents brought her to an orphanage with high hopes of giving her a great start in life with a good education. The family travelled seven hours by foot through the mountains, followed by twelve hours on a bumpy bus!
Seven precious childhood years were lost within the walls of that abusive orphanage.
Maya told us the children at the orphanage were woken at 4am every morning but were to tell visitors they woke at 6am or they would be punished. She said she was often hungry because they were only fed breakfast 5 hours after waking and dinner at 5pm sharp with a light lunch in between. No snacks! They worked hard and were very hungry. Maya doesn’t like to think about her days in the orphanage.
Today 12 year-old Maya is living with her parents and three younger sisters in a rented space in the suburbs of Kathmandu valley. When we visited her family recently we found Maya braiding her sister’s hair for school. It was lovely seeing the children sharing breakfast and getting ready together. Her little sisters are helping Maya learn her native language.
This was particularly heartwarming considering the psychological damage this innocent child endured from years of institutionalisation.
Maya says being home with her family feels like her dreams have come true. The entire family asked us to convey their deepest gratitude for helping bring their family together again. They say, with beaming smiles from ear to ear and hands in prayer position a very sincere, Dhanyabaad!
