 In 1992 at age nineteen, Ram was a proud, new father to Kusum while serving as father figure to 75 sponsored girls as HIO Assistant Director. Dear Friends, After 30 years of dedicated service to the poor, Ram Gopal Adhikari has decided to retire. He longs for a slower pace. Fewer jostling bus rides to and from the chaotic city. More time for walks, country bike rides and tending the flowers and veggies in his garden. A respite from the heavy burden of caring for 175 girls and their families. Raised in Dhulikhel, a small village about two hours drive east of Kathmandu, Ram is the eldest son of five children. When he was a student, Ram had to find his own resources for books and a uniform. On his family’s land, he planted and harvested potatoes, beans and corn that were sold to others. It was a hard, lean life and Ram was left to prosper or fail.  Ram and Ricky chanced to meet on the first HIO Nepal trip in 1991. Ram was amiable and spoke perfect English. A tall, lanky tenth-grader with sparkling eyes and a ready smile. When he had extra time, Ram led tourists on day hikes from the hotel near his home to earn a few extra dollars. A kind woman in the group, Donna Melillo, became Ram’s HIO sponsor. Ram was living on his own, struggling to pay for high school in Kathmandu. HIO sponsorship was a great relief. Two years later, Ram became the first HIO student to graduate from high school. Somehow when Ricky arrived in Nepal each year, Ram would meet him at the Hotel Vajra. He'd stick with Ricky every day acting as translator, street guide and cultural consultant. His service in those early days was invaluable. In his twenties, Ram served as HIO’s in-country Assistant Director for several years and then became Director in 1997.  Serving as the conduit between Aarya and her sponsors, Sari and Dana, Ram brilliantly fosters global connections. Inner-city social work is a demanding job. Kathmandu is a noisy, dusty, overcrowded city with some of the worst air pollution in the world. Clusters of families live close by, along with girls who live miles away on the outskirts of the city. With no street addresses, Ram has to know where each girl lives or ask neighbors for directions. He knows the names of every girl in the program, along with the grueling details of their home-life conditions.
Ram is a valued father figure, so often missing in the lives of so many HIO girls whose fathers have abandoned their families. He always encourages our girls to be their best selves. Ram’s selfless service, leadership, guidance, dedication and compassion are a lasting inspiration for us all. His extraordinary legacy has made Hands In Outreach much of what it is today, and we’re ever grateful. With deep gratitude — Ricky and Laura
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