 Your donations helped us distribute new track suits and socks to HIO girls living in Balkhu who’d been affected by recent flooding. Pabitra loved the new boots her sponsor, Sarah Barnum, sent along. Dear Friends, Last week, I arrived home from an uplifting and inspiring trip to Nepal, just in time for Thanksgiving. I’m grateful for the privilege of spending three weeks with our social work team on the ground transforming lives through the power of education. Grateful to Ricky for introducing me to this amazing community that’s become my passion and heart’s work. And grateful for your steadfast support of HIO’s vital mission. When I first landed in Kathmandu, the Dassain holiday had just passed. Tihar was nearing, and the tourist season was in full swing. Buildings were draped in twinkling lights and a joyful, festive air defied the devastating monsoon season that had ripped through the city just a few weeks before. Washed out roads, damaged bridges and lingering relief workers were grim reminders of the challenges that continue plaguing this developing nation.  Aayushma, in eleventh grade, is so appreciative of her gift of education from Ann Rollins and Jim Jose. She’s proud to serve as a role model for girls like Aarya, now in third grade. After scooping me into a bear hug at Tribhuvan airport, Mamata quickly put me to work. She outlined a busy schedule for my stay, immersing me in home visits, school visits, and strategic planning meetings. Our social work team was completing assessments of each HIO family’s needs following the floods and organizing individualized relief plans. One size never fits all in emergency situations and the long-term impacts can be crippling. Our staff’s deep understanding of each HIO girl’s home life allows us to offer a unique level of care while keeping the focus on school. Our Reach for the Stars mentorship initiative is taking shape beautifully. It’s truly heartwarming seeing our older girls paying their gift of education forward. Several girls, like Aayushma, serve as afterschool tutors for their younger HIO sisters, with a particular focus on math and science. Other girls volunteer at our food distributions and health camps, where many hands make light work. Under Mamata’s direction, a core group of HIO young women is developing valuable leadership skills as they help counsel eleventh and twelfth graders making higher education and career decisions. This week, the group went on a rock-climbing and hiking adventure for team-building and strategizing. Their commitment and youthful energy leave me breathless.  Samikchya reads a note from her sponsor, Jess Stewart, with the help of Lata Rai, a valued member of our social work team. Ram and Mamata have done an excellent job over the past two years creating a caseload system for our dedicated social work team so that no girls fall through the cracks. Our social workers - Shreejana, Lata, Sushila, and Samjhana - each served as my guide for one day of home visits, allowing me to fully experience their day to day work crisscrossing this hectic city filled with traffic, smog and dust. Checking in with all of our girls and their families regularly is nothing short of heroic in this harsh environment. Seeing our girls’ eyes light up when I arrive with notes or small packages from their sponsors makes every trip across the city worthwhile. Listening to their stories of struggle and resilience makes me yearn to do more. In early November, a group of adventurous HIO supporters joined me for a trek to Ama Dablam Base Camp in the Solukhumbu region. How exciting for some of our girls and their mothers to meet them in person when we returned to the city for a few days. These heartfelt global connections are so important in fostering our girls’ determination to succeed. Creating safe, supportive communities for girls and women to pursue their dreams is key to encouraging a more just world. With your support, a remarkable sisterhood of smart, brave young HIO women is growing stronger by the day. They’re developing all the skills needed to become leaders who will help guide us toward brighter tomorrows. What wonderful reminders they all are to focus on goodness and maintain hope. With love and deep gratitude - Laura  Sujata Tamang, in her third year of law school in Kathmandu, was delighted to share her hopes and dreams with Michelle Hoffmeister, an energetic HIO supporter who joined my trek. Last summer, Michelle generously hosted Sujata’s sister, Shristi, as she prepared for her first year at Bates College. The great tote bag Michelle is carrying was lovingly crafted by HIO mothers!
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