So Much Love and Light

Mamata Rai, an HIO graduate and our Director of Social Services in Nepal, is an inspiration for the next generation of HIO girls.

Dear Friends,

We’ve been told by so many that the HIO community is a bright light in a world that’s increasingly filled with darkness. We couldn’t agree more. Our girls and their mothers have no choice but to rise to the challenges of living in profound poverty in a culture dominated by men. The joyful glimmers of hope for a better future they hold onto are ignited by the kindness of people like you. We have so much to celebrate together.
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Our trip to Kathmandu with a group of dedicated sponsors was a perfect capstone to a year filled with success stories. Our Nepal team, led by Mamata and Ram, is doing a remarkable job implementing HIO’s vision and mission. They’ve created a wonderfully collaborative work environment, managing programs and social services on the ground beautifully and inspiring our girls to reach for the stars. It was so heartwarming to share this great work with our sponsors and to see HIO’s loving global community continue to grow.

Bob and Leslie Bernert were delighted to congratulate Ishani in person for all that she’s accomplishing through their HIO sponsorship.

We‘re so pleased to have achieved our goal of maintaining a 98% retention rate for our sponsored girls in 2023, keeping them in school and unmarried at least through grade 12. Not one of our girls dropped out. This, in itself, is such a major achievement. How exciting when girls like Ishani go even further to exceed our expectations. Now in sixth grade, she’s consistently earned marks of distinction each year since kindergarten. Her HIO sister, Jyoti Kapali, is settled in at the Asian University for Women in Bangladesh on full scholarship and scored all A’s last term. Binita Gurung will join Jyoti at AUW this month, excited to begin a major in biology and medical technology.

Heena Praween continues her college business course while working part-time in a travel agency to help support her family. And as Meenuka Magar comes close to graduating 12th grade, we can encourage her to attend one of Kathmandu’s fashion design programs, rather than going on to a traditional college program. We’re so grateful for our new program managers, Sushila and Chanda, who are using excellent networking skills to open our girls’ minds to a broad range of college and career opportunities. Presenting options that suit the interests and needs of each one of our high school grads is a major goal for 2024.

Ikshya Kafle, in the black vest, began a five-year medical course in September. Her sister, Dikshya, is preparing for nursing school entrance exams. These two hard-working young women will surely help brighten Nepal’s future.

We’re eager to get started in 2024 on all the good work we have yet to accomplish. Supporting the efforts of our Be Part of Her Dream teachers as they guide 65 of our girls’ mothers now enrolled in this vital women’s empowerment program. Bolstering our Storytime initiative, where a group of dedicated U.S. volunteers and Nepali teachers help younger girls develop English language skills during early morning Zoom sessions. Helping our middle and high school girls increase their critical thinking skills and boost their confidence in science and math. And most importantly, instilling in our girls and their mothers a profound sense of self-esteem and independence while fostering their sense of connectedness to a loving HIO community.

We've made great gains over the past few years establishing and growing a reserve fund, greatly increasing the sustainability of our programs. Because of you, we remain a financially healthy, vibrant and effective non-profit with the capacity to offer many more years of service to Kathmandu’s urban poor. Please know that your trust and kind support are of utmost value. You’re transforming lives and encouraging a wave of change as our HIO girls and their mothers build a better life for themselves, their families and their communities. We couldn’t do this great work without you.

Deep gratitude and warm wishes for the New Year,
Ricky, Laura, and the HIO Board of Directors

Rama Devkot, an HIO Be Part of Her Dream graduate, now serves as a teaching assistant and mentor for the program, helping women like herself lift themselves from deep-rooted poverty.