By writing a review you are helping others learn about this nonprofit. The most useful reviews are detailed and candid.
I have seen NYF's operations in Nepal firsthand, on the ground, as they expanded and completed projects over multiple decades. NYF is efficient, dedicated, and has an extraordinary local administration and staff in Nepal that has been working together for decades. NYF does not impose top-down solutions from a distance; it responds directly to the felt and articulated needs of the people it helps, using a vast body of local knowledge and experience. NYF eschews showy or purely "feel-good" projects in favor of long-term, sustainable, and carefully planned operations that leave lasting improvements in lives and communities.
As a Nepali and a member of the general public, I deeply appreciate the work of Nepal Youth Foundation (NYF) and the positive impact it has had on our children and communities. NYF’s commitment to helping Nepali children access quality education, healthcare, and a safe home has been life-changing for many families who face barriers every day. Their programs are developed by Nepalis who truly understand the unique challenges here, which means NYF’s approach is not only culturally respectful but also highly effective.
From their role in eradicating the Kamlari practice to their support for education and skill-building at Olgapuri Children’s Village, NYF empowers children to become confident and independent. NYF’s efforts don’t just help individual children; they contribute to a stronger, more prosperous Nepal. We need more organizations like NYF, who stay committed and work hand-in-hand with local communities. The foundation is creating a brighter future for Nepali kids, and for that, I am truly grateful.
I enjoy supporting NYF because of their impactful and important programs that improve lives in Nepal. Thank you to NYF’s amazing staff in the U.S. and Nepal for all they do for so many!
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I had the absolute pleasure of visiting the Nepal Youth Foundation, a nonprofit moving the needle in health, education, and human rights for children and adolescents in Nepal.
Programs include the first mental health counseling center for Nepali children, family style homes offering stability to those who most need it, practical vocational schools, and funded legal education empowering Dalit students to build futures outside of an otherwise limiting caste system.
The culture of support here was palpable – Som, the organization’s President, is a graduate himself of NYF’s scholarship program and a walking testament to its impact. Thank you NYF for hosting!
I've been a big fan of NYF since I first read about the organization over 10 years ago. The founder, Olga Murray, is truly an inspiration on what one person can do to help make the world a better place. The organization is run by a dedicated and passionate team focused on educating, healing and sheltering Nepal's children in need, as well as helping empowering the country's disadvantaged communities to access the resources they need to build a better future for themselves and their children. It's worth noting that its on-the-ground team (leadership and program staff) are native Nepalese - many of whom have personal experience with the challenges its kids are facing. I also like the fact that its programs are designed to be sustainable with long term impact - based on local need, potential and participation. It's an extremely well run organization that is committed to finishing what it starts.
Wow! What a stupendous organization. The Nepal Youth Foundation (NYF) is filled with people who are honest to the core and deeply passionate about their work. I've witnessed firsthand the joy and positive impact they bring to the communities they serve. Their dedication truly changes lives for the better.
Hello! I’m very passionate about Children receiving the care and education they need, and would love to help out in any way possible.
NYF is dedicated to improving the lives of children in Nepal and the results really show. They do amazing work, are open about their mission and goals, and are passionate to their cause. They are a great organization to support and I am glad I've been able to participate in a small way as a donor in the last few years.
I recently had the honor of volunteering with the Nepal Youth Foundation (NYF) during their Founders Day, and I can’t speak highly enough of my experience. NYF is a remarkable non-profit dedicated to transforming the lives of Nepal’s most underprivileged children by providing essential healthcare, education, and a safe environment. Their mission is both vital and inspiring.
Volunteering at Founders Day gave me a unique perspective on the impact of NYF’s work. The organization’s commitment to its cause is truly evident in the way they operate. The level of teamwork and dedication displayed by both the staff and volunteers was extraordinary. Everyone involved worked with a shared sense of purpose, and it was clear that each person was invested in making the event a success and supporting the foundation’s mission.
The event itself was a testament to NYF’s effectiveness and efficiency. From the smooth coordination of activities to the heartfelt interactions with attendees, everything was handled with exceptional care. The genuine passion of the team and their collaborative spirit created a positive and engaging atmosphere that made volunteering a truly rewarding experience.
What I found most impressive was the way NYF’s values and mission were embodied in every aspect of the event. It’s evident that their work extends far beyond organizing events; it’s about making a meaningful difference in the lives of children in need. My time with NYF was both fulfilling and inspiring, and it reinforced my admiration for their dedication to creating opportunities and improving lives.
If you’re considering supporting or volunteering with a non-profit, I wholeheartedly recommend the Nepal Youth Foundation. Their unwavering commitment to their mission and the profound impact they have on children’s lives make them a standout organization.
As the daughter of two Nepali immigrants, and someone who has traveled to Nepal since I was a little girl, the work NYF does for youth and communities in Nepal is unmatched. The entire NYF global team wholeheartedly puts their all in everything they do. All staff members in Nepal are fully Nepali, the organization puts felt needs over observed needs by listening to the communities they work with, and they are always transparent with programming and projects. It is nice to know that donations go directly to the youth and their communities to empower them to follow their dreams!
By writing a review you are helping others learn about this nonprofit. The most useful reviews are detailed and candid.
The Nepal Youth Foundation are an exemplary team, dedicated to their mission of providing for the needs of the youth in need in Nepal.
We have ties to the team that make this foundation run, and I give a personal guarantee to the vehement energy and focus this group have to the communities they serve.
After nearly a decade of working with nonprofits, the majority of which have been in the international setting, I'm so impressed with the Nepal Youth Foundation's operational structure. It's inspiring to see the programming decisions be made within Nepal and among Nepali communities and for those decisions to be so well supported and uplifted by a dedicated team based in the US. They have effectively and ethically created a network of supporters and donors and continuously strive to make that community connected to the work being carried out in Nepal. Their dedication and transparency is unmatched!
I am both a donor and a professional with expertise in this field. Like the Nepal Youth Foundation, I have engaged in non-profit work in Nepal, training women lawyers, for several years. When my path crossed with NYF, I was amazed regarding what they have accomplished over the years. Taking on herculean tasks, NYF has tackled Nepal's biggest obstacles and continues to drive change. So many lives have been impacted as a result of this work. I have found the staff to be incredibly passionate about their work and true visionaries. The work of NYF is truly inspiring.
I am a donor and a volunteer in the office. As a donor, I have been involved with Nepal Youth Foundation for over 15 years and have supported a young girl's education from high school all the way through medical school. She has become a successful surgeon and is making a contribution to the Nepalese society. NYF provides the resources and opportunities to hundreds of poor children, like her, to have a bright future.
NYF is addressing important big-picture issues in Nepal without losing touch with the individuals they are serving. We have been impressed with their strategies, their constant learning and refinement, transparency, and efficiency with their funds. Supporting this organization is an excellent investment.
The Nepal Youth Foundation does incredible work with a very dedicated team of people. I'm very impressed with how committed everyone is to the mission of offering hope and opportunity to Nepali children. NYF's support is real, tangible, and heartfelt. Five stars!
My family and I were lucky enough to tour NYF’s facility in Kathmandu in April of 2023. I have long admired the work of NYF, but seeing it in person was truly inspiring.
The love and care in Olgapuri is evident the moment you arrive. The work that is done there lifting up the Nepali people and teaching them marketable skills will echo around the country of Nepal long into the future.
I highly recommend supporting this amazing non-profit and I assure you that every dollar you give them will be well spent. They are making a very big difference across the entire country of Nepal.
As an intern with NYF, I have been continually impressed by not only the capacity of the organization, but also the level of care at which the team operates. Every action accomplished is done with a sincere dedication to Nepali youth and families. NYF's commitment to hiring Nepali individuals to lead the programs in Nepal is incredibly important and reveals not just cultural awareness, but cultural humility. NYF is aware that nobody knows better than Nepali citizens how to create sustainable change in Nepal. As Som Paneru, president of NYF says, it is about the "felt need," not the "observed need". NYF's long-term plans for improving freedom, education, health, and shelter are comprehensive and show great attention to detail. The organization has made historic strides in their earthquake response and freed Kamlaris programs, and continue to create tangible change for youth in Nepal. It is evident that the team works patiently and thoughtfully, seeing a long-term vision of Nepal in which youth are empowered, healthy, and secure. It has been a true privilege to work with this team and get to know their programs in Nepal that are initiating life-altering impacts for Nepali youth.
The Nepal Youth Foundation is an exceptionally run organization with lofty goals that are met consistently, making a major impact in the country. NYF is culturally aware, listening to and hiring the Nepalese people to effect change. Who would know better about the Nepalese than the locals who have spent their lives there, immersed in the culture, affected by the challenges, and knowledgable about the needs? NYF also has a philosophy of "working themselves out of a job". Truly unique among NGOs, NYF will choose a mission, will create solutions and then hand off the new model to local people to run. This is not only a very respectful and sustainable model, but it also frees up the organization so they can tackle the next challenge. Given this model, NYF's impact has been broad with great impact on issues of social justice, education and health/nutrition, etc. They are thoughtful in their approach and incredibly innovative and intelligent in their solutions!
We support NYF because the programs are community- based/grassroots, carried out by Nepali staff (who understand local needs) and are focused on education and health, especially for the benefit of children and young adults.
We think and appreciate that NYF does an excellent job of communicating with donors about the impact of these programs!!
The DH Ross Foundation has made a number of grants to NYF over the last 20 years. We have been consistently impressed by their work providing a range of educational and health and nutrition services to children and youth, and are glad to support their vocational training and health outreach work. We are also proud to support NYF’s leadership advocating for safety, protection and rights of children from particularly marginalized and disadvantaged populations.
I’m so happy to be supporting the important and impactful work done by NYF. My first gift to NYF was in December 2019 to make a holiday donation. Since then I’ve been keeping up to date with their work and enjoying hearing about how my support makes a difference. I hope more people can recognize how important even small donations can help.
I became aware of NYF a few years ago. I’m am so impressed by the work they have done, and continue to do to lift children and families out of poverty by giving them opportunities to be educated, to receive much needed medical care, and to fight malnutrition in the poorest communities. NYF is doing the work of angels as they strengthen the country of Nepal one child at a time.
NYF has a strong track record of solid execution and impact. NYF runs a diverse set of programs to address important and pressing needs in Nepal in education, health, vocational training, etc. I've been fortunate to visit the different facilities and programs in Kathmandu, and it is eye opening to see all the lives that are touched and the scale of the impact. I feel fortunate to help out by serving on the advisory board.
The impact of Nepal Youth Foundation on helping students from marginalized community has been immense. Specially programs focussed on higher education. I am forever grateful and thankful to the whole NYF team and donors for these programs out of many. It's been an amazing journey for me personally to be on the receiving end and now to contribute as an advisory member to organization. Super proud to support and be a part of the NYF's mission and the amazing team.
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I was fortunate to work with NYOF in building one of the first organization in Nepal which works for helping students from marginalized community achieve their professional dream. I appreciate all the great work done by NYOF and their sister organizations in Nepal for kids, students and so many unfortunate girls in western part of the country called Kamlari. I thank NYOF from the bottom of my heart.
I have been to Nepal and seen the terrible conditions some people there have to live in. NYF does solid work to help the impoverished children (and adults) of the country and even has influence with the government to make practical changes to help Nepalese people receive food, medicine, clothes, and education. After having done a fairly substantial amount of work with NYF, I can say that it is a reliable and important organization and very much worth someone's donations and/or volunteer hours.
After working as a teacher in Nepal while in the Peace Corps many years ago, I was interested in looking for ways to further support children in Nepal. I learned about a group called the Nepal Youth Foundation and realized they were doing great things to help disadvantaged children in Nepal. NYF does an amazing job of supporting children from an early age and continuing through college and graduate school. I have since been supporting their Dalit Lawyer program, which is sending highly qualified children through law school. I also have used my experience as an editor to assist the NYF office in San Francisco. I have been continually impressed with the creativity, flexibility, and commitment to children shown by this organization. I heartily support them and urge others to consider supporting them.
The Nepal Youth Foundation makes a real difference in the lives of young people and their families. They do so much, they rescue children from bondage, feed families, give street children a way out to a hopeful future, provide educational opportunities that children would otherwise never have, and so much more. We have donated to this foundation for well over 10 years, and they continue to provide care and service that no one else provides.
I have been supporting NYF for over three years now. I am continuously impressed with their commitment to supporting youth in Nepal, especially through the Covid-19 Pandemic. I am also pleased to hear that they just received a Platinum Seal of Transparency for 2022 on Candid. I love reading their stories and keeping up with their social media—in particular, as a law student here in the US, I am very excited about their new Educating Dalit Lawyers project!
The Nepal Youth Foundation serves young people in Nepal in many ways. Thousands of children have been rescued from servitude . Education is provided to students whose families are unable to afford school fees. My favorite program are the Nutrition centers, where young mothers are taught how to feed their children properly, in spite of poverty and cultural bias. This charity is truly life saving and life changing.
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The Nepal Youth Foundation assists the most vulnerable children, especially girls from destitute rural communities, have a chance at a better life by getting proper nutrition and an education. Nepal is a very poor country with a patriarchal society that tends to discourage schooling for girls- therefore, girls may be "sold" into indentured servitude to provide money for their families. The Nepal Youth Foundation has rescued thousands of girls by gifting their parents with a baby goat or pig, and helping with school fees. Malnourished children are saved by teaching proper nutrition techniques to their mothers. All this is done in a culturally sensitive manner for a more lasting success.
Living in Japan, I had always wondered how I could support and build a connection with Nepal, which is one of my nationalities. Volunteering with NYF was the perfect platform for me to do this. NYF is a remarkable organization filled with people passionate about providing Nepal's impoverished children the rights that every child should have. Through the organization's kind support, I was able to conduct a research project on the Kamlari Indentured Servitude focused on the rights of girls. During my research, I had the privilege of interviewing Som Paneru, the president of NYF, and Bishnu Chaudhary, a former Kamlari girl, two individuals with remarkable experiences. I am confident that the amazing work of NYF has and will continue to give the children of Nepal hope.
I’ve worked in the nonprofit field for more than 30 years, and have only rarely encountered a nonprofit like the Nepal Youth Foundation that is fueled by such passion while also so professionally administered. This is a very safe place to donate your time, treasure and talent.
At CASHE, we could not be more thrilled, proud and honored to be collaborating with NYF on a number of philanthropic initiatives - from creative collaborations on social media, blogging and filmmaking projects - all the way to driving cross-functional opportunities to better support one another organizationally.
NYF and their team are so incredibly caring and thoughtful. They approach challenges with curiosity and mindfulness, and execute against goals with an assiduous disposition.
We can't wait to see what the future holds for our partnership, and are humbled to be a part of this incredible philanthropic journey.
Thank you NYF!
The Nepal Youth Foundation is one of the most well integrated nonprofits that I have seen to support the people of Nepal. What I have seen as their greatest asset our the people of Nepal and that has been by design. The people that are employed by the Nepal Youth Foundation in Nepal, are the Nepalese people. Not only does this create professional employment opportunities for the Nepalese people but it creates a system where the people making the decisions of "what is best" for the people in this country ARE the people in this country. They see the needs of their people clearer than anyone and are mobilized by the funds of donors to create programs that can best address those needs. This past year I've seen how powerful that type of program could be during COVID-19 when the Nepal Youth Foundation could pivot with the challenges of a world in lockdown and still create safe educational environments, safe nutrition centers, and safe quarantine locations.
I work with Global Grandmothers, a group which vets and recommends non-profits. We continue to love NYF and follow them enthusiasm. As they always do, they have adapted amazingly to the needs of COVID, bringing programs to villages when the students could not come to them, providing an isolation unit in Kathmandu for those needing care and quarantine, and supplying a special "plus flour" that has nutrients adequate to sustain its users with just the addition of water.
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Our charity, Global Grandmothers, vets and recommends child-centered charities on our website. We only recommend 9 and Nepal Youth Foundation (NYF) is one. We recently sponsored a walk to raise funds for them. Unexpectedly a family of three showed up to the walk and we asked what had prompted them to come. They told us that the dad regularly commutes on the ferry and that he had met and talked to a young Nepalese man on his commute. This young man told him all about the Nepal Youth Foundation, how it had changed his life, paid for his education, and that he now was married, living in the US with a good job thanks to them. One more evidence of NYF's great work!
I have personally seen the work that NYF does, and can attest to the commitment of the organization to the children of Nepal. From our first meeting with Olga, we were immediately amazed by the impact that one person can have. The dedication of all of the team members, from the president to the house parents to the nutritional hospital staff is apparent. In addition, Som is a visionary in the field, and has changed the culture of Nepalese communities for the betterment of the children. We're proud to support NYF.
I have had the pleasure and honor of working with Nepal Youth Foundation for three years now. As a grant writer who works with all types of nonprofits across the country, I can say without hesitation that NYF is truly the cream of the crop. Their commitment to the well-being of the young people of Nepal is relentless. Their staff has expertise in issues that most Americans aren't even aware of in our everyday lives. They work tirelessly to ensure that their programs are meeting the needs of the young people and children they serve and aren't just existing to exist. They are truly responsive, working with a staff in Nepal to ensure their services are timely, relevant, and respectful of their culture and traditions while still working diligently for the rights of children who may be experiencing oppression or neglect.
As a grant writer, I get an inside and detailed look at the back-of-house parts of nonprofits and Nepal Youth Foundation is truly a steward of the funds they receive to support their programs. Dollars invested in NYF make such a difference in the lives of Nepali children. I'm proud to both work with them and to have personally supported their mission as a donor.
We are thrilled to be supporting NYF for such outstanding work they are doing to improve the quality of lives of children in Nepal through education. They have a tenacious team and Olga is an example to the world. We are honored.
I have supported this organization for 30 plus years and couldn’t feel better about it.
This organization is so committed and dedicated I only feel I want to do more. So impressive. I feel grateful to be a part of such a quality organization that changes
the lives of children to this incredible degree.
Thank you for your dedication to the children and families of Nepal!
What a great experience it has been to see NYF grow from its early founding by Olga Murray and continuing through the present. It has been wonderful to see the many young people over the years go through NYF to become productive citizens. My father Totton Heffelfinger was on the board and I have been on board for the past six years. My son James and I visited NYF several years ago and the kids were great; it was especially great to meet the dedicated staff and to see the many projects that Som and his team had initiated at Olgapuri including, to name only a few, the many vocational training program options for young women and men, hydroponic farming, and the well-organized school programs for the children. Truly remarkable is that the organization has grown and thrived through natural disasters, economic challenges and the COVID pandemic. I believe that the hallmark of this success has been the capacity of its leadership to adapt its programs to these circumstances while continuing to reach out to new segments of Nepal in need. I also want to note the tremendous strides that our U.S. Executive Director, Eric Talbert, has made since joining us earlier this year.
Won't you please join me in making a generous donation to NYF this year!
Chris Heffelfinger
There is no other charity of this scale and scope operating in Nepal (next up the line is the big UNICEF). Wonderful work achieved by all the elements of NYF in Nepal. Diverse programmes and a nimble approach that allows rapid response to the unexpected....such as Covid. Som Panneru and all the team in Nepal, USA, UK and elsewhere do a fantastic job.
My daughter-in-law was born in Nepal and she has given us a new grandson as of Sept 2020. She told us about this wonderful organization as it is close to her heart. The more I learn about what it has accomplished over the years, the more I am honored to be a part of it on a monthly basis. God bless the NYF in all its efforts!
The range of demographics they serve is very wide: Rescued Kamalaris, disabled children, impoverished children.
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I have known about NYF ever since I was a child as my mom worked for it. I have been growing up with my mom talking about all the children associated with NYF. Their problems, their mistakes, their accomplishments and so on with compassion and love. I have seen her laugh with the children and cry as well. For her, its not just a job, its a way of life.
All this inspires me. The help from NYF and Olga didi is truly amazing.
An amazing organization! I love how honest and communicative they are, and it’s so clear to me that the staff truly cares about the cause! I would definitely recommend
I work for One Day's Wages, and we carefully vet organizations to fund projects through matching grants. When Nepal Youth Foundation applied for a matching grant last year, they were very transparent about their work and communicative throughout the process. Nepal Youth Foundation's vocational school program stood out to me because it makes a huge difference in peoples' lives by giving them a skill to be able to make a living to support their families. They've been a great partner in our work to end extreme poverty.
I volunteered with the foundation at their annual Founder's Day event and was truly empowered by their work. Through seeing all of the donors and the presentation of their impact, I could see that NYF was an organization that has been and will continue to transform the lives of many. I hope to be able to work with them again in the future!
I became a donor in February through a matching gift opportunity and I have been so impressed since my first donation. NYF does really meaningful work in the communities they serve.
I helped with some office work and heavy lifting in the US office, but most of the work happens in Nepal. The Nepalese president and staff drive the programs (sometimes to the consternation of the people whose job it is to make sure there is enough money for those ambitious projects to succeed).
I love that the Nepal Youth Foundation focuses on empowering people. NYF has such an amazing 30-year history, and it still continues to evolve based on the needs in Nepal instead of getting stuck doing the same things. One huge example of that is NYF transitioning the Freed Kamlaris program to the very women that it has freed and empowered (NYF's blog has more information on that if you're curious). I am thrilled that NYF is the sort of organization that builds up people and communities to the point that they become independent. In my opinion, that's the sign of a great organization. "Teach a man to fish..." (or, in this case, "Teach a woman to fish...")
Meanwhile, NYF continues to provide housing for children, work on other existing projects, and start new programs that directly address the needs in Nepal. I like that NYF can talk about the need while still celebrating the capabilities and potential of the people it helps.
I encourage you to check out NYF's blog and get to know this organization better.
I donate to this charity, after hearing and seeing the remarkable achievements they are making in the lives of desperately in need children in Nepal. From the Founder, Olga Murray, on down, everyone greets each day and challenge with a smile, sense of purpose, and mission. It is an honor to be a part of the change in the world, and I've seen how seriously they take the responsibility to invest wisely and judiciously. Thank you, NYF, for ALL you do!
I'm extremely proud to have been a patron and sponsor of NYF for over 30 years, it's extremely rewarding to be able to help an organization that so effectively implements critical and life-changing programs , and does so with integrity, efficiency, and compassion.
One of the best elements of being involved with NYF is a personal connection to the children I've sponsored, and to continue to be in touch with them after they've completed their NYF sponsorship and enter the workforce.
Joining the Board recently has only solidified my commitment the the organization, especially to the excellent work of NYF staff in Nepal, as they've risen beyond expectations in response to the pandemic this year and made outstanding accomplishments in difficult situations.
Worked with this group to produce a few podcast episodes to support their donation efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. They were great to work with, believed strongly in their mission, and attentive to the needs of their collaborators.
A wonderful nonprofit to work for and with incredibly organized, passionate and dedicated staff! I was happy to help out with the virtual Founders Day this year.
Such a great nonprofit. They're doing so much mindful, intentional work on the ground in Nepal, all to benefit these great kids who can really benefit from simple opportunities. If you care about helping children, there's something here that you can be passionate about as a donor or a volunteer - whether it's providing nutritional outreach and education, helping keep impoverished families together, or working to overcome systemic societal hierarchies. NYF is definitely worth investing in!
I’m so pleased to give Nepal Youth Foundation a five star review. Their mission and work to bring freedom, shelter, healthcare, and education to some of the most impoverished children and families in Nepal is inspiring. Their programs are helping to transform lives – from hardship and despair into ones filled with hope and possibility. I recommend everyone to check into these programs and how they can help.
A great organization with holistic and sustainable approaches to lifting poverty in Nepal. It's so cool that most of the staff are actually Nepalese, working with the programs in Nepal. Not to mention they are very friendly with a genuine passion for what they do! Highly recommended!
I volunteered for NYF during their Founder's Day event and was really impressed with the organization. The staff was incredibly compassionate and kind, and it was clear that NYF truly cares for, and prioritizes, the populations it serves.
I highly recommend this foundation! This organization does such amazing and positive work for the people in Nepal.
I'm so impressed with the work NYF does, and all the children they help. It's so great to get their updates and see what my donations support!
Nepal Youth Foundation is an excellent and transparent non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of some of the most impoverished children in Nepal. After working and volunteering the NYF, I was impressed by the dedication and genuine passion the team has for their mission. So much thought, patience, dedication, and hard work goes into crafting their programs and I witnessed the positive impacts they are having on the lives of Nepali youth. It also should be known that all activities and programs in Nepal are lead by Nepali's-- a necessary move for sustainable and inclusive development.
I am so excited to have found Nepal Youth Foundation, especially after I learned that their operations and program staff are Nepalese, working in Nepal. NYF is a role model on how support from the global north should be put to good use not only helping the people in their programs but also creating job opportunities for locals. Keep up the good work!
My husband and I toured Olgapuri last year, and we were so moved and inspired by all of the ways in which Olga and her organization help disenfranchised Nepali youth. It’s hard to put into words how courageous and creative and compassionate Olga is. And what makes her special is that she has directed her empathy and intellect in powerfully transformative ways. She has empowered thousands of young Nepali’s to love themselves and live their lives at their fullest potential! If you are inspired I encourage you to support her work, read her book and maybe even visit Olgapuri yourself. You will be forever changed.
NYF is a wonderful non-profit making a tremendous difference for children in Nepal.
I visited some of the programs in 2018 and can attest to the great work happening on the grounds. Thank you, NYF!
Nepal Youth Foundation is wonderful! I've heard about NYF from one of my family members and both their staff and their programs make a huge impact.
NYF is so great! Their programs - spanning freedom, health, shelter, and education - make a great deal of positive change for the children of Nepal.
Olga met with our group of mothers and daughters (young girls 7-12 grade) to share with us her life's passion of providing the children of Nepal, especially the young girls, with the freedoms we take for granted in our country -- to be treated with dignity and respect (physically and emotionally), to be educated and to control our own future. Olga reminded all of us that at any age, at any time in our lives, each one of us can make what is so inhumanely wrong and make it right -- this is what she did when she started NYF.
Phenomenal organization and so impressive what they are accomplishing! We recently heard Olga Murray speak and were so moved by their work and dedication to helping the youth in Nepal.
I've had the privilege and honor of seeing the fruit of NYF's love and labor first hand in Kathmandu and rural Nepal with Olga, Som, and the NYF staff. I've met the children who are vibrant with intellectual curiosity and glowing from their secure, stable home full of love. NYF's work is effective, sustainable, heartfelt and smart. May they continue to grow and flourish.
It’s amazing what one small organization has accomplished in such a short period of time. This organization is inspiring!
Olga and the NYF have such an amazing story and their accomplishments are truly moving. My daughter and I were telling everyone we came in contact with after we attended a speaking engagement learning about the organization. Will be sure to learn more of what we can do since it is so fulfilling and meaningful work.
The Nepal Youth Foundation is an incredible non-profit organization that continually reaches out to thousands of Nepali children while finding ways to aggressively address their ongoing needs such as education, nutrition, shelter, clean water, vocational schooling, healthcare and private business funding. Their work is remarkable and a testament to the fact that just one ripple of kindness can lead to a tidal wave of positive change. Founder, Olga Murray, had a vision and from that an entire segment of our world has changed for the better.
As a regular volunteer at NYF I get to see how much they are able to get done and how efficiently they do it. Olga Murray's story of founding this non-profit should be an inspiration for all of us to really pay attention and to set bold goals that can make a difference in this needy world.
My wife and I are very proud to be donors of NYF.
We are both from Nepal and understand the depth of the need, particularly for children in remote villages.
NYF is not just saving and changing lives every day, the organization is helping entire communities become stronger, healthier, and educated.
Thank you for doing great work in one of the poorest countries in the world, NYF!
-Badri Poudel
Nepal Youth Foundation is doing incredible work to change the lives of vulnerable children and families in Nepal. As a Nepali-American, their mission is especially close to my heart! Thank you for doing what you do and giving children a better chance at living up to their full potential.
Wonderful non profit doing much needed work in Nepal - supporting children and communities. The organization is incredible and Olga Murray is one of the most kind, caring, hardworking and inspiring people I have ever met.
Excellent organization with a very dedicated staff. Their impactful programs are making a real difference in the Nepali community. Great work!
My wife and I lived and worked in Nepal from 1992 to 2005 and have been closely involved with Nepal since our return to California. During all this time we watched and helped the NYF program where we could, as it evolved from a small, safe home for disabled children to today's robust team. NYF has been exceptionally adept, forthright and successful in tackling core issues.
Wonderful non-profit transforming not only the lives of children and families but reshaping Nepali society for the better. Keep up the great work, NYF!
I watched NYF begin with vision of Olga Murray and have seen how it has expanded over more than 25 years to help more than 10,000 Nepalese children. The professionalism, integrity, and compassion of the Nepali team have made projects come to fruition where no one else could have helped. While not its core mission, NYF jumped in to help after the catastrophic earthquake and has moved back to more programmatic offerings in the realm of child health, education and nutrition.
Nepal Youth Foundation is an excellent, multifaceted nonprofit that tends to the needs of children in Nepal in a variety of ways. They are incredibly transparent in their work - donors always know exactly how their dollars are being spent and are encouraged to contact staff with any questions. NYF's services range from healthcare to disaster relief, so donors have a variety of programs to choose from. Keep up the great work!
"The Nepal Youth Foundation is a wonderful organization. While volunteering for a fundraiser, I was able to meet many of the kind, remarkable staff of NYF. I could easily see the passion that these inspiring people have for my country. I am extremely proud of what this organization does for Nepal. I can't wait to see the work firsthand when I return home. Olga, the NYF founder, even invited me to her home the next time I'm in Nepal!"
As the wife of a man from Nepal and an avid supporter of human rights, I am blown away by the work done through the Nepal Youth Foundation. The strong connection between NYF staff in America and staff in Nepal is something that can be hard to come by with international humanitarian organizations. Additionally, the fact that Olga, the founder of NYF (who recently celebrated her 92nd birthday!) lives in Nepal for over half of the year to oversee operations tells you a great deal about the organization's passion for the well-being of the men, women, and children of Nepal. I have had the fortune to meet the NYF team, including Olga, and can certainly say that they are a true source of inspiration for many, including myself.
The Nepal Youth Foundation is an incredible organization that gives invaluable aid to communities in Nepal. NYF has consistently sought to provide the best, most immediate support to those in need by making the most of every donation they receive. The amount that this organization has been able to accomplish since their founding is absolutely remarkable. Over the past few months, I have been volunteering at NYF and I am constantly amazed by the dedication, commitment, and hard work of all of the people involved. NYF is not only incredible because of its brilliant leadership, but also because of the efficiency and expertise within every office. The reliability and effectiveness of NYF makes it one of the very best nonprofits to support.
I have been involved with NYF for over 7 years. The integrity and commitment of the leadership and staff is without comparison. With a program driven by its Nepal-based President, NYF has been able to build a range of services for children and youth that Nepalese families can rely upon both for acute relief from hunger and poverty and for longer term assistance in education, health and nutrition. And thanks to the deep knowledge of Nepal, NYF has also been able to respond nimbly and effectively to crises such as the devastating earthquake in 2015. While there are many worthwhile international NGOs, I cannot think of another where contributions have more significant impact on those in need.
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For anyone who is aware of the many different needs in Nepal, and the deserving nature of its people, it is tempting to conclude that anything short of grand scale international government aid and drastic political reform is futile. Nepal Youth Foundation takes another view. In a country where needs are so great, the one sure way of making a difference is to focus on improving the lives of individual girls and boys, one child at a time. Through the leadership of its founder, Olga Murray, and now its President and Nepal native, Som Paneru, it has achieved remarkable and heart warming successes, even on a modest budget. This is what an international aid organization should be: driven by and responsive to local needs, committed to cost-effective programs, and guided by international expertise to help thousands of boys and girls who otherwise may have little in the way of hope. I would not have joined this Board and committed my time to it if I did not believe that Nepal Youth Foundation is making more of a difference in this world than any other charity of its size.
Nepal is one of the world's poorest countries and it's youngest and most vulnerable suffer the effects of poverty disproportionately. It is daunting to contemplate the tremendous adversity facing impoverished Nepalese children including: forced servitude, child abandonment, malnutrition, unsafe water and waterborne diseases, HIV and AIDS, lack of access to education, particularly for girls.
I almost never write online reviews and have never been inspired to do so for a nonprofit until now. My own experience working at non-profits taught me to be cautious and deliberate with my donated dollars and time. NYF demonstrates the highest standard of effective, ethical, efficient use of all donations.
My confidence in NYF has only grown over time as I learn more about the programs and the highly ethical and transparent policies of the US and Nepal offices.
Poverty programs are hard to implement, tricky to evaluate, challenging to fund -- and success is rare. When interventions are based on the needs and values of the participants, they are more likely to work consistently, as NYF demonstrates the most important, tangible bottom line --saved lives, improved quality of life and health, increased access to education and job opportunities. The graduates of the programs become de facto advocates and models for the next generation of children in need.
NYF has been doing great work in Nepal for over 25 years. It was because of their excellent track record that I became involved with the organization two years ago, soon after learning of them after a move to the Bay area. I was particularly impressed with their emphasis on local Nepali involvement in managing and implementing the Foundation's programs; the U.S. office is lean and efficiently run, allowing more resources to directly impact those living in Nepal.
Among NYF's many life-changing programs, the Indentured Daughter Program - which saved over 10,000 Nepali girls from being sold into enforced servitude - stands out. The Foundation is deeply committed to improving the lives of Nepali children and families, and I hope to be able to support their work for years to come.
I have fifteen years of experience working with nonprofits. Nepal Youth Foundation is one of the best, most reliable nonprofits when it comes to donor stewardship and supporting its programs on the ground in Nepal. NYF values every donation they receive, and strives to implement funds as effectively as possible to help impoverished children in need. This effective and efficient implementation of funds has earned NYF its tenth consecutive 4-star rating, the highest possible from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent evaluator of charities. Only 1% of all charities evaluated have received at least 10 consecutive 4-star evaluations, indicating that Nepal Youth Foundation is worthy of supporter trust and commitment.
Nepal Youth Foundation has been saving children’s lives in Nepal for more than a quarter of a century. I visited their programs a few years ago and saw firsthand the remarkable accomplishments of this organization – from rescuing girls from childhood slavery to saving lives of severely malnourished children, NYF is a beacon of light in this deeply impoverished and beautiful country. I highly recommend this organization.
My donation to NYF last year helped to save the life of a malnourished child.... when I visited Nepal this past spring and saw the actual work being done, it was incredibly moving.
The Nutrition Homes are not just my favorite NYF project - they may be the most amazing investment of $350 in any nonprofit I know! It only costs $1 - ONE DOLLAR per day - to literally save a life.
I live in Patan, Lalitpur, Nepal. I have seen many people (volunteers) keeping the donated goods to themselves instead of giving it to earthquake victims.
Many International agencys donated so many things but people who were wearing NYF tshort gave only few to victims and kept many releef goods like food, blanckets to themself.
Some people working there said volunteers are NYF manager's relatives.
We were disappointed to hear the local Earthquake victims complain about NYF staffs selling the donated items like tents and blankets to wholesalers in Lalitpur district in Kathmandu valley.
Most of the donors don't go to see the actual victims so they don't know what's happening there. Our organisation donated a lot to NYF, particularly in Lalitpur area because we have a few clients who work there and they asked us to help the victims. The Earthquake victims never received the amount of tents and blankets that were supplied to the area. We think that the person who manages the distribution was involved in the corruption.
I love Nepal Youth Foundation because of its Nepal-centered approach! This is not your SUV driving, fly-in and fly-out charity. They have a US staff of 3 or 4 people, and a staff in Nepal of over 100. Your money goes far because donations are used for services delivered in Nepal, not for fancy offices in the US. Symbolizing this approach, Olga Murray, the extraordinary woman who founded NYF, has handed the reins to Som Paneru, a Nepalese man and a beneficiary of NYF who explains NYF's programs brilliantly in the US and runs them skillfully in Nepal.
I learned about NYF as President of Global Grandmothers when we were researching child-centered charities that we could recommend to our membership. NYF stood out by its high ratings in Charity Navigator and Great Non-Profits, an impression that was only amplified when we reviewed its programs, like the J and K houses and the Nutritional Rehabilitation Homes, and met the leadership. This is an organization with integrity whom you can be proud to support.
I've been donating to NYF for over 10 years. I've been in awe of Olga Murray and her vision which she built into reality. Truly an inspiration. Plus NYF overhead is only 4% which is really very low. Having visited Nepal twice, it's so great to have this Foundation to help these beautiful people.
Fifteen years ago my husband and I were lucky enough to travel to Nepal and meet someone who knew of Olga and the work she was doing. Consequently I was ably to go to the 2 homes which housed their worst-off children and Oh what a wonderful greeting i received!! i will never forget it. They all wanted to show me their home. Unfortunately I didn't meet Olga then but I was able to at a later stage and realized what a phenomenal woman she was. And yet this charity is not all about Olga, she makes that clear. It is about Nepalis helping themselves and finding their own solutions. And it is absolutely amazing what they can do with a small amount of money. The same amount here in the US would disappear into administration but not with NYF. They do miracles with little.
I have sponsored two young men so far all the way through their schooling. The first one is now working repairing computers in a city where most who leave school cannot even find a job. next year my second "son" graduates High school and is not quite sure of his future yet. It is wonderful to be able to keep up an email conversation with them and get to know them and know , though NYF, I am helping them to have something they could not have had otherwise. I could go on. I do not have one bad thing to say.
I have been a donor for over ten years now to NYF. Two years ago I was fortunate enough to travel to Nepal and meet the young woman I have been connected with as a sponsor through NYF. I have followed her growth (through NYF and personal letters and e-mails) from a young girl to a recent high school graduate - now in college. We visited both the girls and boys wonderful homes and met with all the kids. We spent one evening and one whole day with them. There are simply no words for how wonderful the program is, how happy the kids are, and how much they have to study! Education is the priority, but fun times are certainly aplenty as well. I cannot think of anything I'd rather do with my money than support NYF. PS: They are our main beneficiary in our wills.
When the news about the floods and landslides reached Kathmandu I wanted to contribute to the most direct project to reach the affected people. When I received the appeal from the NYF I was tempted to send my donation to NYF because of the US tax deduction but I decided to support a local drive because of the time element. After living in Nepal 40 years and knowing Olga and Som almost 20 years I should have known better. The NYF, with funds collected in the US, was the first relief service to reach the devastated area!! Next time....
Betty Woodsend
Kathmandu Nepal
I visited their projects 15 years ago and have followed their work ever since. Their stamina and professionalism is impressive. May they continue to help the youth in struggling Nepal,
Sincerely, Julie Tave
Saint Germain en Laye, France
I had the privilege of visiting Nepal last October and visiting some of the many programs that the Nepal Youth Foundation runs within the country. When I saw first hand how well-run the programs were and how much impact they are making I decided to become a supporter. It's amazing to see how far our dollars go in Nepal and how well NYF handles donor resources. The good work that they are doing far exceeded my expectations and I will continue to support the organization into the future.
Having lived in Nepal and volunteered at one of NYF's sister NGO's, I can attest firsthand to what a huge impact the Nepal Youth Foundation can make. Children who were sick or starving or abandoned were found by the Nutritional Rehabilitation Homes, the J&K orphanage, and the New Life Center (the one where I volunteered) - all organizations saving and completely redirecting the lives of impoverished and discarded children of Nepal to a future filled with hope and opportunity. NYF helped place a little boy that I met, whose entire family was deceased or infected with HIV but whose dream was to go to school, in their J&K orphanage and now he is attending one of the best schools in Kathmandu and I'm sent photos of him excitedly posing with a stethoscope. NYF truly changes the lives of the Nepali children and I'm now a monthly donor and eternally grateful to them.
Hundreds of children have been clothed, fed and educated. Hundreds of young girls have been saved from slavery...and there is much more, thanks to one little lady. Olga Murray, small in stature only, is actually a giant of a woman. Moving mountains (local government) and securing funds to achieve better lives for the children of Nepal, who are so often in unbelievably dire straights. I am in awe of how one person can see a need, gather friends to share her vision, build and expand her ideas and then, without exaggeration, achieve true miracles. It is an honor to help support her vision for the Nepal Youth Foundation.
Sally S. Krakow
Years ago I read about NYF in the Christian Science Monitor and was attracted to the simplicity and practicality of preventing a child from being sold into slavery by giving the family a goat -- a very precious and desired gift. I began to give an annual donation and was increasingly impressed with the regular reports of progress as NYF's work reached more and more families. It is doing a phenomenal job in Nepal. Recently, NYF was able to provide immediate help to families in the areas where they work when there was a devastating flood. I didn't hesitate to donate to this relief effort with full confidence that the funds would provide immediate assistance and not be held up by bureaucratic measures because the infrastructure was already in place. My support is whole hearted for the work they are doing to overcome child slavery practices in Nepal.
For almost 8 years I had the honor and privilege to work with the founder, Olga Murray, as the Executive Director for the Nepal Youth Foundation (NYF). I have almost 30 years of experience in the nonprofit sector and the Nepal Youth Foundation is one of the best nonprofits in existence. Olga has devoted the past 24 years ensuring that the neediest children of Nepal have hope. The numbers of children served are astonishing. I had the opportunity to visit NYF's programs in Nepal. The impact that the Nepal Youth Foundation makes is miraculous. The organization operates as effectively and efficiently as possible with over 81% of the funds raised going directly back into NYF’s programs. Because I know firsthand the importance of their work, I continue to be a financial supporter of NYF. The Nepal Youth Foundation brings freedom, health, shelter, and education to Nepal's most impoverished children.
I have been contributing to NYF for many years and I am so impressed with how much good is done with the money they receive. When I first became a supporter, most of the money went to prevent young girls from going into servitude. Because of the work of NYF, this practice has been pretty much eliminated. But the need for funds is still there and NYF continues to do wonderful work to better the lives of so many young boys and girls. The newsletters they send tell the stories of these kids who were helped years ago now being productive members of society.
I wrote a review of Nepal Youth Foundation in June 2009 and thought it would be helpful to confirm that five years later I am still thrilled to be a monthly donor and volunteer. In fact, after 14 years as a donor and volunteer, I just joined the Advisory Board. Nepal Youth continues to lead the way in Nepal with sound programs and practices, effective and efficient management, and breathtakingly ambitious goals and accomplishments. I cannot recommend their work strongly enough to anyone wishing to make a lasting difference for the most vulnerable children of Nepal and their families.
By buying a family a pig for $100 they can generate for themselves the same income each year as their daughters would provide in servitude. It' win-win! Families do not have to make the heart wrenching decision of sending their daughters away to work in appalling conditions. The girls, as young as 6, ca then stay at home and receive an education. We all know that if you educate the next generation of mothers you improve the life chances of future generations. This charity is amazing and is changing the life chances of children in Nepal.
$100. can save the life of a girl held in bondage in Nepal. Where else can you save a life for so little.
I have been a donor to NYF for over 15 years. A small amount of money goes so far in Nepal. With great heart and compassion they have been changing the lives of impoverished children. Giving them homes, education, skills, nutrition programs and a great future. Single handedly, they have changed laws, that now forbid the selling of children for domestic labor. I know where my money goes, I read first hand the reports on programs, I believe it is one of the best run charities in the USA.
Our first touch point with Nepal Youth Foundation was, when I went to their Nutrition Rehabilitation Center for a class project 10 years ago. The impact their Rehab Home was making on saving the lives of the children with just proper nutrition and nutrition education to the parents is amazing. Their approach is not short term, at the Nutrition Rehabilitation Center, they not only provide good nutritious, locally available food, they also guide parents on nutritious food handling and habits.
Before and after pictures of these children and the difference that are made in such a short time is just mind blowing.
Keep up the good work Nepal Youth Foundation!
This is not just your standard charity. This is an organization that has helped to ensure that the children of Nepal are able to enjoy the basic human rights of freedom, safety, and education. They have literally changed negative aspects of the Nepal culture and saved thousands of children from forced servitude and abuse. As time has passed, these children have grown into educated adults that are now starting businesses. It is incredible to see what one person's vision and caring has done, and I'm referencing founder Olga Murray. Almost 100% of the money donated goes to directly help these children vs. other charities that use very little of the money received for anything other than "administrative expenses". I would highly recommend donating to this charity as it is making a true difference in our world and in the lives of children who often have no one to count on (not even their parents) early on in life. This organization has literally saved numerous lives and given these children opportunities to reach their full potential.
My 82 year-old mother and I went to Nepal for a month long trek and to celebrate Mother's Day in the Himalayas. While there, we connected with NYF. We saw their facilities (Nutrition, Boy and Girls Homes) and met the staff and children. How wonderfully amazing! The love and care the children receive is beyond words. I wish I could post my photos! There is so much goodness generated through their programs . The culture of the people is embraced, not overlooked. The love between kids and staff is so apparent - it made for the best photos and memories! We were so impressed we would like to build a school with NYF once my children graduate and we are able.
I have had the great opportunity to work with Nepal Youth Foundation for the past 5 years. They are an outstanding organization with a true understanding of the problems facing the people of Nepal. Specifically I have been involved in fundraising for the Nutrition Rehabilitation Homes, a very unique project championed by NYF to help alleviate malnutrition in Nepal. As someone who has lived in Nepal and seen firsthand the variety of INGOs and NGOs working in the field, I can say that NYF is among the top 5% of nonprofit organizations working with the Nepalese today.
NYF was recommended by a friend that knew of their work in Nepal personally, since she worked there several years for Save the Children. In concert with the our outreach program at the Canadian Embassy in Washington DC, I raised money for the organization. I also visited the children houses in Kathmandu and was very impressed by the dedication of the staff and how well organized and cared for the children are.
NYF has done unbelievable work -- particularly astonishing is its success in dramatically reducing/eliminating the practice of sending girls into bonded servitude, where they were mistreated and worse. It did so by figuring out why families would do such a thing (poverty, inability to support all their children) and then giving them a way to earn as much as they would get by "selling" their daughters (giving them a piglet, teaching the daughter how to care for the pig, letting them sell the pig when at market weight, paying for the girl's school fees). Now the culture has been changed and the PEOPLE object to this awful practice. Just brilliant, and accomplished with a reasonable expenditure of philanthropic dollars. Just an amazing organization, fueled by the talent, passion, and love of founder Olga Murray, who started NYF after having a REAL "three cups of tea"-type experience in Nepal. ...
One thing that I find impressive is that when you donate to NYF you can be sure they're not wasting any funds on overhead. They only have three employees in the U.S office, and everyone else is in Nepal. That's part of how they get so much bang for the buck. Keep up the good work, NYF!
We learned about Olga Murphy, founder of Nepal Youth Foundation, from a friend who happened to be her stepson. We found her story moving--how she fell in love with the Nepalese children while trekking in the Himalayas. We visited the NYF orphanage home for girls in 1998 during a five-week visit to Nepal, where my husband had served in the Peace Corps in the 1960's. We were so impressed with the NYF operations and their determination to care for and educate the neediest children. We began our annual donations that year and have continued them ever since. I love the way NYF communicates with its community of donors through excellent newsletters. The success of their campaign to rescue girls whose impoverished families have sold them into servitude is especially impressive. Somehow the NYF makes its donors feel close to and involved in its operations.
The professionalism and passion that the NYF team puts into the pursue of their mission are truly unique. I had the honor of working with the US and Nepali teams over the last two years: learning how impactful their action is and how devoted the organization is to positive change has been very inspirational.
Olga, Som, Chori and the rest of NYF team are a great inspiration! Our foundation is proud to support NYF and the project "counselling services for freed indentured girls" since 2011 (especially the activities related to the psychological counselling center in Western Nepal) . Our field visit and meetings with the girls last year will always remain in our memory! Marielle from cdf
I am one of the student who survived and did something good by the unforgettable help of Nepal Youth Foundation. I have been taken care from the grass root level till now and my achievement up to now is all attributed to NYF. I would like to thank from my heart inside and would like to help at any point of my life if I am given a chance.
To the point, NYF is one of the former row social organization working for welfare of needy and helpless citizen in Nepal and should be honored for such a great contribution.
Sahadev Parajuli
Nothing is more fulfilling than helping someone, making a difference in someone's life. I want to thank NYF for giving me this opportunity for more than a decade. It has been a wonderful journey all along and an honor working for NYF. I wish NYF all the best.
I met Olga Murray some years ago and was immensely impressed with her and her charity. That one woman should change the lives for the better of all these children is truly remarkable. I shall very happily continue to donate.
First impressions: We just concluded the orientation visits of NYF activities provided to the new Board Members of NYF. We had the opportunity to see first hand many sites and listen to direct beneficiaries and the dedicated staff of NYF. The orientation included visits to children's homes, counselling centres, HIV/Aids and nutritional rehabilitation centres in Lalitpur, education support programmes in Nuwakot area and a packed 3 day trip (with a drive of over 700 km) to see the former 'Kamlaris' (indentured daughters) programme in 3 out of 5 districts of our operation. It was indeed touching to experience what 'empowerment' does to the lives of the oppressed. We met so many dedicated people that reinforced our belief that it is possible to do wonderful things in Nepal, if we have committed people. Among them we were also proud to meet people of Man Bahdur ji's and Gyanu Thapa's dedication to be part of NYF and helping the former 'Kamlaris' as their own family. NYF is touching the lives of so many people and making them better! I am so glad to be part of this wonderful network created with the efforts of Olga Murray and Som Paneru. I hope to be able to contribute to the work of NYF as a member of its Board in the coming days. Bijaya Mallapaty
I am Dil Kumari Chaudhary. I am a kamalari before rescue from NYF. I would like to give thanks NYF for rescuing me along with the 12000 servitude girls who worked in others home in child age. NYF is our guardian for giving us great opportunity in education,rehabilitation,vocational education and involving in economic opportunity. If NYF will not rescue me, I could have never in this position. Now,I am a president of Free Kamalari Development Forum in Banke district. I am one of the social worker of kamalari. I am able to address our voice in district and centre level. Becoming president of FKDF, I have got different opportunity to get programme from government and different NGO for kamalari empowerment. If NYF did not support me, I could not in that position and dealing with different people. I along with other free kamalari's education,economic,NYF will have done different free kamalari for their dignified life.
Thanks a lot to Nepal youth foundation.
13 years ago, bonded girl labourers (Kamalari) of western terai were living their life in hell. There were parentsless though they had parents, homeless though they had home. They had left their mother's warm lap in the early childhood. I used to live in Dang and seeing that evil practice without any effort to change that tradition. At that time, I saw Nepal Youth Foundation, a non profitable organization, taking a step forward to change that slavery from Dang. It provided Kamalaris warm love of parents, rescued them and admitted in the school. It was a challenging job at first because it is very difficult to change any custom and social values but amazingly I am seeing now after 13 years that those hell dweller girls are moving in heaven of education, opportunity and brightness. More than 12 thousand kamalaris are free and 6 thousand kamalaris are studying. I reported all these stories in my media Kantipur publications with big space. It was not because of any relationship but it was a genuine issue and job. Government was unknown about this issue but the movement of kamalari supported by NYF compelled government to know it and declare a Kamalari Free state. All the credit of this achievement goes to NYF. I have found this job very humanitarian. I dont believe in supernatural powers but also if there is God, NYF is suitable organization to be loved by Gods. It is a great charity to human world.
Durga Lal KC
Dang, Nepal.
I have been working with NYF since 2003 as a Manager in Indentured Daughters Program. I am so happy to be a part of NYF’s team; because, it is truly a humanitarian organization that helps Nepali children providing them education, shelter, health care, rescue and rehabilitation, as well as helps them access for their justice.
It is my immense pleasure to work with freed bonded girls as an activist. It gives me fully satisfaction to see the huge number of school going girls after getting freedom from slavery. I am enjoying in this non profitable organization as an activist.
In 2000, only 36 bonded (Kamalari) girls were rescued, now, NYF has rescued over 12,000 bonded girls. After rescuing, NYF has been providing meaningful education, vocational training, technical education, legal aid and capacity building opportunity to them. Freed Kamalari girls have established their own organization named as Freed Kamlari Development Forum. They also have formed 33 cooperatives aiming to empower freed bonded girls economically. Besides, they are also campaigning for the meaningful social empowerment and elimination of slavery system in Nepal.
Just three months ago, big achievement was achieved, Nepal government declared Nepal as Kamalari (Labor Bonded) Free Nation.
After joining NYF's team, as Indenture Daughters Program's Manager, I was awarded by International Ashoka Fellowship Award 2006, as Ashoka Fellow. Now, I am a part of Global Ashoka team.
So, NYF deserves this award for its immense and significant contribution in rescuing and rehabilitating bonded labors (kamalris girls) in Nepal.
I have been working in this organization for 2 years. NYF is an outstanding organization that works with the servitude girls and parent-less children. NYF has been providing vocational training for making best income and life standard. NYF vision is to see them free and have received a lot of opportunity. Most of the free kamalari girls have been in vocational education. I am also happy to work with this organization for supporting in vocational education and making them self-reliant in their life.
I am Urmila Chaudhary. I have got the vocational training on Social Mobilizer from Nepal youth Foundation. I am one of the free kamalari girl out of 12000. Now I have been working in community level as a social worker. Nepal youth foundation is GOD for servitude girls and orphan child that has been working in child. Without NYF I could never have been in this position and never deal with communities
Nepal Youth Foundation for is more than my parents. Without NYF, I could have never been able to come this place. Thank you NYF for making me able to lead 12000 plus servitude daughter of Nepal.
I volunteered for NYF as a translator for the Indentured daughters Program. When I was there, I translated several letters sent by the rescued girls to their donors, or the organization itself. Most of these letter were somewhat unintelligible since the authors were women and girls who had been enslaved most part of their childhood and had no education. However, these letters have been one of the most inspiring things I have ever read in my life. I would tell you how these letters went, but the fact is although I managed to translate their letter into vague intelligible letters, I could never reproduce the happiness and hope reflected in their own words.
I love this organization! Since I first encountered NYF about 10 years ago, I have been a donor and I always will be. They do amazing work - always steady and true to their original purpose. All of their programs are designed in culturally sensitive ways to help people help themselves. My personal favorite program is the one that has been freeing indentured girls for the past 10 years or so. I have been so gratified to watch the program grow, little by little, to the point that the former indentured girls were not only freed and educated - made possible by NYF - but have been empowered by their freedom and education to protest against, and helped end the cruel inhumane system that made virtual slaves of tens of thousands of girls. I am so proud of those girls and all the NYF people who helped and inspired them, including Olga Murray who is one of my personal heroes. She has never lost sight of what NYF is about, and her deep love for the children of Nepal is so very touchingly described in the dispatches she sends from Kathmandu.
Though I have not had the opportunity to witness firsthand the work that NYF does, I have talked to several people who have been involved with the organization. I have also learned some of the stories of the immense number of individuals that the foundation has helped. This is a Non-profit that is making a large impact, and utilizes donations effectively. I definitely hope to do some work with the organization sometime.
I first trekked in Nepal in 1989, and fell in love with the country and its people. I was so saddened by the poverty of the country I wanted to find some ways to help. An American friend who taught in the University in Kathmandu told me about Olga Murray and the work she was doing with street children. I have been a fan every since. It is such a well run organization that is doing so much to change the bad things in this small country. I have been happy to support this organization over the years and enjoy the newsletters that NYF sends out and learn of the ways the organization has expanded its programs.
While I have never had the opportunity to visit Nepal, I have chosen to support NYF as a priority because of the huge benefit every dollar brings to the children and ultimately to the wider communities in Nepal. It is heartening to witness this foundations success. I encourage my friends to support NYF.
Kathy Villeneuve
I first learned about Olga Murray the founder of NYOF almost 20 years ago. I visited the J & K House homes for boys and girls in Nepal on one of my trips and saw first hand the incredible love and safety NYOF was providing these children who came from the most desolate circumstances. The boys and girls in these 2 NYOF group homes were so welcoming, happy, and loving despite the healing they must have needed in body and soul when they arrived there.
I have been supporting NYOF with monthly donations for over a decade and have always felt it was money well spent. I know from first hand experience that the donations NYOF receives are well managed and well spent on the neediest children in Nepal who are lucky enough to receive their help.
I can recommend NYOP unequivocally. It is the primary charity I support.
When my friend visited Nepal some years ago and became involved with NYF to the pony of being a board member, I was moved to become a small annual supporter, thoroughly enjoying the beautiful newsletters of stunning success stories and development and growth. In March 2012 when visiting Kathmandu, it was a special delight to be able to meet Som and be hosted with my two travel mates at their house. We were most impressed with the liveliness and great good cheer of the girls in their educational and social awareness. Bravo to Olga and all her great good engagements with the locals and international supporters. Truly a model endeavor of noteworthy inspiration for us all.
I first saw Nepal Youth Foundation on the news in San Francisco many years ago and was excited about their mission to help children in Nepal. I was attracted to the fact that there was no religious affiliation and that the founder was so passionate and had worked so hard to build orphanages and programs in Nepal. I immediately contributed and, because of limited funds in the future asked if there were other ways I could help. I liked that the founder gave me a list of items the foundation needed help with.
I have visited Nepal several times and feel that the work of NYF is sound and sustainable. Their actions are helpful for the children of Nepal.
I have personally visited the Nepal Youth Foundation and several of its remarkable projects on three different occasions, and never fail to be awed at the quality of its work (and the gratitude of its recipients). The once homeless children who now live at J House and K House in Katmandu appear happy and thriving and deeply involved in the houses' day-to-day operation. We also visited the nutrition sites and saw
mothers and children bounding back to health from lives of near-starvation (and learning about healthy nutrition). The foundation's work in "buying back" young girls who had been sold into virtual slavery -- returning them to their families and to school -- speaks for itself: girls and families are now working together to make this practice obsolete throughout Nepal. The foundation's work is truly awesome -- and so lovingly and personally applied that it brings tears to the eyes. Whatever money one gives is invested in the welfare of Nepal's disadvantaged children -- none of it is wasted!
I can think of no more worthy cause anywhere
A couple of years ago I had the privilege of seeing first hand what NYF has accomplished for some very deserving children, children that were born into circumstances of such extreme poverty they had no hope of anything but surviving on a day to day basis.
NYF has taken them in, educating them while providing safe shelter, food and a loving home environment. I have had the chance to talk first hand with these beautiful children. They are grateful for the opportunity NYF has afforded them, becoming productive, educated members of their society.
I don't think the vast majority of Americans have any idea of difficult life is for most youngsters in many countries. - especially for female children. This is a wonderful, wonderful organization, saving children that would be lost forever without Olga and her superb staff.
Winnie Omodt, RN
I first discovered NYF when I was a volunteer in Nepal, working with some of the children they have been able to help. I saw first hand the immense difference they are making and new I had to be a part of their organisation. It's great they keep its donors updated with their progress regularly and am so happy with their communication and friendliness. I was fortunate enough to have met Olga and am proud to support their work.
Several years ago we decided that it made sense to combine our charity contributions to a single
organization that was focused on what we deemed most important. The criteria was primarily on
one that laid heavy emphasis on girls (and women) who, because of culture or poverty, were relegated
to a second class status or worse. During this time we saw an article in the local paper on Olga
Murray and the Nepal Youth Foundation. We did our research and found it a perfect fit for us. It had the
highest ratings and offered a wonderful Varity programs that suited our desire to help lift girls to
the status they deserved. If this is something that coincides with feelings, read Olga's story on starting
NYF. You'll be impressed. I venture to say you will not find better run organization in this area of charity.
I saw Olga give a program about this organization and was extremely impressed with their video presentation and with her description of her work founding the NYF and working with the orphans and girls over the years. I certainly hope to be able to volunteer there in the near future.
It is so gratifying to support an organization that is transparent and communicative about its efforts and it's finances. I love being able to point my monies in one of the branches of NYF - and it is clear to me that monies given to this organization can create miracles in the lives of children...
I am from Switzerland and I give all my respect to NYF because they are really changing the world to something good. I donor since years. What I see is that they are giving Nepal the chance to find ways out from poverty. They help people to get education, housing, ... So these people have a futur. They can master their lifes, they develop their sense of responibility. And this gives Nepal the chance to change its society. This is real change, real help! Thank you very much!
I have been working Nepal Youth Foundation for over 14 years and working with children and youth of Nepal. N Y F has been supporting helpless children and youth by providing health,Education, salter and awareness etc. I really believed that it has changed their life.
I am working with NYF since 2002 as a nutrition coordinator. It is my pleasure to be a part of NYF’s team; because it is a truly a humanitarian organization that helps Nepali children and youth by providing them education, shelter, health care and freedom from bonded labor.
It is my pleasure to work with the malnourished children and their caretakers. It gives me immense satisfaction to see the severely malnourished children smiling and happy once they regain their weight and health. In 1998 there was only one rehab center, now we have 16 centers throughout the country and 13,000 children have already benefited from this service and 12,250 mothers have been educated on nutrition and health.
The main achievement of NYF is being able to work in partnership with the government for the sustainability.
So NYF deserves to win this opportunity and will reach to those children who are still in need of support.
I have been working with this organization for 3 years for well-being of underprivileged youths by organizing skills training and exploring the job opportunities for them. I am really impressed with the training program which tailors the youth to linking with employment/income. Thousands of youths have got training opportunity and improving the socioeconomic lives status of them. Therefore, Nepal Youth Foundation has being a platform for the youths.
I have found the Nepal Youth Foundation and i really believe that they can make a change. I have helped them once with a donation and i plan to do it again in the future. They are doing a really great job.
I am working with this organization for over 9 years and enjoying working with the children and youth of Nepal. I am very much impressed from NYF’s program especially on the rescue and protection of helpless and abandoned children. NYF has rescued and transformed the life of thousands of children by providing all the necessary supports, parental love and care deserved by the children.
there was a television show some years ago telling about the Nepal girls who had been getting rented out to be domestic servants in Katmandu. Olga asked a mom how much she would get for her daughter. Mom mentioned sum about equal to $50 Olga said "so if i give yo $50 she could stay home?" Mom said "well yeah but money- my husband would drink that up in a week. how about if you give us a pig?" Olga said "deal" and NYF was born. I started sending Money then. Next I found out that $50 would get a girl out of bonded servitude, and another $50 would give her a year of school. That sounded to me like about the best bargain i ever heard of. I told everyone i knew about it.
Since then NYF has grown so it now include more wonders than i can name, and it is still the best!
I have visited Nepal several times and have contributed towards the positive work of the Nepal Youth Foundation ever since. They are doing the work that I think is vital and necessary and influencing the youth of the country and changing their lives. I'm so impressed by their open and collaborative projects and they seem to embody many aspects of a truly humanitarian organization. They don't make judgements about political developments in the country and they stay focused on women, empowerment and liberation. Olga's project inspires me and we share this information with our friends and family constantly over the holiday period. I hope on our next visit to Nepal that I can visit their youth houses in Khatmandu and the upcoming collective farm/sanctuary for the needy children. Nepal Youth Foundation is the real thing on so many levels and I wait for their inspiring newsletter every month. I'm a high school teacher in Canada and I share this information with our teenagers as well. Yours in solidarity, Greg
In 1979 I spent a month in India and Nepal seeing the sights but most importantly visiting hospitals and schools. It was a life changing experience. Shortly after moving from NY to California in 1984, I met Olga at an evening address she gave about Nepal and her dream of setting up a school/orphanage. I have been a donor since that night. Her dream has become a reality and more. The children fortunate enough to be helped by NYF blossom and reach out to help others.
Of the charities I have supported I have the most respect for NYF and the dedicated future that lies before it!
M. Bethke
NEPAL YOUTH FOUNDATION:: i first visited the homes for girls and boys in 2007, when i was traveling with my daughter, son and son in law to tibet. i had known of the good works of olga earlier on another earlier trip to nepal. visiting the homes, seeing the smiling faces, the outgoing attitudes, confidence, health of the children was amazing as a humanitarian effort in a very difficult location. my children, coming from california, were very surprised and shocked to see the streets of kathmandu and then the fine, clean, orderly facilities at each home. what a warming contrast.
olga and her team have done wonderful things for so many. unfortunaitly, given the politics and social situation continuing in nepal, so much more needs to be done to improve lives and give light to the future. congratulations and best wishes for continued creation of hopeful young citizens of nepal.
ronald fream... ronaldfream@gmail.com
I think that NYF is the most deserving charity to which I can donate. I have been in Nepal and I love the people there and I am distressed that the poverty there makes children into slaves. These lovely children deserve so much more and we, as citizens of first-world countries, can make so much difference in the lives of children, and adults, in this lovely country.
I heard about NYF from my two daughters when they were in high school. That was 15 years ago, and I have been donating to this excellent organization ever since. Their impact on the children of Nepal grows steadily every year. If you have children of your own, there is no better destination for your charity dollars. NYF is directly involved in freeing young girls from slavery, and in providing healthcare and education for both boys and girls. Olga Murray is an inspiration.
I have been supporting Nepal Youth Foundation for the past 14 years, after I went on a trek in Nepal and read about the organization. Actually at first it was hard for me to believe the reports in the newsletters, they seemed too good to be true. But over time I came to realize that nothing was overstated. I continue to be impressed and touched by the wonderful work being done. My dream is to go back to Nepal and visit the orphanages, and I truly hope my dream will become reality in the next year or two.
My religion requires me to to follow the Lord's statement " whatever you do to the least of my children you do to me". So I have given what I can afford and will continue to do so for the rest of my life. We may not be all the same religion but we are all God's children.
Harold McArdle
I learned of NYF in 2001 from an old Army buddy who knew Olga Murray personally. I had just received my 2001 tax "rebate" and was trying to figure out how to use it wisely. I learned that for a mere $100 I could not only save a little girl from virtual slavery, but also provide her with a year's worth of education as well as all of her school supplies . . . an absolutely unimaginable bargain! Because it gives the "biggest bang for the buck" of any charity I have ever known, NYF has been my charity of choice ever since.
I like to imagine that someday in the future, the birthday of the extraordinarily wise, kind, and generous-spirited Olga Murray will be a national holiday in Nepal!
I have been a donor to NYF through the years. I have been touched by the stories of the children NYF has helped. Whatever challenge NYF faces, it has been able to overcome because of the love the founders have for the children. Now many of the children helped by NYF have a role in continuing its work. I am gratified that my small donations through the years have resulted in real and lasting improvement in the lives of Nepal's children.
I have been involved with NYF since the late 1980's. It has been my privilege to play a small part in their very fine work. I have been consistently amazed at how effectively they have been able to use their resources and the number of lives they have touched.
My name is Majita. I was born into a kamaiya family who are bonded labors and therefore, I was also sold as a bonded servant when I was nine years old. My life was very miserable. I was a small girl but I had to do a lot of hard work and also suffer a lot of abuse. Luckily In 2002 Nepal Youth Foundation freed me and gave me education. I was one of the first group of girls rescued. NYF also gave me leadership and advocacy training because of which I was able to lead the anti bonding campaign aggressively and fight for the rights of the rescued girls. NYF also helped us to establish cooperatives from which many freed girls and their families have started income generating businesses. It also helped us to form our own organization to fight for our cause and empowered us to do so. It is because of NYF that the Kamlari system is finally ended in Nepal and more than twelve thousand girls are now free. NYF is truely our loving guardian and I am grateful to NYF for giving a new life to me as well as thousands of girls like me.
Nepal Youth foundation has already helped over 45,000 Nepalese children so far by providing them freedom, health, education and shelter. The commitment of Nepal youth Foundation to these children are long term with personal care and support. By working at the grassroots as well as lobbying with the government of Nepal, NYF has been able to bring policy changes in issues, for instance, after 13 years of tireless effort, it was successful to rescue more than twelve thousand girls from bonded servitude and have the government abolish the Kamlari system (bonded child slavery) from the country. Similarly NYF was able to persuade the government to work in partnership in its fight against malnutrition in the country, and it has already restored thousands of severely malnourished children to health.
I have been involved with this organization for over 3 years and have found its vision and work to be truly inspiring, identifying and dealing with most pertinent issues which have been ignored by the society at large. This organization definitely deserves to win this opportunity so that it is enabled to reach out to thousands of more children who are still living in desperate conditions across Nepal.
Nepal Youth Foundation is only the organization in Nepal that has been helping Nepali children by diverse aspects. Food, shelter and care for homeless/ parent less children, good education for them who do not have access to schools, protection for them who are serving as a bonded labour, health services for them who are fighting against malnutrition and HIV and AIDS and chaning the lives of needy youth and children. I am seeing everyday the children who come restless, lean, poor have been turning to healthy, nourished and having full of joy.
Thanks Olga and the team of Nepal youth foundation!
I am presently a volunteer at the Nutritional Rehabilitation Home (NRH) in Kathmandu, and having heard of Olga's story and being a part of the general work of the Nepal Youth Foundation is simply amazing. The work that is being done at the NRH in Kathmandu is indeed life-changing for so many of the children and families that are helped, treated and educated at the home. I have had an incredible experience watching and being a part of their amazingly helpful work, and I would recommend anyone to support an organisation like NYF, who are so efficient and caring in their work.
I am very thankful to Olga who has started to support and giving good education, health, food and home to helpless children in our country Nepal. Nepal Youth Foundation is doing great work in Nepal.
NYF has rescued over 12,000 bonded girls via a unique program of offering the families a goat to raise if they promise not to sell their children as indentured servants. Ive been supporting this charity for years and have found them to be absolutely visionary in their work. This unique charity has worked with local grassroots organizations to educate local villages - for example via acting troupes composed of former indentured girls to help educate families about the horrors that befall these children. As a result, the practice has been officially outlawed and is now considered unethical, where it was once accepted as the norm in parts of rural Nepal.
NYF is by far the most outstanding non-profit organization that I am aware of. It has the highest rating from Charity Navigator due to the efficient use of all monies received. I just returned from Nepal and visited J and K house where children are wonderfully cared for in all ways. They are educated, loved and each child has individual needs met. Olga Murray, the founder is a true inspiration to me for her strategic planning skills, love and passion for all the children she helps in Nepal along with being creative in her ability to identify and develop an effective plan to help more children with different needs.
I was fortunate to work with the dedicated stuff who truely care about wellness of children in Nepal. I had volunteered many organizations before, but the determination and dedication of NYF's stuff far exceeded my expectation. Knowing that a little help can go a long way and all the funds collected are used efficiently changed my perception about giving.
Nepal Youth Foundation has transformed the lives of thousands of boys and girls by providing healthcare, education and shelter to some of the most impoverished children in Nepal. Having travelled to the country myself, I have seen first-hand the poor living conditions experienced by some Nepalese. Through my association as a volunteer with NYF I've learned of the many life-changing programs they've put in place over the last 20+ years to improve the lives of women and children. The organization is well-run, administratively lean and very effective at deploying its limited resources to create lasting change in Nepal.
The Nepal Youth Foundation in its 22 years has accomplished life-changing transformations n the lives of tens of thousands of impoverished children in one of the most impoverished countries in the world. It has provided scholarships, health care, and freedrom from bonded labor to many thousands of youngsters. One of its most important projects is the Nutritional Rehabilitation Homes, l6 small hospitals scattered throughout the country which has restored the health of 10,000 malnourished children and educated their mothers so that the condition does not recur. It has rescued 12,000 children from bonded labor as kitchen slaves, brought them home to live with their mothers, and placed them in school through high school. Equally important, through its dynamic awareness program, it has been successful in almost eradicating the inhumane custom of indentured servitude of children in the Tharu communities of west Nepal, where the practice was prevalent. It has done this with minimal administrative cost and maximum attention to the needs of the wonderful children of Nepal.
Olga Murray and Som Paneru are truly inspiring people and leaders of this wonderful organization. They have given so much to Nepal and its children that I am both humbled and honored to be associated with them. Charities do not have to be big or bureacratic to have a meaningful impact, and the Nepal Youth Foundation is the perfect example: little overhead and lots of focus on helping disadvantaged children and their familes - all in concert with local communities and with help effectively negotiated from the country's government. Bravo!
I have been a supporter of NYF for over 5 years, a Board member for three years and Chairman of the Board for the past year. I have seen the organization mature from a founder lead not-for-profit, to a well-managed, results focused organization with clear reporting lines and a structure which allows for efficient and effective execution of high impact programs in Nepal. NYF’s mission is clear, its leadership team is exceptional and its impact on the lives of thousands of children in Nepal is life changing. The low overhead, high impact strategy focused on Nepali youth and the eradication of exploitive local customs, has been successful in touching and improving the lives of thousands. NYF is proud to have the highest rating possible from Charity Navigator, and is structured to support its long term commitment to Nepali Youth under the outstanding stewardship of its President Som Paneru, and the inspiration of its wonderful Founder, Olga Murray.
Olga's story is amazing -- dedicating her life to helping free, educate and bring children back to health -- but it is the story of the many thousands of Nepali children that NYF has helped that is truly fantastic. Starting with helping to send the current President of NYF, Som Paneru to school when he was young to rescuing young girls from being sold as slaves and providing them with an education, to teaching young mothers how to feed their children to stave off severe malnutrition. NYF not only takes on great projects where there is a huge need and it can make a huge impact, Som has figured out how to leverage the impact of this small organization by getting others to follow its path and to get the government to support and take over some of it successful programs. It is not just putting a program in place, but getting culture to change. Now, girls in Nepal protest against the Kamlari practice themselves. The government is providing funding and taking over the successful nutritional rehabilitation centers. Being from Silicon Valley, I really appreciate the vision that NYF leadership has in seeing problems, coming up with solutions that not only help, but bring additional outside resources to address the problems. It is a FANTASTIC group.
I interviewed founder, Olga Murray last year for a project about happiness. Olga is one of the most wonderful, sincere, absolutely dedicated individuals I have ever met. The work at Nepalese Youth Foundation is literally changing Nepal. Olga started this dream from her own pocketbook and has laid the foundation for an organization whose funding goes straight to supporting the people. I plan to visit Nepal next year to have the opportunity to see the incredible power of their work. I encourage anyone to support this organization!
I am a past chairman of the board of this wonderful organization, so I am deeply invested in its mission and success. That said, the reasons I have devoted 13 years of my life to the Nepal Youth Foundation as a volunteer and board member are the excellence and effectiveness, including cost effectiveness, of its programs and the remarkable transformations they effect in the lives of these beautiful and deserving children.
i feel so proud to be a part of NYF since last 18 years. I have witnessed the transformation of thousands of lives in Nepal with the direct help from NYF.
One need only look at before and after photographs of Nepali children who have benefitted from NYF's nutritional rehabilitation homes to see that this is an outstanding--and effectual--nonprofit. Olga Murray, the organization's warm and compassionate founder, spends half of her time in Nepal with the children that NYF aims to help, allowing her to see firsthand what needs to be done to improve their lives. There is no more worthy cause I could imagine donating my time or money to.
Olga Murray has improved the lives of tens of thousands of Nepali children. For the last 20 years, she has donated her time and her own money, never taking a dime from donations. Olga has established nutritional rehabilitation homes, a home for orphans and has made huge strides in eliminating child slavery. This charity is the real deal.
Grass root charity working to relief the root of the problem and eradicating bonded labour practises for example from within. And working itself out of business - what better way. Understanding the local culture and customs gives NYF an edge over any iNGO trying to better the country and its issues. Working with the communities and maintaining the relationships, using these to build on again, is crucial and the people NYF has in place from the most rural towns to the heart of Kathmandu, all understand the ethics of the organising and why we do what we do. Truly helping Nepal's future, one child at the time.
NYF is a truly effective charity. I have visited their programs in Nepal and I saw the impact they make. They're also careful to use donations as efficiently as possible.
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NYOF is an excellent organization. They're making a huge difference in the lives of thousands of children in Nepal by providing them with health care, education, and human rights. Because of the low cost of living in Nepal, and because NYOF implements their funds so efficiently, they're able to make profound impacts on children's lives for very little money.
This small to medium nonprofit is affecting social change in a big way! Just look at their Indentured Daughters Program. Over 11,000 girls saved from slavery with their innovative program. Not only that, but they have virtually stopped the practice of families selling their daughters into slavery. And the rescued girls are then given an education or vocational training. Nepal Youth Foundation has helped the girls organize and now they have formed their own co-operative; performing educational plays to prevent the practice from resurfacing, keeping an eye out for trafficked girls now that the practice has gone mostly underground and giving out micro loans to help their members start small businesses. Another innovative program is the Nutritional Rehabilition Homes which restore severely malnourished children to good health while educating their mothers about nutrition and child care. When mother and child return to their village, the mother shares her new knowledge with her family and neighbors. These homes are started & supported by NYF for the first five years and then gradually government funding takes over. And these are just two of many successful programs supported by NYF, such as J & K House (for children that have no families or their families can not support them, The New Life HIV/Aids Center, and their many educational programs. We personally donated to build a classroom to help support all the Indentured Daughters that were now returning to school and a dormitory to help girls remain in school when they had to walk 3miles to and 3 miles from school each day. We visited both these projects and our expectations were far exceeded.
Since years I'm a donor and great supporter of the NYF. The work NYF and its staff, here and in Nepal, does is very inspiring. They are set up very efficiently and have set up processes that maximize our donor contribution. Every quarter we get updates via email from Olga, the founder, a newsletter to keep us appraised of their projects, successes and challenges. I love this organization and will continue to contribute for many more years.
I met the founder, Olga, fifteen years ago. Please read her story, as she told it to me and you'll understand why NOF should be noticed. Ogla is 87, and she spends half her year in Sausalito, California and the other half in Kathmandu where she works to buy girls out of bondage in a rural farming district in southern Nepal. Poverty forces families to sell their daughters, as young as 7 years old, as domestic slaves or worse.
Olga told me her story: On her first trip to Asia in 1984, she found herself captivated by the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Nepal. “I got off the plane in Kathmandu and was overwhelmed by the beauty of the land, the exotic surroundings, but most of all by the children. They were poor beyond anything I had ever experienced – dressed in rags and dirt, malnourished, mostly unschooled, but with an amazing capacity for joy. I thought that for the price of a good haircut, I could make a huge difference in their lives.’” So she returned to the USA determined, somehow, to do just that.
By raiding her own savings, and securing donations from friends, she returned to Kathmandu with the wherewithal to establish a home for the country’s throwaway children – street urchins, handicapped kids, orphans, or children who had been abandoned - often by parents too poor to feed them.
She learned about the practice of child slavery years ago and since then has worked tirelessly to find a solution. Nepal Youth Foundation pays parents to keep their daughters at home and in school. However, in lieu of cash, her foundation, Nepalese Youth Opportunity Foundation (NYOF.org) offers families a piglet, which they can raise on kitchen scraps and sell, ultimately receiving about as much as they would from their daughter’s labor. Girls receive a school uniform, notebooks, pencils, a school bag, a daily snack at school, and most importantly, an education.
“What began as a pilot project with 37 families now includes 2,500 girls,” she marveled.
“I realized that education is the best way to ensure a better life for these children,” Olga says, knowing this would become the cornerstone of her work. Over the last 16 years, not only has the number of supported children expanded (to 3,000 plus), but so have the ways in which they are helped. In addition to scholarships, NYOF funds the salaries of more than 65 teachers in various poor rural areas of Nepal, and teacher training in a country where teachers are not trained. Her foundation also runs two boarding schools and nutritional programs in Kathmandu.
Olga was an attorney who worked for 37 years helping write opinions for two California Supreme Court chief justices in San Francisco. Today she crisscrosses the globe to help children.
I think that NYF is a wonderful organization. I have met personally with Teresa, the director of development and communications, and discussed at length their work and vision. The work that they do is purely life-changing, and NYF's staff is devoted to making a difference. Education, healthcare, and shelter? These are humanity's most basic needs, and NYF provides them. Also worth noting -- they are responsible and transparent with their donations. They haven't earned six consecutive 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator for nothing! I support everything NYF does and think they absolutely deserve this recognition.
As a teacher, it is my belief that the way to improve the future for our children is through education. NYOF offers that possibility. The simple task of donating $100 can change a child's life improving it forever. What a gift. I only wish there was more I can do besides spreading the word for this wonderful organization.
I have worked in the nonprofit sector for nearly three decades and am familiar with hundreds of nonprofits in the Bay Area and internationally. NYOF is my personal favorite. I just returned from Nepal where I had the joy of visiting J and K Houses--two homes for orphans run by Nepalese Youth Opportunity Foundation. I also visiting one of the Nutritional Rehabilitation Centers, a temporary home for women and their malnourished or starving children. I have been a NYOF donor for nearly ten years but seeing the work firsthand was absolutely catalyzing. Everything NYOF does is done spectacularly well. The programs are effective and cost efficient as well as culturally appropriate. The children in their care are a delight. The individuals who work in Nepal for the agency are dedicated, talented and professional. I came home from Nepal more committed than ever to the agency and look forward to sharing as much with them in the coming years as I possibly can.
I met Olga in Bali in 1985. She was on her way to Kathmandu to see how the little boy she had helped the yeay before was doing. ONE little boy. In 1989 I went to Kathmandu and went with her to visit the first orphanage she was helping. The improvements Olga had provided to the orphanage were spectacular and all the children adore Didi Olga. That is how it all began. What Olga has achieved since then is fabulous. Do not hesitate to help the NYOF!
nepal-youth-foundation 09/21/2022
Christine, thank you so much for leaving this wonderful review. We are so grateful for your support. The transformations that take place at our Nutritional Rehabilitation Homes really are incredible. We're so glad to hear that it's your favorite!