The Ama Foundation

We were honored to visit Ama Ghar in Kathmandu, where we were greeted warmly with traditional blessings and big smiles. The children are delightful, polite and engaging. Ama Ghar provides a loving home and giant family to these hard-working students as they prepare to move on to jobs and higher education.

Ama Ghar in true spirit is a loving home for all the children living there. All the staffs and children are a big loving family which is hard to imagine. Ama Ghar runs like a family and not just any nonprofit organisation. It's hard to believe if you don't fall in love with the children once you visit Ama Ghar. Ama Ghar is just AMAZING!!!!!!!!!

I volunteered at a number of fundraising events for this organization and I must say they are impressive for such a small non profit.. They go out of the way to spread the word about Ama Ghar and Nepal, as a whole. They also partner with other organizations in order to cross-promote those organizations in order to raise greater awareness. Ama Foundation truly has hard working and caring individuals who truly want to make a difference. This has inspired me to, not only visit Nepal, but to want to do more!

I first visited Ama Ghar in 2008 while I was living and working in Nepal. I was immediately struck by how warm and welcoming Ama Ghar was: The children and staff are both wonderful. During the few years that I lived in Kathmandu, I regularly spent weekends and festivals at Ama Ghar. Ama Ghar became my family and home away from home. Since leaving Nepal, I've continued to return to Ama Ghar each year. Ama Ghar has provided the children with a loving home and education. It's been such a privilege to watch the children grow into young adults over the past six years with life opportunities they likely would not have had without Ama Ghar's love and support, as well as watch new children join the family and blossom under the loving care that they receive here. It's a unique and special place that I know I will continue to visit for many years to come.

I just returned from Nepal. While in Kathmandu, I visited Ama Ghar. I am happy to report that all is well there. The children are happy and successful. One of our oldest girls recently graduated from med school and is now an MD. I have been on the board for two years. It's a great group to work with. We always put our 50 kids first. We need help though. We need to find our new leaders of tomorrow that will keep our home open. At Ama Ghar, we have solar power, waste water recycling, an oven, a loom, a computer room and plenty of space for 50 kids to grow up in. Let's keep it rolling for these kids!

I joined the board for the Ama Foundation because of their unique approach towards how they run a children's home. They really make it a top priority to give a family environment, thus girls and boys of all ages live together. The children living in the home are brought up to become supportive of each other and productive members of society. Children do volunteer work in the community. They are supported to achieve the highest level of their academic ability. I made my first visit to Ama Ghar this summer. It was great to see all children engaged in play, housekeeping as well as studies. Additionally, the playground is open to other children in the area, and it was great to see kids from neighboring families join in a cricket match with Ama Ghar kids. It has been nearly two years since I have been part of the board, and I hope that I will keep on having time to be involved with this great organisation in years to come.

I have been a Board Member of The Ama Foundation for almost a couple of years now and have seen first hand how great of a job this organization does in helping out the underprivileged kids in Nepal. It is a very efficiently run organization with some great individuals as team members. I have also visited Ama Ghar (the house which 50+ kids call home) in Nepal and was absolutely impressed by how well the kids are treated there, how happy they are and how much is really invested in securing a good future for each and every one of them. Bonnie Ellison (Bonnie Aunty) in Nepal does a tremendous job in making sure each and every kid gets a warm and loving care, education and most importantly, a sense of family and belonging within this house. The various fund raising events held within the US and parts of Europe contribute to the continued success of this organization and I have no hesitation in endorsing this organization as one of the best in its class. Keep up the good work!

I had been hearing about Ama Ghar for several years though my family, some who had served the foundation in various ways. When we, me and my two school aged children, decided to come visit/serve this Fall (2014), we started researching both Ama Ghar home and the situation and circumstances in Nepal. My confidence was boosted when several independent friends of friends who are in the know regarding Nepal said it was on the up and up and that we should visit.

Now that we are finishing a 3 week visit to Nepal, most of which has been spent here at Ama Ghar, I can offer my high marks. What is happening here, on the surface, looks relatively strait forward. There are kids (teens to 5-6 year olds) who have various support networks or none at all. This home feeds, clothes, houses and attends to their education. Strait forward does not mean simple or easy, it is quite am accomplishment to do with for 50 + children. However, what is truly noteworthy and quite inspirational is the sense of family.

While I am still attempting to discover how this amazing formula for family has come together, I can clearly see that the staff, from Director to cook and laundress, all have and demonstrate a long list of traits. Among these are: integrity, patience, kindness, humor, a sense of purpose, a sense of fun, respect, orderliness, fairness and a love for what they are doing and love for each and every child. It is not a perfect family, it is a real family. They share in each others victories, they share in losses, they support each other and, of course, they bicker and they amend their differences. Creating a sense of family like this can only happen when you give your heart. This house, Ama Ghar, has real heart.

I donate to Ama Foundation because I appreciate that it's a grass-roots organization where my donation really makes a difference in someone's life - and I can see it for myself when I visit Ama Ghar in Nepal. It inspires me to see these children - who come from very, very difficult situations, including trafficking, malnutrition and abuse - blossom into happy, healthy, laughing children with the opportunity to lead productive lives.

I visited Ama Ghar back in 2010 with a friend. The children were simply amazing and warmly embraced us part of the family. Four + years later, I am still in contact with the organization and the children stay in touch as pen pals. I can't think of a better place to visit in order to put life in perspective and see & feel the true meaning of love.

I came to Ama Ghar not knowing exactly what to expect. This was my first volunteer experience. I walked away from my experience feeling relieved there is a program like this for underprivileged children. The environment is really that of a BIG family. All the Brothers and Sisters are so sweet and loving and very smart. Sharwan and Bonnie have an amazing crew of people helping with the children. I had a blast with every! I plan to continue to support the foundation and hope to return soon!

I stayed at Ama Ghar for two weeks this summer. It was very nice to see them function as the big family they are. Having spent such a short time there I wasn't able to get to know each and every child well, but what I did sense at the core of each one was a good heart.
I got the clear sense that Ama Ghar really does put the children's needs on the pedestal as the top priority, and when I asked one of the older ones - an adult - if he thought that the children at Ama Ghar would be able to achieve whatever they aspired to if they put enough effort into it, he said yes.
I also think the kids are extremely lucky to have Bonnie, a middle-aged woman (I'm horrible with names, sorry!) and Besh the former being the figure that oversees everything and the latter being the accountant. All are very positive, calm-inducing and reassuring individuals who really put their hearts into what they do at Ama Ghar, that much is evident almost immediately.
The only thing that bothered me during my stay was the feeling of having been able to do more, in the sense that I always had to go and ask "Can I help with this? Can I help with that? What can I do?!" because there was never anything specific that I was asked to help with - other than those benches that needed painting! Though then I realized that this was in fact the sign of a functional organisation. It works because they don't necesitate the help, but where you offer it they'll certainly accept it with an appreciative smile.
I would also like to add that my rating is indicative, since the site has it strictly refer to expectations, yet I came to Ama Ghar without any expectations; I didn't know what to expect, that was one of the reasons for going there.

(edit: I have corrected some grammar errors, apologies for I did not proof-read initially.)

Ama Foundation is really doing an excellent job in providing underprivileged kids of Nepal with appropriate education, food, shelter, clothes and health related support. When my parents visited Ama Ghar in Godavari, Nepal, they mentioned it was very well managed and the kids living in Ama Ghar were happy, intelligent and friendly. I personally support a kid living in Ama Ghar and the experience has been nothing but amazing. It is a very well run charity organization and I could not recommend this organization more to people who are interested in making a difference in a kid's life by supporting them in any capacity possible.

I came to Ama Ghar expecting that the chidren would barely speak English and the conditions would be rough. I was pleasantly surprised to find the children all understand and speak English (well) and that they are in a spacious and caring environment. Ama Ghar has a huge home, allowing each age group and gender its own designated area to sleep and play. The surrounding fields and mountains provide an idyllic and serene setting for the children to be in, away from the chaotic bustle of the city. The meals are healthy and hearty. The children are taught discipline through inclusion in house chores and study time. Ama Ghar focuses on each child's needs, and this is evident in each child's progress and attitude. The children and teens of Ama Ghar are well adapted, smart, social, self-sufficient and overall happy. I was so pleased to see that there are places like Ama Ghar that allow a child to be defined not by where they came from, but where they are going. I hope that I have the privilege to return to see how the children and teens have progressed. This is truly one of the best homes for children I have seen and I hope that Ama Ghar sees many more children through their life.

I have served Ama Foundation in multiple capacities over the past seven years and will continue to support for years to come because I know that every dollar is contributing to the health, education and welfare of beautiful, talented and loving children at Ama Ghar. There is nothing more self rewarding in this world than to help someone that is less fortunate succeed in life.

Words cannot express how grateful I am to the Ama Ghar family for the life-changing experience I had while living with them for about five months in 2008. From a personal side, I am appreciative to have been part of a loving, engergetic, close-knit, and hard working family. During my time in Nepal, I was writing my graduate thesis, compiling case studies on orphanges in Kathmandu. Ama Ghar far exceeded the quality and care of any other children's home that I visited. Due in large part to the direction of Bonnie Auntie, the children's needs are met in all aspects - physical, emotional, and cognitive. They are challenged to be better citizens, and the best brothers and sisters they can be to each other. I have no doubt that each of these children will go on to make an incredible impact in the world.

Ama Ghar has established a safe, loving home environment for the children they serve. I have visited Ama Ghar three times over the years and have come away with incredible respect and love for not only the children, but also the staff and organization. This organization not only provides a real loving home for the kids, but also fosters and encourages each child's engagement and responsibility to their local community they live in. Their leadership and commitment to the community instils a new found sense of belonging for each child and provides them with renewed confidence in themselves. Their personal importance among their Ama Ghar brother and sisters, as well as teachers, mentors and surrounding community jetisens them into creative, loving, educated and confident young adults. They have a home that nurtures their emotional development, growth and leadership through the caring and loving staff, donors, and many diverse volunteers. They are becoming incredible young adults through their real family and education at Ama Ghar. They each have a name and a personality that are forever etched in your heart with a single visit to Ama Ghar.

I have visited this home numerous times, over the course of a decade. As I write this, I realize that it has been far too long since i have been back to spend time with the kids there. I am missing all of them! I love the dedication of the staff--most of them have been there for over 7 years, and the managing director, Bonnie Ellison, is a tireless advocate who has dedicated her life to the children and the mission of the foundation. The children are well-cared for, loved, and have created their own amazing brand of family. They are provided unique opportunities, as their doors are open to the world, but, they also live in the real world (one might call that rural, impoverished Kathmandu valley) and maintain a strong sense of their culture. I cannot wait to bring my son there to witness this extraordinary place.
Be forewarned: once you visit, you will want to extend your stay and come back over the years.

I lived in Nepal (1955-1960) as a young person with my father who was there with US AID. Bonnie Ellison who runs Ama Gar now was there at the same time. As an adult she gave up a very successful professional career to go to Kathmandu and manage this amazing operation. Children, orphaned or who otherwise would die or live in grinding poverty are given a wonderful, rich and happy environment to grow and learn and have a bright future. They have no agenda other than seeing these children meet their potential. We support this organization with our donations knowing it will be responsibly and productively spent . What better good could you do with your donations than to save one child's life, or help many otherwise lost children achieve a happy future? These are good people...

My daughter traveled around India volunteering at various orphanages, feeling very sad for the wan kids she encountered in indifferent and overwhelmed institutions and then ended up at AMA Ghar. She was ecstatic at the level of care the kids at AMA received- it seemed like it was in a different league from every other place. She had been despairing and it renewed her faith- every need of the kids was kindly and thoughtfully met. She found the kids very social , cheerful, well- educated and intelligent - not the usual experience with traumatized kids in An institution . She and I couldn't get over how amazing the care was that these kids receive.

Ama Foundation collects donations to run Ama Ghar ( mother's home).
And no doubt, if it was not for Ama Ghar most of these kids could have ended dead in maoist movement or sold and exported out of Nepal as sex slave or turned drug addicts begging in the streets somewhere...
Now these kids are thriving as good student, good citizen and a good human. Two thumbs up for Ama Foundation for helping these children in needs.

I collected clothing, art supplies, books and other odds and ends on the Ama Ghar "wish list" from colleagues at work and brought it to Ama Ghar. Every single item we donated, and I mean down to the last colored pencil, was directly put to good use for the children. We also donated some cash, which happened to coincide with the arrival of a couple new children, so we were able to use that money immediately to pay their school fees.

My colleagues and I have never been so gratified to know that whatever we donated went DIRECTLY to the children. This isn't a charity where you have to wonder where your money goes - I have seen it first hand and guarantee that it is needed, helpful, utilized and very appreciated.

Go and visit for yourself if you are unsure - seeing how your donations directly benefit these young, eager kids is a worthwhile experience in itself.

When you are in Ama Ghar you feel that you are part of a special family and that it is a real home for them. They live in a familiar environment based on the respect, the education, the responsibility and the love. Children are encouraged to be good persons and motivated to learn and achieve their goals.

Bonnie and the "aunties and uncles" are doing an amazing work there creating a home and real opportunities for all these children.

To be there has been one of the best experience of my life!

I recently visited Ama Ghar and was so impressed with Bonnie and her staff. Their humility, fiscal efficiency, creativity, and environmental awareness impressed me the most. The staff has a great focus on teaching their children important life skill and encourages them to be responsible. From their self built pizza oven, umbrella skirts, fecal matter to methane fueled biogas, and soil filtration systems I was more then impressed. Coming from America, let me just say, Bonnie could really teach us all a lot about reduce, reuse and recycle. I've even researched how I can incorporate some of their practices in my everyday life in suburban america.

I am glade to work at Ama Ghar as it has been helping children form many problems. I have observed children's advancement day by day so your help is very meaningful and practical to uplift backward people. Thank you for your kindness and generosity.

I personally know the director of Ama Ghar, Bonnie Ellison. I can honestly say that she and the foundation ensures that the money donated is allocated more efficiently than any charitable organization I know. Other organizations should take lessons from them use them as a model of what a well-working charitable organization should be. This charity helps at-risk children in Nepal, finding them a safe home and providing educational opportunities not found otherwise. Never have I seen a more caring staff/organization, which such great results. I can't wait to visit!

After visiting Ama Gahr in Nepal six years ago I began making a modest monthly donation, which I try to increase every year, to the Ama Foundation to support Ama Gahr. Ama Gahr offers a loving, stable home and excellent educational opportunities to children who otherwise might - at least some of them -be trying to survive on the streets of Kathmandu or working as unpaid domestic servants. I have visited Ama Gahr twice and I know from experience that is it very efficiently run with very little overhead. I also saw that the children are well cared for and loved, and are affectionate and loving in return to their "brothers and sisters" and to their adult "aunties and uncles" who care for them. I think these kids, at least some of them, will become leaders of their communities, in a very economically challenged country that needs good leaders.

The Ama Foundation is incredible stewards of the their money. They allocate their resources to positively impact the children of Ama Ghar. In doing so they are making the world beautiful in ways only children are able.

Ama Foundation supports Ama Ghar a thriving home for underpriviledged children. We have tried to set a new model of being a family with the intention of raising self supporting citizens. Our facility is very eco friendly so the children will be raised with awareness of ecology and conservatiion. We are striving to prepare them for the technoligies of the future. We are proud to have received positive recognition here in Nepal and by many of our valued visitors abroad.

AMA Foundation raises funds for the well being of 50 real, breathing, happy, and fully alive, children of Kathmandu. AMA Ghar is a refuge for 50 beautiful souls who have been saved from poverty and neglect and are fortunate to live as a big, happy family in their new, spacious home in the south of Kathmandu.

I know these children because I lived with them for a week and think of them every day. I have supported AMA Foundation since 2001 when
I met the founder, Shrawan Nepali, at a dinner for the American Himalayan Foundation in San Francisco. I was looking for a way to give more personally than the usual way where my dollars are spread across thousands of causes. I spoke with Shrawan about my desire and he said "why don't you help me raise 14 children?"

That number has now grown to 50 children! Please help us with donations that support our 50 children ! And make a plan to come visit so that you may experience the beauty of your generosity!

Sincerely,

Fred Doar

My husband and I have volunteered at Ama Ghar, the children's home funded by the Ama Foundation, every year since 2003. We've watched these children grow from quiet, frightened and abandoned to happy, smiling, well-educated kids... they inspire us with their ability to overcome their awful backgrounds and become successful citizens of Nepal... Ama Ghar does amazing work. Like many non-profits, Ama Foundation is struggling to provide enough funding to take care of these kids and provide them with the best possible education - so I hope that the visibility offered by Great Nonprofits will help their cause.

This is a great organization that is changing the lives of the children who share a profound sense of home and family experienced at Ama Ghar. Amazingly, Ama Foundation’s mission is to provide just that. We are fortunate to also be able to provide the children with the best education possible.

I have been a board member for over one year and feel that it is my privilege to help these abandoned and orphaned children. At Ama Ghar, we've learned that children have three basic needs: love, good food and an education. Our children receive the first two in abundance from our nurturing Nepali staff of Aunties and Uncles as well as the wonderful volunteers who visit us from around the world. As elementary and secondary school children they attend English speaking schools where they learn computer skills as well as mathematics , science and literature ..our mission is to support these children through high school and into vocational school and even university if they show promise. Please consider supporting this worthy cause and ask your company if they have a matching or corporate giving program. As often corporations match their employee contributions. the children really need your help and appreciate all you do,