My volunteer assignment at Tara Namaste in Birtamod

I travelled to Nepal in October 2023. After volunteering in a hospital, I decided without further ado to volunteer in a children’s home for the last month. I came across Tara Namaste by chance. Lilo Veraguth, my contact person, was very straightforward and organised everything spontaneously. So I travelled to Birtamod in mid-November 2023. I will probably never forget the friendly welcome from Narayan Pokhrel at the airport and what followed….

I was warmly welcomed by the Pokhrel family and the children’s home. I felt at home from the beginning to the end. For the first few days, everyone behaved towards me as if I were a guest and I wasn’t allowed to help in the kitchen or with the cleaning. But more and more I was no longer a guest, I became a member of the family and belonged. And that’s how it still feels today to have found a family in Nepal.

I will never forget cooking together, everyday life with the children, playing, talking and laughing. From now on, I will always associate the game UNO with Tara Namaste.

The Tara Namaste children’s home is a wonderful place, it is run in an exemplary manner and offers children a home with lots of love and respect. Each child is allowed to attend a private school and develop individually. Everything is very clean and Durga’s food is fantastic. The children sleep in rooms of 2 or 3, girls and boys are separated. This means that each child has their own space and can withdraw.

I have learnt a lot about life and about myself, plus I can now cook Nepalese food, although I certainly won’t miss dal bhat. 😉

Every cent donated makes a big difference and is a good contribution in such a poor part of eastern Nepal.

I have great respect for Nayaran, his daughter Yasoda and Durga, what they do every day is simply amazing!

Many thanks to Tara Namaste Foundation for giving me this opportunity. I will always keep this in my heart. One day I will return to Nepal, to Birtamod, to Tara Namaste.

Nadine Zihlmann in February 2024