Program Reviews

I heard about The Umbrella Foundation from the book "Little Princes" by Conor Grennan. From that point on, I knew I had to see Nepal and meet the children in Umbrella. I was placed in Kanchanjunga House for my three month stay and loved it from the beginning. The boys made me feel right at home, teasing me just like my younger brother would. They even taught me some dance moves and let me play football with them. Even the house parents, didis, and the tutor treated me like part of the family.

When it was time to say goodbye at the end of my three months, I didn't want to leave. I loved Nepal and the people so much that I decided I had to go back. So, I found a job with another INGO and am now moving back to Kathmandu!

Megan Goth, USA (July-September 2011)

Arriving in Kathmandu was like stepping into a completely alien environment for me but after about five minutes with the Gauri Shankar girls it was like I had instantly found a new family. My housemother’s warm welcome included her showing me where the Irish tea bags were kept in the kitchen and telling me to treat the home like my own.

There were so many highlights during my time with Umbrella and one of them was spending a couple of weeks in the stunning district of Rasuwa, helping the teachers of the school in Gatlang village. This village is where some of the Umbrella children have been recently reunited with their families. Entering Gatlang is like stepping back in time to a small farming community. The welcome you get when you are there is overwhelming and it is pretty special to see the children back where they belong and happy with their own families.

My three months with Umbrella just seemed to fly by. Saying goodbye and leaving everyone behind was very difficult but I know I will definitely be back soon for a visit.
Aideen, Ireland (January- March 2012)