Meet the children

Rajan was rescued from the streets when he was nine years old. Now 16, he has been raised in the refuge. In our care he has been pursued his education, achieved brown belt in karate, attended Scouts and completed the Bronze International Award.

Rajan is a confident, well-behaved and friendly boy who recently had a starring role in the first performance of our new circus company, Sapana.

Maya - recently and immediately after her rescue (in the orange dress)

Maya was trafficked to India when she was just 7 years old and spent three years living in horrendous conditions in the Great Roman Circus.

In 2004 she was rescued by EBT and has since worked hard to catch up on her missed education. In 2010 she passed her School Leaving Certificate and is currently enrolled on a Health Assistant course.

Maya is also an excellent athlete and with the support of EBT will be taking part in The BUPA 10,000 in London in 2011.

 

What We Do

Children's refuge care and rehabilitation


The Godawari refuge outside Kathmandu is home to 120 children rescued by EBT who cannot safely be reunited with their families. (Wherever possible, children are returned home to their families.

Unfortunately, this is sometimes not an option: the desperate circumstances which led a family to sell or abandon their child in the first place could put the child in danger a second time.)

Children who remain in the care of EBT in the Godawari refuge are raised in a safe and loving environment with access to counselling if required. Education – formal and non-formal – is offered to all children. We continue to support them if they choose to enter college.

However, EBT also recognises that not all children are suited to an academic path, especially older girls rescued from circuses who may be in their late teens and have never attended school.

We therefore offer a range of vocational training initiatives to those over sixteen to help them prepare for adult life. Recreational activities such as gymnastics, karate, arts and crafts are supported – as is the International Award (Duke of Edinburgh Award).

Volunteers play an important part of Godawari life, entertaining the children during school holidays, providing drama and dance lessons and helping to make certain that days in the refuge are varied and fun.

After the horrendous start to life the children in the refuge have suffered, we endeavour to offer an environment in which the children can not only recover, butbegin to thrive.