22 Mar Touching lives, impacting generations
Education with a life-changing mission is a rewarding and an enduring endeavour. Whether it’s conducted in glittering capital cities or some of the remotest corners of the world, the impact will be felt for generations to come.
The National Mission Commission of Nepal (NMCN) has been running three “Slum School Centres” at two places, in Thapathali slum by the Bagmati River and in Godavari, catering to a total of 125 children.
In Godavari, a community building used for housing victims of the earthquake in April last year was repaired and converted into a Slum Education Centre. It now hosts about 35 students, who benefit from daily care, educational guidance and food supplements to their diet.
“They are also taught stories from the Bible with extra activities that would build their character, gifts and talents,” said AsiaCMS co-mission partner Ram Prasad Shrestha.
Ram Prasad, who is also NMCN executive director, said they decided to fix the broken community building and use it for their outreach programme to build a more intimate relationship with the local people.
Over at the Thapathali Slum Preschool, there are two teachers teaching, feeding, washing and playing with 20 children aged between three and seven years.
The parents of the children leave their kids at the centre and go to look for menial jobs.
“The children have improved a lot in their studies since coming under the care of the teachers. More importantly, the centre has prevented them from being exploited by others,” said Ram Prasad.
The other centre in Thapathali has 70 children aged 8 to 16 coming under the supervision and tutelage of four teachers.
Since joining the centre, the children have passed their examinations with good grades and were hardly dropping out of school. Children from this centre have also joined in the church fellowship.
Ram Prasad said it was such a joy seeing the children in all three centres celebrating Christmas, delighting in the gifts and good food provided.
A church has been established in the slum community with about 50 adults and 20 children attending worship every week.
“The parents and the children have expressed their heartfelt thanks to NMCN for helping them to build their lives in Christ and community.
“We are ever grateful to our donors and prayer partners for praying and giving generously to continuously support these children,” Ram Prasad added.