The Godawari Education Center is a community outreach program run by the National Mission Commission of Nepal (NMCN). The program serves children and their families living in the Godawari Slum in Lalitpur, Kathmandu, Nepal. The program is available to children weekday afternoons and provides tutoring, mentoring and nutritious meals.
Nepal is considered one of the world’s poorest countries, with almost a third of the population living below the poverty line. Many regions in the country are lacking in basic education, nutrition, and medical care. Devastating earthquakes in Kathmandu in 2015 pushed 1 million people into severe poverty due to lack of aid, and restoration within communities has been extremely slow. Many family members are forced to travel to other countries to find work, and trafficking is not uncommon. With few jobs available and a desperate need for money for the basics of life, the buying and selling of individuals for both labor and sex trade is a huge problem. The work of NMCN is critical to providing children with the resources needed to turn the tide. Not only is Godawari Education Center actively working to care for children and provide long-term services to help preserve families, but it is also diligent in its efforts to safeguard those children from trafficking and sexual exploitation. Orphan Outreach partners with NMCN to provide children with a safe and hope-filled after-school environment. Through child sponsorship, financial resources, and operational support, we support the educational, emotional, and physical needs of each child. Additionally, administrative support and evaluation are being provided to determine enhancements to the program through church engagement and mission teams. Long-term goals include the purchase of private land so that a safe, secure school may be built, opening the door to more programs including bible study. The Godawari Education Center was founded in 2013 by the National Mission Commission of Nepal (NMCN), a non-profit organization that focuses on the education and training of marginalized children. A similar program is located in Thapathali Slum.