NYF Update: Letter & FAQ (September 2025)

You may have heard about recent political and social unrest in Nepal. While life is beginning to stabilize, challenges remain—especially for vulnerable children and families. In moments like these, NYF’s commitment to transparency and compassion is stronger than ever.

In the following letter from NYF President Som Paneru, he shares updates from the ground and reassurance about the safety of the children at Olgapuri. We’ve also included an FAQ section, which we hope provides clarity on the situation in Nepal and NYF’s ongoing work.

Letter from Som Paneru

Dear NYF Community,

It has been an extraordinary and challenging time here in Nepal. You may have seen reports in the news about the major shift in the country’s political landscape and widespread protests that recently swept through the country. After several days of upheaval, including a two-day revolution, life has begun to calm down, and a new government is now in place. Yet the scars left behind are deep, and healing will take time.

As Nepal enters its most cherished festival season, Dashain & Tihar (festivals of light, hope, and goodness), we are reminded of our people’s remarkable resilience. Time and again, Nepalis have faced upheaval and hardship, and time and again, we have found ways to rise, rebuild, and look forward to a brighter future.

Especially in times of uncertainty, our hearts are with the children and families who are most vulnerable. They remind us of the vital role NYF plays in keeping children safe, families nourished, and young people’s futures full of hope. In that spirit, I want to reassure you that the children and youth at Olgapuri Children’s Village remain safe and protected. To maintain transparency and communication with our supporters, we prepared the below FAQ to answer some of the questions you may have about the situation on the ground in Nepal.

In the coming weeks and months, we will remain laser-focused on continuing what NYF does best: providing humanitarian relief and support to children and youth, and strengthening our proven programs: Olgapuri Children’s Home, the Nutritional Rehabilitation Home, Olgapuri Vocational School, Ankur Counseling Center, and the New Life Center/Medical Recovery Home. These core programs remain strong, resilient, and poised to serve more children and families during this difficult time. By optimizing them, we can expand access to food, education, shelter, health care, and psychological support—the foundational pillars of NYF’s work.

For 35 years, NYF has weathered many storms as a trusted humanitarian organization—from a decade-long civil war to the devastating 2015 earthquake, to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Each time, we’ve responded with compassion and decisive action to ensure relief reached those who needed it most. This moment will be no different.

What keeps us moving forward is community—a community that transcends violence, fear, and suffering to ensure that Nepal’s children not only survive, but flourish.

I am deeply grateful for your steadfast support. With you by our side, NYF will once again meet this moment with compassion, courage, and an unwavering commitment to Nepal’s most vulnerable. Please continue to keep Nepal in your thoughts—it means so much to know the NYF Community is with us.

With gratitude and hope,

Som Paneru
President, Nepal Youth Foundation

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the situation on the ground in Nepal?

As of this update, social unrest has largely subsided, and daily life is beginning to stabilize. Communities are now focused on recovery with an emphasis on rebuilding infrastructure, as key government institutions, such as the Supreme Court and Parliament, as well as schools, police stations, businesses, and other facilities, were damaged. The full scope and implications of recent developments are still unclear, but we anticipate that day-to-day life may continue to bring difficulties for vulnerable children, youth, and families in the months ahead.

How will this impact NYF’s mission and programs?

We will focus on optimizing NYF’s core programs, which will continue to operate. The children at Olgapuri Children’s Village, as well as our staff, remain safe and secure, and NYF’s top priority is protecting the children, youth, and families in our programs while also making sure our staff can continue to work safely.

We also recognize that the recent unrest may lead to a slowdown in Nepal’s economic growth, which could limit employment opportunities for lower-income families and heighten the urgency of humanitarian needs. In this context, NYF’s work becomes even more vital. Olgapuri Children’s Home remains a safe haven for children who cannot live with their families, while mental health services provided by Ankur Counseling Center are available to help children cope as the nation heals. Olgapuri Vocational School will play a key role in tackling Nepal’s unemployment rate and rebuilding the country’s infrastructure, and NYF’s two medical facilities, the Nutritional Rehabilitation Home and the New Life Center/Medical Recovery Home, will continue providing critical services, free of charge, to those who need immediate care.

What is NYF doing to help with recovery efforts?

The situation is still unfolding, and we don’t yet know the full picture. What we do know is that NYF will continue to listen, adapt, and respond day by day—just as we have in the past. Our team is prepared to adapt to the emerging needs of communities in Nepal, which will likely include providing food, housing, education, and mental health support. As needs become clearer, we will share updates about NYF’s role in supporting recovery efforts.

How can I help?

• Make a donation: Your gift helps sustain our core programs and enables us to respond quickly and wisely to emerging needs.
• Share this update with friends and people in your network to spread awareness.

Your support provides stability for the children in our programs as NYF navigates this uncertain period. With your partnership, we can continue to stand strong for children, families, and communities in Nepal—no matter what tomorrow brings.

NYF Update: The Power of Community

September 25, 2025

Thank you again to the global NYF Community for keeping Nepal and NYF in your thoughts. While the recent unrest has been deeply challenging, we are comforted by your support and solidarity.

Our U.S. team is maintaining close communication with our colleagues in Nepal. Children are beginning to return to school, some are continuing classes online, and families across Nepal are preparing for Dashain (Sept. 22 to Oct. 7), the country’s most cherished festival. This 15-day celebration honors the triumph of good over evil with special devotion to Durga, the powerful mother goddess. It is a time of blessings, family gatherings, and shared traditions.

This year, the importance of community feels especially profound. During Dashain, many of us share blessings and wishes with loved ones near and far. If you would like to join in, NYF’s new Dashain eCards are a meaningful way to send warm greetings while also supporting children and families in Nepal.

As life in Nepal gradually stabilizes, NYF’s work to provide safety, care, and opportunity continues without interruption. At Olgapuri Children’s Village, that commitment was on full display today as children, staff, and caregivers gathered to celebrate the 9th anniversary of this special home.

Olgapuri Day

Since 2016, September 25th has been celebrated as Olgapuri Day, and today the Olgapuri family gathered for a small but meaningful celebration to honor this milestone. Children, staff, and caregivers spent the day together sharing reflections on what Olgapuri means to them, expressing gratitude for the care and stability it provides, and finding comfort in one another after difficult weeks.

The celebration was a reminder that Olgapuri is more than a place to live. It is a community rooted in care, growth, and possibility — a place where children build resilience, young people prepare for their futures, and families find hope even in uncertain times. As one student reflected, “Olgapuri is deeply connected to my life experiences. It is not only accommodation for me, but also my home. Whether it was the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2015 earthquake, or the unrest, in all uncertain times, Olgapuri has put the well-being of children first.”

Carrying Hope into the Days Ahead

Reflecting on the path ahead, NYF President Som Paneru shared, “Keeping Olgapuri alive means creating beautiful futures for our children. Youth will come to Olgapuri and leave with skills in their hands. This momentum must continue into the future, even in the face of challenges like the earthquake, the pandemic, or recent unrest.”

Olgapuri continues to stand as a symbol of resilience in uncertain times. It is a place where children thrive, young people gain skills, and families find hope. As we look to the future, the Olgapuri community remains deeply committed to nurturing the next generation and creating pathways for them to flourish. As one young student shared, Olgapuri is “the place where I have truly felt the meaning of love and family.”

We will continue to update our NYF Community when we can. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at info@nepalyouthfoundation.org.

Summer updates from the Caste Equality Project

Building Equity from the Ground Up

This summer, NYF’s Caste Equality Project (CEP) is continuing to drive generational change across Dalit communities in Saptari District. Thanks to your continued support, we’re expanding access to education, improving infrastructure, and empowering families to break free from systemic exclusion. We hope you enjoy reading our summer updates below!

A Surge of Hope: Classrooms Filling Up Again

Following a successful school enrollment campaign in 2024 that brought more than 820 Dalit students back to the classroom, NYF immediately began expanding school infrastructure to meet the growing demand:

New furniture & ceiling fans installed to improve learning conditions

New classrooms (and one small kitchen) built at a school

Free lunches served daily to support health & boost attendance

In 2025, NYF launched a second School Enrollment Campaign to build on that momentum. So far, over 90 students who had dropped out previously have officially re-enrolled. One school has already requested additional classrooms due to the influx!

NYF is also working closely with the local government to help another 150 children without birth certificates enroll into school. This is part of a larger challenge that Dalit communities currently face in Nepal. In addition to being denied admission into school, not having a birth certificate affects a child’s ability to acquire a citizenship certificate at age 16. It ultimately denies them fundamental rights as citizens, including the ability to open a bank account, register a phone SIM card, own property, access government services, and more. While our team in Saptari District works with the local government to resolve this challenge at a local level for these 150 children hoping to attend school, budding law students in NYF’s Educating Dalit Lawyers program will tackle issues like this on a larger scale from a legal and public policy standpoint.

Toilets constructed at four schools!

Until recently, many girls left school mid-day to use the restroom at home—disrupting learning and sometimes preventing them from returning.

This year, NYF constructed safe, sanitary toilets at four schools across the region. Each facility includes flush systems and running water, creating a more supportive environment for all students, especially girls.

Lighting the Way: Community Learning Centers (CLCs) in Action

Since their inauguration in Fall 2024, two Community Learning Centers have become vibrant hubs of activity, with three more on the way. These centers are creating real academic and social opportunities every day through after-school tutoring and bridging courses, exam prep classes for students hoping to pass the national Secondary Education Exam, and early childhood care programs to support toddlers and ensure older siblings can stay in school.

In addition to student-focused activities, Community Learning Centers also host tons of programming for community members, including workshops and trainings for teachers, counselors, and more. In fact, this year, counselors from NYF’s very own Ankur Counseling Center facilitated a Psychological Support Skills Training for 24 educators, equipping them with trauma-informed approaches and tools to better support student mental health.

70 women have also completed NYF’s six-month Adult Literacy Program, meeting for two hours a day, six days a week. The course covers legal, financial, and Nepali language literacy. This enables women to participate more in the workforce, engage more fully with local government, strengthen their knowledge of their legal rights, and ultimately join the fight against caste discrimination. When girls and women reclaim education, they uplift entire communities—sparking change that echoes across generations.

33 girls who had dropped out of school are now back in the classroom, thanks to NYF’s bridging courses!

NYF staff, parents, and local leaders regularly meet at our CLCs to plan, review, and strengthen community-wide efforts.

120 students from preschool to Grade 12 received after-school tutoring at our CLCs.

With enrollment rising, classrooms expanding, and community programs thriving, NYF is helping build a more just and inclusive future in Saptari. These milestones are only possible because of supporters like you. Thank you for helping us create lasting change. Dhanyabad!

Between July 2025 & June 2026, it will cost NYF $135,000 to run all of our Community Learning Center programs in Saptari District. We hope you’ll consider making a gift to ensure more children can build a future filled with dignity and opportunity.

NYF Invites You to Join Olga’s Lasting Legacy

August is National Make-A-Will Month—a time to envision your lasting legacy.

At NYF, we’ve thought a lot about legacy since we said goodbye to our beloved founder, Olga Murray, in February 2024. Olga was the original member of NYF’s Legacy Circle, setting aside her beautiful Sausalito, California home in her estate plans to ensure her life’s mission could continue long after she was gone.

This year, as we celebrate 35 Years of Transformation in Nepal, we are reflecting on the tremendous impact of Olga’s efforts, and on the ways children served by NYF have become powerful leaders and changemakers in the communities around them.

These incredible alumni are Olga’s legacy in action. But she couldn’t have accomplished all of this alone.

This Make-A-Will Month, NYF’s Board Chair, Chris Heffelfinger, is sharing his family’s story—and inviting you to join him as part of NYF’s Legacy Circle.

Chris Heffelfinger – NYF Board Chair

For Chris, being a member of NYF’s Legacy Circle is a way to honor both Olga and his parents.

“My inspiration for supporting NYF comes not only from our amazing Founder, Olga Murray, who I have known my entire life, but from the commitment and life-long dedication of my parents, Joanne and Totton Heffelfinger,” he says. Totton Heffelfinger, Chris’s father, was one of NYF’s founding board members, and both Totton and Joanne were deeply dedicated to NYF’s mission.

“My parents made NYF an important part of their legacy planning, just as I have done.” Chris hopes that their story will inspire you to include NYF in your own estate planning this Make-A-Will Month.

Joanne & Totton Heffelfinger – Lifelong Changemakers

“Joanne and Totton dedicated their lives to their community and to society at large,” Chris remembers.

The two met at Harvard in the early 1950s. Joanne was admitted to the third class of women at Harvard Law School, and Totton was just finishing up his law degree. They married after Joanne completed her first year, then moved to Washington D.C. for Totton’s new government job. Joanne enrolled at George Washington University to continue law school. It was at George Washington that Joanne met Olga—the beginning of a lifelong friendship.

“Not long following, my parents and Olga found themselves in San Francisco.  As many of you know, Olga spent her career working as a research attorney on the California Supreme Court, helping to pen many cases having a profound impact on the legal landscape in California.”

“My mother worked as a volunteer for many social causes, including the YWCA, the Congress on Racial Equality, the Bird Rescue Center and the Marine Mammal Center, to list only a few.”

“My father worked as an attorney, also as an adjunct professor of law at U.C. Berkely and the University of San Francisco, and as a volunteer in his free time on environmental matters.”

Building a Better Society

What inspired Chris about both Olga and his parents was their deep love for building a better society—and the fact that they did more than talk.

“Many of you know the path Olga took from her love of the children of Nepal to building out the many programs at NYF that are flourishing now.”

“Lesser known, and out of the limelight, is the role that my parents Joanne and Totton took with NYF. My father served as an original board member of NYF.”

In 1993, Olga asked Joanne and Totton to take in two young Nepali girls who were coming to the United States for extensive medical treatment. “Each of these young women, Durga and Bishnu, have authorized me to share their stories in honor of the memory of Joanne and Totton Heffelfinger and members of the broader Heffelfinger family.”

“These two accounts serve as an inspiration to me,” Chris says, “and say so much more about my parents than I ever could.”

Durga T.

Durga came to the United States to receive treatment for severe burns. She arrived at the Heffelfingers’ home in 1993 at the age of 8. She immediately started calling Joanne and Totton “Mom and Dad.” During her time here, Joanne and Totton became her second family.

“They took their roles as brand-new parents in their 60s and 70s seriously to a foreign child with medical needs. They jumped right into parent mode and scheduled countless medical appointments, swimming lessons, math tutor and learning to ride a bike and of course the dreaded – HOOKED ON PHONICS – was squeezed into our daily routine.” 

School holidays were usually taken up by medical appointments and surgeries. Durga went through more than 35 reconstructive surgeries and both Joanne and Totton were there for all of them. 

“They encouraged me to hold my chin up and not to dwell on self-pity,” Durga says fondly. “They took care of my post surgeries including my severe reaction to general anesthesiology. They taught me to value life beyond just oneself. Mom and Dad truly epitomized altruism through their selfless generosity of love and kindness to others. There will never be another Joanne and Totton Heffelfinger, they gave from pure kindness to humanity. I owe them my deepest gratitude.”

Bishnu D.

Bishnu came to the United States for extensive leg surgeries to address a bone issue. She lived with Joanne and Totton from 1993 through early 1996.

During that period, “Mom” and “Dad” took good care of her. Joanne, Totton, and their children visited Bishnu on a daily basis at the hospital after every surgery, and when she was discharged, Joanne arranged a home tutor for her education. During these three years, Bishnu says, “Mom and Dad were busy taking me to the hospital for follow up, or in-patient visits, schooling and outings and so on.”

“Mom and Dad supported my education until I completed my bachelor’s degree. They cared about me like their own children in every possible way they could think of until their last breath. Without their continuous support and love/care physically and virtually, I would not have been where I stand today.  I am so grateful to them throughout my life. Not only that, Mom and Dad have created such environment where their children [Chris’s siblings] and I continue to remain one family.”

Bishnu completed her PhD in 2009. For the last 18 years, she has been working as a consultant for gender and disability issues, nationally, regionally and internationally.

Totton & Joanne’s Legacy

Although Chris and his siblings were all adults by the time Durga and Bishnu arrived, Totton and Joanne’s love for these two girls quickly made them beloved members of the close-knit Heffelfinger family.

Totton Heffelfinger passed away in 2017, at age 89, and Joanne followed one year later, at age 87. After their incredible lifetimes of generosity, love, and efforts to build a better world, they were sure to also include Nepal Youth Foundation in their estate plans.

Like all legacy gifts, the Heffelfinger’s bequests strengthened NYF’s roots—helping our organization continue offering transformative programming even during the unexpected turmoil of the COVID-19 pandemic two years later.

Today, Chris is proudly carrying his parents’ legacy forward in his own life.

“I hope by reading these accounts from Durga and Bishnu, that you are also inspired to continue your support for the many children of Nepal. And this Make-A-Will Month, I hope you are inspired to follow the example of my parents, Olga, and me by making a NYF a part of your legacy giving.”

World Youth Skills Day 2025

It’s World Youth Skills Day 2025! Each July 15th, NYF commemorates World Youth Skills Day to highlight the need for practical skills training among young adults in Nepal for gainful employment and entrepreneurship.

The need is urgent and significant—as across Nepal, a quiet crisis has been unfolding for years.

In 2014, the number of young Nepalis seeking work outside of the country surpassed 500,000. That’s over 1.6% of Nepal’s entire population. That annual number has continued to rise steadily in the years since, crossing 750,000 this past year (2.5%).

Families Separated, Futures Risked

This rising outward migration is due to limited job access within Nepal’s borders, leaving millions of young Nepali people feeling like they had no choice but to search for work abroad. Today, an estimated 3.5 million Nepalis (14% of Nepal’s population) are working abroad in unsafe and exploitative conditions in countries like Malaysia, India, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. That means over half of Nepali households have at least one family member working overseas.

Unfortunately, the process of securing these jobs can be quite expensive. Even more, when young people arrive to begin working, the positions are often very different than expected. Most of these workers end up taking on grueling labor jobs. Employers frequently take advantage of these workers’ low bargaining power. Sadly, stories of wage theft, trafficking, inhumane working conditions, and physical abuse are common.

The Solution: NYF’s Vocational Education & Career Counseling

Ironically, lucrative job opportunities do exist in Nepal. There’s just a shortage of accessible skills training opportunities, especially in remote areas. This is where NYF’s Vocational Education and Career Counseling program comes in—not as a response, but as a solution.

Our VECC program links motivated young adults with the holistic resources and training they need to start lucrative careers in Nepal’s growing economy. Our Vocational School provides high-quality, hands-on training in fields like electrical work, plumbing, welding, tailoring, carpentry, and greenhouse farming.

This past year alone, over 1,000 young adults received services from NYF’s VECC program!

35th Anniversary Year Celebration: Alumni Spotlight

As of this July, NYF is officially in its 35^th Anniversary Year. In celebration of this milestone, we’ll be spending these next 12 months highlighting our alumni and the incredible work they’ve done since receiving our support. (To view all the stories we’ve published so far, please visit: https://nyf.news/35years.)

This World Youth Skills Day, we’re spotlighting Shital Chaudary, who is an alumna of the Olgapuri Vocational School Electrical Program. She received NYF support between April and June 2022, when she was the only woman in a group of 23 trainees in a village-based Electrician Training Course. She thrived in the course and earned her electrician’s certification.

Read Shital Chaudhary’s full story below

World Youth Skills Day Spotlight: Shital Chaudhary

Shital Chaudhary grew up in a very traditional home in southwestern Nepal. Unfortunately, this meant that, as a girl, her aspirations and well-being were given very low priority. Money was tight, and any extra resources were saved for her brothers.

Even without support at home, Shital was a bright and motivated student. She scored well on the challenging Secondary Education Exam (SEE, or “Iron Gate”) at the end of the 10th grade. Only about 50% of students pass this rigorous exam, and these rates are even lower in rural areas.

But a few short months into the 11th grade, Shital’s dreams were crushed when her family forced her to drop out of school and marry a local man. She became completely financially dependent on her husband, who refused to pay for even the basic necessities for Shital or their baby son.

Everything changed when Shital learned that NYF was bringing a village-based Electrical Training Course to her area in 2022. She quickly signed up, completely unfazed at being the only woman in a group of 23 trainees. The program provided her with technical skills, as well as the confidence and dignity she had long been denied.

Shital thrived in the course, which became the foundation for a remarkable personal and professional transformation. She enjoys a place of high respect within her family, and her son is enrolled in a good school. And her personal mission has expanded.

After earning her electrician’s certification, Shital was immediately hired at a construction company in Kathmandu. She worked there for 10 months. When NYF expanded the Olgapuri Vocational School Electrical program, we asked if she’d been willing to join our staff as an instructor.

Today, Shital is employed at NYF as an electrical trainer. She helps other young adults access the same life-changing opportunities she once received. Most importantly, Shital is making an incredible impact by empowering youth to stay in Nepal and build a future at home.

She shares a powerful message to the NYF Community that is fitting for World Youth Skills Day 2025: “Not everyone can pursue higher education, but vocational training can change lives in just a few months. If the next generation combines education with practical skills, there are endless opportunities right here in Nepal and youths do not have to migrate abroad and leave their families and communities to earn a living. Be true, disciplined, and work selflessly. Success will follow you. We don’t need to go abroad to find happiness—we can build our dreams right here at home.”

Thank you for envisioning the next 35 years at Founder’s Day 2025!

On May 29, 2025, the NYF Community gathered in San Francisco for our annual Founder’s Day event. We welcomed over 160 guests at the Golden Gate Club, and together, raised our glasses (and bid cards!) to celebrate Nepal Youth Foundation’s 35th anniversary.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the evening—old and new friends alike—and to all those who sent us their good wishes but couldn’t attend in person. It always brings our team such joy to be surrounded by like-minded people committed to making a difference for Nepal’s children and young adults.

This Founder’s Day, we spent the evening reflecting on the past 35 years and looking boldly ahead to the future we’re building together. So far, we raised just over $200,000. This is an incredible amount that will go so far in continuing our core programs and ensuring that Nepal’s rising generation is empowered to thrive. (If you would like to make a gift in honor of Founder’s Day 2025, please click here.)

While we did not have a livestream option this year, our event staff did record the main program. NYF is currently editing the recording to make it more accessible for everyone. Once finished, the recording will be posted on this page. Stay tuned!

35th Anniversary Year Celebration: 35 Alumni Stories!

As NYF celebrates 35 remarkable years of impact, our focus is on our incredible alumni.

Many of NYF’s alumni—graduates from our scholarship programs, the Indentured Daughters Program, the New Life Center, Olgapuri Children’s Village, and more—have gone on to make powerful contributions to Nepal’s society in fields like medicine, environmental protection, legal representation, disability justice, and much more. To show the tremendous impact our graduates are now making, we interviewed a handful of them from the past three and a half decades and featured their stories on large poster boards at Founder’s Day.

Guests enjoyed learning about 12 incredible program graduates and the amazing work they’ve done since receiving NYF support. These 12 stories have been published on our website here. 

In honor of NYF’s 35th anniversary year, we’ll be highlighting 23 more individuals for a total of 35 alumni stories. They will be released slowly throughout the year on this same page, so we encourage you to check back often!

Our alumni’s continuing work in Nepal is our late founder Olga Murray’s legacy in action—and the outcome of your incredible support. We hope these stories illustrate how your generosity impacts more than just the one individual, but also their family, friends, and entire communities for generations to come.

Thank you, Som Paneru, for 30 years of service and leadership!

At Founder’s Day 2025, in addition to celebrating NYF’s 35th Anniversary, we also thanked President Som Paneru for his 30 years of dedicated work and service at NYF. Our U.S. Board of Directors surprised Som with an award on stage, citing his outstanding leadership as the foundation of NYF’s success. 

Som joined the Nepal Youth Foundation team in 1995 as a Program Assistant, but his connection to NYF started in 1989.  In his touching remarks, Som shared his own story. 35 years ago, he had set his own dreams aside and dropped out of college to support his younger siblings so they could stay in school. His long-time mentor, Preb Stritter, a former Peace Corps volunteer, introduced him to Olga Murray. Both Preb and Olga believed strongly in Som’s potential, and Olga offered him a spot in what would later become NYF’s College Scholarship Program. This scholarship led Som to where he is now—succeeding Olga as President of one of Nepal’s most respected and successful youth-focused organizations.

“Olga’s steadfast belief in the power of young people lives on in me and in all of us who work with or support Nepal Youth Foundation. And today, thanks to your generous support, NYF has grown into one of Nepal’s most respected child-focused organizations, delivering hope, dignity, and opportunity for thousands of children and their families each year.”

In his speech, Som provided recent and on-the-ground updates from our programming. He shared how the NYF team has spent the last year navigating Olga’s passing at Olgapuri Children’s Home (NYF’s permanent, family-style children’s home in Kathmandu) through private memorials and age-specific support sessions led by Ankur Counseling Center. 

He also touched on a crisis in Nepal that had been unfolding for years—the significant outflow of labor migrants. With few job opportunities available at home and the lack of a skilled labor force, millions of young Nepali people have felt that they had no choice but to leave the country in search of work abroad. Today, an estimated 3.5 million Nepalis (14% of Nepal’s population) are working abroad—many in unsafe, exploitative conditions. This is where NYF’s work at Olgapuri Vocational School comes in.

“By providing high-quality, hands-on training in fields like electrical work, plumbing, welding, tailoring, carpentry, and greenhouse farming, we are equipping young people—especially those from rural communities—with the tools they need to build successful careers in Nepal. This past year alone, over 600 youth completed training, and nearly 90% are already launching businesses or entering the workforce in high-demand roles.”

Som then shared exciting updates on NYF’s Caste Equality Project—which is now in its third year of programming. In our Educating Dalit Lawyers scholarship program, 31 talented young Dalit students are pursuing legal degrees in some of Nepal’s most competitive law programs.

And in Nepal’s Saptari District, NYF is already making a significant impact in Dalit-majority villages. Som shared updates about our Community Learning Centers in two villages in Saptari—vibrant, locally-run hubs for children and their families. Thanks to generosity from the NYF Community, we inaugurated two of these centers in September 2024. We’re proud to share that NYF is currently constructing three more. 

Our Peer Counseling Program is up and running at these centers. 30 trained young women (ages 13-19) are now leading monthly mental health support groups. The centers have also been providing play-based early childhood education and reliable childcare services, as well as educational services like after-school tutoring, school re-entry “bridging courses”, adult literacy classes, and women’s cooperatives. And in addition to all of these incredible programs, hot nutritious meals are being prepared and served on site. 

Som ended his remarks with deep gratitude for the NYF Community. “Olga would be over the moon,” he said, reflecting on all the progress NYF has made already this past year thanks to your support. 

“Thank you for walking this journey with us—for believing in their potential, and for helping us build a more just, empowered, and compassionate Nepal—one child at a time.”

The Olgapuri Legacy Fund: NYF’s Endowment Campaign

Last year, NYF announced the launch of the Olgapuri Legacy Fund: an endowment campaign to ensure that the children at Olgapuri Children’s Village are cared for in perpetuity. This was one of Olga’s greatest wishes: to ensure the future of Olgapuri. As always, she put her money where her heart was. To help jumpstart the legacy campaign, she endowed her beautiful Sausalito, California home to a trust that will contribute to the fund.

At Founder’s Day 2025, Tanya Bodde, Secretary of NYF’s U.S. Board of Directors, spoke alongside her husband, Peter Bodde, former U.S. Ambassador to Nepal, to provide an exciting update about our endowment campaign. Together, they shared that thanks to several long-time NYF champions, we’ve now raised $4.5 million toward our $6 million goal.

The Boddes then highlighted the importance of focusing on NYF’s annual fundraising goal. The funds raised in celebration of Founder’s Day 2025 will directly support the work that NYF is doing at the moment. This work, as Peter stated poignantly in his remarks, is needed now more than ever as so many other organizations reliant on government aid are disappearing.

If you would like to learn more about the Olgapuri Legacy Fund, please reach out to NYF’s U.S. Executive Director, Ryan Walls at ryan@nepalyouthfoundation.org. 

Empowering the next generation: The Emerging Leaders Council

Finally, at the end of the program, NYF’s Development Coordinator, Aryaa Regmi, and Som Paneru’s daughter, Karuna Paneru, announced the launch of NYF’s new Emerging Leaders Council—a group of young leaders passionate about making a difference in Nepal and supporting NYF’s mission.

Born out of a desire to engage the next generation of the NYF Community, this volunteer initiative will bring together young students and professionals around the world who have a strong connection to Nepal—whether by heritage, experience, or a shared commitment to making a difference. Members of the Emerging Leaders Council will work with NYF’s fundraising staff to engage in a variety of projects to both raise funds for and bring awareness to our work in Nepal. We also envision members spearheading initiatives to increase NYF’s Nepali-American supporter base, organize cultural events in their communities, and grow their own professional networks.

Interested in learning more about the Emerging Leaders Council? Reach out to Aryaa Regmi at aryaa@nepalyouthfoundation.org.

Thank you all again for an incredible 35 years of impact. Here’s to the next 35 years!

Thank you to everyone who registered, attended, participated, and donated. Thanks, too, to anyone who invited a friend or spread the word. A very special thank you goes to filmmakers Roy Cox and Robin Mortarotti; to the volunteers, board members, advisory board members, and staff working behind the scenes; to our Nepal team for all they do to run our programs, and of course, to Som Paneru and each of our speakers for their heartfelt remarks.

We can’t wait to share more updates soon, especially from the communities where your impact is already being felt. Thank you again, and Dhanyabad!

If you would like to see more photos from Founder’s Day 2025, click here to view a password–protected gallery. All NYF email subscribers have been given the password. Please contact info@nepalyouthfoundation.org if you missed the email or need the password again to access the photo gallery.

Protected: Founder’s Day 2025 – Photo Gallery

Join us for Founder’s Day 2025 on May 29th!

On May 29, 2025, the NYF Community will be gathering at the Golden Gate Club in San Francisco for Founder’s Day 2025: Envisioning the Next 35 Years of Transformation.

We hope you’ll join us for a special evening of dinner and drinks to celebrate three and a half decades of transformative work in Nepal. NYF President Som Paneru will be traveling from Nepal to lead the celebration, and together, we’ll also look ahead at the 35 years to come.

Last year, we renewed our shared promise to Nepal’s children, reflecting on the extraordinary legacy of our founder, Olga Murray. Founder’s Day 2025 will highlight Olga’s legacy in action through NYF alumni who have become today’s dynamic Nepali leaders.

This year’s fundraising goal is $350,000.

Our time-tested programs are empowering community-led change across Nepal—and we’re just getting started. But we need your help to build upon this remarkable momentum. Founder’s Day is NYF’s biggest fundraising event of the year, and our goal this year is $350,000. Your 100% tax-deductible contribution in honor of Founder’s Day 2025 will empower and educate thousands of children, families, and young adults in Nepal this year. We hope the evening inspires you to support our continuing work!

Invite your friends to Founder’s Day 2025!

This year, there’s plenty of space to bring additional guests. In fact, one of the best ways to support NYF is by introducing new people to our work, so we would love for you to invite your friends and family to Founder’s Day! There’s no limit on guests, but please let us know who will be joining you so we can plan accordingly.

Our time-tested programs are empowering community-led change across Nepal—and we’re just getting started. We hope to see you there!

P.S. Founder’s Day will not be streamed live this year. However, we will have a recording available to all those who cannot join us in person. For more information or questions, please contact our US team at info(at)nepalyouthfoundation.org.

A Mother’s Day Story from NYF’s Nutritional Rehabilitation Home (NRH)

The below story is featured in NYF’s Health Special Impact Report—but with Mother’s Day around the corner, we knew it was the perfect moment to share it more broadly. As we honor moms around the world, we invite you to read about one mother’s extraordinary journey of love, resilience, and healing at our Nutritional Rehabilitation Home (NRH).

If you’d like to make a donation in honor of a mom or mother figure in your life, check out NYF’s special Mother’s Day eCards! These cards will support NYF’s Nutritional Rehabilitation Home in the Kathmandu Valley, where over 300 mother-child pairs receive life-saving medical care and nutrition counseling every year.

Meet 22-year-old mother, Kanchan*, and her seventeen-month-old child, Indu*

*names changed to protect the privacy of the individuals we work with

Seventeen-month-old Indu is the second child of Kanchan, 22. Indu was born several weeks early in their remote village. Over her first year of life, she gained weight very slowly, and she wasn’t hitting the developmental milestones she should.

Kanchan was only 13 when her family married her off to a 29-year-old man in the village. This match was intended to secure Kanchan’s future, but early marriage comes with significant health risks for young mothers and their children. Kanchan had her first child, a son, when she was 17. Motherhood was not what she expected, and bringing her son into the world took a toll on her health.

Kanchan didn’t know it, but she had been chronically undernourished for most of her life. This had impacted her own body’s development—a condition called “stunting.” Kanchan is shorter than she should be at her age, and much more physically delicate. Her still growing body was not prepared for the strain of childbearing. At age 21, during her pregnancy with her daughter, Kanchan had limited access to prenatal care. She lost weight, and she was constantly exhausted. Iron Deficiency anemia made her dizzy and unable to work. Virtually all the nutrients she consumed were going towards her growing baby instead of bolstering her own health.

Because Kanchan’s body was still underdeveloped, she was not able to carry Indu to term and went into labor several weeks early—a common occurrence in villages like theirs. Indu was quite small, too. Babies who are born early often struggle to suck and swallow, making it difficult to eat. Their bodies also expend more energy struggling to keep warm, rapidly burning calories instead of turning them into growth. From the very beginning, little Indu was frequently sick.

Kanchan was overwhelmed by her baby’s health challenges. She couldn’t help but feel like she was failing.

A Lifesaving Transfer to NYF’s NRH

Finally, in desperation, Kanchan brought her daughter to the nearest clinic for help. The nurses there knew Indu needed care at a Nutritional Rehabilitation Home (NRH) right away, and they contacted NYF to arrange immediate transportation to the nearest location—our flagship Kathmandu Valley NRH.

Soon, Kanchan was climbing anxiously into NYF’s ambulance van, holding Indu close. The driver, Naresh Tuladhar, smiled reassuringly, and as they began their journey, he asked about Indu. Naresh’s own son, Rinof, had once spent time at the NRH as well, he said. When Rinof was only 10 months old, he had nearly died, and Naresh and his wife, Rijana, were in despair. But the NRH had saved Rinof’s life. Today, Rinof is 18 years old, vibrant, healthy, taller than both of his parents. Time at the NRH would do the same for Indu, Naresh said confidently. It sounded too good to be true. But Kanchan hoped he was right.

(To read more about Niresh and Rinof’s story, visit https://nyf.news/rinof.)

Immediate Care and Compassion

When Kanchan and Indu arrived at the NRH, the baby was extremely thin, dehydrated, listless, and barely responsive. NRH Manager Sudha Maharjan met them as they climbed out of the ambulance, whisking them inside. NYF’s nurses, cooks, and nutritionists leapt into action, providing fluids and medicine to Indu right away to help stabilize her. Our team saw right away that Kanchan was also malnourished. Kanchan was surprised that some experts were focused on her, giving her a warm, balanced meal as they gently asked questions about her own health.

Kanchan was amazed at how much Indu had improved even after one night of treatment, with appropriate hydration administered by attentive nurses. Nurse Rashmi Shrestha explained to her, with a bright, friendly smile, the vital importance of keeping sick children well-hydrated, especially when they have diarrhea. It didn’t feel like a lecture or a scolding—more like a helpful lesson received from an older sister or an auntie. And this was only the first lesson!

Five Weeks of Transformation

During a five-week stay at the NRH (longer than average, due to the severity of the situation), both Indu and Kanchan underwent a health transformation. The nurses shared with Kanchan that her chronic exhaustion was due to micronutrient deficiencies like anemia. Within a few days of taking multivitamins and eating the balanced meals provided, Kanchan began feeling stronger, more energetic, and more upbeat than she’d felt since before Indu was born.

Meanwhile, baby Indu was putting on weight and becoming much more interactive, exploring the toys available in the playroom, babbling cheerfully, and laughing with other young patients. Kanchan discovered that Indu loved fruits—especially bananas. Learning and practicing new techniques for preparing nutritious meals became more rewarding and empowering with each passing lesson.

A Safer Future for the Whole Family

The nurses also explained the importance of family planning to Kanchan, carefully checking that she felt safe in her home. Child marriage is illegal in Nepal, but it is still a very common practice, especially in more rural regions of the country. NYF is committed to meeting individuals where they are—and Kanchan was determined to return home to her husband.

However, because her body is unlikely to grow any more, any further childbearing would be highly dangerous for her health. NRH nurses discussed these dangers with both Kanchan and her husband, as well as their available family planning options. Kanchan’s husband decided to have a vasectomy. He had the operation before Kanchan and Indu left the NRH!

When Kanchan and Indu returned to their village, Indu was barely recognizable: a joyful, exuberant toddler on the verge of taking her first steps. Six months later, when NRH Field Supervisor Ramesh Pant visited their village for follow-up, both Kanchan and Indu had continued their progress towards a brighter, healthier future.

A Proven Model: NYF’s Nutritional Rehabilitation Homes

Kanchan and Indu’s journey is just one of hundreds made possible every year at NYF’s Kathmandu Valley Nutritional Rehabilitation Home (NRH)—the only facility of its kind still fully operated by NYF. This special clinic doesn’t just save the lives of children facing severe malnutrition. It empowers caregivers—primarily mothers—with the tools and knowledge to sustain wellness at home.

In just three weeks, for $500 per caregiver-child pair, NYF’s holistic, food-based care approach transforms futures:

• 324 families received full in-patient treatment between July 2023 and June 2024.
  
• 1,161 additional adults and professionals received nutritional training.
  
• Over 90% of children treated maintain improved health six months after discharge.
  

Our NRH model is so effective it’s been adopted nationwide by the Nepali government and major aid organizations. But the Kathmandu Valley NRH remains a cornerstone of innovation, training, and action-based research—serving children in the greatest need with warmth, dignity, and care.

NYF Mother’s Day eCards

This Mother’s Day, you can be part of this extraordinary work by honoring a mother or mother figure in your life with a heartfelt donation to NYF’s NRH. Your gift will support life-saving medical care, nutritional therapy, and caregiver empowerment for families like Kanchan and Indu’s.

When you make a donation of any amount, your honoree will receive a beautiful Mother’s Day-themed eCard. And you’ll be giving a gift that brings health, hope, and healing to another mom and child across the world!

Choose a Mother’s Day eCard and give a gift that gives back.