Ama Ghar Displaced Children Fund

Thanks to your generosity and the tremendous work of our staff, counselors and older children, the 15 new children that have come to Ama Ghar since last year's earthquake are adjusting well, each at his or her own pace. The children have received counseling, meditation and yoga training, a supportive school environment, great medical care and of course, a lot of love from their new Ama Ghar family... and that goes a long way.

One child who adjusted particularly well was our sweet 10-year-old Anjana, who came to us from the remote village of Pyutan. She was quiet but had a kind of glow about her and she seemed to bond with everyone, not only those in her age group, but even the teenagers. Anjana was very focused in school and her teachers commented on the fact that she seemed very hungry to learn.

On July 1, as Anjana and her classmates studied in their classroom at Pashpanjuli School, the monsoon rains loosened the earth on the mountain above the school and their classroom was destroyed by an enormous mudslide that carried boulders, pieces of retaining wall and tons of earth and mud crashing into their space, killing Anjana and another girl from the village instantly and injuring 24 children, including five of Anjana's Ama Ghar brothers and sisters.

The effect of this tragedy was instantaneous and devastating. All of the Ama Ghar children have had a great deal of trauma in their lives, and losing a beloved sister was an enormous blow to them. The older children who are working and studying in Kathmandu came home to comfort the younger ones and help the staff keep 24-hour watch over the injured children in the hospital. The love and prayers of our friends around the world poured in and the children in the hospital, all of whom were in Intensive Care, made miraculous recoveries. Although their injuries are still severe, all of them are now home at Ama Ghar receiving different levels of follow-up care, rehabilitation and counseling. Our pediatrician, Dr. Neelam, commented that she had never dreamed the children would bounce back so quickly.

Everyone has pulled together through this tragedy, and our family is closer than ever before. And although Anjana was with us for a very brief time, she made an indelible impression and we will always hold her in our hearts.

Links:

• Foundation website