'I always think that things in Nepal take a long time to get started but when they begin the momentum builds and a whirlwind of things can happen in just a few days. That really has been the case over the past week.
After littering notice boards around Boudha with requests for clothes donations, we have been overwhelmed by kindness of locals and tourists alike. Our rooms are full of bin bags full of jumpers, trousers, hats, gloves and shirts to fit all shapes and sizes, perfect to wrap the residents up warm as the colder months begin.
Last week we ran a candle making workshop at the Home which was a great success, all residents involved in some way and hundreds of candles produced! On Wednesday we will light the candles all around the home to celebrate Tihar (Festival of Light), greeting Laxmi the God of wealth into every door for the coming year.
Following the success of the candle workshop, we have organised arts and crafts sessions producing decorations for a huge party at the end of November. It has been great to see how everyone has responded to the tasks, with smiles on their faces and steely concentration in their eyes. We hope to run a workshop to make homemade musical instruments over the next few weeks to run alongside music therapy.
A local plumber visited Khagendra at the weekend successfully repairing the hot water solar heating system and bathroom taps using FCN donations. On request, he also installed hoses in the bathrooms which will dramatically improve bathroom hygiene and in the upcoming weeks we should have grab rails and bars around every shower and toilet.
Our next aim is to make the whole centre more child friendly. We hope to install a sensory tent in the garden for children to play and learn, especially for some of the younger residents with communication and sensory issues. We are also planning to put up photo and colour boards and produce colourful postural seating for the youngsters with muscle tone issues.
We are having a brilliant time here and it seems everything is moving along nicely!'
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT!