Transforming the Lives of Nepalese Disabled Orphans Through Education
This initiative, led by Dreamers, directs 100% of the funds raised to support the JuJu MaMa Children's Education and Care Association.
Education: A Luxury for Underprivileged Children in Nepal
Nestled in the Himalayas, Nepal is one of the least developed countries in the world, with a per capita annual income of just USD 835 (2017 statistics). Many families cannot afford basic necessities, let alone education. In response, numerous orphanages and monastic schools provide children with free food, shelter, and education. Desperate for a better future for their children, impoverished parents often go to great lengths to send them to these institutions.
Overcoming Disabilities: Is It Possible to Transform Lives?
When representatives of the JuJu MaMa Children's Education and Care Association first visited a classroom in Nepal, they noticed scooters in the corner and assumed the children loved sports. It was only upon meeting the children that they realized the scooters were substitutes for their legs.
Despite their challenges, these children are full of potential
Those without legs can use their hands to learn instruments like the sarangi (Nepalese four-string violin).
Those without fingers can use their fists to play drums.
Those who are blind can rely on their hearing to master music.
By teaching these children to play traditional instruments, the association equips them with a portable skill that could enable them to earn a living as performers, freeing them from dependence on charity.
Empowering Children Through Skills
The JuJu MaMa Children's Education and Care Association, founded on Mother’s Day in 2019, has long served orphaned children in Nepal. Before the association’s establishment, JuJu MaMa herself funded these efforts solely from her modest income. Guided by the principle “teach them to fish rather than giving them fish,” the association focuses on imparting practical skills to boost the children’s competitiveness and self-reliance.
Maya’s Story:
A New Chapter Through Education
Maya, a blind girl born with epilepsy and deformed fingers, endured a life filled with hardship. Her alcoholic father abused her mother and eventually abandoned the family. At the age of 11, Maya’s mother passed away, leaving her in the care of her elderly, unemployed grandfather. They survived by begging on the streets of Thamel, where Maya often faced bullying. Eventually, a kind soul brought her to an orphanage for visually impaired children, where she was taken in by the blind orphanage director.
Hoping to transform children's lives through education.
When the association met Maya, she was shy and afraid to speak. During sarangi lessons at the orphanage, she would quietly hum along from the doorway. Encouraged to participate, Maya hesitated but later expressed a desire to learn the sarangi. Despite her physical challenges and slow progress, Maya diligently practiced both the sarangi and singing, demonstrating determination and resilience.
Media Recognition
The JuJu MaMa Children's Education and Care Association helped establish Nepal’s first blind orphan orchestra, the “Delight Band” (Nepalese local news, December 8, 2023).
Summary of Report:
The children, having gained new skills, were able to perform as part of an orchestra. Funds raised from concerts were shared with the students, alongside gifts and other incentives. JuJu MaMa and the DeLight NGO embody the principle of “teaching them to fish,” using education to help orphaned children gain expertise in playing musical instruments. This initiative aims to empower these children to lead independent lives and eventually give back to society.