Words and Photos by Linda Hart

In April 2015, Nepal experienced a devastating 7.9 magnitude earthquake. Within Bhaktapur, a sister city to Kathmandu, the devastation was catastrophic. Many children lost their homes and had no way of surviving short of begging for food and water in the streets.

These same children were suddenly stripped of their childhoods as they began working to contribute to the family's income. Children would comb rubbish heaps for cardboard, plastic or old shoes that could be sold to recyclers to earn enough for necessities. Volunteers in Bhaktapur at this time realized that the children needed space and time to relax and play as kids do. They created the Happy Kids Centre (HKC) to allow the kids a return to childhood.

The Happy Kids Centre, lead by a team of dedicated individuals, offers unique opportunities to the local children in Bhaktapur. Since its inception, HKC has grown its infrastructure, transforming the centre from a basic bamboo structure to a permanent building.

Happy Kids Centre is open after school five days a week. Its walls echo with the shouts of children as they indulge in engaging activities and games. They kick soccer balls, jump rope, and play with toys they would never see at home.

However, HKC acknowledges that to support the children and their families in the long-term, they need to be more than a playing space. They believe in long-term impact and in teaching to ensure that children can implement new skills in their lives and grow stronger.

HKC also developed a healthcare system to support children and families who lacked primary access. HKC partners with the Siddhi Memorial Women's and Children's hospital. The hospital provides a wide range of free services, from basic check-ups to surgical intervention.

During one of the health check-ups, doctors found some of the Happy Kids as being malnourished, and so HKC implemented a new Meal Programme.

On Saturday – when there is no school - a dedicated partner provides HKC with a discount on food staples and a local family prepares a meal for up to forty children. Both the children and their parents' lineup and receive the food with kindness.

To supplement the weekly meal programme, children who attend HKC after school are fed a nutritious snack - such as a hardboiled egg and a cup of warm milk.

When the children of Bhaktapur took on employment to support their families, their education took a back seat. Families could not survive without the money they received for the recyclables the children provided and made the difficult decision not to enroll their children in a formal educational institution.

To help fill this gap, The Happy Kids Center set up an education programme. Children are supported with the same amount they would have earnt on the street to go to school.

Alongside providing healthcare, nutritious food, and education to children, HKC has also identified child marriage as a barrier to empowerment and long-term community development. They started the Kanya String of Hope Programme (Kanya means "unmarried girl"). Girls involved in the programme make bracelets that are sold, and the money goes to supplement an endowment to enable the young girls not only to delay marriage but to continue their education and grow into confident, capable women.

Happy Kids Centre started as a single concept, aiming to solve the immediate needs after a devastating earthquake. Yet, with dedication and commitment, it managed to grow and become a centre of hope both for children and their families in Bhaktapur.

Click to learn more about Happy Kids Center and support their projects.

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