Mr. Hugo Viana does not require any introduction because of his name and crazy fan following in the international football world. The children at the Camp Hope were super excited to meet him in person and get football mentoring from him while he was in Kathmandu, Nepal. Hugo brought complete set of football accessories for the kids of camp which was later sported by kids while playing football with Hugo.

Another great visit to Camp Hope was from Mr. Joao Garcia, the first Portuguese to climb Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world without oxygen. Mr. Garcia discussed with the children about the challenges and beauty of the mountains.

These kinds of supports from international persona is highly acknowledged by the Camp Hope family and very grateful for being there to strengthen the confidence within to regain insurance in life in near future.

Welcoming hug to Mr. Hugo from one of the camp member

Hugo with football fan kids of the Camp Hope

Hugo with kids of the CAMP HOPE with Pedro and Francisca from Obrigado Portugal posing for group photo

Mr. Garcia with Pedro, Durval and Christina from Obrigado Portugal along with kids at the Camp Hope

Smile is a beautiful curve in a person’s face which shows happiness within. Deborah Jost Traesel and Aviva from the dentists without borders came to the camp to check dental hygiene of our camp residents. All the residents along with our little kids were very excited to have their oral health checked and they were happy to learn the tips on dental hygiene. Everyone in the camp were distributed with new tooth brush by Deborah and Aviva. The Dwarika’s Foundation and Obrigado Portugal are very grateful to the ladies for thinking about the CAMP HOPE family.

Lady at the Camp Hope posing with a toothbrush

Dental checkup by Deborah and Aviva from Dentists without Borders

Kids posing with the new brush distributed by Deborah and Aviva

As the new school session starts, Namlo Europa supported Camp Hope by distributing uniforms and shoes. Namlo Europa is a non-profit organization aiming to improve the lives of people in difficult situations through educational programs. Their projects are designed to empower and train communities to become self-efficient.

The Dwarika’s foundation is very grateful to Namlo Europa and its representative Mr. Trish, for supporting our children on their educational needs.

Camp Hope children trying their new school shoes

Uniforms distribution

Pradip and Pranisha showing off their new uniforms sponsored by Namlo Europe

Miss Nepal 2016 contestants, including the winner Asmi Shrestha visited Camp Hope. The kids were very happy to meet these beautiful and talented women. To show their gratitude, they prepared a musical performance to entertain their guests.

Dwarika’s Foundation is very thankful to Miss Nepal 2016 Asmi Shrestha and the other contestants for giving their precious time to our children.

The children were very excited to meet Miss Nepal 2016 

Kids warming up with Miss Nepal 2016 contestants 

The president of the Dwarika’s Foundation Ms. Ambica Shrestha, and Miss Nepal 2016 contestants, enjoying the show that Camp Hope’s children prepared for them

Traditional dances were performed to entertain the guests

Bimal and Tashi making use of their music talents to welcome their guests

Group Picture of Miss Nepal  with Camp Hope Family

The Camp Hope ladies are very hardworking and creative. Looking for different ways to get an income, they have got involved in different activities, such as knitting, carpet weaving, sewing, and envelope making. 

These women have shown great interest in learning new skills. Therefore, Sangita took them all to the handicraft exhibition at Brikutimandap, Kathmandu. They were very excited to visit different stalls with Nepalese handicrafts, including wooden pots, handmade clothing, and carpets. 

Hopefully they will get new skills allowing them to produce more handmade products, and increase their chances to grow their income.

Different hand made products were exhibited

Camp Hope ladies at the exhibition

Camp Hope ladies at the exhibition

Sangita and Camp Hope ladies attending the handicraft exhibition

 As you may remember, Our Dream Village project’s goal is to rebuild 222 houses for the 1181 people from Sidupalchowk. The reconstruction works will take place on the mountain, where earthquakes, landslides and heavy rains have seriously damaged the lands. Thus, there are only a few pockets of land considered by the geologists as low risk areas where people can live. The rest of the land can be used for farming and agriculture. But for this to be possible, people have to work as a united community. 

In this purpose, the DUGUNA GADI VILLAGES DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE was created. The committee is made up of representatives of the 14 villages that the project will benefit, and is in charge to organize the community, the division and sharing of the lands. 

Many villagers owning low risk area lands have handed them to the Committee for the sake of the community. 

Big teamwork has been done to locate the available lands on the map

Neema and Doma working on the databases and translations

On June 17, a new baby joined Camp Hope’s family. Healthy and beautiful, she has been named Dawa Lhamu, but the people at the camp call her Kusum. Her mother, Sangmu Sherpa is fully happy and takes great care of her baby girl. Sangmu says that her biggest dream is that little Kusum attends school and graduates from university. 

Sangmu Sherpa with her little girl

Dawa Lhamu and Sangmu Sherpa 

More than 20 years ago, Artur Brito lost his left leg in a motorcycle accident, but this didn’t stop him – today he became a hero to our Camp Hope residents.  

After 50 days and nearly 12000 km of travel, Mr. Brito finally accomplished his trip from Faro, Portugal to Kathmandu. He rode across 10 countries on a Honda PCX  125cc to raise funds for Our Dream Village project.

Camp Hope residents were tremendously happy to welcome Mr. Artur, and were truly amazed of his audacious and inspirational action. 

The Dwarika’s Foundation and Obrigado Portugal are enormously grateful to Mr. Artur for such an amazing support. 

Honorary consul of Portugal, Mr. Rajendra Khetan gave very warm welcome to Mr. Artur Brito 

Ms. Francisca from Obrigado Portugal welcoming Mr. Artur Brito 

Mendo Sherpa welcoming Artur 

The children from Camp Hope with Mr. Artur Brito holding both the Nepali and Portuguese flags, showing the collaboration of Obrigado Portugal Association and Dwarika’s Foundation to support earthquake victims

Karen Thomas, one of our volunteers from England who visited Camp Hope last year, came up with an authentic idea to raise funds for Our Dream Village project: she did a Wing Walk!

Thank you Karen for supporting this project that will allow Camp Hope members to go back to their villages.

We are glad that everything went well during your wing walk!

Here, a Facebook post of Karen

“…all the money raised for Our Dream Village - is worth it for my few minutes of hell!” 

After over than a year, Camp Hope’s tents are not in the best conditions to withstand the monsoon season. For this reason the International Organization for Migration (IOM) supported our camp by donating material to cover the tents. 

Children and adults of Camp Hope are now able to protect themselves from the strong rainfalls. 

Dwarika’s Foundation, Associação Obrigado Portugal, and the Camp Hope family are deeply grateful to the IOM for their huge support.

Camp Hope’s residents are still living in the same tents, over a year after the earthquake in April 2015 

The camp looks much better with the corrugated sheets, and most importantly the tents are now sheltered from the rain!

With no water inside the tents, people can continue with their everyday activities. Here, women from the camp practicing what they have learned from the knitting workshop

We wish you a very happy birthday, may you have a life full of joy, love and blessings our dear Tashi! 

This Friday movie night, Camp Hope’s members watched Steven Spielberg’s film E.T. The-Extraterrestrial for the first time. 

To start with, the children were scared of E.T., but the night ended up being an event of tears and laughter.

Just like protagonist in film, the children at Camp Hope also want to go home.

Our friends Pedro and Ghazal got married! They celebrated their emotional union in a Buddhist and Hindu ceremony, promoting peace, love, and harmony among people with different backgrounds, casts, religions and culture. 

Pedro sported Sherpa clothing, while Ghazal wore a traditional Hindu dress. The wedding was marked by an abundance of flowers, colors, dances, joy, laughter, food and rain – marking the monsoon period here in Nepal. Next year, they will have a wedding reception in their home countries of Portugal and Iran; but it was very important for them to have a marriage ceremony in Nepal, to allow their Nepali friends to share with them this happy milestone in their lives. 

Congratulations on your new life together Pedro and Ghazal! Dwarika’s Foundation wishes you love and happiness in your marriage. 

Sangita congratulating the happy couple

Pedro in his Sherpa clothing and Ghazal looking beautiful on her Hindu dress

Over 335 guests attended the wedding

Camp Hope female soccer team has made big progress due to the girls and young women efforts and dedication. Despite playing barefoot for a long time, they have never lost their enthusiasm.

As you may recall, in May 2016 the Portuguese soccer player Hugo Viana and his wife visited the camp. Aware of the girls’ motivation and interest in soccer, he decided to support the female team to be well equipped for their coming football match. He sponsored football shoes for all the girls in the team! 

It was a challenge to find these types of shoes for the 14 girls, but after visiting over 10 shops and trying around 4 pairs each, all of them got spanking new shoes! 

Thank you Hugo for supporting Camp Hope girls in their efforts in sports.

Rinza, volunteer Lya, Doma, Suhana and Manisha at the shoes shop

 The female team showing off their new soccer shoes

 Nhisa and Sneha

 Doma trying her new soccer shoes

Actor and moviemaker Eduardo Verástegui sent Camp Hope his latest movie “Little Boy”, an inspirational movie with three central messages: hope, love and faith. He also recorded a video for the Camp Hope family, sending a personalized message which reflected his interest in them. This was a great surprise for Camp Hope’s residents and made this movie night very memorable and special occasion.

In his video message, the producer Mr. Verástegui talked about the importance of loving and forgiving more than we judge or complain, and invited the Camp Hope members to put all their efforts in becoming the best version of themselves, by putting their talents at the service of other people, what he calls “being a hero”. In order to motivate the children to excel academically, he also talked about how education is crucial for having access to better opportunities. 

The children, teenagers and adults truly enjoyed the film and agreed to answer back to Mr. Eduardo trough a video message and thank him for his interest and support.

Mr. Eduardo Verástegui sent a personalized video message for Camp Hope 

Ben Eagle, the super hero of Little Boy 

Sosan posing like Ben Eagle, de Super Hero of Little Boy movie 

Ben Eagle pose – Bibas and Raju

Children, teenagers and adults enjoyed the film

Let’s be Heroes Foundation is an organization whose mission is to convert love into action by promoting values, solidarity and volunteer work around the world; training people willing to get involved in humanitarian actions and connecting people, organizations and social projects. Their objective is to inspire more and more people to “become heroes”, in other words, people that put their talents at the service of others to create equitable societies with solid values. 

The founder, Eduardo Verástegui, is the producer of the film Little Boy, a movie recently played at Camp Hope and which message deeply touched its residents. Inspired by Little Boy and by the video message that Mr. Verástegui sent to them, the children and youth decided to join the Let’s be Heroes movement. They formed groups to undertake positive actions looking to improve their environment.  

One of the groups asked for support to visit an orphanage so they could play and bring happiness to other vulnerable children. Our volunteers Lya, Pedro and Matt, took the 4 girls and 2 boys to an orphanage in Thaiba that is supported by “Operation Nepali Child”, a UK registered charity which supports two orphanages in the Kathmandu valley. Matt, one of our volunteers at Camp Hope is a trustee with this organization, and through him we hope to establish a regular connection with the children from Camp Hope and the orphanages.

Om and Lya helping Camp Hope children to organize the teams of heroes

Orphanage visit - Suhana made a nice bracelet for her new friend

Matt, Lya, Pedro and Edward with the children of Operation Nepali Child and Camp Hope 

Games help people to take the lead and also learn. They persuade players to triumph and also consent their failures and setbacks. Children should always partake in playing games as it aids them to set their objective, bestow attention, time, exertion and try to accomplish the end goals.

Likely, a game day was organized in Camp Hope where children and volunteers played. Camp hope children were seen playing with kites, hula-hoop, table tennis, seven stones and some local Nepalese games. These games abetted them in learning the power of being together.

Francisca from Obrigado Portugal was also seen playing with these little kids. We could see each of them joining with each other in order to win and succeed in their aim. We hope that these games build optimisms on them to get the desired goals being together.  

 Kids working together and enjoying their games 

Camp Hope kids with their own idea of building!

Camp Hope kids with their version of Eifel Tower !

Pema and his friends playing Seven Stones.

I can skip high! Kid enjoys her skipping.

Look, I can jump high! Kids playing in Camp Hope 

 Francisca participating and enjoying with kids in game day.

Bivash trying to skate!

                                                           LittleKid tries to move his fan!

                   I can Hula-hoop better than others! 

Francisca relishing her swing

 Pasang swinging high!   

Art is an expression of ideas, feelings or love in the form of drawings, paintings, or any other means. The aim of an art can be to communicate divine and philosophical ideas, to craft a nous of beauty or to just show an emotion.

A similar day was spent in camp hope where many little camp members and adult members exhibited their sentiment and feelings in the form of paintings. It was very delight to watch these kids stroking their notions in paper. They displayed their adoration and regard for Obrigado Portugal and Dwarikas foundation in various art forms. Some of them also drew their dream village where they would want to spend their life.

We expect that these children’s flair doesn’t get squandered and hope they always have the right means to express their spirits and thoughts.

An art by camp hope member Anu

Dabutti’s Art explaining love for the country Nepal

Doma with portray of her own picture

Hanging Paintings!

Kids busy in selecting their favorite colors

Love for Nepal and Portugal 

Little artist with her creation!

Binita and her love for Nepal, Germany and Portugal 

Painting in hand with beautiful colors

Our old camp member with her hidden talent

Doma showing her painting of nature

Love for Camp Hope! Kids drawing their dream house

Suhana with her abstract painting

She’s really got a skill and a lovely smile!

 Pema, Pasang and friends with their colored hands.

Dashain is a festival which symbols celebration of victory over vice, truth over untruth and justice over injustice. The goddess Durga known as the goddess of victory is worshipped with great devotion, during the first nine days. Dashain is also the period of family get-togethers and feasts where people forget their variances.

Camp hope family also celebrated this divine festival in the presence of Mrs. Sangita Shrestha and Ms. Francisca. Sangita, put tika on child’s forehead and also to camp hope family and blessed them for their stunning upcoming future

The red color tika on everybody’s forehead looked very attractive as it’s the color of determination, color of strong will and color of the spirit. We all hope this festival conveys a drive in them to grasp their future sturdily and make each other’s life lovely.

Mrs.Sangita Shrestha putting tika on small camper Chiring.

Camp hope little kid Pradip ,Dashain tika on his forehead with innocent smile

Friends forever! 

Mr.Basnet,Dwarikas employee getting tika from Sangita at camp hope

Francisca and her friend with red tika on forehead and a very beautiful smile

Senior members of camp hope family 

Beautiful juniors Nima and Chhenga with their red tika.

Its selfie time !Liitle camper boys Pema and Pemba having fun of Dashain celebration.

Our camp hope kids enjoyed one full day at the fun park sited at Bhrikuti Mandap in Kathmandu. The kids were very much thrilled to stopover the place as they had not visited and relished the different playing stuffs installed at the fun park.

Along with the kids Mrs. Sangita Shrestha Einhaus and Ms. Francisca also adored the moment. Kids were seen relishing children ride (train), Carousel, children Columbus and bumping cars. The fun was startling as we could see a stunning smile on each of their innocent faces. After the ride kids were served with the packed foods made at camp hope. Also, they enjoyed the delicious ice cream.

Camp hope children at the fun park

Kids thrilled with the Children Columbus ride

Little Camper, Ram Sherpa with his twin brother Laxman and their friends 

It's more fun than in real horse! Pemba and his friends

Its food time! Camp hope family enjoying their lunch with Sangita

Francisca with the Ice cream lover little camper