A List for Papa’s House Children

To fulfill an item on this list, please include a note on the donation page that mentions the gift. We thank you for your generosity!

1. A few children have very crooked and bucked teeth. Currently there are nine girls in braces and a waiting list of seven more. Braces run on average $465 per child plus supportive expenses of about $35/child. $500 would cover braces for a child. Give this gift
   
   
2. Nepal Orphans Home currently has four homes in Dhapasi. Some average costs include:
   • Rent averaged out over our 4 houses is $7000 for one year per house
   • Educational costs of $350 per child per year.
   • Salaries for a staff of three average $3,405 for one year.
   • Food per house per year on average $14,708
   • A daily glass of juice in the morning and milk at night would run (as of January 1st 2011) $2.68 per child per week or $140 per child per year. Daily glass of juice and milk donated by Sanctuary for Kids, May 2011.
   • Serving Chicken twice a week to the non-vegetarians runs $100 per week. We have been doing this for all of 2011; the change in the children’s energy levels and health is easily measurable. Support for these two programs for 2012 would be greatly appreciated.
     
     Give this gift
   
   
3. After-school tutoring at our homes to help the children with homework costs $65 per teacher each month. Six teachers would cost $390 per month or $4,680 for one year. Give this gift
   
   
4. Laptop computers used or new are very beneficial. A program started by Stacey De Jesus while working for Langan Engineering has provided us with 6 used lap tops. And Children of Tomorrow by the initiative of Lauren Yanks has provided us with three new special net books full of educational software. In addition to these would be an inverter and battery set up for each home to allow computer and internet use during the winter’s 16 hours per day without electricity. Each unit costs $400.00. We have 4 homes but in my home we already have a unit. Internet access runs $50 per month. Give this gift
   
   
5. A few rooms have a radio/cassette player. Having a player in each room would be nice. Based upon our current four homes, two dozen more radio/cassette players would be needed, each them runs approximately $27. Fulfilled.
   
   
6. For science instruction, having microscopes and telescopes in each children’s home would be helpful. Estimated costs are $75 for a good microscope and $90 for a good telescope. Donated by Kathy Kirk, May 2011.
   
   
7. Having thick throw rugs, 7’ x 9’, for each room to cover the bare cement floor which gets cold in the long winter would be wonderful. Often the children sit on the floor when doing their homework. We will have a total of forty children’s rooms. Thus far twenty have been purchased. Long-lasting local rugs run on average $50 for this size. Give this gift
   
   
8. Comb and brush sets for each girl cost about $7 each. Give this gift
   
   
9. We had 18 hours per day last winter without electricity; 16 hours per day has been announced for October. The children are not allowed to use candles in their rooms. We buy local flashlights that are rechargeable, but they last for only one month on average. A good rechargeable battery lamp light that provides three hours of light would help the children to do their homework. One battery lamp per room, costing $20 to $23 each, would be great. Fulfilled. Small solar lamps seem to offer the greatest bargain and be the longest lasting style of lighting. One for each room would be immensely appreciated. We currently have three of these that arrived two years ago from Finland that are still going strong. If anyone knows of similar styles and would send us the company information we would write to the company to inquire cost information.
   
   
10. We could use more clothes cabinets for all the children. Currently one cabinet for hanging and stacking clothes is shared by four children. The metal cabinets that we use are 36” wide by 70” high and 20” deep and run $81 each. Give this gift
    
    
11. The typical Nepalese mattress is essentially a thick quilt; they consist of a cotton sack filled with 5kg of loose wool sewn in small squares to retain shape. These run 450rs or $6.00 apiece. We had considered a new coil mattress for all the children but these worked out to 3200rs or $43.00 each, so we have decided to try and buy each a new 450rs 5kg “dustna” or mattress for Christmas. Our pillows have become pretty thin; a new thick one would run 150rs or about $2.00. We have our sheets made in bulk from a local tailor but we would love to buy a matching sheet and pillow case for all the children to personalize their beds. These run approximately $6.50 per set. Fulfilled.
    
    
12. Book bags for the children run between $3.50 for one that lasts maybe six months to $8 for one that lasts a whole school year. Fulfilled by Samsonite Corporation with a promised delivery date of December 2011.
    
    
13. In consideration of the lack of power during the winter months this might be a foolish wish, but an oven large enough for baking would be a real treat. Countertop models we have priced run on average $150.00. One oven donated by Kathy Kirk, February 2011. Two ovens donated by Linda Mackie, April 2011.
    
    
14. With fall comes the children’s interest in knitting. Yarn runs about 50 cents per skein. We have about 70 knitters who go through two skeins per week making beautiful shawls and mufflers. Give this gift
    

This list will be updated every time we receive a donation for a specific item. Thank you very much for your interest.

Compiled by Michael Hess

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