About Us – SATHI NEPAL – Special Attention To Himalayan Initiatives

Our History

In 1998, Trish Ginnelly (Ireland) and Kristen Leadem (US) had a life changing experience when they met in Nepal and discovered they shared a compassionate calling to help a group of vulnerable young children living on the streets in Pokhara. With a burning desire to help protect these kids, fueled by financial support from friends and family, the first step was to get these boys off the streets. From a safe shelter they began the road to recovery, family reunification and/or integration into formal education. Trish and Kristen quickly discovered that this passion for social justice in Nepal would require long-term commitment, cross-cultural understanding, collaborating with local organizations, sustainable resources and a healthy dose of tenacity. They set out to put their Compassion in Action! SATHI Nepal was founded and registered as a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization in the USA in 2000.

Our Mission

The mission is to work together with children and families to break the cycle of poverty and oppression through education and social support programs targeting vulnerable and at-risk groups. To fulfill this mission, Trish and Kristen partnered with Nepalese social justice advocates and educators who shared their vision to co-created a local partner organization, of the same name, governed by a Nepalese Board of Directors and registered with the Social Welfare Council in Nepal. This collaborative partnership is known as SATHI Nepal and employs ten to thirteen Nepalese staff, including graduates of SATHI’s Sponsorship Program. Poverty, the social exclusion of girls and women, ‘lower-caste’ discrimination and rural isolation are key barriers to equitable access to education in Nepal. SATHI’s goal is to remove such barriers through equitable education and social justice programs designed for such marginalized groups. SATHI works toward equitable access to education and strengthening communities, one pupil at a time. Programs also address Social Justice issues including Public Health and access to basic services; Family wellness and preservation; Livelihoods; Rights violations, exploitation and other forms of abuse. Thanks to the long-term Partnership Agreement with CAIRN Trust (UK) and support from individual donations, sponsorship, and small grants, SATHI’s programs reached over 3,300 urban and rural Nepalese children in 2017.

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