Today Birgit would like to share her experience of a family visit with you.
“In the photos, you can see us sitting cross-legged on the floor. We were drinking Nepalese tea (delicious!) and eating cookies. It was a quiet, almost everyday moment—and at the same time a very special experience. I was a guest in the home of a family I had never met before and was welcomed with an openness and warmth that deeply touched me.
The boy sitting with us had lived on the streets for some time. As is the case for many children in Nepal, this was not due to a lack of love, but rather to poverty, unstable living conditions, and negative influences that had temporarily overwhelmed the family. Together with our local partner (VOC), the situation was stabilized step by step—working closely with the child and his family. This point is important: everything always happens in cooperation with the child.
That afternoon, the social worker translated the family’s story for me. They explained why their son had left home and how, through targeted support, guidance, and collaboration, a safe path back into the family became possible. Reintegration in this case was not a long process of rebuilding trust, but rather a shared effort to stabilize the family situation so that the child could return home permanently.
I was especially moved by the openness and warmth with which I was received. Despite being a foreign visitor, I was treated with respect and kindness. Tea was poured again and again, conversations continued—and the grandmother sat on the balcony, quietly observing everything with a big smile.
Reintegration does not end when a child returns home. Regular visits, continuous family support, and follow-up care are essential to ensure long-term stability. In cases where a return home is not possible, we also support educational and vocational programs—an important alternative to prevent children from ending up on the streets again.
Visits like these remind me again and again why our mission is so important. Seeing children back with their families, safe and supported, shows that reintegration works—when it is implemented responsibly and collaboratively.
Especially during the Christmas season, when family, warmth, and togetherness are at the center, I feel deeply grateful: to our local partners, to the families who place their trust in us, and to all our Buddies/everyone who supports our work—you all deserve a very big THANK YOU.
This Christmas, you can help bring more children home.
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