The Project:
Mitrata-Nepal Foundation for Children
- Photography
- Non-Profit
Founded by Dr. Christine Schutz, the Mitrata-Nepal Foundation for Children supports over 100 children in Nepal by providing education, housing, and medical care. Their goal is to help children become healthy and economically independent Nepali citizens by giving them a solid foundation in the world and enabling them to pursue their life goals.
In fall 2018, Tracy Laramie, Senior Interactive Designer at the Loft, visited Nepal with several members and sponsors of the Mitrata-Nepal Foundation. Each year sponsors and organizers plan a trip to Nepal to see the children and provide oversight for their programs. Laramie was invited to visit with them as a photographer. Mitrata-Nepal hoped to gather professional photographs for use on their website and other promotional purposes.
For Laramie, the trip included experiences in Kathmandu and Chitwan. Many of Mitrata-Nepal's resources are focused in the city of Kathmandu. While there, Laramie and the sponsors learned about Nepali culture and visited many of Mitrata-Nepal’s facilities. They visited the Contact Center, an early child development, rehabilitative day program, as well as the homes of two children in the program. They also visited a women’s hostel and schools attended by children of the Mitrata-Nepal Foundation.
On the second half of the trip, Laramie headed to Chitwan and spent time visiting a medical college in the area. There, sponsors had the opportunity to meet Sudan Adhikari, Mitrata-Nepal's first medical student. Through Mitrata’s programs, Adhikari had the opportunity to attend medical school just as many other children of the program have followed their dreams.
The trip culminated in a graduation ceremony back in Kathmandu. Children of the Mitrata-Nepal Foundation for Children who had forged self-sustainability with jobs and homes graduated from their programs, met with sponsors, and enjoyed a day of celebration.
Laramie documented each event with photos that Mitrata-Nepal will be able to use to encourage donations, document the trip, and advertise for future trips to Nepal. Laramie was thankful for the experience and opportunity to gain insight into Nepali life. Since returning from the trip, she serves as a board member and chair of the Digital Media committee. She hopes her photos capture the spirit of the Mitrata-Nepal Foundation for Children and encourage others to participate in the organization.
