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Where do you get the kids from?
Because we have been operating for so long now we have many sources. Sometimes it is school teachers who refer young people to us and sometimes it can be our older kids who know of other needy children. Sometimes those working busily in the community will refer young people to us. Parents will contact us directly at times as well. But we never take children unless they really want to come.
What are the basic qualifications of a child that you accept into the homes?
They must be poor and they should be academically pretty sound. If the child has problems at home (through no fault of their own) then we will have a stronger tendency to choose them. We should sense too that they are quality kids who will make the most of the opportunity that we are giving them. Of course we must always have the endorsement of the caregiver. Additionally, in Kathmandu our boys also must sit an academic exam.
What do you do with children who misbehave?
Firstly we assess if there are particular reasons why they may be playing up. We are very skilled at handing out extra work duties too!! If misbehaviour persists then we will call their guardians, talk to the school and their peers. At the end of each school term the guardians are given written notification about the child over the past term. If there is sufficient need, then we will and do send children back home.
Do you think that it is right to split kids up from their families?
Sometimes we think that it is the lesser of two evils to do so. Many of our young people could not advance if they lived at their own homes because some come from such unsafe environments. Unlike the west it is a normal part of life (especially in Buddhist cultures) for a son to leave home to get both an education and care at the Buddhist temple anyway. Hence coming to live with us in this regard is not out of the normal. We do however seek to identify young people who may be struggling living with us and will discuss this with their family.
Do you have children who do not behave well and must be sent home?
Yes. This is particularly difficult for all of us. An extreme example of this was when some of the girls played up and despite calling their parents in they continued to misbehave. So we had to send them home. We heard later that almost as soon as one of them arrived home she was “married off” as a minor wife to a businessman. Other girls have seemingly entered the sex trade as well. Sending our young people home is a last resort, especially when it comes to the girls.
Does Empower Asia operate its own schools?
No. In all our countries the young people go to government schools. The exception is Nepal where the standard of government education is so low that it necessitates sending them to private schools instead.
Do the children get to see their parents and if so, how often?
The kids go home during the hot season break from around mid-March to mid-May. Also in October they go home for 2 or 3 weeks. Parents regularly telephone their children and sometimes visit. It is not our intention to separate children from the parents however, it is sometimes best for some of our young people to leave their homes because of the unsafe environment there.
Where does your money come from to run these homes?
Our monthly budget is getting close to NZ$20,000 per month. Primarily our funds come from generous ordinary average families. Increasingly businesses and professional people are supporting us too.
Do you have homes where both boys and girls live together in the same house?
No! Aren’t there enough complications in life without adding to the list?
