Morning Star Children's Charity
Founded in 1990 by my grandparents, Harold and Barbara Blake, Morning Star Children’s Charity is a UK registered charity with the mission to provide the relief of poverty, provision of education and the advancement of Christian faith particularly amongst the destitute street children of Nepal.
The charity operates an orphanage in the outskirts of Kathmandu, Nepal, and is home to some 52 children. Ranging in age from four to 21, many of the children had been abandoned by their parents, or became orphans when their parents were killed during the decade long insurgent war in Nepal. Without the support of the home in Nepal many of these children would have been left to die, trafficked as slaves or would have turned to a life of crime.
Bishnu and Muna Parajuli, the house parents, provide a loving and caring environment for the children to grow up in, and many of the children have been with the home since it started in the early 1990’s. As well as providing a loving and caring family life all the children are provided with healthy nutritious food, clothing and school uniforms, healthcare and education.
Over the last six years I have had the pleasure to be more actively involved with the running of the charity both here in the UK and in Nepal. Through regular visits to the home in Nepal I have been able to use my experience in marketing and enjoyment of photography to help promote the charity and provide much needed marketing material. This has included:
- Regular updates to the stock photography of the home
- Set-up and management of the charity website
- Brand and presentation material for use in promotional talks and literature
- Production of a short promotional video
- Production of regular newsletters
In October 2009, having completed a contract with BRE Global, I had a unique opportunity to spend two months in Nepal. It was a real pleasure to be able spend the time to see how the home has helped change the lives of so many children. During this time I helped Bishnu organise a number of major home improvements necessary to take the home forward into many more years to come.
While in Nepal I was also able to combine my enjoyment of photography with my passion for the Himalayas in accomplishing a two week trek to one of the world's highest passes, the Thorung La at 5416 meters. The 12 day walk up to the pass not only provided some of the most spectacular views of one of the world’s most remote places, but also time to learn more about the lives and culture of the Nepalese people living high in the Himalayan region.