Asha Nepal (AN)

Volunteer Opportunities: Yes

History

Peter Bashford founded Asha Nepal (AN) in 1998. For several years AN supported existing NGOs in Nepal and rescue organizations in India. Until threatened with legal action by the Indian police, Peter worked on brothel raids with the late Balkrishna Acharya, founder of Rescue Foundation. In 2004, with the NGO Shakti Samuha, Peter set up a reintegration center in Kathmandu for rescued trafficking victims. Asha Nepal began to initiate and manage its own projects and established the Job Coordination Scheme in 2006 and the Children’s Reintegration Center in 2008. In 2012, AN carried out a research study, Looking Towards Tomorrow, to assess the long-term effects of trafficking on rescued and returned women and girls. AN opened the first of its Foster Homes in 2011. Asha increased its outreach team in 2013 to support at-risk children to stay within their own family, through the innovative Family Preservation Program. AN has around 100 children in its care, mostly girls aged six to 18 years old, plus some boys aged six to 11. They also support mothers through an outreach program.