Sternsinger ask for help: children in Nepal are urgently protected!

Sternsinger ask for help: children in Nepal are urgently protected!

In Austria, in the days between Christmas and the Epiphany, numerous children will be on the road as a star singer to collect donations for a clear mission: the protection and training of young people in Nepal. According to the Epiphany Campaign (DKA), the funds that are collected in the star singing, in particular the projects of "Yuwalaya" and "Opportunity Village Nepal" (OVN), will benefit them, which are against poverty, exploitation and human trafficking in one of the poorest countries in the world. Almost half of the Nepalese population lives in poverty, and access to education, medical care and healthy foods is severely restricted, as the DKA reports.

In particular, children and adolescents suffer from these conditions. They are often forced to work in the entertainment industry, where an estimated 4,400 minors work in Pokhara. Many of them come from rural areas, where traditional practices expose them to violence and exploitation. The aid organization OVN offers support for girls and women who were victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Sister Anthonia Soosai from Ovn said that many of these women come to Pokhara with false hopes to find a better future, but instead get into exploitative conditions. "We will inform you about your rights and offer psychological and medical help," said Soosai in an interview.

The fight against human trafficking

The DKA points out that the focus must be on the protection of children and adolescents in order to ensure a better future. Both "Yuwalaya" and "Opportunity Village Nepal" are actively committed to strengthening children's rights. They are working on conveying vocational training and start -up capital to the women and girls concerned in order to sustainably improve their life situation. Niruta Bishowkarma, once a victim of the circumstances, now works as a musician and teaches children in a home. Your life path shows how important it is to offer support and to inform about the challenges with which many Nepalese are confronted, especially the young generation.

The traditional star singing campaign not only stands for the New Year's blessing, but also for concrete help in a crisis region. The DKA emphasizes that a total of 540 million euros have been collected for people in need since 1954. The upcoming action as well as the ongoing projects in Nepal are crucial to strengthen the rights of the weakest members of society and to offer them hope of a better future, as well as katholisch.at reported.