Under sensitization and research we variouos programs such as:
- Senisitization meetings and workshops
- Mass Awareness
- Documentation and Dissemination
- Capacity Building and System Strengthening
Some awareness programs related to these programs are:
Since Jan 2017, The Himalayan Innovative Society is conducting breaking the orphanage myth session in different social work colleges and social clubs. Most children living in an orphanage, their only dream is to go back home and live with their parents. That’s because the majority of children in orphanages – 80 to 90 percent – have at least one living parent. Even in clean, well-managed, “good” orphanages, children can never get the direct care that a parent, family or caring guardian can provide. Many well-meaning donors support orphanages, thinking they are helping children in need, but they are actually perpetuating the problem. Family care is not only better for children but also considerably more cost effective. We can help ten times the number of kids in family care that we can in an orphanage. Most of the people never think from this perspective. Most have good intention and they are supporting orphanage home without knowing the reality. Now it’s time to break the Orphanage myth. So with the aim to break the myth we visit different schools, colleges, social clubs and organizations. People have good intention but they don’t have right information. The more we talk in this issue, the more we can break this myth and more people get aware.
Till date we have reach in 28 Social work colleges and 8 Social clubs for the session. More than 2000 youth are aware in this issue.
Figure 18 : BTOM Session
Figure 19 : BTOM Session
Figure 20 : BTOM Session
Friday Friends is a monthly event of The Himalayan Innovative Society and Forget Me Not. It was started from 2019 January and since then we have already conducted 10 sessions. Friday Friends objective is invite our friends and strangers in office and have healthy discussion in the child related issue.
Figure 21 : Friday Friends
Figure 22 : Friday Friends
Ethical Tourism Collective (ETC.) is a project designed to deliver tourism products that promote ethical tourism and raise awareness about the harms of orphanage tourism and voluntourism.
The orphan trade is fueled by ‘voluntourists’ (including schools, churches, sporting groups and other organizations) who unwittingly cause significant harm to children through a mix of money, good intentions, lack of cultural knowledge and a desire to do good for others.
The problem of orphanage tourism intersecting with the trafficking of children into orphanage is well documented in Nepal and included as trafficking in the US Trafficking In Persons Report 2018.
The Himalayan Innovative Society and Forget Me Not is proud to take leadership on this issue through Ethical Tourism Collective (ETC.) Project with The Intrepid Foundation.
ETC. Project Team advocates sustainable experience rich travel options in the form of 5 tourism products from April 2019 to March 2020.
- Information and Referral Service
Ethical Tourism Collective launched its Information and Referral Service from August 2019. This page is dedicated to disseminate child related information because our motive is to turn communities inside Nepal child safe. Titled Ethical Tourism Collective, this Facebook Page serves as a resource hub and point of contact for tour groups and individuals who might otherwise visit or volunteer in an orphanage.
- Speaker Series
Speaker Series is designed to provide opportunity for tourists to enjoy an hour with local speakers to discuss issues surrounding child safe and ethical tourism. Representatives from various organizations, businesses and media houses come together to share their stories and ideas on how we can practice ethical tourism and contribute to making our communities child safe.
All the updates on the upcoming Speakers Series are published on Ethical Tourism Collective Facebook Page.
- FMN Site Visit
FMN Site Visit is a 2 hour in-house visit to Forget Me Not office to provide tourist with an opportunity to see how we are working together with Intrepid Foundation for child safe tourism, strong families and sustainable futures. Staffs from Forget Me Not, its implementing partner The Himalayan Innovative Society and young people with lived experience of orphanage institutionalization collectively deliver this visit.
- Walking Tour
In the 2 hour Walking Tour, young people with lived orphanage experience participate as Assistant Tour Guide during local tour visits and share their stories to raise awareness about the harms of orphanage voluntourism, the everyday life of children in orphanages and FMNs ongoing rescue, reunification, and reintegration work focused on health, education and livelihood.
- Campaigning Workshop
Campaigning Workshop is a leadership and personal development program designed for young people to capture the broader tourist market and raise awareness on the harms of orphanage tourism and voluntourism.
In the full day workshop, participants spend some time learning about child safe and ethical tourism, the issue of orphanage trafficking and campaigning skills development. Teams then spend 2 hours reaching out international travelers on the streets of Thamel. Then, teams present their field experience through presentation and disperse after group reflection.
The activity is open to both local and tourists especially groups from colleges and social/youth clubs. Details and pictures of the workshops are published on Ethical Tourism Collective Facebook Page.
Figure 23 : Speaker Series