Happy Kids Center began with a simple but difficult reality. In the years following the 2015 earthquake, it was impossible to ignore the number of children spending their days on the streets of Bhaktapur. Many were begging, collecting recyclables, or working long hours instead of going to school.

The children we met were bright, playful, and full of potential, yet carrying responsibilities no child should have to bear. What started as a small effort to create a safe place for a few children quickly became something more. We began by offering a consistent space where children could come during the day, share meals, play, learn, and experience a sense of stability.

But it soon became clear that a safe space alone would not be enough to break the cycle of poverty that had limited families for generations.

One family brought this into focus. We met eight sisters who, one by one, had been pulled out of school. After one sister was married at a young age, the others were expected to follow the same path. Education was no longer seen as necessary for them.

That experience revealed something deeper. The barriers children faced were not only financial. They were also social and cultural, rooted in expectations that limited what children, especially girls, were able to become. Simply enrolling a child in school would never be enough.

We began supporting school enrollment while addressing the barriers that made it difficult for children to stay there. Uniforms, school fees, food insecurity, and the loss of a child’s contribution to household income all played a role.

As more children joined, other needs became impossible to ignore. Many arrived hungry. Some were severely underweight. Without consistent meals and healthcare, even children attending school struggled to learn. This led to daily school lunches, after-school snacks, health support, and individualized nutrition assistance.

At the same time, we began working closely with girls and their families to prevent early marriage, helping girls remain in school and have greater choice over their futures.

Each part of our work grew from what we witnessed. Nothing was designed in isolation. Every program exists because it was needed.

Today, the children we once met outside of school are in classrooms and growing up with opportunities that once felt out of reach. Their lives, their families, and their futures continue to shape everything we do.