Because You Said Yes - July Story

Changing More than Study Habits

Arun is in second grade, and one of the best parts of his day is walking with his friends to the Godawari Education Center, located in a slum community in Kathmandu, Nepal. His teachers always welcome him with a smile and encouraging words, and their careful tutoring and mentoring has helped him to become a better student at his elementary school.

It wasn’t always easy for Arun to focus on his studies. When he first came to the Godawari Education Center, he was struggling greatly with every subject in school. Frustrated and discouraged, he would often get in trouble for disrupting classes and being disrespectful to others. His teachers at the center knew that his behavior revealed a deeper story—Arun didn’t see himself as having worth and value. They knew that patient, “one-step-at-a-time” care would transform not only Arun’s study habits but his life as well.

Arun’s story is one of many that could be shared about the work of the Godawari Education Center. Most of the children who attend the after-school program are from extreme poverty with parents who work as day laborers. As one of the teachers says, “When we see a troubled child, our heart goes out to them. We offer not only education but counseling as best we can.” The center also provides meals, school supplies, and more to help ensure each child has what they need to thrive. And as COVID meant lockdowns for Nepal, the Godawari Education Center became an outpost of hope for the community, providing meals to the children in its program as well as their entire families.

Your dedication to serve the orphaned and vulnerable through Porter’s Round-Up ensures kids like Arun receive the essentials of care they need to learn and grow. The teachers at Godawari Education Center offer their thanks, and say you provide them with the opportunity to serve God and the community well.