Dear Sponsors,

We are back from our yearly trip to Kathmandu and we have much to report. What a wonderful trip it was! Every trip, we are amazed at the progress of the children, how well they are doing. This time it was especially important to see the new group home come to reality, something we have been working to create for the last 6 yrs.

HCC Advisory Board Member, Julie Haley, her 16 yr old son Connor, as well as Bruce's 23 yr old niece, Katie Naber, came with us. Katie has a fine arts background and, bringing a suitcase full of art supplies, taught art classes to the children at Reliance School . All three were tremendous assets to our trip and to HCC. They provided so much one-on-one attention to the children, creating wonderful field trips and activities with them. Katie has volunteered to return in May for 2 months to teach English diction to the older children.

Since the education system in Nepal follows the British system (where grade 10 is considered the end of high school), 7 of our children (Nari, Man Mayi,Lakshmi Nepal, Bhim, Dinesh, Khil, and Manoj) needed to leave Reliance Boarding School for a new school and a new living situation. In March, we were so happy when Dinesh Sapkota, of Creating Possibilities, our sister NGO in Kathmandu , found us a beautiful house to rent. After seeing pictures of the house, approving the area for safety, and negotiating the rent, we leased the home. Dinesh and his wife graciously offered to be the house parents, which fulfilled our requirements to find people who were loving, honest, worked well with HCC, and could share their life with 7-plus children. A major focal point of this trip was to see the house and insure that it was set up properly for all the children's needs. When we arrived, we found the kids working together in the kitchen, singing as they were preparing a meal for all of us. The huge smiles on each of their faces let us know how happy they were in their new home.

The house is perfect for them: in a very safe area, close to where most of the kids will be going to school. It is sunny, with enough space for the girls to have one floor and the boys on another, with living quarters for the house parents on the floor between. We were impressed that the house was completely set up, furnished simply but nicely. Each child has their own bed and desk area. Dinesh and his wife Hira have done a remarkable job for us in so little time. It is a happy atmosphere and we have named it Kushi Ghar (Happy Home).

The children at Reliance School are also doing well. It was great to see how much they have matured in a year's time. The younger girls are now the older didi's (sisters), and Jasmati, Saraswoti, Bishnu, and Bharsa do a great job of mentoring the little ones. The 9th grade boys, Ram Tamang, Man Bhadur, Jeewan, and Shankar, are doing well in their studies and are especially great at b-boy dancing, which is like our break and hip-hop. To our delight, they spent many hours performing for us.

Two of the older boys, Khil and Nikesh, our first students to enter college prep classes, are working hard and doing very well. They are working towards their college entrance exams in science, as they are both hoping to be accepted to medical college.

We took on another 9 children, 7 who will attend Reliance and 2 older boys, in grade 11 and the top of their class. They needed sponsorship as they were too old to remain at the orphanage. Five of these children already have sponsors. The other four will have their pictures posted on our website.

Bruce reviewed all budget items while there, with Reliance School and Kushi Ghar.

We also contributed 100 lbs of books so far to create a library for Reliance School , and we are expecting another 100 lbs to be delivered in May.

All in all it was a rewarding trip. Because of your support, these kids have the opportunity for a life of possibility and success, with good education and surrounded by a loving, nurturing family atmosphere.

Perhaps you might consider joining us next April when we return. Meeting these kids in person and seeing for yourselves the difference you have made for them is an experience you will not forget.

In partnership,

Susan and Bruce

Thanks to your continued support, some of the accomplishments we achieved in 2009 include:

1. 5 new children were sponsored in Nepal
2. We created a Life Skills Program to prepare the children to be self-sufficient when they graduate school
3. We established a group home that currently houses 2 of our graduate boys and will include 6 more grads this spring
4. In November, we had a successful fund raising gala in Atlanta
5. A trekking company was started to bring potential new sponsors to Nepal, creating a first-hand experience of our children and their life, and donating some of its proceeds to HCC.

Some new things coming up for 2010:

1. We will be sponsoring at least 3 additional children
2. The website will be updated to reflect the additional children we have sponsored
3. A larger group home will be established in Kathmandu to support 8 children

Thank you for supporting our efforts on behalf of the children during the past year.

Best regards,

Susan, Bruce and the HCC Board of Advisors