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The SOS Bahini Hub
 "There are two lasting bequests we can hope to give to our children, one is roots, the other wings"
The SOS Bahini HUB is the heart of our organization.
With it we are able to offer refuge and to address the core-needs of many underprivileged girls and women in Nepal such as healthy nutrition, health-care, hygiene, education and counseling.
 With our diverse awareness programmes on HIV/AIDS, legal advice, child rights, health camps and health-education-programs we are reaching out to a large number of girls and women. Moreover we are providing training in livelihood skills and income generating activities.
Creative activities such as sport, games, dancing and martial art are taking place at our HUB on a regular base. Furthermore we are teaching art-classes in ongoing workshops. Art-painting and techniques to manufacture handicraft with locally and seasonally available materials. All these activities are addressing the developmental needs of deprived girls and women in Nepal and it will help to develop their personality, confidence, talents and mental and physical abilities.
 All this is taking place in a beautiful and peaceful village style setting, including organic farming, cows and chicken, mushroom- and ginger-farming. Hot water is provided by solar energy. We are cooking with solar-cookers and biogas and a water purification system is providing us with safe drinking water.
The SOS Bahini Team around the Manager Mrs. Radha Poudel is greatly motivated and devoted and they are creating an atmosphere of love and care. Our administration too is located on the premises and all our different projects and programs are organized and directed from here.
 The sum of all this is a unique environment, a safe space for girls and women that are seeking refuge and help.
All the girls that are admitted into our hostel are orphans, homeless and/or victims of violence, abuse and exploitation. Most of these girls don't have any sense of self worth and many of them think they deserve to be punished. It is amazing to see the rapid transformational effect of our girls only a short time after their arrival. No matter how powerful the memories of their traumatic past might be, the power of the presence is stronger and this has a tremendous healing power.
 We believe that care in a family environment is more effective than an institutional approach. This is why the IFAP project has been developed. The families, each with a mother and seven children live in their own house outside the HUB. They live independently and are totally integrated into social life.
Most of the girls that find refuge at the "HUB" will gradually be integrated into our IFAP program (Integrated Family Aid Program), others will receive vocational training and will be provided with a micro-credit in due time.
Currently, December 2009, six such families have been established and IFAP 7 will be established in 2010.
 At this stage a total of 58 girls and women are living fully under the umbrella of our organization and 19 girls and boys are benefitting from our EDU-CARE program.
A great number of people are benefiting from our facilities and the various programs that we are offering in our "Vocational-Training-Centre and in the "Lighthouse' located in Pokhara's main slum.
The support and participation of the larger community is constantly growing. Doctors, nurses and dentists are providing free checkups and they are charging a minimum for treatments. This enables us to provide health-care for many and this with a limited budget.
 Schools and teachers as well are quite supportive and the co-operation with them is good and fruitful.
A solid network including around 10 NGOs' has been established. We work together to reach the same target groups and to provide appropriate referral services according to our programmes.
From the modest beginning in the year 2000 SOS Bahini has evolved to be an outstanding organization with innovative and complementary projects. These have been developed to address the specific needs of underprivileged girls and women and are unique in Nepal.
"PREVENTION" of abuse, violence and exploitation of girls and women is our main objective and we can honestly declare that we are on target! It took us hard work and a lot of patience to reach this stage of an ongoing process. It has been a journey with a lot of ups and downs but we never lost confidence because we believe in what we are doing. We are able to prevent a lot of suffering and to make a lasting change for many precious beings and we are committed to make a lasting change in the lives of many more girls and women!
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