Although I always notice that there is much more that connects us, there are also clear differences between Nepal and the low countries. Sometimes you come across one of those videos on the internet that illustrate this much better than a thousand words can ever explain. See for yourself… it gives me the chills…..

Yippee, this summer we are going to Nepal again. To see how things are going and what we can do to help the children get a better future. So looking forward to it. ❤️ I can’t wait.

As a Dutch citizen, you must have a visa to enter Nepal. You can arrange this upon arrival at Kathmandu airport, but I would always advise you to go to the Nepalese consulate in Amsterdam. This is faster and simpler: at Kathmandu airport, you have to wait in line with the rest of the travelers from your and probably other flights. And it’s not fast. At the consulate, things go a lot smoother.

In itself, getting the visa for Nepal in the Netherlands is a formality: just go to Amsterdam. Do bring cash, because debit cards are not accepted at the Nepalese consulate, wait a minute, and submit the form with a passport photo. Then you will receive a sticker and a few stamps in your passport, you pay, and voilà. You are ready for your journey.

On the other hand, waiting is the real beginning of the whole Nepal experience. And waiting is a profession in its own right that has almost developed into a higher art in Nepal, among other places. As a traveler too and in Nepal, you better learn to wait well, otherwise you will experience an uncomfortable journey. Because in Nepal you can wait for anything, at any time, and for any length of time.

The waiting already starts at the consulate itself. Because you can only go there on working days between 10.30 and 13.00. Nice and easy 😉 for people from further away who have to work. You have to take a day off or combine it with a day in the capital.

Once you are inside the consulate, the waiting is actually quite fun, because there are more people going to Nepal. They all have their own stories. Then you hear things: great stories, tips, and suggestions.

Waiting is an art you can learn. As a right-minded impatient person, I should know. The secret of good waiting – like so many things in life – lies in good preparation. As an experienced traveler to and in Nepal, I had to learn that through trial and error.

In those unprepared cases, within five minutes boredom, thirst, annoyance, and other non-conducive feelings hit hard and inexorably. And then the penny dropped. Because, what do they say again? ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do’. That saying works elsewhere in the world as well.

After the first, less pleasant waiting experience, I copied the art from the local population. In Nepal, you never go out without a bottle of water, something to read, something to eat, music, a pen, paper and/or possibly a pack of playing cards. If you unexpectedly have to wait indefinitely, you can go in all directions: eat, drink, read, listen to music, write, and perhaps a game of cards with fellow sufferers. That works every time.

In this way, waiting suddenly becomes a completely different experience. Watching people together, having whole conversations, thinking about the meaning of life, and/or cleaning the photo camera. Almost nervously soothing.

That’s not to say I’m a fan of waiting now, just that I’m more adept at it. Since I mastered the fine art of waiting, I have only had nice waiting experiences. And that is very important for a pleasant stay in a country like Nepal.

So I can wait to go to Nepal again. 😇 Before you know it, it will be summer!

Anyone who has ever visited Nepal can confirm that it is a special destination. Not least because ten of the world’s highest mountains lie within the country’s borders. The description ’the roof of the world’ is therefore fully deserved.  

But there are many more facets that make Nepal special in my eyes. Therefore, a random, non-scientifically substantiated list of things worth knowing about Nepal. Things that are useful and/or fun and help to understand how the country works and why things go the way they go. 

• Nepal was never occupied by any foreign power and therefore has never celebrated Independence Day.
• Nepal is the oldest country in south Asia.
• Greeting each other in Nepal is done like this: place the palms of your hands together at the height of your chest, make a slight bow with your head and say ‘Namaste’. That means “I salute the godliness in you ‘…
• Although Nepal and India share many latitudes, there is still fifteen minutes time difference between them. In India, it is three/four and a half hours later than in the Netherlands and in Nepal and three/four hours and three quarters. Nepal doesn’t want to be the same as its big neighbour.
• A popular and affordable fast food in Nepal are momo’s. Delicious dumplings of flour and water, with different fillings, whether vegetarian or not and always with dipping sauce. Yam
• Nepal was a Hindu kingdom until 2001, and after the murder of the entire royal family has changed into the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal and holds free elections.
• 90% of the Nepalese people are Hindu.
• Kathmandu was once called Kantipur, that means ‘city of glory’.
• Nepal has the highest concentration of World Heritage sites within its borders. In the Kathmandu Valley alone, there are seven Cultural World Heritage sites in a radius of 15 kilometres.
• Nepal is completely landlocked, doesn’t have one centimetre of sea border.
• The territory of Nepal is 147,181 square kilometres, and thus it is number 92 on the list of largest countries in the world. Considering population size, Nepal stands at number 41.
• At the census of 2010 Nepal had 29.331.000 inhabitants.
• The national animal of Nepal is the cow, which is also sacred for hindu. Killing a cow for consumption is a punishable by law
• Many people in Nepal have a mobile phone, or at least pretend to have one. In many cases, there is no sim card in there.
• The book ‘Little Princes’ written by Conor Grennan is about child training in Nepal and has led to the establishment of NGO Next Generation Nepal, which works towards reuniting victims with their families and supports rural communities. It is a must-read of which part of the proceeds go towards charity and the fight against child trafficking.
• Kathmandu is situated in a kind of bowl between the surrounding hills/mountains. Because of that exhaust fumes and fumes of the wood and kerosene burners (still widely used) can’t get away easily. That is why there is smog and why Kathmandu is not a good place for people with airway problems.
• Nepalese call Mount Everest Sagarmatha or ‘goddess of the sky’.
• With 8848 meter Everest is the highest mountain of Nepal and the world.
• Eight of the world’s highest mountains are in Nepal: Mount Everest, Mount Kanchenjunga, Mount Lhotse, Mount Makalu, Mount Cho Oyu (shared by Nepal and Tibet), Mount DhaulagiriI, Mount Manaslu and Mount Annapurna
• Sherpa’s are an ethnic group from the mountain regions in the east of Nepal. Many of them work as truckers, carriers, guides of mountain climbing expeditions. Because of their unique genetic make-up and background they seem to have no problem with altitude sickness like most other people.
• The big and worshipped Gautam Buddha is born in Lumbini, Nepal.
• The Dashain and Tihar festivals are the most important religious Hindu festivals in Nepal.

Birthday? An anniversary? Something else to celebrate and do you already have everything you could ever want? Then ask for donations for 4 Smiling Faces. That wil make us and especially the children we work for incredibly happy and thankfull.

In 2021, we asked for special attention in our fundraising applications for Sabina, a promising pupil of the after-school program SHCOP. She could and would very much like to continue her studies, but her family was unable to finance it. Fortunately, we succeeded in raising sufficient funds and Sabina could do the extended school program Plus 2 Business Management. This year she will start studying for her bachelors degree. 

After that, her younger sister Sachina took center stage in our fundraising applications. Both symbolize many more girls and boys whom we already help with a scholarship or whom we would very much like to help. The sisters have been regular visitors to the after-school-program we support for years. They are now mainly active there as very enthusiastic volunteers.

The girls came to the SHCOP because the village where they grew up was completely destroyed during the earthquakes of 2015. As if by a miracle, they, their mother and little brother survived. Unfortunately, their father did not. They fled to Kathmandu, where life was and is not easy for them. The family is poor and in Nepal there is no support for single parents.

Fortunately, there was room for the children at the after-school-program, where they received the necessary support (care, nutrition, attention, homework assistance). Partly because of this, Sabina was able to finish her high school education in a glorious way. Sachina follows suit this spring. This despite the extra challenges of corona, with online education and no internet at home.

Sabina and Sachina are both very smart girls who enjoy learning. They are therefore very happy to continue their studies. Not only for themselves, but especially to support their mother and brother and to improve all of their lives. Sabina will work towards the bachelor’s degree in computer applications and Sachina wants to become a nurse. When they finish studying, they will go to work and want to contribute to their brother’s further education and make their mother’s life a little easier. Pay it forward!

The roof of the Lotus Family’s house is leaking like crazy. After years of repairs and mopping with an open tap, it is time for more drastic measures; the roof needs complete renewal. The work is being carried out in two phases.

The first is complete replacement of the rusted exterior of the metal roof. This means that the building is at least watertight and the (monsoon) rains can come.

Phase two is the replacement of the ceilings and other damage inside, because they can no longer be saved due to years of leaks. This phase is planned for March/April 2023.

We wish for everyone that 2023 will be better and above all peaceful. Together let’s make it much more worthwhile. We could all use that.

Happy, healthy and peacefull Christmas for everyone. May the light always be with all of you.

World Lights Day: the day to reflect on those who have left their lives. Because of corona and the war in Ukraine, we now know more than ever how vulnerable life is. Reflecting on those who have left is more important than ever. Help and support offering to those who really need it is a beautiful way to remember others. Our children in Nepal could really use your support.

The Oranjedroom is unfortunately over, but our work in Nepal continues.
You can keep supporting us….
Please use the pink donation button on the right side of the page…

The moment is approaching. The moment when the men of Orange enter the arena against Argentina for the quarterfinals of the World Cup. So, men of Orange let the lion roar, the Dutch scream with pleasure, Argentina cry and score, score, score. With every goal of yours, we can help even more young people in Nepal with a scholarship and with that give them better future prospects. That is the only method to stop/prevent exploitation, of which many Nepalese in Qatar have fallen victim to. So please, make the cash register ring for Nepal!

Take part and register at:

#wk2022 #worldcup #fifaworldcup #football #soccer #netherlands #oranje #nothinglikeoranje #tv #footballgame #win

Will you receive your Christmas bonus soon, and do you want to do something with it for your fellow man? Giving is so much more rewarding than receiving…Idea: give us a gift so that we can continue to support our children in Nepal and the homes where they live. You really help them further towards an independent future.

To the men of Orange,
Today is the day: the eighth final. The day the World Cup starts all over again. For you, for all football fans and for Nepal. Because if you score, 4 Smiling Faces will receive a nice donation from some generous donors. So, please, go wild, go for it and score! The more, the better.

With every goal of yours, we can help even more young people in Nepal with a scholarship and with that give them betternfuture prospects. That is the only method to stop/prevent exploitation, of which many Nepalese in Qatar have fallen victim to.

So men, go all in, unleash true Orange fever and make the cash register ring for Nepal!

Take part and register at:

wk2022 #worldcup #fifaworldcup #football #soccer #netherlands #oranje #nothinglikeoranje #tv #footballgame #win

Today is Giving Tuesday. An ideal opportunity to participate in our World Cup fundraiser. Donate a fixed amount per Orange or your favourite teams goal to 4 Smiling Faces and SCORE FOR NEPAL!
Join and sign up at:

It is the way to do something for all those migrant workers (many of them Nepalese) who have been exploited during the construction of the World Cup facilities. With your donation you help young people in Nepal with a scholarship, because a good education and future prospects are the only way to stop exploitation.

To the men of Orange,
Tomorrow is the day you must go all in; play frank and free as only you can and score, score, score. Not only for yourself or for the football-loving Netherlands, but also for Nepal. Because with every goal your score we can help even more young people in Nepal with a scholarship and with that better future prospects. Because that is the only method to stop/prevent the exploitation that many Nepalese in Qatar have fallen victim to.
So men, go all in, unleash true Orange fever and make the cash register ring for Nepal!

#wk2022 #worldcup #fifaworldcup #football #soccer #netherlands #oranje #nothinglikeoranje #tv #footballgame #win