11 September 2025
Dear Ama Ghar Family,
Thank you for your concern and queries. All residents of Ama Ghar are home and safe.
All in the apartments and alumni have checked in, are safe, and are following the curfew.
As you are aware, Nepal made the international headlines and this time it wasn’t Everest related. The youth of Nepal had a peaceful demonstration against corruption and it became
huge. As it grew, so did the emotions. They demonstrated in front of the Parliament building
and when they attempted to enter they were met with rubber bullets and live ammunition.
Total death toll to date is 30 and the country is in mourning. In addition, the riots that followed
caused a lot of damage to politician’s homes, government buildings, police stations, and some
businesses. Kathmandu Valley was shrouded in smoke. In Godavari, we saw the smoke from the
burning of the new government Convention Center and police stations.
The Prime Minister and other Ministers have resigned, and temporarily the Army has taken
over to ensure safety for all. On Wednesday, the city was calm and the airport resumed
services, but there is still a curfew to provide order and safety. Of course, schools are also
closed.
On Wednesday, the Army and the Gen Z participants took to the streets to clean up from the
demonstration and fires. Not something you would see in the USA. Slowly, life will get back to
some level of normal.
There is talk of various types of new leadership and concern for the youth of Nepal. Hopefully,
change is coming.
Here at Ama Ghar we are experts in lockdowns and curfews. At Ama Ghar, that means lots of
card games, balloon games, movies and some mandatory National Geographic reading. After
four days of play, today they were ready to “work for money”. Girls helped to clean the outside
of my bungalow. The older boys worked on the football field, which is really a great mud
game. Smart boys – play in the mud for wages! Many scrubbed the various surfaces that get so
green and black from the monsoon. We will start our holiday season in 3 weeks, so there is
work to do.
Keep Nepal and Ama Ghar in your hearts, we are resilient.
Bonnie Ellison
Country Director, Nepal