About Child Welfare Scheme (CWS)
Why do we work in Nepal?
Nepal is one of the world’s poorest countries, with 42% of people living below the poverty line, and years of internal conflict worsening the poverty.
Out of 100 children:
- 42 will be involved in child labour
- 55 will not complete primary education
- 10 will die before their 5th birthday
How did CWS start?
Douglas Maclagan, Founder and Operations Director of CWS, was 28 when he had a life-changing experience in the mountains of Nepal. He was handed a sick baby girl by her distraught mother who was desperate for help. The girl died in his arms. That was the moment that changed his life, and Child Welfare Scheme began.
Douglas was determined to help, and asked the villagers what they needed most. They needed a safe place for children to play while they worked in the field and access to free, basic health care. Together they developed the concept of Day Care Health Centres in the villages, and built the first two centres with Douglas’s own savings.
Current projects
- Day Care Health Centres: providing day care including education and health care to pre-school children
- Asha Health Services: range of services in rural and urban areas including hostel for child patients and carers and mobile clinics
- JYOTI Vocational Training Project: courses and accommodation for marginalised young people to achieve employment and reintegrate in the community
- JYOTI Street Project: range of services including drop-in centre, night shelter, children’s bank, shelter for ex-trafficked girls, children’s radio project
- Improved Cooking Stoves: installing cooking stoves to prevent health risks and conserve local environment