Nepal has seen significant changes in its social structure and values over the past 15 years. Previously, families always cared for their elderly, a responsibility never questioned. However, increasing poverty and lack of viable employment for the young have led to more elderly being abandoned or forced to fend for themselves. There are no pensions in Nepal that provide sufficient support for the elderly, nor are there affordable nursing homes offering adequate care.
Shenpen aims to alleviate some of the burdens faced by the elderly. Our focus is on organizing eye camps for cataract prevention and surgery.
Additionally, we support a home for elderly women in Mata Tirtha, about 15 km west of Kathmandu, by providing a meal a day for 25 abandoned elderly women.