Daily routines in our Usthi programmes in India and Nepal were unexpectedly overshadowed by the Corona Virus disease at the end of February.

Whilst writing these lines, all our schools and Usthi Centres in India and Nepal are closed. The salaries of approximately 400 employees and overhead costs, nonetheless, still have to be paid. The Usthi Hospital and the Tribal Health Centre in Somagiri continue to put in enormous efforts into the maintenance of public health in the local community.

We cannot stand up to these new challenges alone. Please help us to ensure the survival of Usthi so that we shall be able to continue to work towards more fairness and less discrimination in the future. Thank you for standing by us and supporting Usthi.

At our visit in February 2020 in India and Nepal, we were cordially welcomed by the local partners, children and staff.

In the schools the final exams were in progress. All the students worked with much discipline and concentration, because everybody want to bring home good grades.

The education Center in Pentakatha and with it its daily schoolroutine have recovered from the cyclone of April 2019. In the short video you will easily feel the emotions of the participants, performing their dance in colourful costumes.

Members of the Board leaving Usthi gave us cause for changes.

For many years, successful achievements of Usthi were substantially marked by the skills and dedication of those leaving the Board, who are taking on new responsibilities now. We would like to thank them for their long lasting loyalty and the work they have done for Usthi. The new members of the board are introducing themselves on our website.

Usthi’s managing director, Tanja Lirgg, is also leaving the foundation at the end of April. She directed Usthi foundation with competence, putting much heart and soul into it. Usthi and its team would like to thank Tanja Lirgg for her vigilant leadership. The new focus on supporting abused girls and young women, brought in the programmes by Tanja Lirgg, will be continued and maintained in her sence. The Usthi team will be missing Tanja Lirgg much and whishes her the best for her future. The new managing director will be introduced in the next newsletter.