Community Notices

Meg’s Children Trust (Meg’s Children) is an Australian not-for-profit charitable trust whose goal is to support and enhance the lives of at-risk and vulnerable Nepalese children who either do not have family or their families are not in a position to provide for their basic needs. 

In addition, Meg’s Children also provide an Outreach program that supports children who live at home or their extended family but do not have the means to fully support their children and/or provide for their education. Finally, Meg’s Children is committed to providing post school support for our children in the form of a Meg’s Children Education Scholarship that will enable them to either enter into university or an appropriate post school course to ensure a brighter future for them.

Meg’s Children is named in memory of Meg Ryan, Trish and Vince Ryan’s oldest daughter who passed away in 2003 as a result of complications from Spina Bifida. Meg had always taken a great interest in education and worked as a teacher’s aide at primary schools in Albury and Mullengandra. When Meg passed away at age 23, she was studying for a Bachelor of Education (early childhood and primary) at Charles Sturt University. After the loss of Meg, Trish made the decision to travel to Nepal to volunteer. 

In 2004, Trish, a registered nurse and mother travelled to Nepal and volunteered in a small orphanage in Bugmati, on the outskirts of Kathmandu. The children’s home that Trish found herself was under corrupt management and the 20 children who lived there were suffering from persistent health problems, mostly related to malnutrition and poor hygiene. On her return to Australia, Trish called a public meeting in her local farming community near Albury and a small committee was formed. Fundraising activities commenced and almost immediately the committee established a charitable trust to support the children from the Bugmati children’s home. 

Meg’s Children holds a special story both in Australia and more importantly in Nepal; a story that is totally focused on providing a future for vulnerable and at-risk children in Nepal; a story that has grown in stature within the Albury-Wodonga, Wymah and associated communities; a story that has earned heartfelt goodwill with its supporters.

When the new children’s home was established, the following was written in Nepal by the children and their carers:

“After the loss of her beloved daughter, Meg, Trish decided not to sit and grieve at home, but instead to come to Nepal to enrich the lives of people in need. From the moment she arrived back home, she began raising money to support us. Since Trish is the primary reason our orphanage still exists today, we chose to name our home in memory of her daughter.” 

For nearly 20 years Meg’s Children has continued to work and support many children in Nepal through its endeavours. It is an underpinning belief that “Education is a basic right for all children”.

The committee of Meg’s Children is very proud to claim that ~95 cents of every dollar donated ends up in Nepal for the help of our Children