Beth Petersen and Ellie Skeele - Fees
Date:
Tue, 12 Sep 2006 10:57:56 +0545
From:
"Ellie Skeele" <adopt_from_nepal@yahoo.com> Add to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
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To:
"beth pk" <bethpk@charter.net>, bethichild@yahoo.com
Subject:
Namaste
Formularbeginn
Hi Beth.
I'm going to skip the formalities. How would you like to run a Nepal program? I was going to begin working with a Canadian agency. They just bowed out. I'm finished with my original agency and would love to talk with you about this -- asap.
We'll have 5 children available within a few weeks. You know a Nepal program is not easy but I think, working, together, we could build a decent one. Otherwise, the orphanage I'm working with will end up with Crossroads and their miserable Indian facilitator.
Please get in touch immediately.
Thanks,
Ellie
Date:
Tue, 12 Sep 2006 13:51:55 +0545
From:
"Ellie Skeele" <adopt_from_nepal@yahoo.com> Add to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
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To:
"Beth PK" <bethpk@charter.net>, bethichild@yahoo.com
Subject:
some info
Formularbeginn
Formularende
Hi Beth.
I'm sorry to throw this at you so suddenly but... Below is what I wrote up awhile ago about my situation with a new orphanage I'm working with.
I'm feeling a bit stressed about this. The Canadian agency seemed ready to commit and then backed out for unexplained reasons. I wanted to work with a Canadian agency because I'm sick and tired of the way the American Consulate treats me. I'll explain in a phone conversation. Crossroads's facilitator has put some rupees in the pockets of a couple of the orphanage' board members so the director has to contend with this. He absolutely wants to work with me.
Do you ever use Skype? Can we talk?
Cheers,
Ellie
<snip>
I want to also tell you a bit about the new orphanage I'll be working with. I don't normally like to support new homes because, especially here in Nepal, they are so often formed to put money in the pockets of the founders; adoption has become big business here. I met the founder/director of Community Child Rescue Center when he was the personal assistant to an assistant minister of the Social Welfare Ministry (officially called Ministry of Women's Children's and Social Welfare). His name is Gopal Poudel.
Gopal is as honest a Nepali as I have ever met. I tried a couple of tests right off. I asked him how he would like the donations to be delivered to CCRC. He was completely agreeable, perhaps naively so, to having ALL money wired to the organization's account. This is unheard of. I asked about how he is working with the police and he described the kind of cooperation, which is quite different from that of the adoption mills here in town.
CCRC is new. They have had to turn away 10 children for lack of funds. I've donated a bit of money to help them process their first adoption, of a baby here in foster care at my house who must be adopted by non-Americans
-- I'll explain this if/when we talk. However, I have to be very careful because I don't want anyone to accuse me of anything, so can't give them much money. Gopal would like to build a long-term relationship with one agency. They all say this, so we'll see, but he's pretty transparent in how he presents himself. I've advised him that this is the best route and he has taken all my advice to date. He would like the agency to make a regular monthly donation and suggested off-setting that with lower donations from parents. So it's all about juggling cash flow.
Currently, the "going rate" in US dollars is a $5,000 donation. This can be reduced to $4 or even $3 if you can make a monthly donation to be used for initial capital expenditures (e.g. printer, fax, motorbike) and operating expenses until they're stable. I imagine this could be done by FSGV by keeping the donation at the same rate from families to you and managing CCRC's cash flow for them. This is a simplistic view, I know. I've not encountered an American agency willing to commit to any kind of monthly donation so I don't know if this is possible for you.
Let me lay out the financial details for you:
Money going to CCRC: in total either $5,000, $4,000 or $3,000 depending on the monthly donation arrangement. • Application fee: $300
• Processing fee, due at the time family applies to adopt child or on acceptance by FSGV of referral: either $1,000 or $1,200. I'm talking about this with Gopal.
• Donation to orphanage, due on finalization of adoption: Total donation amount less Application Fee and Processing Fee.
Other costs in Nepali system:
• $300 donation to Nepal Children's Organization (NCO), required by Government of Nepal
• $100 donation to Federation of Child Welfare NGOs, my suggestion, an excellent organization, other orphanages do the same • $30 approximately (NRs 2,000), to Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Travel Document (passport equivalent)
Costs for US visa:
• $30 approximately to panel physician for medical clearance
• $5 for visa photos for child
• Visa fees to US government -- not sure of the current rate. Money going to me: • Facilitation Fee: $4,000, half paid when family applies to adopt, half paid on finalization of adoption
• Foster Care: only for babies in my care. $450 per month, back dated to the date on which the baby arrived in our care. I've got some video I took yesterday for the parents of our current babies. I can give this to you to show families the quality of care. The foster care fee covers care giver salaries, all food, housing, and related expenses.
• Medical Care: for babies in my foster care this usually amounts to about $500 including a VERY thorough medical work up. All receipts will be supplied. For children at CCRC I'll help the parents obtain a thorough medical evaluation when they come to apply to adopt. CCRC provides the basics.
Regarding foster care, CCRC/Gopal would like all young babies to come to foster care at my house so he doesn't have to create a baby room. This is great because we can ensure that they get the food, medical attention, hygienic conditions, love and attention that they need for infant development. He wanted me to take the youngest child he currently has -- a boy nearly 1 -- but I explained that the child had already been through one big change, was now attached to the CCRC didis and should stay there. He understood.
There are five children at CCRC currently, all ready to be referred. I've attached their "referral" docs which are missing final clearance and photos. I've met and hung out with all these kids and they seem healthy and well adjusted.
That's all I can think of for now. Please think about families for these children. They've been waiting for awhile now.
Message: 903
From: Beth P
Received: Di Sep 12, 2006 7:54
Subject: more from me
When it rains....or when in Rome....no....that's not right!
Big news this morning.....
I am now trying to madly incorporate Nepal (Kathmandu) into my India travel itinerary. I have a friend of 8 years in Nepal who has been working with orphaned children. The last 5 she has been working with another US Agency but we've stayed in contact and we've been waiting for her to finish up that contract. She has now discontinued working with them, and approached me last night. She wants me to take on this Nepal program.....and I've tentatively said yes, but now.....too many details.....whew! Yes, more work will be required and where I'll find the time....I don't know. But I am intending to hold the cards (as it were ) for this program and likely contract-out to SAI, so I have the potential to make a bit more income......God....that sounds crass.....but I do have to be realistic.... Much work to be done but I am rather excited at the possibilities...
B