Dear World,

   My name is Josh and I met Rosa the day after I learned my little sister had cancer. Meeting her and witnessing her tremendous hope and courage in the face of such brutal atrocity brought me back from a very dark ledge and helped me believe my sister would be okay. World, Alex is in remission and just got back from a trip to DC to see the pandas, and Rosa... is still trapped in Kathmandu.
   Last summer Rosa was admitted to school in San Francisco and the Dean at Riordan filled out the i20 form for her student visa and I attempted (unsuccessfully) to raise the tuition, airfare and expenses here on gofundme with cross promotions on tiktok and youtube. I had never done anything like this before and when the first donation came in I leapt for joy and was sure my job was done!
   World, of the $1900 we raised, most was from those we knew. Albert decided to return from retirement and start practicing again to pay for Rosa's education.  Hallelujah!
   Rosa's visa application? I never got a straight answer other than Rosa, an unaccompanied minor with all the necessary forms, hoops, recommendations and requirements, who barely escaped child sex trafficking with her life, was denied a student visa. And Albert, he just found out his return might be interrupted by stage 4 cancer of his own...

   My last date told me no one would care that Rosa was raped at an orphanage. She said I'd have better luck raising money by just doing crazy stuff on Tiktok. World, Rosa is like Malala, Anne Frank, and Greta Thunberg rolled into one, except in her country of Nepal, girls are considered both living gods and filthy devils made to eat and sleep outside the home during menstruation. Rosa is a polyglot, speaking multiple languages like a pro, who is uniquely placed to become a great ambassador for her country, a vital mountain stronghold between China and the West. I have spent over 500 days in Nepal and watched the outside influence shift from India and the United States to China. This magical kingdom, if we're not careful, will too be subsumed by an inhumane horde.
    And Rosa? If we don't raise the money or find the ear of the right diplomat, will too be subsumed. If we are unable to get a USA Visa, as we have reapplied, then Rosa should go to school in Europe, an equally expensive proposition. World, Rosa is one very special kid. Please don't let her become only another memory.

Thank you for any generosity you can spare,

Josh Fine
203-981-1110






Rosa assaulted by gang of men at orphanage (tiktok)


"After the first visit she was discovered to have bruises all over her body..."



My name is Albert Horowitz and this fundraiser is for Rosa, a remarkable and inspirational little girl who was assaulted by a gang of men at her orphanage in Kathmandu. Meeting her and her adoptive mother has changed my life forever.

In 2005 I spent two weeks in Nepal. It was a good visit. In fact, without me knowing it then, it really left a mark. Upon my return home the idea of going back grew stronger and after a whole year again living as an architect in San Francisco, I decided to return to Kathmandu. So at the end of 2006, I rented an apartment and started a new chapter in my life.

I met Rosa as a baby at the end of 2006 and over the next 12 years of her life, I would try to be a consistent presence as I grew closer and more fond of her. Her Chilean-British mother and my American influence made her life quite exceptional for a Nepalese girl. She grew up amongst English-speaking expatriates from all over the world;  enterprising, tolerant, highly educated, friendly, young people in love with her curiosity and charm, all wanting to  help develop that blindingly bright mind of hers.

Well, Rosa's adoptive mother lost custody of her for a short time because the then new government decided a Nepalese girl shouldn't be living with foreigners, so she was sent to an orphanage. It did not go well. After the first visit she was discovered to have bruises all over her body and private parts. With extraordinary help, Rosa was freed from the orphanage and has been living with her mother ever since.

Rosa has been accepted to high school in California and the i20 form is on its way to the American Embassy. Rosa needs airfare, tuition, living expenses et cetera. Please donate and pass on this request. I promise, she will make us all so proud and deserves your help more than anyone I know.

Rosa started calling me Grandpa, so I became a grandfather (again), cherishing my time with her, watching her grow into the young lady she is today. For me the most difficult part of our relationship was fielding her constant flow of questions and, believe me, some of those questions could not easily be answered. Her curiosity is insatiable, but we have muddled through.
 
Her education took place mainly at home and for the past years at a private international school where she’s been an exceptional student. The problem was that at some point she was not getting the answers to her questions at school. To the contrary, her teachers were discouraging her from even asking. Not only should she stop asking questions, she was told, but now that she was getting older, to survive an increasingly difficult environment, she must hide her knowledge of English and speak it with a strong Nepalese accent so as not to be further ostracized by her teachers and classmates. The internet has become the main source of knowledge and self-education for Rosa but this last year under quarantine has stretched even her abilities to focus online. Rosa deserves the same opportunities as any child born in any part of the world.

We as a global community can now recognize the power of education as one of the mightiest tools we can provide one another. Nepal is a small nation home to 28.61 million people and is categorized by the UN as one of the world’s Least Developed Countries. Due
to its lack of resources, Nepal’s educational system is noted as one of the poorest and most difficult to succeed under.

In fact, Nepal did not have a traditional school system before the 1970s and has since only progressed a minuscule amount, leaving children with outdated methods of learning and barred from access to advanced education. The Nepalese poor educational system is also unfair towards girls who very early must leave school to comply with female-related cultural obligations concerning marriage and family. Due to the lack of educational opportunity illiteracy in the country has risen to nearly half the population.

I have been living back in the San Francisco bay area for the past 2 years, having been caught here by covid-19 on one of my many trips to see my American family. To say I miss Nepal and the people I’ve been living and working with would be a gross understatement, but Rosa is the one I miss the most. Having the ability to see her and talk to her on video is no substitute for a face-to-face question and answer session, where after I can give her a hug and say, I love you. Being separated from Rosa these last almost 15 months has been very painful, but you all know that feeling as we all have had to be far from our loved ones during the pandemic. It brings an aching to my heart and tears to my eyes. 

I am waiting for Rosa to come to the United States where we give such a great education to our children and young people, totally incomparable to that of Nepal. Being so close to my very bright and gifted Nepalese granddaughter, I can only wish for her the best education that she can get, and in my very own country. I believe this opportunity will change her life. 
Now I hope you see why Rosa deserves to start her high school education in the United States and needs your help.

As you can imagine the process is a bit complicated, lengthy, and expensive, but a very necessary one in order to rescue a curious
soul from atrophying at the hands of an antiquated and repressive educational system.

In summation, in Nepal, Rosa is unlikely to gain the experience she needs to follow her dreams of pursuing a career that will give back to her community and allow her to reach her full potential.

I am writing to you because we lack proper funding and resources. Education for all should be a human right, but let's at least start with Rosa. She deserves it. Please consider donating any amount so Rosa can have a chance.

Thank you for your time and consideration and I hope you will find it in your heart to help with this very complicated and urgent adventure. 

Yours gratefully,

Albert Horowitz (Grandpa)