In order to give back to our regional community and strengthen our ties with international civil society, Garden of Hope (GOH) organized an internship program with our Nepalese partner organization. Three interns from the Nepalese organization traveled to GOH shelters in Taoyuan and Pingtung for a short placement, after which they could bring what they learned and experienced to their home organizations to inspire new development.

Comparing their experiences in Taiwan with those in Nepal, the interns remarked that the Taoyuan shelter, which predominantly caters to children aged 10-18 who have been the victims of gender violence or who have lost a parent, provides lots of open spaces and facilities for their clients. This aids in stress relief and speeds recovery time. They also pointed out the high level of respect and care shown to these children. Another element they noticed was how varied the services are, from caring for children from all backgrounds, supporting them in work or school, and offering them individual or group therapy sessions to accompanying them to important events, such as court hearings and hospital appointments.

The interns spoke of the difficulties which Nepalese shelters face in terms of funding, which forces them to restrict their services. They noted that Taiwanese shelters are well funded and thus able to offer many resources and facilities to their clients. They felt that in Taiwan, the feelings of victims are respected and shelters are made to feel as homey as possible, as exemplified by the attention given to clients’ interests and trying to provide opportunities for participation in them.

The interns were also appreciative of the efforts they felt the Taiwanese government exerts to support survivors of gender-based violence. For example, the Pingtung district and county governments provide financial assistance to GOH to run the shelters.

“The internship not only provided me with professional skills but was also a cross-cultural learning experience,” said one of the interns at the end of their placement. Facilitating professional and cultural exchange offers an invaluable opportunity for both Taiwanese and partner organizations to learn from one another’s experiences and strengthen links among shelters across the region.