Kalimati refers altogether to a night-shelter and a mobile team, offering every night to the children living in the streets of Kathmandu a cup of tea, counseling, orientation, emergency care and various supports (food, clothes…)

The first function of Kalimati shelter is to provide homeless children with a safety place where to sleep, without duration limitation, and almost without obligations
(except no smoking, drinking, or consuming drugs inside the shelter).

Opened in december 2003, Kalimati first occupied a 3 room flat on the shores of river Kalimati. This night shelter has been designed as the complement of Balkendra, a day center that had not vocation housing children at night. The shelter moved to Balkendra’s house in June 2004
where it now occupies one of the floors (the room called «dormitory»). However we still refer separately to Kalimati and Balkendra, since their management and organization are totally different ; moreover Kalimati is under responsibility of one of the street educator. The children are welcomed until late in the night (11 pm or midnight) when street educators come back from their rounds. They usually leave the shelter at dawn around 4 or 5 in the morning, the most favorable time to pick up plastics from the rubbish.


Kalimati shelter is by nature a transitory place, an exit door
to get out of the street. Many children make only short appearance, from time to time,
and prefer sleeping outside with their friends, especially when the weather is good.
The children who regularly come and sleep in the shelter already intend to leave
the street. They rapidly (usually after 2 to 3 weeks) join Balkendra, just like the ten kids that are currently and temporarily housed.


For the older, now too old to go school, Kalimati is also a place of transition towards the vocational training center, Biya shelter.