The Intrepid Group has announced a new charitable partnership with child protection charity Forget Me Not. 

The new partnership was started with a A$90,000 donation made through The Intrepid Foundation.

The company removed visits to orphanages from all itineraries by May 2016 and has been working with child protection experts to educate travellers about the reality and implications of supporting overseas orphanages for a number of years.

According to the company, there are 16,886 children living in orphanages in Nepal, yet 80% have at least one parent who could care for them. Many are taken from their home with the promise of a better life, only to be mistreated and abused.

Australian-based charity, Forget Me Not carries out life-changing rescue, recovery and reintegration work, educating rural communities and parents about the dangers of child trafficking and reuniting children with their families in Nepal.

“We believe every child deserves to grow up in a safe and supportive environment. In partnership with organisations like Forget Me Not and Rethink Orphanages, we are actively lobbying the Government to make Australia the first country in the world to declare visits to overseas orphanages as illegal,” James Thornton, CEO of the Intrepid Group explained.