Br. Jim Gates, S.J.

By Fr. John Locke, S.J.
(From the Nepal Region’s 50th Anniversary Book, 2001)

Born in 1943 Br. Jim Gates entered the Society in March of 1964. He came to Nepal in 1983, after training in social work and caring for disadvantaged children, to work with Fr. Gafney at St. Xavier’s Social Service Centre. He worked for and with Fr. Gafney in his drug rehabilitation programme for two years when he bad to return to the U.S. because of visa problems.

He returned in 1986, this time residing at St. Xavier’s School. He soon renovated the upper story of the old Seto Gurans building to inaugurate a programme to train social workers in Nepal, eventually known as the Social Work Institute.

At the end of 1987 the first class of nine social workers graduated, and the certificates were distributed by the minister of state for Labour and Social Welfare. At the same time he inaugurated a half-way house for youth recovering from drug addition or other traumatic troubles, enabling them to have a safe and secure environment until they were able to stand on their own feet.

Over the next several years he guided and developed the Social Work Institute getting professional training for those who would eventually take over the work. He was recalled to his own province In 1993 and today continues his social work among the youth of Columbus, Ohio.

The Social Work Institute, now totally managed by those Jim trained, continues to grow and develop. Over the years, it has trained a large number of social workers who are now active all over Nepal.