Why teacher training is so important in Nepal

Most people assume that school teachers in rural Nepal have completed university and teaching college with a degree in education. This is the normal practice in most developed countries and in some countries, like Finland, a Masters in Education is needed to practise as a teacher! Teaching students in developed countries also learn about the science of teaching and learning, child development  and strategies for effective behaviour management and are supervised closely over a long period until they are fully qualified to deliver learning by themselves.

However, this is far from the truth in Nepal, as the majority of rural early years teachers have generally not gone on to further education at all, before becoming a teacher. In fact, many of them would have just finished school at the age of 18 and fallen into teaching at some point after that. They generally have no or little knowledge of child development, behaviour management or child friendly teaching methods. All they know is the rote learning methods that they themselves used when they were students at school. This means that nothing changes and the quality of education remains poor and lacklustre. As a result, children in rural Nepal are at a great disadvantage as they move from primary to secondary education and fail to meet the requirements for higher education. 

Unattended children in rural classes.

Teachers lack any idea of classroom management tecniques

Therefore, when you walk into most early years classrooms in rural Nepal, you see children pointing with a stick to irrelevant complicated vocabulary and shouting loudly. In turn their classmates repeat what they said regardless of pronunciation and at a greater volume. The teacher sits at the back of the classroom without offering any explanation of the meaning behind the exercise. We have seen entirely bare classrooms containing young children left unsupervised for long periods, reading books locked away from children and maths teaching where very small children aren’t given the simplest of objects to count. We have seen classrooms where diverse learners are not welcome and sit outside the rooms all day and other teaching spaces where the behaviour of lively young learners is managed with the threat of a short stick. 

Children left sitting unattended in dilapidated classrooms.

A girl points to words with a stick, mis-prounounces them and the class recites (with the wrong pronunciation and greater volume)

Without teacher training, teachers lack motivitation and are often absent or late. Young children often sit in empty classrooms for hours without a teacher.

Children in Nuwakot sitting in a broken down classroom with no teacher!

Untrained teachers have little idea of how to teach effectively

Giving resources and making improvements to buildings isn't enough to affect change - lovely new books and blocks get jumbled into cupboards because the teacher doesn’t know how to use them; when classrooms are presented with new tech, the children watch cartoons incessantly instead of learning.  It’s easy to point the finger, but many of these teachers have no understanding of  positive, experiential ways of learning and no experience of building happy relationships with their learners. How could they when their own experiences of learning as children were so limited? 

Teachers learn about patterns and sequencing as part of early years Maths

Teachers learn different ways of greeting young children as they arrive at class each day.

When a teacher receives practical contemporary teacher training, everything changes. Our teachers learn how to play so they they can deliver playful teaching, they experience relationship building with our trainers so they can start to build their own professional relationships, they experience inclusivity and fun in our training so they know how it makes them feel.

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Our training allows our teachers to explore their strengths and learn from each other and together they create a creative classroom environment from a pared back training room that reflects their own passions and values. It’s powerful stuff! They not only become more motivated but have a much better understanding of the principles of behaviour management and how to nurture young children to develop a love of learning. 

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Our 2024 Annual Appeal is on now!

This year's annual appeal is more important than ever as we step up our teacher training programme to reach more remote rural schools where teachers have never had any formal training! 

Help us improve the lives of children in rural Nepal through quality education. 

Donate to our 2024 Annual Appeal HERE

Visit our projects

Spending more time in Nepal this year has allowed us to work more closely with our Nepal team. We are so proud of what they have achieved and just how far they have come. Our teacher training workshops are conducted professionally and participants leave full of enthusiasm for the new activities that they have learnt. This is evident in their classrooms when we visit classrooms in schools that were once run down, dirty and lacked any learning resources. Now, we walk into nurturing classrooms where teachers greet the children each morning with enthusiasm and lots of fun activities. Parents tell us that their children wake up eager to go to school.

Shree Shrijansheel school, Nuwakot, back in 2019.

Shree Shrijansheel school now with trained teachers, classroom fit out and learning materials.

School environments improve during our programme and we see less rubbish and cleaner toilets. Head teachers learn to embrace change and teachers become more creative as they develop professionally.

Shree Shrijansheel School, Nuwakot

After 16 years of hard work and gradual progress, the dream is happening and the message is rippling out to neighbouring schools. Real change is being made and we would love to show you how First Steps Himalaya has been part of it.

It has been a long held wish to take our supporters to visit some of our project schools to show them just what a difference First Steps Himalaya is making in rural communities. Having recently discovered some fantastic accommodation close to our project schools, we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to showcase our progress whilst providing the high quality experience that we pride ourselves in for our Beyond the Clouds tours. These are real hidden gems that provide excellent accommodation and meals with a sustainable approach and genuine Nepali hospitality. Click here to find out more about the places we’ve chosen.

These small group tours will run in October/November each year ( the nicest time to visit in Nepal) and offer a real insight into our work with visits to project schools, our training centre and original ECD at Sangachok. The tour has been carefully put together to provide time off to relax in between school visits ad well as time to chat with our Directors about some of the challenges of working in rural Nepal and how we work around them.

The first Visit the Projects tour runs from October 25th to November 2nd 2024 and has space for up to eight people. There is no need to be super fit to take part as vehicles will take the group to each location but there will be plenty of opportunities for walks for those who are keen.

Why menstrual hygiene programmes are important for rural Nepali schoolgirls.

In Nepal, menstruation is layered with many cultural taboos and restrictions that make girls and women’s daily lives much more difficult when they are menstruating.

At school, older girls who live in rural areas of Nepal often struggle to deal with their period in a hygienic, dignified way. Until recently, school leaders had put little thought into catering for the needs of menstruating students.

In 2022, First Steps Himalaya surveyed female students in the Nuwakot District as part of our Menstrual Hygiene Management programme. 

We asked the girls what products they used to absorb blood during their period. Almost all the girls used wads of cloth that they would wash at home. Around 20% of the girls used purchased disposable pads, which are expensive and rarely sold in rural areas.

We also asked the girls about their lived experience of what happens when they have their period in their village. 

A huge amount of girls reported that they or their family members faced restrictions when menstruating;  25% - 35% girls at three schools and a whopping 75% of girls at the remaining three schools reported facing restrictions to their daily life.

Ideas about shame and disease are often wrapped around menstruation in these rural communities, and menstruating girls and women may be viewed as unclean and face social and physical isolation.

Among girls surveyed in the village of Panchakanya, half of them reported their household banning menstruating women from using the local stream. This figure was 30% in the nearby village of Ajinghare. 

Over 20% of girls at Panchakanya and 13% at Ajinghare believed menstrual blood was harmful or were unsure on this topic. 12% of the Irkhu Pokhare girls thought menstruation was a curse on women. 

First Steps Himalaya first began its Menstrual Hygiene Management programme in 2021, working with older girls in six schools across Nepal. The practical sessions not only provided information to the girls but gave them a safe place to discuss their concerns. Because of the visible impact of the project on the students, we have decided that this is an area that we should continue to support.

Girls learning about reusable pad making at the first phase of our Menstrual Hygiene Programme.

Learning how easy it is to sew reusable pads.

In the next phase of our menstrual hygiene programme, we plan to host practical reusable pad-making sessions at our Sangachok training centre. As well as returning home with several of their own reusable pads, we aim to help girls feel more comfortable in understanding and managing their periods.

These day-long workshops will:

Reusable pads are cheap and easy to make with sewing machines in the villages.

• Provide a space where girls can feel comfortable talking about their periods

• Teach the basic biology of the menstrual cycle, including how to track their menstrual cycle.

• Dispel rumours, myths and taboos about menstruation.
  

Why books are so important in the classroom

Reading and storytelling are very important in children’s development. Books allow children to extend their vocabulary, stretch their imagination and learn about the world. Training teachers to read aloud and engage their students in reading is vital for the development of literacy in rural Nepali schools. As English is a compulsory subject throughout school, rural Nepali classrooms should contain books in both English and Nepali.

As part of our practical teacher training courses, teachers learn how to elicit ideas from the children, getting them to guess what might happen next. They learn the importance of repetition for stories for young children and are encouraged to read favourite stories over and over again.

One of the hardest challenges of encouraging literacy and reading in rural Nepal is the lack of culturally relevant books available. Children are far more engaged with books when they see themselves, their environment and their lifestyles represented in them. Storybooks that feature holidays at the seaside, Christmas dinner or the London Underground contain concepts that are entirely foreign to the vast majority of rural Nepali children. Books set in Nepal that feature familiar family structures, houses and animals allow children to identify and connect with stories, and even inspire them to write about their own lives. Teachers are also more confident reading aloud books on topics that they fully understand.

Children in Sangachok learning to read books to themselves.

Jana Jyoti School, Sangachok has a wonderful collection of colourful big books which encourage a love of reading.

Project Manager, Ranjana Giri takes time out to read a story to children in our ECD.

A teacher at a project school introducing a story to the children.

It is for this reason that we rarely accept donations of books. Although it can be difficult to say no to well-intentioned donations, the vast majority of books published overseas are simply not appropriate to be placed in rural Nepali classrooms. We purchase culturally relevant books in Kathmandu stores, and whilst these are not plentiful, there are some fantastic Nepali books out there. 

It was this conundrum that inspired First Steps Himalaya to create our own storybook to be distributed among schools. Sita’s Search was written by board member, Nicola Crawford and follows a young girl, Sita, on a search for one of her family’s goats, encountering various characters from her village along the way. The simple text is designed to aid young readers learning English, and the colourful illustrations reflect the landscape, houses and people of rural Nepal.  Our new book Hari’s Rainbow will be published later this year.

First Steps Himalaya turns 15!

First Steps Himalaya was born out of the Nelson home of Scottish/Nepali couple Fionna Heiton and Durga Aran. Having moved to New Zealand from Nepal with their preschool aged twins, the difference between the education received by their twins and the education available for rural Nepali children really stood out to them.

The appalling conditions of schools in rural Nepal, drove Fionna and Durga to launch a charity that would support improved early years education in rural Nepal. They had no idea just how big the impact of their work would be. Since 2008 this is what First Steps Himalaya has achieved:

• Provided teacher training to 300 teachers in 76 schools

• Constructed 5 earthbag schools, a training centre and office

• Fitted out classrooms in 40 schools

• Published a culturally appropriate story book

• Provided and delivered relief after the Nepal earthquake

• Provided school uniform to new entrants at Jana Jyoti School, Sangachok

Founding Director, Durga Aran visits earthquake damaged schools in 2015.

Durga Aran, hands out books to students in post earthquake temporary learning centres.

So much has changed over the past 15 years, and it’s amazing to remember the very grassroots stages of First Steps Himalaya all those years ago. From working in the corner of the family lounge in Nelson to navigating the overcrowded local buses before they had a project vehicle, First Steps Himalaya has grown and changed immensely.

Director, Fionna Heiton wondering if she would make it to the office back in the early days. This month, more car problems meant getting out and hailing a taxi. We drive over such rough conditions and low grade fuel and dust in the fuel tank don’t help!

Founding Directors, Fionna and Durga travelled with their children every year to Nepal when they were young.

Now as adults, Rhona and Jamie Aran are still involved with the charity’s work.

From finding our feet in these very early days, First Steps Himalaya has always been evolving and constantly adapting. The unpredictability of Nepal remains a constant - the ability to quickly adapt is an absolute necessity! Events far beyond our control have forced us to change the way we work rapidly, such as the 2015 Nepal Earthquake or COVID more recently. Back in 2008, it would have been impossible to imagine that we would be undertaking online training sessions via zoom, or that seven schools and training centres would be constructed using the earthbag building technique.

Our first earthbag build project in Sangachok in 2015 supported by Court Construction Ltd

The Court Construction group of volunteers put the roof on our seventh earthbag building project.

Some things have never changed, and it is these things that drive us to do what we do Nepal. These include the smiles on children’s faces when they have a clean, bright classroom filled with exciting books and toys and seeing the enthusiasm of teachers who undertake our training and gain new skills, resources and inspiration.

What’s in store for the next 15 years? Our newly upgraded residential teacher training centre in Sangachok Nursery, Sindhupalchok will allow us to provide hands on teacher training courses and workshops to rural teachers from all over Nepal where they will learn contemporary child friendly teaching methods to take back to their schools. We will continue to support our project schools in three districts with improved teaching and monitoring. As we grow the capacity of our local partner, First Steps Nepal, there are endless possibilities for the future. Watch this space!

Donate

www.firststepshimalaya.org

Seeds of Success in Syangja

Situated in the hills south of Pokhara, Syangja is a place of great beauty with orange groves and pretty villages. There are fine views of the Annapurna mountain range on a clear day too. However, schools here are similar to others across rural Nepal: dirty dilapidated classrooms with teachers lacking knowledge of child friendly teaching methods. Our Syangja projects commenced in early 2019 thanks to support of rotary clubs in Scotland and Nepal.

The project commenced in 8 schools with a refit of four early years classrooms in each school. That in itself was a huge challenge given the remote locations of some of the schools. Once classrooms were painted, carpeted and fitted out with low tables suited to young children, the project turned to supporting the teachers to have a better understanding of child friendly methods.

Director, Durga Aran and Supervisor, Dhan Maya Gurung travel to the remote schools with supplies.

Delivery of classroom furniture and carpet, Syangja style!

Soon, children were starting to enjoy their classes, becoming much more focused and eager to explore and learn. They attended more regularly and gained a love of learning. Teachers began to realise that child - friendly teaching methods were easy to implement and were in fact more enjoyable for everyone!

A series of practical hands on teacher training workshops in contemporary practices was provided. These were well received from teachers who previously had no idea about classroom layout and how to create their own learning materials from basic items found locally.

Hands on teacher training

As well as learning about behaviour and classroom management at teacher training, participants learn how to create their own colourful learning materials.

Teachers begin to see the importance of active movement for young children in their overall development as well as understand the key concepts of behaviour management. Each workshop held over a week encouraged the teachers to supplement the curriculum with a variety of fun activities that would engage the children in their learning.

Project school teachers attend practical hands on teacher training in Walling, Syangja.

"I learnt so much from the new training. Now, I create my own resources from local material. The children love the changes”. Punum Gurung, Shree Tallo Kumendung School.

"It is so important to have the training that First Steps Himalaya provided. It was very effective and we can already see significant changes in our school. Thank you so much for your support.” Kamal Gurung, Head teacher Shree Tallo Kumendung School

A local supervisor visits each school on a regular basis to check on progress and support teachers with new ideas and activities. Teachers are assessed on their use of child friendly teaching techniques, behaviour management and the creation and use of resources. The Nepal management team conduct twice yearly monitoring visits to assess progress, talk to head teachers and make recommendations.

Challenges

Any project in rural Nepal is bound to face all sorts of challenges, but no one could have foreseen COVID and its impact on the project. Suddenly Nepal was under lock down, schools were closed and movement very restricted. This period was used to prepare training that could be delivered either online or face to face. The result was an even better more robust training course that has raised the bar in training delivery and outcomes for teachers. Other challenges have included the geographical location of some schools, the lack of class teachers for young children who instead are taught by a rotation of subject teachers. Ideally, young children should have their own dedicated class teacher, and this has been difficult to achieve in some schools due to staffing.

Before and After

The before and after photos speak for themselves. The classrooms are now brightly decorated with resources created by the teachers who have a range of fun activities to supplement the curriculum. Children are engaged in their learning and look forward to coming to school.

Classrooms at Shree Himali School prior to the project.

Teachers at Shree Himali School have really embraced change. Classrooms are bright and welcoming and teachers include a range of activities that engage children in their learning.

Teachers at Shree Jethi Kanya School before the project had little idea of how to teach the youngest children.

A teacher at Shree Jethi Kanya School uses home made flash cards to work on literacy with her students.

Children at Shree Janahit School before the project sat in dark dilapidated classrooms taught by untrained teachers.

The ECD teacher at Shree Janahit School putting into practise what she has learnt at training

What’s Next?

Project Director Durga Aran says "It has been fantastic to see how simple changes and a bit of training can bring about transformation in the way that young children are taught. I am so pleased that teachers are now so much more motivated and really enjoy what they do. Working with the Rotary Club of Himalayan Gurkhas has been an absolute pleasure. They really got involved and helped us organise the fit out the classrooms working into the long hours to complete the job. They continued to coordinate with us to ensure smooth operations."

As the current 5-year project comes to a close in March 2024, we are already in discussion with rotary clubs for the next phase in Syangja. This will involve opening up teacher training for more schools in the Walling area and refresher training for teachers who show commitment and motivation.

For more information on our Syangja projects click here

www.firststepshimalaya.org

The widening rural-urban gap in education

In Nepal, there are huge disparities between cities and villages in terms of livelihoods, opportunities and schooling. In the past 70 years Nepal has undergone rapid urban expansion, as a chance for a life that was very different from rural villages presented itself in cities like Kathmandu and Pokhara. As Nepal opened up to the world, a booming tourism industry drew people from surrounding regions to work in cafes, restaurants and bars in the city, as well as chances to train and work in finance, government and other services unheard of in rural areas.

Luxury hotels and restaurants are magnets for rural workers.

Opportunities in the cities and tourist areas attract migrants from all over Nepal

The British School Kathmandu now attracts Nepali students whose parents can afford top quality private education.

In 1961, the capital city of Kathmandu had a population of 122,507 - a number which, as of 2020, is now around 1.4 million. The density of wealth in urban areas greatly impacts the availability and quality of education of the cities, particularly in Kathmandu.

With the availability of private schools, and their ability to hire selectively teachers with higher qualifications, many children in cities generally experience a higher quality of education.

Employment, better educational opportunities and a more comfortable lifestyle are some of the pull factors attracting families to leave their villages and relocate to urban areas.

A child eating beaten rice in rural Nepal

For those who can afford it, Western food is widely available in the cities.

Now, the growing middle class choose to educate their children in Kathmandu or other cities in the hope that the next generation will have a better education and quality of life. This results in a falling roll at rural schools, school closures and a wider gap between rural and urban education.

First Steps Himalaya’s focus is solely on improving rural education for this reason, lessening the educational divide between Nepal’s villages and cities.

First Steps Himalaya works through its local partner in Nepal to support schools with teacher training and mentoring, classroom fit out and educational resources.

During the Rana regime, a man called Jagat Lal ran a school at his home despite great personal risk. His school was one of the few places that children could learn. He wrote textbooks and children’s stories and was an advocate of teaching English language. Some of his students went onto became famous in their own right as pioneers in education and industry.

Traditionally, education in Nepal was confined to monastic and religious institutions, where the teaching revolved around Sanskrit and religious texts. During the Rana regime (1846-1951), formal education started to gain ground, but it primarily served the interests of the ruling elite and high-caste families in urban centres such as Kathmandu. Exclusive and selective schools such as Durbar High School, which was founded in 1854, initially only accepted pupils from these ruling families. The caste-based discrimination prevalent in Nepal’s first schools has significant impact today, as families that have been well-educated for several generations tend to have higher-paying jobs, allowing them to secure a private education for their own children. 

Since the fall of the Rana regime, the government has taken some initiatives to expand education, but progress has been slow and inconsistent due to various challenges. Remote locations, lack of proper transportation, and inadequate school facilities have made it difficult to provide quality education to rural communities.

Young children in rural schools are often left to sit on a broken wooden platform in a filthy classroom without a teacher.

Damage from the 2015 earthquake to a school in Nuwakot went years without repairs

Additionally, poverty and traditional beliefs in some rural areas have contributed to lower enrollment rates and higher dropout rates among children. In many cases, a parent’s attitude towards their children’s education is shaped by their own level of education, creating significant challenges when schools are a relatively recent addition to rural communities.

Many mothers have not completed their education and with absent husbands keep children ( especially girls) behind to help in the house and on the land.

Children from families that are not only poor but uneducated themselves have little chance of gaining a good education in rural Nepal.

At First Steps centres, young children can have access to quality education without leaving their villages. Education is important in breaking the generational cycle of poverty, and therefore it is vital to instill a belief in the value of education in rural Nepali regions.

Hands on numeracy learning at our centre in Sangachok.

Children at project schools are encouraged to read in English and Nepali.

For more information visit www.firststepshimalaya.org

A day with Durga

Kylie Doon is a guest writer this month. Kylie is an educator from Australia who volunteered on our earthbag build in Nuwakot in March- April 2023.

I’m assuming he woke up with the sun, everyone around here seems to. His washing is hanging on the fence and he’s already making sure the cook is happy, the coffee is available and everyone has enough eggs, omelette, pancakes, bananas and jam. 

He switches between English and Nepali without hesitation like it’s one language. He smiles and laughs until everyone is relaxed and happy. He plays a joke on you if he’s not sure, just to check how you’re going. 

He talks as he drives like a rally driver meditating through a race. 

There’s materials to organise, people to talk to, places to be. If he’s not sitting on top of the truck cabin riding his chariot up the mountain, he’s picking people up in his indestructible car, doing the shopping, making people laugh and negotiating with government officials. 

Today, he has done most of these things and it’s not yet 10am. Stopping for breakfast also means taking a video call from NZ. Another list of things to go through and it’s not long until we arrive at the area school for teacher training.

His team of trainers work with him to set up the classroom for the day. We are expecting about 22 teachers. Yesterday was science, today is about behaviour management, and tomorrow is maths. 

It’s not unusual for Durga to disappear. There’s always someone else to talk to, others to engage and include. Teachers from seven communities start to arrive and are encouraged to just play.  The training is practical, hands on and fun.

We break for lunch for 20 minutes (it’s now 2pm). Lunch is more rice and potatoes, and I’ve scored yoghurt this time.

The trainers continue, they’ve done this before, travelling around different regions for different teachers. They’re a passionate team, that is easy to see. 

Durga’s on the phone again. Then he’s talking with the school principal. Even while eating his lunch, he can’t help but command the room. Everyone across the lunch tables looking and listening to what he has to say. He is seriously funny, or funnily serious,  I’m not sure which. It is so refreshing to hear someone speak free of politics and religion.

Early childhood education is for the good of the child, the family, the community, and just needs to happen. You can tell he really believes this. His actions truly speak louder than any words.

Now we’re learning more cutting to create a poster about our five senses. The class is fun. Lots of banter and willingness to participate.

The teachers jest with each other using the new ways they’ve learnt to give recognition and positive reinforcement. Strong masculine Nepali men are cutting and gluing craft on the floor under his supervision. 

Deudi, Nuwakot

Class finishes, more driving, dropping people home. We are back in Deudi by 7pm. He checks on the build crew, the cook, the weather. Tomorrow Durga, the project manager is due back on site of the new school build after rain delays.

He’ll be back on top of his mountain chariot. He’ll antagonise the builder intentionally until you just can’t be stressed or mad at him for the missing tools, the wet earth, the broken tamper. He’ll banter with each person, in Nepali or English, with the same respect and humour, and somehow the job gets done. It’s chaos, it’s hard work, it’s unpredictable, it looks impossible, but after a day with Durga he’ll have you wanting to do it all over again!

For more information visit www.firststepshimalaya.org

Why culture is so important in classrooms?

When working in Nepal, to be effective and impactful to any extent requires deep cultural understanding. For this reason, designing education programmes around Nepali culture is the key to our project's success. For children and teachers, seeing Nepali traditions and culture being incorporated into classrooms through resources, stories and songs helps them feel more connected to their education and encourages them to attend and appreciate school.

Dance is important for the early years classroom

Classrooms in rural Nepal should feel cohesive with the local environment, villages and culture. For children, this means that school is connected to their family, traditions and houses. One of the most important ways that we do this is through games, songs and dances. Singing and dancing are extremely important in Nepali culture, and given that they are also some of the most effective teaching methods, it makes perfect sense to include traditional rhymes and dances into classrooms.

Our founding director, Durga Aran, even used the tune of a classic traditional song “Resham Firiri” to create a song about hand washing and brushing teeth, which is now being taught in training sessions. It would be wonderful to think that children are teaching this version to their parents and wider communities.

We have created other songs that teach children their numbers and colours in both Nepali and English.

Below left: Our colours song Below right: Children singing our counting song

Finding and adapting resources to suit local environments is one of the fundamental ways that we incorporate local culture into classrooms. Storybooks about children that live in suburbs and eat pizza are very much inaccessible to young Nepali children, as they live vastly different lives. Therefore, resources that are relevant to local culture will always be the most valuable.

There is a lack of culturally appropriate English Language story books for children in Nepal. First Steps Himalaya has published the first of a series of stories in simple English suited to young Nepali children living in rural villages.

Culturally appropriate Nepali story books are so important to young children.

Use of recycled bottles as shakers and for science in the classroom.

Whilst there are many wonderful Nepali teaching resources and books, it is also important to utilise aspects of the local environment in learning. Using painted stones and recycled bottles to teach shapes, numbers and letters is a simple but effective way of using these natural resources. The best thing is that teachers can create these themselves from readily available materials.

Play dough Nepali letters

Corn cobs found in most Nepali households are painted, strung together and turned into letters.

Nepali letters painted on stones

Coloured stones are perfect for doing numeracy activities in Nepali and English.

The importance of culture in classrooms cannot be understated. Children should feel proud of their culture, and seeing it being implemented into almost every aspect of their school is an important part of developing appreciation and value for education.

For more information about First Steps Himalaya visit www.firststepshimalaya.org

The impact of the past on Nepal's education today

Nepal’s significant lack of widespread, quality education is a result of its historically unequal social hierarchy and lack of formal education systems until as recently as the past 70 years. Whilst informal education and the teaching of religious ideas have existed in Nepal since ancient times, education has historically been reserved for the highest castes of Hindus. Without deeply rooted generational access and appreciation for education, especially in rural areas, progress to improve education among underprivileged Nepalis has been slow.

Little has changes in many rural villages where children sit for hours on end without a teacher.

Until the last century, the teaching of religious stories and ideas has been the most prevalent form of education among Nepalis. For Buddhists, this teaching took place in monasteries and gompas.

Young buddhist monks are educated at monasteries

The Veda

In Hinduism, education was reserved for the highest castes of society. Brahmins studied religious texts such as the Veda, which taught them the procedures of religious rituals, whereas the Chhetris learned about warfare and administration. The reservation of education for the highest castes is in accordance with the certain privileges and limitations each caste is assigned in traditional Hindu culture. With the abolition of the caste system in law during the 20th century and the subsequent easing of social beliefs around caste, education has been available to the general public of Nepal since 1951.

Kathmandu circa 1950

The formal education through schools that continues today began in Nepal as an imported idea from India, based on the systems put in place during the British Raj. Durbar High School in Kathmandu opened in 1854, making it the first modern school in the country. However, it was established solely for the purpose of teaching Rana students - the ruling dynasty at the time. No attempt was made to provide education for anyone else and the right to education was kept for the ruling elite.

During the Rana regime, a man called Jagat Lal ran a school at his home despite great personal risk. His school was one of the few places that children could learn. He wrote textbooks and children’s stories and was an advocate of teaching English language. Some of his students went onto became famous in their own right as pioneers in education and industry.

Jagat Lal with his class in Kathmandu

By 1951, when education became officially available to the public, progress was extremely slow. In the 1950s, the adult literacy rate was still at just 5%, and families preferred for their children, especially girls, to stay at home and work on their land than go to school. There was no understanding of the need for education.

Teenage girls often drop out of school to work in the fields, marry and have children.

Women in the remote village of Payunswara gather to ask for a school. There has never been a school here,

First Steps Himalaya Founding Director, Durga Aran was also kept at home on and off throughout his school age years. His parents saw more value in him working in the fields and helping the family than attending the nearest school which was a steep 2 hour walk from home. Even when Durga did attend school, the teacher was often absent and he was so exhausted from the long walk, that concentrating in class was challenging.

Children still miss school to labour in the fields.

Luckily much has changed since then but similar challenges still exist today, as caste, gender and economic status are still barriers that Nepali children face in their access to education.

For more information on First Steps Himalaya click here

The real volunteering experience

Volunteering in rural Nepal is an incredibly rewarding experience - some might even say it is life changing! Nevertheless, life in a traditional Nepali village has its challenges for foreign volunteers. Without the simple comforts we are used to at home, the rough roads and the culture shock, volunteers can often feel as though they have been thrown in the deep end. However, learning to understand and embrace these challenges as part of a very different way of life will give you a deeper appreciation for Nepali culture.

Rhona being welcomed to Shree Golma Devi School, Jitpur

Rhona grateful for a bed for the night whilst out in remote parts of Sindhupalchok, warmly welcomed by a local teacher and her family.

A key rule of life in Nepal is to always expect the unexpected - almost nothing will go to plan! From power cuts, road closures, unexpected public holidays and much, much more, it can be very difficult to have a day-to-day itinerary and stick to it!

Stephanie from Germany taking part in the Tihar festival in Jitpur

Volunteer Bernie embracing culture at the annual Holi festival

The ability to adapt to change is key, as is understanding that such interruptions and delays are well beyond the control of you or your organising team. Something that is important to remember is the cultural differences between many foreign, especially Western, nations and Nepal is that whilst foreigners like to plan ahead and have fixed itineraries, Nepalis can seem much more relaxed about this and appear to just go with the flow. Therefore, whilst it can be frustrating when deadlines are not met or plans change, it is important to keep these different cultural perspectives in mind. 

Cameron finds a young assistant at an earthbag building site in Dyali.

In the typical Nepali villages where volunteers stay, it is very difficult to find many of the home comforts that we often take for granted. Showers are normally bucket showers and hot water is scarce. Whilst we may be used to having daily hot showers, never expect this in Nepal! Most toilets are also squat toilets which can take a bit of practice to get used to. Even if you get a western toilet, you might find that shower water pours directly onto the toilet seat.

Soft pillows and mattresses are unfortunately another luxury in Nepal, so prepare to sleep on a much harder surface than you are used to. Unfamiliar smells, noises and levels of cleanliness are all other culture shocks that volunteers have to grapple with in rural Nepal.

Typical homestay bedroom

A clean squat toilet

Food in rural Nepal largely consists of one staple meal: Dal Bhat. A typical Dal Bhat consists of rice, dal (lentil curry) and tarkari (vegetable curry, usually cauliflower) and saag (mustard spinach). Dal Bhat is a staple meal in Nepali villages, normally eaten for every meal without much variation. In fact, many Nepalis use the word “food” or “to eat” instead of naming Dal Bhat specifically. Something to keep in mind is that Nepalis eat a lot of rice with their Dal Bhat, and it can be daunting to be handed a plate with a mountain of rice. Therefore, let your host know you will only eat a small amount of rice. Furthermore, Dal Bhat will often be served with a variety of pickles and fermented vegetables. Try them if you would like, but be aware that many pickles can taste extremely bitter to those unaccustomed to the taste. Whilst most foreigners enjoy Dal Bhat, eating it for every meal can get tiring!

Ultimately, however, these are the realities of rural life in Nepal and pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone can be a very rewarding experience. What’s more, getting back to Kathmandu, having a hot shower and a pizza will feel heavenly!

Local children intrigued by Bernie

Volunteer Jennie bids fond farewells at the Tamang family home, Mulkharka

For more information about volunteering contact admin@firststepshimalaya.org

Challenging roads

It is completely impossible to travel in Nepal and not experience some of the bumpiest, roughest roads you will ever come across. Even the main streets of tourist hubs Kathmandu and Pokhara are littered with potholes. However, once you travel into the regions, roads get worse and worse.

Unfortunately, bad infrastructure is inevitable in a poor, developing country and is exacerbated in the case of Nepal due to its dysfunctional government and mountainous terrain. The 2011 Nepal Living Standards Survey - one of the most recent surveys of its kind - reported that the vast majority of Nepalis living in rural areas thought that their roads were unsatisfactory. In fact, only 12% of Nepalis, both urban and rural, classified the road they lived on as a “good road”.

FSH project vehicle in Nuwakot

Literally rebuilding the road in front of the jeep to get by.

Road access opens up opportunities for education, food and access to healthcare, making it an important way for rural villages to be connected to the rest of Nepal and the wider world. However, this interconnectedness can have its downfalls.

Pediatrician and academic Ramesh Adhikari makes the point that remote villages unconnected to the road network can actually have better nutrition indicators than more connected areas, as they eat the nutritious food they grow instead of selling it. He emphasises that this should not stop people from building roads to these areas, rather, stating that local agriculture and nutrition education should be prioritised in conjunction with new construction.

However, one of the biggest problems in rural Nepal is the lack of planning that goes into rural roads built on fragile shifting soil. Villagers often build roads without considering the impact it will have on soil conditions. Therefore, the risk of landslides ( particularly in monsoon months) has increased dramatically over the last 15 years. Although other factors such as heavy rainfall and tectonic movement come into play, the number of frequent and deadly landslides could be reduced with proper planning and construction.

Rough village roads are often only accessed by trucks or 4 wheel drive vehicles

Landslides often resulting from heavy rain on poorly planned rural roads.

The rough condition of Nepal’s rural roads adds a major challenge to organisations working in schools in such remote areas. Sometimes it may take several hours, even a whole day of travel, just to get from one school to another. Often, it is actually impossible for vehicles to even reach certain schools, making it necessary to walk up steep hills to reach them. 

Recently, FSH Founding Director Durga Aran and his daughter Rhona could not get the car up a dusty section of road in rural Sindhupalchok. They had to abandon the vehicle in the middle of nowhere and walk the rest of the way up the hill (pictured below).

International aid focusing on road construction brings in trillions of dollars, opening up opportunities for wide scale corruption. Whilst central government woos the rural population with the promise of roads, there is so much to be considered for the road to have a positive impact on the communities that it serves.

For more information on the work of First Steps Himalaya click here.

An outpouring of support in 2022

Tis the Season

The kindness of strangers is something that touches all of us and we at First Steps Himalaya never cease to be astounded by kind gestures from people we may never meet. Thank you so much for donating to our cause so generously.

This year has been a challenging one for all of us, yet so many people contributed to the work of First Steps Himalaya. With your continued support we can do so much more to change the lives of young children and their communities in rural Nepal.

We would like to share news of some of the incredible people who donated so generously this year.

Hilary Gordon and the Ythan Rotary Club

Long time supporter, Hilary Gordon at the Rotary Club of Ythan Valley in north east Scotland gathered contributions from Rotary clubs in her district to support our Leadership Training Programme. This training empowers head teachers and community leaders to improve their schools.

Founder Durga Aran with Hilary Gordon when they met in Scotland.

Durga Aran delivering Leadership Training to head teachers and deputy head teachers in Nuwakot recently.

Court Construction Ltd

The fabulous team at Court Construction Ltd on Auckland’s North Shore, NZ launched their fundraising campaign ahead of Earthbag Build 2023. They have already raised NZ$23,265 and there are still nine months left before they head to Nepal with their team of volunteer builders. In fact, since they commenced support to First Steps Himalaya in May 2014, this dedicated team has raised a staggering NZ$231,437 for improving school infrastructure and teaching in rural Nepal. This is absolutely incredible.

A special thank you to some of the corporate sponsors who have supported the Court’s fundraising again this year, many of which have donated multiple times over the years. Thank you Nebulite, JBS Electrical, Royale Kitchens, Opening Doors, Auckland Outdoor and Auckland’s Finest Painters.

The incredible Court Construction team have already constructed five earthbag buildings for schools. They will be back in again in 2023 to build in Nuwakot!

Atomic Sky Pvt

We were thrilled to have the support of Australian based Atomic Sky Pvt who funded the first year of our Menstrual Hygiene Programme in Sindhupalchok as well as supporting a school with a teacher salary and training. Support like this is invaluable, we are so grateful. Find out more about tailored corporate sponsorship here.

Resource making workshop as part of teacher training in November 2022.

Girls gather with their teacher and our facilitator to talk about issues surrounding menstruation at Kadambas school.

Girls at Jitpur learn about the facts around menstruation from our facilitator.

Leena and Alpesh

Weddings are always a joyous occasion but when bride and groom Leena and Alpesh decided to replace the traditional wedding favours with a donation to First Steps Himalaya we were thrilled and humbled by the kind gesture.

Leena and Alpesh on their special day

To find out more about supporting First Steps Himalaya at a wedding, click here

Ganesh Bahadur and Bupendra Kumari fund

This year saw the launch of a fund to remember Durga’s parents who wanted the best for all children in their area. The Ganesh Bahadur and Bupendra Kumari fund was generously kickstarted by donations from kind supporters and many of the Aran family around the world. Just under $7,000 was raised. This will be invested with the interest each year supporting children at Golma Devi Secondary School in Jitpur, Durga’s home village.

Our Friends of First Steps Himalaya support us each month and are very special to us. Your regular support allows our team to plan for the months and years ahead.

Charity eCards

With Christmas approaching, surprise your friend, family member or colleague with a beautiful charity eCard and make a donation of any amount on their behalf.

Our charity gift cards are easy, environmentally friendly and make a real difference in the lives of rural Nepali children!

Durga finally returns to Nepal

Durga Aran, Founding Director of First Steps Himalaya is back in Nepal for the first time since 2020. Read on to hear his thoughts about returning and how he spends his time:

Flying into Nepal is always magical especially when the snow capped mountains come into view. But this time I was so excited and relieved to get back to Nepal. I’ve been away for two and a half years. The last time I was in Nepal was March 2020 when the whole world was in upheaval and closing borders.

I literally rushed to the airport and caught the last flight out of Nepal back to New Zealand, where our family is based. No one could have imagined how long it would take me to get back to Nepal. I am thrilled to be here at last.

We kickstarted my return with teacher training at our training centre in Sangachok. These teachers arrived thirsty for knowledge and left our training with lots of ideas, motivation and renewed enthusiasm for their jobs.

Giving a certificate to a young teacher at our Sangachok training. Also called Durga, he went away from our teacher training full of ideas of how to make his classes child-friendly.

Addressing teachers at our residential teacher training in Sangachok. I try to inspire them about how they can literally transform lives.

We then moved on to Nuwakot to run a 10-day training workshop for teachers from around the district. This included the First Steps contemporary teacher training course, English Language training and Leadership training.

I am in and out of Kathmandu but most of my time is divided between our three rural project areas: Nuwakot, Sindhupalchok and Syangja.

After such a long absence, my work schedule is pretty packed with the teacher training courses, school monitoring visits and, of course reconnecting with the team. I am also assessing building sites for new schools, which we plan to construct in 2023.

Welcoming teachers to the Nuwakot teacher training.

Durga addressing the new trainees during the opening ceremony for the teacher training course in Nuwakot.

For the last two and a half years, I have been working with the Nepal training team via zoom. But there is nothing like being here in person. It is wonderful to see the progress at the project schools and see how our Nepal team are growing professionally.

This is Pragitsheel School, Nuwakot. I was here building this school in March 2020 when world wide lockdowns started. Luckily, we got the roof in time before everyone rushed to the airport. It is wonderful to be back and see this great little school running well.

Hot off the press

I have also just collected 2000 copies of our first story book from the printers in Kathmandu. It is an English-language children’s book set in a rural Nepali village. Young children learning to read identify more easily with situations and environments that are familiar to them and their daily life. We hope Nepali children learning English will love this book as much as we do.

Durga with the first published book, Sita’s Search. We hope to create a range of story books aimed at Nepali children learning English.

Do I have time to spend with my family?

Although I have a lot to accomplish and always feel pressed for time, Tihar festival happened recently. This is a special family celebration and I took a day off to meet my brothers and sisters for ‘bhai tika.”

Durga with his brothers and sisters in his home village of Jitpur in Sindhupalchok

I will be in Nepal for the next few months. I plan to work with our team closely, visiting all our project schools and encouraging continued improvement in the classrooms and teaching.

In particular, I want to focus on connecting with and (hopefully) inspiring head teachers and community leaders. For long-term change, schools need strong leadership with a commitment to continued improvement. This is vital for the long term progress at these schools.

For more information visit www.firststepshimalaya.org

Teachers are the key

Did You Know in Nepal:

• Young children are often allocated the smallest, darkest space in a school, often without a teacher!

• Most teachers have not received any training in modern child-friendly teaching methods

• Children under 7 do not have their own classroom teacher but are effectively ‘babysat’ by a rotation of subject teachers

Imagine being a child spending your days in this bare, dark, chaotic space. This is a typical classroom for young children in rural Nepal.

Now imagine if those children could learn in a classroom like this:

Let’s help these children thrive!

With the help of generous people like you, First Steps Himalaya is deeply committed to improving teaching across rural Nepal so as many children as possible can have access to kind, nurturing learning environments.

Young children thrive at school when they have consistent routines, interesting resources and interested adults around them.

Well-trained, enthusiastic teachers are the key to creating successful classrooms where children can learn and thrive. Look at the difference trained teachers can make to a classroom!

This teacher at Dyali School, Sindhulpalchok has her students’ full attention as they practice letter sounds using hand-made flash cards. She is using techniques learned at First Steps teacher training,

Enjoying a story at Mulkharka School. Look at the bright and useful hand-made learning resources decorating the classroom walls.

This teacher’s use of natural materials at our Sangachok Nursery develops a sense of curiosity in young children.

Children working in a small group, focused on puzzles at Sangachok Nursery, Sindhulpalchok

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Annual Appeal 2022

Help us transform education in rural Nepal!

$50 can buy art material such as crayons, paint, coloured paper for a classroom

$100 can pay a teacher’s salary for a month

$250 can allow a teacher to attend a week-long teacher training workshop

There is a huge need for improved education in rural Nepal. Please help us give children the education they deserve.

For more information about First Steps Himalaya visit www.firststepshimalaya.org

Beyond The Clouds is back!

We are literally jumping for joy and we hope you will be too!

It’s time to dust off the hiking boots and backpack! We are thrilled to be restarting our Beyond The Clouds tours in the Himalayas from October 2022!

Travel with a difference

All profits from Beyond The Clouds journeys go directly to support the work of our education charity First Steps Himalaya. Our customers know they will experience a trip of a lifetime while supporting a worthy cause.

Experience inspiring travel for solo travelers, families, couples and small groups in this breathtaking region of the world.

Where can I travel to?

Beyond The Clouds takes travelers to:

• Nepal

• Bhutan

• Ladakh

• Tibet

Read on to learn more about our travel experiences and see spectacular photos from our favourite places.

NEPAL TREKS

Home to the highest mountain in the world, the allure of Nepal calls travelers back again and again! And for good reason - the breathtaking snowy peaks, vibrant culture, friendly and welcoming local people make this country a real feast for the senses.

The Three Passes Trek is one of the most spectacular hiking trails in Nepal, offering unparalleled views of dramatic summits and captivating valleys. Shorter treks are ideal for families or those will less time. Nepal has something for everyone and will draw you back time after time!

Beyond the Clouds has a range of flexible tailor-made itineraries and great ideas suited to all types of travellers. Create your own Nepal experience without being part of a tour group.

Stunning views from this eco- lodge looking out on the Annapurna range.

Our Yoga Journeys are back! Yoga teachers wishing to lead a yoga journey welcome to contact us.

BHUTAN

Discover this mystical Land of the Thunder Dragon, where monasteries are part of the mainstream and traditional culture, architecture, and Buddhism thrive.

Often referred to as the last Shangri-La, Bhutan offers the ultimate travel experience! Experience the rich Buddhist culture, a stunning natural environment, well-preserved and unique traditions and friendly local people.

The iconic Tiger’s Nest Monastery

Picturesque Punakha Dzong

Colourful festivals in Bhutan

Time your visit to coincide with a Tsechu, or festival, held annually in towns and villages throughout the kingdom. These spectacularly colourful and captivating events draw hundreds of Bhutanese people in a spirit of reverence, blessing, festivity and celebration. Festivals in Bhutan take place in Dzongs (monasteries) and come to life with spectacular colour, music, dance, and drama. Villagers gather to witness the incredible masked dances that depict traditional Bhutanese and Buddhist tales.

Experience glorious colourful culture on a Bhutan festival journey

Bhutan Yoga Journeys combine yoga with the best of Bhutan

Walking holidays are a fun and picturesque way to experience the country and landscape in Bhutan

Bhutan has some stunning treks for the more adventurous travelers

LADAKH

Located in a hidden corner of northern India, Ladakh is one of the least populated areas of the Himalaya. Cradled between the world's highest mountain ranges on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau, Ladakh means ‘land of many passes’. Landing in Leh, the capital of Ladakh, is like stepping back to a time when lives were lived according to the seasons and the scriptures, and the outside world is far away. 

Visit picturesque white-washed monasteries perched atop rocky hills and mountains, where Buddhist philosophy is taught and debated. Trek amid breathtaking landscapes and experience the rich culture of Ladakh. Experience the warm hospitality of the local Ladakhi people.

The team at Beyond The Clouds have found some real gems for you to stay in, on the banks of the Indus River, in off-the-beaten-track villages and in the historic heart of Leh. From simple Ladakhi homestays to boutique hotels, we keep your comfort in mind while offering an authentic experience.

Explore incredible Buddhist monasteries of Ladakh

Ladakh home to the snow leopard and other magnificent wildlife

Hemis festival

Trek Ladakh

TIBET

As we wait for Tibet to reopen, here are some stunning ideas to whet your appetite. We can’t wait to be back in Tibet and will let you know once tours are possible again.

Songzanlin Monastery, Shangri La

Pilgrims in Lhasa

Tacheng

Relongba Glacier, Ranwu

Mount Kailash

What’s special about Beyond The Clouds?

1) Your travel directly supports education in rural Nepal

This travel business is a social enterprise. This means all profits from our journeys go directly to support the work of our education charity First Steps Himalaya.

2) We support local economies in the Himalaya

Our Himalayan tours are guided by local guides who know their areas intimately. We hand-pick locally owned and operated hotels and restaurants for our travelers. This helps communities financially and provides you with a richer experience by connecting you with real local people wherever you go.

3) We care for the Himalayan environment

Where possible, we choose eco-friendly hotels and encourage our guides and customers to follow sustainable tourism practices. We love the Himalayas like our home and we want to take care of it!

4) We really know the region

Our team are passionate travelers, and experts on the Himalaya. Between us we have decades of knowledge and experience travelling around and organising tours in the region.

What our clients say

“The whole yoga tour exceeded my expectations in terms of accommodation, safety, fun and friendliness of the locals. The itinerary was very well thought out and our tour guide was an exemplary organiser!” Gael, New Zealand.

“Our decision to use Beyond The Clouds was absolutely the right decision! The trip was everything we had hoped it would be and more. The planning was excellent, our lodgings great, the cultural sights which gave us a true picture to life in Bhutan and we cannot say enough about our guide, Pema, and driver. We even received special treatment in Kathmandu, Nepal, our layover place, at a recommended restaurant for Ken’s birthday. We love that there is a charitable aspect to Beyond The Clouds. Ken and Stella, U.S.A

"The whole experience was quite mind-blowing! The magnificent scenery, amazing sights and the great yoga combined to make this a memorable experience. The accommodation in Bhutan was luxurious. Our guide and driver were exceptionally helpful and knowledgeable. I would certainly recommend this holiday to other people" Sue, U.K.

Click here for more reviews

Supporting our older girls

Having your period is something almost all women and older girls across the globe deal with each month. There is no denying that it can be messy, uncomfortable and a sometimes painful time.

Unfortunately in Nepal, menstruation is layered with many cultural taboos and restrictions that make girls and women’s daily lives much more difficult when they are menstruating.

Helping girls feel confident

First Steps Himalaya has recently started a Menstrual Hygiene Management programme for older girls in six schools we work with across Nepal. (Panchakanya, Ajinghare and Srijana in Nuwakot and Jitpur, Kadambas and Irkhu Pokhare in Sindhupalchok).

The goal is to help these girls feel confident and ready to learn at school when they have their period.

Let’s look at some of the problems faced by the girls and how First Steps Himalaya is helping to make menstruation a regular, normal part of a girl’s daily life.

Physical difficulties in the school toilet

At school, older girls who live in rural areas of Nepal often struggle to deal with their period in a hygienic, dignified way. Until recently, school leaders had put little thought into catering for the needs of menstruating students.

There may be no disposal facilities in the toilet area. If there is a bucket to place used sanitary products it may not be regularly emptied and so is overflowing, unsightly and unhygienic. There may be no water nearby to wash hands after a girl had changed her pad.

Over a quarter of the girls that we surveyed at the six schools expressed that, when they were at school, they didn’t change their pads as often as they needed to at school. Although the majority of girls reported that they were happy with the disposal and hand washing facilities at their school, there was still a sizable group of girls who felt the toilet experience needed improvement.

How does First Steps Himalaya help?

A key part of the programme is engaging with the leadership at the schools and encouraging teachers and the school committee to improve the toilet experience for menstruating girls.

Our team regularly catches up with the school leaders and monitors progress towards clean toilets, hygienic disposal methods and good availability of water for hand washing.

Sanitary products

We asked the girls what products they used to absorb blood during their period. Almost all the girls used wads of cloth that they would wash at home. Around 20% of the girls used purchased disposable pads, which are expensive.

As part of the programme, we run workshops to teach the girls how to sew their own reusable sanitary pads out of comfortable, absorbent fabric.

Taboos and restrictions

We asked the girls about their lived experience of what happens when they have their period in their village.

A huge amount of girls reported that they or their family members faced restrictions when menstruating; 25% - 35% girls at three schools and a whopping 75% of girls at the remaining three schools reported facing restrictions to their daily life.

Using the local stream was banned for menstruating women in approximately half the households at Panchakanya.

Over 30% of of the girls at Ajinghare reported that they and their female family were not allowed the use their stream while menstruating.

Ideas of shame and disease are wrapped around mensuration in these communities.

Over 20% of girls at Panchakanya and 13% at Ajinghare believed menstrual blood was harmful or were unsure on this topic. 12% of the Irkhu Pokhare girls thought menstruation was a curse on women.

While the majority of girls at all schools felt comfortable drying their menstrual washing in public view, over 10% of all girls hid this laundry, with a quarter of the Ajinghare girls making special effort to dry these clothes in a secret place.

How does First Steps Himalaya help?

Creating open and honest dialogue within the community is a really important step in breaking down restrictive taboos that affect girls and women.

We run structured talks for teachers and older girls on the topic of menstruation. These talks cover the facts about menstruation and look at the cultural beliefs surrounding menstruation in Nepal.

We also run informal question and answer sessions with the girls. Our trainer and female teachers raise discussion topics and can answer any questions or concerns from the girls.

Creating a supportive school environment

School attendance does not seem to be affected by menstruation, however, a lot more can be done to make menstruation a normal, stress-free part of the students' lives.

Our survey identified that a large number of girls feel worried about being teased or bullied at school when they are menstruating. We hope that concerns around bullying will be lessened with open discussion about the normal-ness of menstruation within the school community and the committed engagement of the school leadership.

To learn more about the Menstrual Hygiene Management programme and other education projects across rural Nepal, please join our monthly newsletter.

Understanding Nepal’s monsoon

The monsoon season has just started in Nepal, where it usually occurs between June and August, slowing down in early September. Known as the “Rainy Season” days are wet, humid and warm, with temperatures reaching up to 30°C. Despite the monsoon season being characterised by periodic heavy rains, it is actually caused by a reversal of wind direction which alters the pressure systems over the Indian Subcontinent. Interestingly, trans-Himalayan regions in the north of Nepal, such as Dolpo and Mustang, do not experience a monsoon due to their geography and remain mostly dry year-round.

During the monsoon months, rain normally lasts between 3 and 4 hours each day, often falling in the night or early morning which allows the sky to clear for beautiful mountain views during parts of the day. The summer rains of the monsoon season also bring extraordinary colours to Nepali nature. Rice terraces, fields and vegetation become a lush green during these months, and flowers blossom in vibrant colours. The clearing of skies in September as the monsoon winds down makes September to November the ideal months for trekking, as nature is still in its magnificence following the monsoon season. 

Monsoon rains in Nepal can cause issues of land destabilisation resulting in landslides, which have become particularly in the Sindhupalchok region. In 2021, landslides caused by heavy rains have displaced hundreds of people as their houses were destroyed by rockfall or swept away by monsoon-rain filled rivers.

This has caused severe food security issues as vital agricultural terraces have been destroyed, with these problems worsened by road destruction which has affected the transportation of relief aid. In the past few years, monsoon rains have become more erratic due to climate change, which has altered temperature trends across the Indian Subcontinent.

Creating Inspiring Leaders

Successful organisations need strong, inspiring leadership. This is true for First Steps Himalaya and for the schools we work with in villages across rural Nepal.

Founding director, Durga Aran is an inspiring leader and he has recently started to share his leadership skills and techniques with the head teachers at the schools we work with.

“Improving education for children at these small village schools is an evolving puzzle,” says Durga. “When we started First Steps Himalaya in 2008, we concentrated on improving the physical classrooms, but quickly realised that a beautiful classroom full of resources was meaningless unless you have a skilled teacher. Since then we have focused on up-skilling and empowering village teachers, so they can create their own nurturing learning environments.”

Change needs leadership

However, while some schools improve rapidly when their teachers go through the First Steps teacher training workshops, others lag behind. “Over time, it has become apparent that the quality of the school’s head teacher has a lot to do with this, “ says Durga.

“Schools going through change need strong leaders who support their teachers, inspire pride and are active in their school community. Recently, we have added Leadership training to our programme to help ensure long-term, sustainable change for these small village schools.”

Durga’s Journey

Durga’s childhood was characterised by a lack of opportunities. This is a typical story for many children in rural Nepal.

Durga grew up in a small village, north east of Kathmandu, the youngest of eight children. He dreamt of going to school but his parents didn't understand the value of education. Instead, Durga was sent to look after his sister's child when he was just six years old.

When he finally attended school, there were no resources and the teachers were often absent. At age 15, his father arranged his marriage, and he then spent years working in restaurants in Kathmandu.

Needing to make a change

“As a young adult, I wasn’t happy to accept the limited choices I was being offered,” says Durga “Something in my personality forced me to keep pushing to improve my situation.”

Starting in a restaurant as a dishwasher, Durga quickly worked his way up to restaurant manager. He went on to run his own trekking and tour company before becoming the Founding Director of First Steps Himalaya.

“When I looked back on my own childhood, I wanted to give other Nepali children a better one,” says Durga.

Since 2008, First Steps Himalaya has impacted thousands of lives through improved education, teacher training and community support across rural Nepal.

“Sometimes I can’t believe how far I have come. I grew up uneducated with very limited choices and now I find myself educating rural Nepali school leaders on how they can improve their schools and the lives of their students. I am so proud. I could never have imagined the impact our work would have.”

Learning to Lead

Many Nepali head teachers are quite resistant to change in their schools. Although they may be happy for their staff to attend training and get new ideas, they are uncomfortable with embracing change themselves. However, once they relax and enjoy the activities, they begin to identify simple changes they can make within their school.

In rural Nepal, many people in leadership roles have had little exposure to quality leadership ideas or how to manage teams. In a school setting this results in a disorganised, hands-off leader with demotivated teachers and poor outcomes for the children.

Simple steps for big improvements

First Steps Leadership Training for schools consists of several workshop sessions specifically tailored to village school head teachers and management committees. It introduces concepts such as:

• Leadership styles

• Practical goal setting

• Time management techniques

• Importance of supporting your team

• Multi tasking skills

Recently, Durga has delivered these workshops to Nepali schools via Zoom. “I left Nepal in March 2020 in a flurry, catching the last scheduled flight out of Nepal before the borders closed.” However, with border restrictions lifting, Durga is returning to Nepal to deliver his Leadership Training in October and November in person.

“These schools need strong leaders to give their students a quality education. These children are the future leaders of Nepal. I can’t wait to get back!”

For more information on First Steps Himalaya visit www.firststepshimalaya.org

Active movement

Active movement in the early years classroom is vital for early years development. First Steps teacher training encourages teachers to get their class up and active. It’s fun and really important.

5 reasons why movement is important for young children:

1) Builds muscles and strength​

Kids need lots of opportunities to run, jump and climb to build healthy, strong bodies. These big movements also prepare children for the more detailed movements they will use in the classroom. Children must be competent with big movements like hopping before they can master smaller movements like writing.​

2) Increases confidence​

It can be frustrating being a small child. Many things in daily life are just too complicated or large for a young child to master. Appropriate physical challenges are a great way for a child test their boundaries, practice and feel success.

3) Connects child's ideas to actions in the real world​

Active play let’s children test out their ideas and get immediate, clear feedback from the world around them.

4) Vital for brain development​

Physical movement builds up the neural networks in the brain. Children’s brains develop rapidly when they are young. It is vital that young kids are active participants in their world to help their brain develop to it’s full potential.

5) Encourages exploration and curiosity​

Active movement often happens outdoors - a wonderful place to make discoveries and go on adventures. Learning new things and having new experiences improves intellectual development.

To support our work or to find out more about how First Steps Himalaya trains teachers in rural villages in Nepal, visit www.firststepshimalaya.org