In 2009, our first project commenced in the village of Sangachok Nursery, Sindhupalchok District. Situated in the hills close to the Tibet border, Sindhupalchok three hours drive from Kathmandu. We are currently supporting schools in eight villages in Sindhupalchok as well as nine in Nuwakot and eight in Syangja, south of Pokhara. From 2021, we will also be in Jhapa, Okhaldhungs and Khotang Districts.
“The most remote and inaccessible communities are often those that are in most in need of our support.”
HOW WE GET AROUND
Whilst some of our projects are located on motorable roads, many are down rough tracks and hard to access. In some cases, the tracks are too rough for our project vehicle and we have to use a local 4WD jeep to reach them. Even this can be a challenge at times!
Our local supervisors are super fit and usually walk to each school on a rotation basis. Jeeps and trucks deliver classroom refurbishment and learning materials in extremely challenging terrain.
Sindhupalchok
Situated in the mid hills, our longest running projects in Sindhupalchok offer stunning views from villages dotted around, mountain tracks. The headquarters of our local partner, First Steps Nepal is here.
Nuwakot
Our project area in Nuwakot is right at the end of a river valley. Once you leave the main track, there are only extremely rough tracks winding their way up and around the extremely steep slopes.
Syangja
Located in the hills south of Pokhara, you can see the Annapurna mountain range on a clear day. Most of our project schools are located on steep mountain tracks that are only accessible by four wheel drive.
project selection
Schools wishing to join our programme are assessed according to geographic location, attendance, and the school’s commitment to change. We also gauge the community's willingness to participate, as this is vital to the overall outcome, and to improving the standard of education for their children.
A project pre-assessment is then carried out as well as a baseline survey. This provides us with a benchmark from which we can create change.
