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Nonprofit builds school for rural Nepalese children

06.03.2020

Children in Nepal are receiving new home thanks to Small World and The Small World USA. Scheduled to open in May 2020, the home for rural youth of the Solukhumbu region, Nepal will provide shelter, support and education to schoolchildren. Ultimately, the home will support about 100 boys and girls, with 50 children being accommodated in the first year of operation.

This initiative is a response to the 2015 earthquakes that disrupted livelihoods in Nepal’s Himalayas, killing 9 000 people. The Solukhumbu region was hit hard, since it was one of the closest districts to the epicenter, and has been slow to recover. The new home for children will be earthquake-resistant and include a community garden, recreational spaces, and responsible supervision and loving care from resident staff of The Small World organization. They will be educated at a private school for free, which is only a five minute walk from the house.

Education is a critical for empowering local mountain communities to be their own change-makers. By providing more children access to quality education within their communities, the organization is creating a pipeline of future mountain leaders.

Since the earthquake, The Small World USA has been partnering with Nepal-based NGO The Small World to provide relief efforts including rebuilding schools and family houses, and providing access to clean drinking water in rural communities. It has been almost five years since the earthquake, yet many children have still not been able to return to school. As a result, the local government and the Authority of Reconstruction of the Central Government Department of Nepal has extended the call for support from nonprofit organizations working in the district.

Slow recovery in the wake of large disasters poses high risks to children, making them more vulnerable than ever. They are at risk of permanent dropout from mainstream education, ultimately making them more susceptible to the risks of trafficking, forced child labor, early marriage and abuse. There are hundreds of children still waiting much needed support. With the local government calling out for local NGOs to help support these children, The Small World takes accountability for these children who, if not taken into refuge, are in direct threat of exploitation and abuse.

Watch a video about the project

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News from Sally Wier, The Small World USA

Photo pictured: The Friends of Arhaus Childrens Home as of February 2020. Credit: Karma Sherpa