Build for Education in Humla

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Many government schools in Humla are not fit for purpose. Where schools have been built, most have structural damage and are in dire need of repair to withstand harsh weather conditions and adding to the safety and comfort of pupils and staff.

The Build for Education in Humla Project will restore 16 schools to provide good teaching facilities for over 2,600 pupils and 112 teaching staff. A prime focus will be to ensure that girls receive similar opportunities to boys and raise their educational standards and life chances.  With no secondary schools in 66% of the district, education levels in Humla rank amongst the lowest in Nepal. The population groups exhibiting the highest levels of illiteracy, skills and malnutrition are women and young children.

Building materials have been transported by donkey, as there are no roads in this remote area of the hidden Himalayas.  From pipes to corrugated iron sheets, a familiar site on the back of donkeys.  It has proven to be quite the logistical feat. Ground preparation at Panchamukhi Tehe School has been carried out to make the entrance is safe for pupils.  Also, the painting of a wooden balcony to brighten up the outside and protect the wood from the elements.

The main objective of this project is to repair/rebuild 16 government schools in Humla to provide a clean, safe and supportive environment. Good facilities will help teachers deliver a better education for both boys and girls.

Developments are underway at Muchu School, in the Humla province, in providing famine relief and sustainability.  This school has flourished, growing from 15 students to over 50 at its peak - mostly girls - in this time. There are no roads into Humla from the rest of Nepal, and traditionally the school has bought its food from Tibet, across the nearby China - Nepal border. This border was closed shortly after the outbreak of Covid in 2020, meaning that the children and their families faced starvation.

Thanks to donations from the Chiswick and Brentford Rotary Club, England, the Kailash Humla Foundation and the Muchu village council, we have brought food aid to the children and supported them with the construction of a greenhouse.  They can sustainably grow their own fruit and vegetables for consumption and sell to the local community.

Long-term impact:

The Nepal Trust has been running health education programmes for a number of years that have helped to raise general health standards in the district. Good educational opportunities will raise overall standards and help to close the gender gap of educational attainment between boys and girls. Nearly 3,000 pupils and staff will benefit in year one and this will also support their wider families as knowledge is disseminated.

Please donate here.

Thank you for your continued support to this life-changing project in ensuring children and young people are able to receive education in a safe environment that is fit for purpose.

Namaste,

Anna McPherson.

Links:

• Build for Eduction in Humla Project