(Winter-)Schools in the remote mountains of Nepal

2025 was again a special year for our work in Upper Dolpo. For the first time, we were able to support a fourth school in this remote, high-altitude region of Nepal. Today, we would like to show you the impact of this support – and why education here is so much more than just lessons. The focus is on the summer school in Lhuri and the year-round school in Yarle. A report on the winter schools will follow mid-year after the winter season concludes.

Lhuri – A Safe Place to Learn, Grow, and Dream

Our school in Lhuri has gradually developed into a safe and secure learning environment over the past few years. Following the opening of the new school building in 2023, two additional large rooms were added: a kitchen where meals are prepared daily for the children and teachers, and a dormitory for those who have to stay overnight at the school during term time. Today, there are six classrooms available for instruction.

A central concern has always been the children's safety. A sturdy fence protects the schoolyard from the steep slope now, and an entrance gate prevents animals from entering the grounds. At the same time, an expanded photovoltaic system provides reliable light and electricity – and the first computers are now available for use.

A significant milestone was the collaboration with the state school principal, Mr. Anga B. Rahut, which officially integrated the school into the state education system. The team is supplemented by three private teachers and a cook, funded by the HUMAN Foundation. School uniforms, learning materials, meals, and transportation expenses are also covered.

In 2025, 23 children successfully attended Nursery classes and grades 1 through 4. In addition to regular classes, they participated in many activities that fostered community and self-confidence: projects for World Environment Day, dance and games, creative competitions, and hygiene training. Here, school is a place where children can feel safe.

Yarle – Education Takes New Roots

In Yarle, a neglected place of learning was revitalized in 2025. Founded in 1977, Shree Saptakoshi Primary School was closed for many years. Today, it is once again a hub for children from four surrounding villages, home to a total of approximately 335 people.

Thanks to the support of the HUMAN Foundation, classes resumed in April 2025 with an expanded team: two government teachers, two private teachers, and a cook. A total of 23 students attended preschool through third grade. For many of them, this is their first opportunity to attend school regularly and close to home.

A particularly important step was the construction of four new classrooms, as the old school building was no longer usable. In addition to the government curriculum, sports, art, dance, community village activities, and health programs have been integrated into the daily school routine. All children successfully completed the school year. An application to expand the school to include sixth grade has already been submitted. There is still much to be done to bring the school up to the level of the other three schools. But a start has been made.

Why is all this so important?

These schools are more than just buildings. They are places of hope, stability, and a future – in a region where education is often only possible through great hardship.

All of this is possible thanks to your support. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for giving children in Upper Dolpo a chance.

Preliminary remarks: I am writing this report at a time of very regrettable unrest in Kathmandu and other parts of Nepal. The situation is still difficult to assess, so we can say little at this time.

After successfully running three school projects in Upper Dolpo since 2016 (Saldang, Nyisal, and Lhuri), we were able to launch our fourth school project this year. Saptakoshi Primary School is located in Yarle-4, in the rural municipality of Chharkatangsong, Upper Dolpo.

Background Information

The school was founded in 1977 specifically for children from four villages: Dhu, Yarle, Thimnyar, and Punghak. Although the school was founded 47 years ago, it was not in operation for a long time until 2022. The total population of the four villages is approximately 335 people living in about 60 households.

As is common in most villages, the state only partially funds the school's operations - in this case, two teachers and some of the support staff. The additional teachers needed have been paid for by the villagers for the past two years. Because Upper Dolpo is a very poor region and people have few opportunities to earn a living, they will not be able to finance private teachers in the future. For this reason, the school was again threatened with closure.

In the long term, a total of 3-4 privately funded teachers will be needed, as the school is to be expanded to include grade 5 (currently grade 3). The goal of this expansion is to retain existing students and attract new ones by addressing problems that often lead to dropouts after grade 3. This means that children have to move to Kathmandu or neighboring villages and are separated from their families.

The school in Yarle is a year-round school, which is also not a given in Upper Dolpo.

Pre-conditions for support through HUMAN Foundation

In the summer of 2024, our partner organization DTCF in Kathmandu asked us whether we could cover these costs. We have been working together excellently on a wide variety of projects for 10 years. Therefore, our reputation in this region is very high.

After a thorough review of our financial situation, we agreed to the request. It is always important to us that we support projects long term, i.e., for at least 20 years, as it is not easy to find new sponsors. We are committed to a five-year agreement while monitoring how the school develops and will extend the agreement in case of positive results.

What happens in 2025?

Initially, we have been funding the school operations since January 2025. By a fortunate coincidence, a partner organization in Switzerland (myidol Foundation) provided us with the funds to rebuild a building in very poor condition. This will provide four new classrooms. A small part of the old building is still to be renovated.

This helps the children and villagers greatly, and we are all confident that the school will develop positively. Currently, 35 children attend the school.

We are happy that we can give the children in Upper Dolpo the opportunity for a good education, as there are simply no alternatives as long as the families in these villages are happy and want to live there.

A huge thank you to you as part of our donor community for your tremendous support.