Education is the great equalizer
Nepal Remote Schools Support Fund is an Australian registered charity established with the objective of providing support to public schools in remote areas of Nepal.
We are a small family-based, not-for-profit charity with leaders who maintain a strong personal contribution to both funding and operations.
Our current focus is on schools in the Mahakulung Municipality of Solukhumbu District in north-eastern Nepal, south of Mt Everest.
Education is the key to improving lives in remote areas of Nepal.
In concert with local communities, we identify how we can help with buildings, equipment, additional teachers and support materials by helping deliver these projects with the local communities. We are expanding and extending the education opportunities with the inevitable outcome that many move from the village for tertiary education or to gain better jobs consistent with their education.
Over the years we have had great success in extending education and thus improved job opportunities for young people.
Our objective is to achieve enduring and life changing outcomes for people in the remote communities we choose to support. We identify projects in those communities where there is a real need, where the community itself is committed to improve lifestyle outcomes and is prepared to contribute to achieve them. We are looking to make these changes with the new generations coming through school.
We do not compete with the public education system, but select projects that will complement the government schools funding or where priorities restrict what can be done in these remote schools.
We only commit to projects which we are confident of delivering in full – we avoid spreading our resources to the extent that the results fall short of our objectives.
We work directly with village and school communities to develop and detail where we can assist and identify key enablers in the villages prepared to commit to support our projects.
We work hard to ensure that funds donated to us achieve maximum outcome:
Since the Fund was established in 2013, 98% of funds received from donors has gone directly into projects and the remainder has been used for bank fees and currency exchange.
Our charity volunteers have paid all their own personal expenses for the 11 trips made to the village since 2002 and will continue to do so.
We supported the establishment of years 11 and 12 at Gudel school at a time when the local district had no schooling available beyond Year 10.
Provide books, musical and sporting equipment, buildings and computers. Delivery to these remote areas can be challenging.
Provide funding and technical support to establish computer science program for years 11 and 12 at Gudel School.
This project related to the school in Gudel village which now provides education from kindergarten to year 12 for children from the village and surrounding areas.
Gudel village is one of three major villages in the Mahakulung Municipality which has a population of 12,000. The school enrolment in 2024 was approximately 500.
In 2013 the Ministry of Education in Nepal decided to reduce the span of teaching at Gudel from Prep to year 10, to Prep to year 8. This was a devastating decision for the village as it would have effectively limited schooling opportunities of their children to year 8 as most could not afford to board their children at a larger town.
In discussion with school and village officials we came up with a plan to promote Gudel school as a regional centre offering classes up to year 12. We visited the Minister for Education in Kathmandu and offered to fund the full cost of year 11 and 12 classes for 3 years provided the Ministry continued to fund Prep to year 10 for that period.
If successful, the Ministry agreed to take over full funding to year 12 at the end of 3 years. The project was very successful and the Ministry eventually took over full funding after 6 years.
Our aims for this project in Gudel were:
In 2023, a total of 200 students were able to continue their education in Gudel village beyond year 8, of which 50 were enrolled in year 12. Over 250 students have completed year 12 and nearly half of these have gone on to tertiary education to become teachers, nurses, army, police, and in banks.
Total Students years P to 12 in Gudel School
Current Year 11 and 12 students
Students studying Computer Science
In 2019, following connection of electricity and internet to Gudel Village, we provided the school with 17 laptop computers to enable students to begin to assimilate with the new technology. We were conscious that this technology was becoming an essential component of life throughout the world and it was bypassing this village.
By the end of 2023 both teachers, students and the community could see the potential and importance of this technology for their future and in December 2023 we signed a contract with the school and municipality administration to establish Gudel as a centre of excellence in Computer Science. We committed to provide the equipment and fund a specialist years 11 and 12 Computer Science teacher for 2 years.
In May 2024, we delivered and set up 22 modern laptop computers, worked with the school to develop selection criteria for the teacher, and committed to provide a large format smart board for the Computer Science classes. The school has commenced the Computer Science program with 11 Year 11 students in August 2024 with Year 12 classes to begin in 2025.
To 2024, all computers provided to the school have been donated by NGO's.
In 2023, we discussed with education officials in Mahakulung municipality the potential for one of the larger schools in Mahakulung to establish a science program to year 12 based on civil engineering.
The government subsequently committed to provide a classroom building, teachers and laboratory equipment to support the program but would not commit to fund a building suitable for a test laboratory.
In May 2024, we signed a contract with the school and municipality to fund an additional building that would enable the test equipment to be used – an essential part of the teaching program.
Provided additional basic medical supplies including essential bandages and antiseptics, provided many pairs of donated spectacles, provided a portable ultrasound machine for use with pregnant mothers, funded a school health and sexual education program and provided blankets for distribution to needy families.
Provided paid employment for local guides and porters on more than 30 treks, including generous tips and donations of trekking items, clothing and resources for the school.
Many schools in this area have only recently been connected to electricity and internet, they have no heating or cooling and only very basic classrooms lit by opening wooden shutters on windows without glass. Some classrooms are only now getting electric lighting. Many classrooms had dirt floors and very basic table and bench furniture. There were frequently 40 to 60 students in a class.
Literacy levels are low throughout Nepal but significantly lower than average in these remote areas. Villages are supported by subsistence farming with excess produce providing some scarce income. Main jobs include farm related jobs, teaching, health jobs, house building and administration. There are not enough jobs to meet the needs of the community so many males resort to portering and tourist related jobs away from home. Women typically remain at home and tend the family farms and young children.
An example of the remote schools we support is the school in the village of Gudel. The economic base of the village is subsistence farming; families have little or no discretionary cash. When we commenced supporting the school in Gudel in 2003, access was by a three day walk from the nearest major town (2 days for locals). In 2024 roads are approaching the village but there remains no reliable vehicular access.
Only 10 years ago boys typically left school at year 10 and most girls left after year 8. Opportunities for school leavers were very limited – boys worked growing crops on their family land or went to portering and labouring jobs. Typically, girls had no vocation after school and often fell pregnant.
We provided the first computer to the village in 2007 using a car battery and solar panels. Gudel was connected to electricity supply in 2017 and the internet in 2021.
Potentially there will be road access by the end of 2025.
To donate & help rebuild this community, you may:
For our banking details, email: Info@NepalRemoteSchools.org
If you would like to help the Shree Gudel School in any way, please contact us via email.
Email: Info@NepalRemoteSchools.org
ABN: 85167028686
Registration Number: 167028686, Office of Fair Trading, New South Wales
Registered Charity: Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC)
Taxation status : Deductible gift recipient
The Nepal Remote Schools Support Fund Incorporated is a registered charity and is endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient for Australian tax purposes. Any money sent to the Fund is used directly to finance building/rebuilding activities in remote villages such as Gudel and are tax deductable for Australian taxpayers and registered companies. Other than regulatory and financial transaction fees, the total funds donated will benefit the schools as all costs of administering the charity are born by the promoters and other supporters.
© 2013 - 2025 Nepal Remote Schools Support Fund Inc.