Education

“When I get on a bus I have to sit on the roof because I can’t read the seat numbers”

~ Village Parent

A social, cultural, and environmental education is a basic human right that needs to be met worldwide. Unfortunately, while some village have excellent schools and facilities, others have abandoned buildings or poorly functioning government schools that only occasionally operate. The number of schools simply cannot give enough students education and the demand far exceeds the limit. Often times, families are too poor to send their kids to school year round or can only send one or two of their children to school. Every year, more and more students are forced to leave their villages and go to Kathmandu for education.

In 2008, VEC and Helambu Project partnered to build the Pasang Memorial Community Boarding School in Gangkharka village, on the eastern ridge of Helambu. Now, over 100 rural children from historically marginalized and oppressed groups receive a low cost, affordable, high-quality education that emphasize their the region’s rich cultural heritage and linguistic traditions. Students study all traditional subjects, science, math, social studies, etc, along with Tibetan, English, and classes that teach them about their region’s histories and traditions.

Get Involved

Dozens of international volunteers dedicate weeks or months of their time to come teach at the school in Gangkharka. Volunteer teachers are important part of our work at the Pasang Memorial Boarding School. Interaction with the volunteers provides the school’s young students an invaluable opportunity to learn about a whole range of different topics that volunteers have taught them.

The school is also expensive to run and needs a lot of financial support. It costs 500 dollars to teach, clothe, and feed a student for a year. You can make a large contribution by sponsoring a child, making a one-time donation, or by helping us fundraise. Please visit our Get Involved page to learn more about the different ways you can help.