In Nepal’s Manaslu region, we have a long term relationship with Samagaon School which we have been supporting since 2010. It is a school for pupils up to the age of 12 and is a boarding school because for most pupils in this remote area home is a day’s walk or more away. Agriculture is important to the area and the Manaslu Circuit has now developed to be a tea house trek, providing more economic activity and employment. The school aims to provide a broadly based education equipping its students to progress to work in the wider economy and for further education, typically in Kathmandu.

We have been providing school supplies each year together with sports equipment and science equipment. Samagaon is where the valley of the Budhi Gandaki opens out and there is enough flat ground for a cricket pitch. We and our donors have also funded buying traditional dress outfits used in festivals through the year. The school uses our solar lights too.

The school has a strong leadership and teaching team. We have encouraged them to develop their own list of longer term major projects they want to undertake. At the top of this list are solar heated showers and solar powered standby electricity supplies. Without reliable hot water remaining clean and healthy is a challenge for the pupils and the hydro-powered electricity supply is not entirely reliable. We will be supporting the school in 2026 and beyond in funding and supporting the management of these initial and further projects.