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Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world. Its average income per capita is nearly one-sixtieth that of the United States. According to the World Bank, 38.8 percent of its population suffers absolute poverty, living on less than $3.20 per day which is a significant increase from 2010.
The Nepalese people suffered from a protracted civil war between 1996 and 2006 which killed more than 17,000 and crippled many more. In addition, an earthquake in 2015 killed over 9,000 people and injured 22,000. It also destroyed or damaged 7,923 public schools in Nepal and more than 21,000 classrooms were destroyed and 12,000 mostly damaged making them unusable, unsafe or hazardous to continue in use. To date, about 7,700 schools have been rebuilt or reconstructed. The Rotary Club of Fort Collins, After Work (RAW) has regularly rebuilt schools in rural villages devastated by the earthquake. These have been located in very poor areas in the Sindhuli and Ramechhap Districts that rely mostly on subsistence rice cultivation where many of the families are from the Dalit caste also known as "untouchables."
For the country and for the people, education is the way forward. Education is free and mandatory through Grade 8. However, student uniforms, exercise books, and other necessary supplies are required but are not paid for by the government. This project will pay for all educational resources and requirements that are the responsibility of the student and his or her family in schools that RAW has rebuilt.
As for all projects in Nepal our club works with Sudip Koirala, a Rotarian with whom we have successfully completed over 50 projects since 2009, and his team. Project management by Sudip and other Rotarians and Rotaract members in Nepal is under the direction of the members of our club's international committee led by Raju Jairam.
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