Nepal
Nabina Tharu 6, Kamaiya, Nepal, first generation in her family to receive an education
Despite its mountainous landscape and tourist industry, Nepal is among the poorest nations in the world, with around one-third of its population living below the poverty line.
The agriculture-driven economy has experienced some growth in recent years, but the country’s remote, landlocked location and vulnerability to natural disasters have restricted progress. The UN says most people can only grow enough food for three to five months of the year, and then depend on food aid. Floods and landslides in recent years have destroyed homes and livelihoods, and rapid political changes have increased the sense of instability.
ActionAid began operating in Nepal in 1982 and now work with 357,000 people. Key focus areas for ActionAid are education, housing, food security, and women’s rights.
The caste system is still practiced in Nepal, and much of our work is with the most vulnerable castes, mainly the Kamaiya and Dalit communities. ActionAid Ireland currently supports 18 of the 41 districts in which ActionAid Nepal works in, developing long-term solutions to the problems that keep people trapped in poverty. Women and children bear the brunt of hunger so we support children's education and adult learning. We also work with women and small-scale farmers to lobby for land rights and food security. We are helping women to become entrepreneurs, landowners and play a bigger role in local decision-making.
Child sponsorship in Nepal
Nabina and Rabin Tharu are in class 4 in Shreemukt Kamaiya Primary. Nabina and Rabin are the first in their family's history to ever receive an education. They are part of the Kamaiya community, until 2000 the Kamaiya worked as bonded labourers and were not free to earn a living or pursue an education. Sponsoring a child like Nabina or Rabin will help us to provide education for marginalised communities.
My children can study and I hope they will be able to work using their mind instead of torturing their body with manual labor
Rabin's father, Shiva Tharu said.
How you can help?
When you sponsor a child in Nepal, you'll be providing the resources for real, long-term change. You'll get two letters a year from the child you sponsor, and updates from the country programme to tell you how the money you are spending is changing the community your child lives in. Sponsor a child today!
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