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Shree Buddha Madhyamik School
Solukhumbu, Nepal

Research consistently shows how transformative a well-resourced library can be for young learners, especially in rural communities. Libraries foster a love of reading, encourage independent learning, improve academic performance, and create a safe space for children to explore their curiosity. Shree Buddha Madhyamik School had a designated room for a library, but lacked the funding to set up the room and supply it with books.

Partnering with the Leo Club of Kathmandu Bhrikuti, Books of Joy provided Shree Buddha Madhyamik School with the resources to get the library running. Together, we donated not only textbooks and reference materials, but also fiction books and magazines to introduce students to new worlds and ideas and foster a love for reading. Additionally, the library was repainted and reorganized to create a welcoming environment encouraging student engagement.

This project equipped students with the resources to expand their knowledge and imagine new possibilities for their future. By renovating and stocking this library, we provided the students of Shree Buddha Madhyamik with a foundation for growth and learning for years to come.

Shree Rastriya Aadharbhut Bhidyalaya
Bardibas, Mahottari, Nepal

Research consistently shows that a well-equipped learning environment is essential for student focus, engagement, and critical thinking. However, for the students of Shree Rastriya Aadharbhut Bhidyalaya, a grade 1-8 school serving lower-income, working-class families, such an environment remains out of reach. With only 11 classrooms and 30 desks for 275 students, most children are forced to sit on the floor, hindering their educational experience. This shortage of basic infrastructure contributes significantly to the school’s underperformance compared to others in the Bardibas municipality.

To help bridge this gap, Books of Joy partnered with students from Project Bhawisya at Kathmandu University School of Management to improve classroom conditions. We provided 20 custom-built desks and benches, nearly doubling the seating capacity of the classrooms and ensuring that more students have a comfortable and dignified space to learn.

Happiness Kits
Budhanilkantha, Nepal

During Nepal’s second COVID-19 lockdown, job losses left many families struggling to afford education and school supplies. As a result, many children lacked the resources to continue learning, and school attendance drastically dropped even after schools reopened in September 2021. Research shows that the longer children stay out of school, the less likely they are to return, especially children who already demonstrate irregular attendance.

To address this, we partnered with Food for Life Nepal to launch Happiness Kits, packages filled with essential educational items. Based on a needs assessment survey of 400 families in Budhanilkantha Municipality, we identified the 200 most vulnerable students ranging from nursery age to 8th grade to receive these kits.

Timed with Tihar, one of Nepal’s most cherished festivals, the Happiness Kits were designed not just as aid, but as a gift to motivate children to return to school. Each kit included notebooks, coloring pencils, sharpeners, pens, and other essential tools to help students maintain learning continuity during the pandemic. By equipping children with the resources they need, Happiness Kits keep education within reach for students in rural, low-income communities.

Shree Janata Basic School
Nawalparasi, Nepal

In today’s digital age, technology is not just a tool – it’s a necessity that prepares students for the future. However, without access to technology or the resources to learn how to use it, children in underserved communities risk falling behind their peers.

Shree Janata Basic School, located in the rural Baudikali municipality of Nawalparasi, Nepal, serves a community where most families are farmers living in poverty. Due to limited resources, students at the school learn about computers through textbooks, yet they never have the chance to use one, as the school lacks a computer. Without hands-on experience, the knowledge they gain remains theoretical, leaving them unprepared for an increasingly technology-driven world.

To bridge this gap, Books of Joy partnered with CASD Nepal to bring technology directly into the hands of these students. We first established a traditional library, creating a foundation for learning. Then, we installed a computer in the library, giving students their first real opportunity to apply what they’ve learned and develop essential digital skills.

Beyond technology, we aimed to remove other barriers to education by providing scholarships to cover textbooks, jackets, uniforms, and school supplies. By making school more accessible and equipping students with the tools they need to succeed in a global setting, we hope to empower them to embrace the future with confidence and curiosity.

Baudikali Rural Municipality
Nawalparasi, Nepal

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted daily life across the globe, exposing vulnerabilities and amplifying the struggles of underserved communities. One such community was Baudikali Rural Municipality in the Nawalparasi district of central Nepal. Home to a predominantly farming population, the area already faced significant challenges due to a lack of infrastructure, including access to education and healthcare.

As COVID-19 spread, it underscored the critical importance of basic hygiene practices like hand-washing and wearing face masks. However, in Baudikali, limited awareness and education around these practices left families vulnerable, putting both themselves and their community at greater risk of infection.

Recognizing this need, Books of Joy partnered with CASD Nepal to distribute hygiene kits to 200 households in Baudikali. These kits included essentials like buckets, mugs, soaps, face masks, and stickers that served as visual reminders of hygiene practices. The initiative aimed to provide both resources and education to empower families to protect themselves against COVID-19.

Though this effort differed from Books of Joy’s usual school-based education projects, health-focused education is equally important. By educating communities with good health and hygiene practices, while providing proper resources, this initiative took an important step toward ensuring that children in rural communities like Baudikali can focus on learning and building a healthier and brighter future.

Dhangada, Padariya, Sahodwa and Shreepur Schools
Sarlahi, Nepal

Sarlahi, a rural district in the southern plains of Nepal, is home to a community of farmers and laborers, many from the “Dalit” caste – historically marginalized and often denied opportunities for upward mobility. As a result, poverty, gender discrimination, and caste-based inequities remain deeply entrenched, making access to education a challenge for most children.

Hoste Hainse, a non-profit organization, operates four schools across Sarlahi with a mission to end child labor and uplift marginalized communities through education. A well-resourced library can be a powerful tool in this effort, especially in a district where literacy rates hover at just 50%. Research consistently shows that libraries play a critical role in fostering a love of reading, promoting independent learning, improving academic performance, and providing a safe space for intellectual exploration. Recognizing this, Books of Joy partnered with Hoste Hainse to establish libraries and donate books to all four schools, ensuring that students have the resources they need to dream bigger and learn beyond the classroom.

Beyond academics, holistic development is essential for a child’s growth. Sports offer a valuable opportunity for students to build teamwork, resilience, and social skills while staying active and healthy. To complement the library initiative, Books of Joy also donated sporting equipment, including soccer balls, volleyballs, and badminton sets. By integrating both learning and play, this initiative aims to create a more enriching educational environment – one where students in Sarlahi can thrive, both in the classroom and beyond.

Summer camp for students affected by HIV
Kathmandu, Nepal

Sujan is an 8-year-old boy in the first grade. His life has been anything but easy – Sujan lost his biological father when he was just six months old and now lives with his mother, stepfather, and two younger siblings in a small rural village in Nepal. His mother is living with HIV, a diagnosis that casts a shadow far beyond her health. Although Sujan, his stepfather, and his siblings are HIV-negative, the stigma surrounding the disease in their tight-knit community affects the entire family.

Sujan’s stepfather is the sole breadwinner of the family, earning just Rs 250 a day, barely enough to cover the basics. Dreams like going on school picnics or class trips – moments that might seem small to others—are completely out of reach for Sujan.

But children like Sujan deserve to experience joy, connection, and the simple wonder of being a child. That’s why SAATH’s Hakuna Matata Summer Camp exists. For two days and one night, children affected by HIV are given a precious gift: the chance to leave behind their worries and immerse themselves in a world of singing, dancing, crafting, games, and laughter. By the end of the camp, these children often find more than fun – they find a community that understands them and a sense of belonging they’ve never felt before.

Books of Joy partnered with SAATH to make this possible by offering scholarships to five children, ensuring they can attend the camp free of charge. For kids like Sujan, this isn’t just a camp – it’s a rare moment to feel seen, supported, and free. Together, we can ensure more children get this life-changing experience and the chance to reclaim the childhood they deserve.

Shree Deurali School
Lalitpur, Nepal

Early childhood development, spanning from birth to age 8, is a critical period of life marked by rapid growth in motor skills, socioemotional abilities, and cognitive capacities. The Montessori Method, developed by Maria Montessori, has long been recognized as a powerful approach to fostering this development. By emphasizing independence, play-based learning, observation, and thoughtfully designed environments, the Montessori Method helps young children build a strong foundation for lifelong learning.

However, for the young children of Shree Deurali School in Lalitpur, Nepal, early childhood education is a rare opportunity. Most of these students are the children of laborers and often accompany their parents to work in unsafe environments instead of staying in school. Without access to a proper preschool or kindergarten education, these children struggle to catch up with their peers by the time they enter first grade, creating long-term challenges in their academic journey.

To address this gap, Books of Joy partnered with VolNepal to introduce a Montessori-inspired early education program at Shree Deurali School. This initiative included sourcing Montessori toys and books and integrating them into a newly designed play-based curriculum tailored to the needs of the students. Teachers were provided with specialized training to ensure the sustainability of this approach and to empower them to create engaging and developmentally appropriate learning environments.

Through this effort, children at Shree Deurali School now have access to the resources and teaching methods they need to build a stronger foundation during these formative years. With better early childhood development, these students are not just better prepared for first grade – they are better equipped to pursue brighter futures filled with opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive.

Student scholarships across 4 schools
Sarlahi, Nepal

Sarlahi is a rural district in the southern plains of Nepal, marked by its low literacy rate of just 50%. The region is home to a population of farmers and laborers, many belonging to the “Dalit” caste, historically considered one of the lowest in Nepal’s caste system. As a result, poverty, gender discrimination, and casteism are deeply entrenched in the community, making education a luxury for most children.

Among these children is Laxmi, a bright 9th-grade girl with a dream of becoming a doctor so she can help others. But in Sarlahi, where girls face significant barriers to education due to gender discrimination, dreams like Laxmi’s often go unrealized. Without emotional and financial support, she faces the stark reality of becoming one of the 72% of girls in Nepal who do not complete high school.

Hoste Hainse, a non-profit organization, operates four schools in villages across Sarlahi with a mission to end child labor and uplift the socio-economic status of poor and marginalized children through education. In 2020, Books of Joy partnered with Hoste Hainse to extend this mission further, sponsoring 40 students annually across the four schools. The scholarships are intentionally split evenly between girls and boys, promoting gender equality and ensuring that young girls like Laxmi have the opportunity to stay in school.

By providing financial support and promoting education as a tool for empowerment, Books of Joy and Hoste Hainse are working to rewrite the futures of children in Sarlahi. With access to quality education, students like Laxmi don’t just have a chance to complete school – they have a chance to transform their communities and achieve their dreams.

[10 year scholarship commitment: 2020 – 2029]
10 students at Dhangada School
10 students at Padariya School
10 students at Sahodwa School
10 students at Shreepur School

Shree Kshetrapal Lower Secondary School
Nuwakot, Nepal

In 2015, a devastating earthquake struck near Kathmandu, Nepal, claiming nearly 9,000 lives, injuring tens of thousands, and reducing over 600,000 buildings to rubble. Among the structures destroyed was the Shree Kshetrapal School in the rural village of Nuwakot. The earthquake not only took away classrooms but also wiped out the school’s library – a critical resource in a community where children often grow up with fewer than ten books in their entire homes.

Research consistently shows how transformative a well-resourced library can be for young learners, especially in rural communities. Libraries foster a love of reading, encourage independent learning, improve academic performance, and create a safe space for children to explore their curiosity. For the students of Shree Kshetrapal School, a library wasn’t just helpful – it was essential.

Recognizing this urgent need, Books of Joy partnered with VolNepal, a volunteer organization, to rebuild the school’s library from the ground up. Together, we filled its shelves with hundreds of books, ranging from curriculum-aligned materials to captivating stories that introduced students to new worlds and ideas. For the first time, children could check out books to take home, sparking a culture of learning and discovery that extended beyond the classroom walls.

This project equipped students with the resources to expand their knowledge and imagine new possibilities for their future. By rebuilding this library, we provided the students of Shree Kshetrapal School with a foundation for growth and learning – one that will continue to inspire for years to come.