Philanthropy Rautahat

In Nepal, a significant portion of the population struggles to make ends meet, with one in four living below the national poverty line. This challenging environment is compounded by a literacy rate of only 65%, which is considerably lower than in developed countries like Australia. Without access to education, individuals in Nepal are often trapped in a cycle of poverty, unable to tap into their full potential or create a better future for themselves and future generations.

Rautahat District, situated in the southern plains of Nepal, faces significant challenges in education and human development. It ranks as the worst district in Nepal for school performance, scoring low in other Human Development Indicators such as health, life expectancy, and gender equity. Its literacy rate, at a mere 42%, is the lowest in the country, with only half of the men and a third of the women being literate. These statistics highlight the urgent need for focused efforts to improve education and overall development in Rautahat.

The Rautahat District, represented by red dotted line.

Shuvashanti Vidya Sadan School, formerly known as Believers English School, is officially registered under the government. It is located in Bijaypur, Rautahat District, Madhesh Pradesh, Nepal. Believers English School took over the school in 2019 during the Covid-19 pandemic when it had only 60-70 students. Over time, the enrollment number of actively participating students in educational and other activities has gradually increased.

Initially, it was not easy, as many people in the locality were not aware of education. This led to a decrease in student enrolment because people were not fluent and habitual with the Nepali language, posing another major obstacle to the growth of the school in that area. To overcome these obstacles and promote the school’s growth, the school team and church leadership collaborated, working to motivate people through activities such as house visits and sharing the importance of education in life and how the school contributes to their children’s education. In this way, the local church priest, Fr. Mahendra Chaudhary, school Principal Bibeknanda Chaudhary, and the school team succeeded in changing the mindset of the local people and encouraging them to send their children to school.

Despite its impressive results, the school lacks proper infrastructure for teaching and learning activities, including the absence of proper classrooms. Although the school has an impressive increase in student numbers compared to the previous year, it still faces challenges, such as the structure being made of bamboo and mud thatched with limited light passing through and insufficient open space for school activities beyond classroom teaching and learning. Therefore, to address these issues and expand to serve more students in the Rautahat Area, the school has initiated different plans, including the construction of a new school building.

Swan Urology has provided financial support in 2024 to help with administrative costs and the purchase of computers.