Sambhav Nepal

Nepal

Nepal (officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal) is located in South Asia, sandwiched between China and India. It is the home to Mt. Everest, the birthplace of Lord Buddha and is one of few countries in the world never to have been colonized. The country is laden with the Himalayan mountains and hills in the north and flat plains in the south. The largest and the capital city is Kathmandu, which is situated in the central region of the country. Tourism and agriculture are the major sources of revenue and livelihood for a vast majority of the Nepalese people, most of who are based in rural areas.

Despite its stunning beauty and a proud history, Nepal has long suffered from major political upheavals, clearly reflected from its poor socio-economic performance (HDI ranking 144th in 2009). In addition to a decade-long civil war, centralized government and polarization of wealth and power have severely hindered the growth of the country. These in turn have resulted in abysmal living conditions – a recent study indicated that 64% of the population survives below $1.5 a day, and according to the Human Development Report (2009), 78% of the population lives on under $2 a day. The war has also taken a heavy toll on the national education infrastructure as schools were bombed and innocent children abducted for political indoctrination in the rebel army. The low adult literacy rate has incited widespread prejudices and injustice, such as gender and caste discrimination, further causing people to live a marginalized life. For instance HDR 2009 reported that merely 9% of the poorest women have completed fifth-grade education.

Nepal has finally seen a hope for peace today as the country is going through a string of sensitive political developments, including the release of 3,000 child soldiers from militia camps in 2009. The process of drafting a new constitution is currently underway, as the democratic parties (most notably the Nepal Congress Party, Nepal Communist Party - Unified Marxist-Leninist, and the Nepal Community Party - Maoist) sort their differences out.

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Gorkha

Situated on the North-central part of Nepal, the Gorkha district hosts a very significant historical and political identity. The district capital, Gorkha Bazaar, is about 140kms west of Kathmandu at an altitude of 1,135m. Gorkha's centerpiece is the magnificent Gorkha Durbar with a fort, a palace and a temple with excellent views of the surrounding valleys, and the Mansalu range.

The history of modern Nepal started some 200 years ago from the Gorkha district, whence King Prithivi Narayan Shah conquered 22 small kingdoms and created the Nepal as we know today. His legacy passed on to his successors who kept foreign occupation at bay. The formidable courage and bravery earned the Gorkha soldiers great respect among the East India Company (British regime in India), who knew the Nepalese soldiers as the Gurkhas. After a standstill in a battle in Nalapani (eastern Nepal), a treaty was signed between Nepal and the Great Britain that allowed the Gorkha soldiers to enroll in a special regiment called the Gurkha Rifles in the British Army. The Gurkhas have fought bravely in many international battles, most notably in the two World Wars, the Falkland War and the Gulf Wars.
Gorkha is also an alternate starting point for a few trekking routes in the region. Gorkha-Trisuli is an easy three day walk along unspoiled Nepali country side. One can also walk a long day's walk to Besishahar, which is the usual starting point for Annapurna and Manang area treks. One can also walk through Besishahar area to Pokhara in a four days.

Sadly, the Gorkha district and other remote areas have been neglected by the government even during peacetime. Most people in this region survive on subsistence farming and are subjected to abject poverty. Gorkha trails behind in socio-economic development and the existing infrastructure requires extensive renovation. As a result, the quality of life in the region has been severely impacted.

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Arupokhari

Perched on a chain of hills, Arupokari is a cluster of 9 villages (Village Development Committes) and lies about 6 hours from the Gorkha Bazaar. The nearest market from Arupokhari is Arughat, along the banks of the Budi Gandaki river. It takes about 45 minutes of uphill walking from the market to the nearest Arupokhari village. The make-shift dirt road is mostly unusable most of the year due to landslides and erosion. The village started receiving electricity only in early 2011, which has brought new prospect of growth and progress in the region.

The topology of the village allows for some stunning views of the mountains and the surrounding regions. Terraced farming using traditional methods, i.e. beasts of burden, is very common. Children are often seen herding cattle and goats in the day time and evenings. The food consumed in the village comes right off the farms, making each meal fresh and organic.

It is a matter of great concern that the quality of living in the region is well below the national average. A lack of developmental infrastructures, besides roads, is pervasive. The use of technology is minimal and communication devices are often times rendered futile because of unreliable services. There is no centrally located medical services and personnel in Arupokhari, which has compromised the health of especially the children and the women.

Needless to say, the literacy rates are abysmal too, owing to a lack of proper schools. The few who are educated settle either in the cities or abroad, thus aggravating this socio-economic disparity. With withered physical structures and under-staffed faculty, the existing state-run schools are in a very poor condition. The quality of education they provide to the children do not compare to those of the city and other private schools. The immediate need that we see is the renovating the schools and provide all other resources possible to build a decent studying environment. Further, the factors that lead to high dropout rates among the student must be identified and dealt with accordingly.

Sambhav Nepal has been meticulously worked to ameliorate this condition and in the past years has achieved some success in filling the void in the educational sector.

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Photo Gallery

Sunrise over the Salyantar hill

The Ganesh Himal summit seen from Bhaira...

Trail leading to Arupokhari

A girl carries the harvest for storage

A panoramic view of the hills seen from ...

Ganesh Himal range seen from Arughat. Bu...

Local women at a village meeting

Ploughing the fields (3)

The route from Arughat Bajar (at the bas...

A traditional house (1)

An ariel view of Dhading Besi, the large...

Ripe rice plantation

Ganesh Mountain range seen from Dharapan...

Sunrise seen from Bhairabi School (2)

The Budi Gandaki river during monsoon

Traditionally dressed local women

Ganesh Himal

Locals of Ratmate welcoming visitors to ...

Ganesh summit seen from Ratmate camping ...

Information about the Dhading-Gorkha roa...

The oldest man from village who dreamed ...

Ploughing the fields (1)

Arupokhari and Ratmate seen from an adjo...

Clear skies and ripe fields

The Local people of Arupokhari at a comm...

A bulldozer levels the road obstructed b...

A local bus heads to Arughat

The road conditions are not very pleasan...

The hill of Salyantar plateau seen from ...

Salyantar Hill looms over Dharapani Scho...

The suspension bridge connecting Arughat...

When it rains, it rains

Local houses in Ratmate village

Kami Daada - a popular hillock in Ratmat...

Dhading Babu - a local bus heads to Kath...

Waves of distant hills

Locals kids

Ganesh Mountain range seen on the way to...

Local houses in Manbu

Sambhav Nepal's field coordinator Mr. Ra...

Harvest blanketed by thick fog

Women heading to Arughat market to sell ...

Men and children at a chutara (a public ...

Arupokhari finally has electricity

Locals watching a World Cup Football 201...

A foggy morning in Arughat

Arughat Bajar seen from Salyantar

Ancients trees like this one are commonl...

Locals playing cards during free time

Sunrise seen from Bhairabi School (1)

The monsoon weather is as scary as it is...

The view of Arupokhari from the Salyanta...

A local house

The dirt road from Dhading Besi (a large...

Sunrise panorama seen from Bhairabi Scho...

Monsoon has arrived

Terraced field on a picturesque day

Ganesh Himal from the campsite

Solar energy is pervasively used in the ...

A boy returning home with leaves and twi...

Aakhu River - famous for its fish

A local couple takes a stroll in Salyant...

Camping site near Bhairabi School

An old banyan tree knocked down by pre-m...

Ploughing the fields (2)

A bed in a local house

Surreal monsoon clouds over Dhading Besi...

A traditional house (2)

A traditional house (3)

The green rice fields have turned golden...

Plantation during monsoon. Farming pract...

A pleasant monsoon sight