Angeles Fund for education of young women in Nepal Angeles Bermudez Svankvist together with Tuki Nepal Society Sweden

Higher education in Nepal is expensive – very expensive! For most of the young people in Nepal the mere thought of going to university is an impossibility. It is not only tuition fees, school uniforms and books that have to be financed. It is also travel and living cost that has to be paid for. If you happen to be born a woman - then your chance of getting a higher education will be even smaller. If a family has the opportunity to send one of their children to university, it is custom to send the son in the family. The general opinion is that girls will get married and have children – so they don’t need an education.

Angeles Fund started 2008 with the purpose of helping young Nepali women to get an education. Durga Sapkota and Sushila Khadka were the first two girls that were selected by the fund. To be selected by the fund for higher education the girls have to; -Posses basic knowledge in order to manage higher education - Be motivated to study -Have the support of their families -Lack the economical means to finance university studies The girls selected were chosen after recommendation from their teachers in school. Durga started a 3-year education to become a nurse and has today a good job at one of the big hospitals in Kathmandu. Sushila choose to study economy but didn´t graduate as she fell in love and got married. She and her husband are now running a small shop and Sushila has good use of her economy education.

Anita Dhaunya has been sponsored by Tuki Nepal Sweden since she was in 5th grade. She was, according to her teacher, the most talent pupil they had ever had – because of her families financial difficulties Anita was going to be forced to quit school. She became one of the first sponsor students for Tuki Nepal and when she graduated primary school Angeles Fund took over and sponsored her high school education. Anita got a job as an supplement teacher in her old school and works there while studying. She has almost completed her education in teaching.

Since 2012, the priority for Angeles Fund has been to sponsor girls for high school. Most of the girls are getting their high school education out in their villages but some are studying in Kathmandu. The high school education is less expensive than university education and is available in small towns and villages. The reason behind why our primary focus is to provide for the girls to study in the villages is because we believe that the rural areas need educated women! Bina och Rupa will soon finish their high school education in the village.

Until 2014, 20 girls have been able to get higher education sponsored by Angeles Fund and Tuki Nepal. One of the girls have been working in her village as a teacher as a way of giving back. Two other students who are studying to become Dental Hygienist and Health Assistant will employed with full salary by the Health Centre that Tuki Nepal is running in the Jyamrung village and will be working there for at least two years as a way of giving back to the society and the fund.

Today, Angeles Fund is sponsoring girls in both high school and University. Nima Gurung, was first studying in high school and is now in her last year of the journalism education. She is also taking extra classes in tourism, “It is impossible to make a living of journalism if you don´t have very good connections. I will write about the unfair society in Nepal”, she says. Nima has been working in a home for elderly people at the same time as she has been studying.

Srijana Tamang is already a midwife. She has been working for two years in a small Health Centre far up in the mountains and as she realized the oral hygiene status is really poor in the villages, she wants to complete her education to become a Dental Hygienist as well.. Babita Shrestha is studying high school in Kathmandu, even though she is originally from a village. Babita has big plans for the future – she wants to become a Doctor. Because of that she has to study at the best schools to get a chance of getting admission to the medicine program. “A school in the village is not good enough”, she says.

Some of the girls that have been able to study with help from Angeles Fund.

Gyana Dawadi (on the left) will have much better opportunities in life compared tp her mother who recently learnt how to read and write. The mothers in the rural areas are very well aware about what education means to their daughters and their futures. Do you want to help sponsoring girls for education? Donate to Swedish account , Tuki Nepal Society, Sweden. Give us your address in order to get updates from our projects!