The Story of Two Young Girls

During one of our trek through Nepal, we encountered two young girls along the trail. Curious, we asked them, “Would you rather stay at home or go to school?” One of the girls smiled and replied, “I prefer going to school.” Intrigued, we inquired further, “But why do you enjoy going to school?” She explained that at school, she could both play and study, whereas at home, she was tasked with household chores.

Indeed, for children in the mountainous regions of Nepal, attending school presents a formidable challenge, compounded by their families’ financial circumstances. The rugged terrain and limited arable land result in scattered households across the mountains, necessitating arduous journeys for these children. Each day, they trek for 2-4 hours to reach school, braving natural obstacles such as landslides, river floods, and the constant threat of snake bites, particularly pronounced during the monsoon season.

Furthermore, the demands of household chores before and after school leave these children exhausted and lacking the motivation to learn. Families residing in higher altitudes often opt not to send their children to school, particularly those facing financial constraints, due to the prohibitive distance and associated costs.

Lungthung Village: 

Nestled in the far northeastern reaches of Nepal lies Lungthung, a quaint and scattered settlement near the borders of Tibet and India. Populated primarily by Sherpa people, this village serves as a crucial thoroughfare for travelers descending from the high mountain villages to procure essential supplies from larger towns.

Despite its remote location, Lungthung boasts a small school catering to students from grades 1 to 6, overseen by a dedicated team of three teachers.

Why Build a Hostel in Lungthung?

Between 2016 and 2021, we undertook the monumental task of rebuilding three schools, that had been ravaged by the 2015 earthquake for more than 500 kids. These schools—Shree Leptung Secondary School, Shree Palep Primary School, and Shree Adhamara Primary School—were meticulously reconstructed, and upon completion, handed back to local authorities and villagers. However, it soon became apparent that despite our efforts, the educational standards in some of these schools remained subpar. Following the handover, our ability to actively manage the schools was greatly curtailed, limiting our capacity to enhance educational standards. Nonetheless, we remain committed to exploring strategies for improving the quality of education in these schools while respecting the autonomy of the school administration.

Determined to continue our mission of improving education quality, we began exploring alternative avenues. This led us to conceive the idea of establishing a hostel in Lungthung village. Generously supported by NORQAIN, the hostel accommodates 50 children from low-income families and remote, isolated areas.

The primary objective of this hostel project is to ensure access to education for disadvantaged children while imparting fundamental principles of health and hygiene, culture and social responsibility. Such comprehensive education can only be achieved through sustained oversight from the Butterfly Help Project—it’s more than just erecting a school; it’s about nurturing future generations.