Lets Build a Residential School in the Mountains

In 2012, in NW Nepal, a house was rented for children with disabilities to be schooled. As the numbers grew a second house was rented to accommodate them as no child is ever turned away. There are now 50 children living at HEAD. One house for boys has 1 toilet; the other for girls has 2 toilets. There is a small dinning room in one of the houses. The children either eat in shifts (a few at a time) or they sit outside. The classroom although bigger is also small.
The local community has fundraised and bought some land.
An architect has drawn up plans free of charge.
From local donations the land has now been cleared and made ready.
Now we need funds to build.  Can you help?

Read below for more information. 
ALSO - read my Blog. seeingwithekate  which is telling how I became involved with HEAD.



Nepal is a land locked country which borders China to the north and India to the south. 
Due to lack of resources to develop their financial markets and services, investment capital in Nepal is low.  The low economic status means many Nepalese are locked in poverty, especially if they live in remote mountain villages.
In North Western Nepal, an area where only 1% of the land is flat, farming is compromised.  Difficulty to reach the region means income from tourism is also very low.  The region recognised as the poorest in the North West region. Nepal 2019 population is estimated at 28,608,710 people at mid year according to UN data”. Source: https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/nepal-population. In this number are approximately 513,321 people with disabilities  [AR1] (Australian Himalayan Foundation [AHF] 2016).  
HEAD Nepal, founded by Mr Chhitup Lama in 2011 began as a mobile school, travelling out to mountain villages giving teaching support to visually impaired children. As the needs identified were greater than first thought a residential home for both visually impaired and other children with disabilities was established in Simikot.  The home is the only centre for children with disabilities in Karnali province and currently supports 50 children. The mobile school is still operating as more than 200 visually impaired and children with disabilities have been identified in remote areas as needing education. 
Until the initiation of HEAD children with disabilities were completely marginalized due to cultural beliefs, attitude and values : - 
In the past, most charitable facilities and schools for children have been in or near Kathmandu. Parents in the high Himalayas who wanted their children to be educated sought support from a charity and let their child go away. The documentary ‘Children of the Snow land’ (2018), tells how of the children born in the high Himalayas who were sent to be educated in Kathmandu. Parents would not see their children for 12 years. The film tells of the emotional turmoil, caused by the separation, for parents as well as children. Also of the inability of the young people to re connect with their families as in some cases culture specially common language was lost. For these children isolation is more intense.
It is recognized now that families need to be kept together. A child needs to be raised within its own family and culture.
HEAD organisation recognises that the children with disabilities need to remain within their culture and fully integrated into their own society.  HEAD teachers address the needs of the ‘whole’ child, thus a student with disabilities is taught social skills and also how to manage within main stream society. For example, braille, orientation and mobility, daily living skills, and learning aids are all taught and once the child reaches a level of social skills and mobility, they enter main stream school.  HEAD liaise with the Head teacher of the local school so ensuring the child is able to integrate with minimal distress.
The well-ordered program ensures children are able to take their national exams and that as educated adults they are able to be part of their communities economic and social organisation.