Kopila Valley Children’s Home is located in Surkhet, Nepal also known as the Midwestern border region. We are just three hours north of the Indian border. This area is secure from insurgency and has good prospects for continued development. In addition, the region has a good transportation system, an airport, hospital and market. The land is fertile with access to pure glacial water. At the same time Surkhet serves as a hub city, as it is on route to many poor and remote villages and encompasses 13 of the poorest districts of Nepal.

School girlsNepal, A Brief History
Over 13,000 people have been killed in Nepal due to the civil conflict which began 10 years ago. Both the Maoist rebels and the government have been responsible for countless human rights abuses. In 2005 Amnesty International released a report confirming that children have been the main victims of violence in the conflict, stating that “Nepalese children are being killed, illegally detained, tortured, raped, abducted and recruited for military activities” The report held both sides responsible for violating the most fundamental rights of children.

The majority of the population of Nepal resides in poor remote farming villages, with agriculture providing a livelihood for 90% of the people. It is a lifestyle of primitive simplicity. They live off the land trying to meet their most basic needs. Schools, medical camps and hospitals are few, and for the most inaccessible to the majority of Nepalese. Most villagers walk for days to reach the nearest outpost, where they purchase salt, sugar, clothing material, and other staples. They return through the footpaths of the Himalayas carrying these items on their backs, which must sustain their families for months. Poverty and child labor abuses run rampant throughout the country. Nearly 27% of children are sold into child labor. Many children do not go to school as they are forced to help in the home or in the fields. Education is limited to the rich thus keeping the caste system alive. Less than 50% of the Nepalese population is literate. The literacy rate among women is 29.9%. In the past year the Maoist rebels and the civilian government have reached an agreement, thus putting an end to the war. This agreement will result in the forming of an interim transitional government, and the reduction of arms under supervision of the UN.