Saptakoshi Primary School

A New Chapter for Upper Dolpo

High in the silent mountains of Upper Dolpo, the wind carries stories across barren ridges and narrow valleys. At dawn, the sunlight touches the stone roofs of Yarle, revealing a world where life unfolds far from roads, electricity, and modern comforts. Here, among ancient footpaths and panoramic isolation, children begin their days with the same quiet determination as their parents and grandparents before them. In places where every step is shaped by altitude and resilience, access to education becomes more than a possibility — it becomes a lifeline to the future.

After successfully supporting three school projects in Upper Dolpo since 2016 — Saldang, Nyisal, and Lhuri — the MyIdol Foundation is proud to begin its fourth initiative: the Saptakoshi Primary School in Yarle-4, located in the rural municipality of Chharkatangsong.

Background Information

The school was originally founded in 1977 to serve children from four villages: Dhu, Yarle, Thimnyar, and Punghak. Although established 47 years ago, it remained non- operational for many years until its reopening in 2022. Today, the combined population of these villages totals around 335 people across approximately 60 households.

As is common in many remote Himalayan communities, government support is limited — in this case, funding only two teachers and some support staff. For the past two years, the villagers themselves paid for the additional teachers needed to keep the school running. But Upper Dolpo is one of Nepal’s poorest regions, where families survive through small-scale farming, livestock, and seasonal work. Continuing to finance private teachers was simply not possible, and the school once again faced the threat of closure. To secure its long-term future, the school will require three to four privately funded teachers. This expansion includes adding grade 5 to prevent children from dropping out after grade 3, when many are forced to leave for Kathmandu or distant villages — often separating them from their families at a very young age. The Saptakoshi School is one of the few year-round schools in the region, which makes its preservation even more vital.

MyIdol Foundation Commitment

In the summer of 2024, our partner organization DTCF in Kathmandu informed us
about the urgent need for support. Our longstanding cooperation and presence in
Upper Dolpo meant that the community placed great trust in us. After reviewing our
resources and the long-term requirements, we decided to commit to the project.

At the MyIdol Foundation, we believe that sustainable support requires long-term
responsibility. We therefore committed to a five-year agreement beginning in 2025,
with the intention of extending it as long as the school continues to grow positively.

What Happens in 2025?

We began funding the school’s operations in January 2025. By a fortunate
coincidence, we were also able to finance the reconstruction of a severely deteriorated
building, creating four new classrooms for the children of Yarle and the neighboring
villages. A portion of the original structure is still awaiting renovation, but the progress
is already transformative.

Today, 35 children attend the school. In a region where villages are separated by days
of walking and winters can seal entire valleys beneath snow and silence, a functioning
school becomes more than a building — it becomes a beacon. Each lesson, each
page turned, each word learned is a small flame of possibility flickering against the
vastness of the mountains.

And just as the first light of morning touches the rooftops of Yarle, illuminating stone
houses shaped by generations, education now reaches into these remote valleys with
that same quiet strength. What begins as a simple walk to school becomes the
beginning of a different kind of journey — one that leads not away from home, but
deeper into a future these children can help shape themselves.

In places where the wind has carried stories for centuries, new ones are now being
written — stories of opportunity, resilience, and hope. High in the mountains of Upper
Dolpo, the promise of tomorrow is unfolding again, one child at a time.

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Founders Message

Every journey starts with the first step. Even if our goals seem large and far off, we persevere and take it one step at a time until we get there. With the same prevailing attitude, I focus on building my companies and climbing the highest mountains, and have successfully accomplished all my goals.

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