After months of preparation and collaboration with local government bodies, schools and community health workers, Himalayan Quests Foundation is proud to share the successful completion of our latest Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project in Naukunda Rural Municipality, Rasuwa District.
Just 90 km west of Kathmandu yet still one of the most remote and underdeveloped areas in the region, Naukunda Ward 6 is home to many indigenous and marginalised Tamang families. Before our intervention, many local schools had broken or non-functional toilets, no water for flushing or handwashing and little to no hygiene practice, creating daily health risks for students.
Our goal was simple but important: to ensure every child has access to clean drinking water, safe and functional toilets and the means to wash their hands with soap, helping create a healthier, more dignified learning environment. One of the key positive impacts of this project is that this will help in keeping more girls in school through their teenage years. It will give them access to cleaner, safer hygiene facilities in schools during their menstruation.
This project directly benefited over 500 students across 6 schools. As a legacy project, these numbers will only increase as the years pass.
Project Outcomes
Through the construction and upgrading of WASH facilities, over 500 students across 6 schools now benefit from clean, functional toilets, handwashing stations with running water and improved hygiene practices. As a legacy project, these benefits will continue to grow for years to come.
To ensure long-term sustainability, we helped each school form Saffa (clean) clubs, providing cleaning materials and seed money to maintain facilities. We also worked with local nurses and community health workers to deliver age appropriate education sessions on:
- Basic hygiene, handwashing and sanitation
- Child marriage awareness
- General sexual and reproductive health
- Access to youth friendly health services
Key Achievements
- 6 new handwashing stations across 6 schools
- Installation of water tanks and plumbing for toilets and wash stations in all schools
- Tiling of toilets and urinals in 2 schools
- Painting of toilet blocks in 3 schools
- Formation and activation of Saffa Clubs in all schools
- Distribution of cleaning materials and seed money to each club
- Health and hygiene education in every participating school
We also extended support to the Ekpakhe Child Development Centre/Women’s Group Office, constructing a new toilet block and installing a 500L water tank, making a significant difference during community meetings and emergency shelter situations.
Voices from the Community
From teachers to students, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive:
“I was thinking of these types of support for schools, but people wanted road infrastructure and we also have a very limited budget. I was very impressed with Himalayan Quests Foundation’s work for health camps and WASH programme.” – Ward Chairperson
“After the installation of water facilities in toilets, it has become much easier for the girls.” -Samrina Tamang, Secretary, Gosaikunda Child Club
“The concept of forming a child club in basic schools is a very good initiative that will help develop future leadership and promote social work initiatives.” – Geeta Devkota, Principal, Betang Basic School
Our Thanks
This project stands as proof that targeted, relatively small-scale improvements can have a huge, lasting impact. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our main donor for funding 6 schools and Amica Felt for funding the project for Ekpakhe School. Also thanks to our dedicated HQF Project Manager, Hari Bhusal, the local health team, teachers, school management committees and above all, the communities of Naukunda for their cooperation and enthusiasm. Together, we have taken another step toward ensuring every child in rural Nepal has the right to clean water, safe toilets and a healthy school environment in which to thrive.
