Empowering girls and women in Nepal through access to education
521 Generous Sponsors and Donors in 2024
Supported...
90 Preschool-Age Children
Attending full day Montessoribased classes
146 Sponsored Girls Grades 1-12
Learning in four Kathmandu Valley partner schools
30 College Scholarships
Motivating young women to study in Asia, four at Asian University for Women in Bangladesh
60 Mothers
Attending Be Part of Her Dream women’s literacy classes
11 Women in Adult Education
Earning a high school diploma
200+ Families
Receiving food support, awareness programs and health screenings
20 Nepali Professionals
Leading our boots-on-the-ground social work and teaching team
TRANSFORMING LIVES
With
your trust and goodwill, HIO
remains a beacon of hope.
We believe that every Nepali girl deserves the right to exercise her basic human rights and opportunities to realize her potential Thanks to you, our loyal sponsors and donors, HIO girls and their mothers continued on a path from generational poverty to lifechanging possibilities. Your investment is deeply appreciated
The outpouring of support for HIO programs throughout 2024 was astonishing Steadfast sponsorship donations encouraged girls to avoid teen marriage and pregnancy by focusing their aspirations on school You inspired HIO mothers to attend empowering literacy classes When devastating monsoon floods impacted our families, you responded in earnest to our call for help You helped us take important next steps in our early learning program by providing vital funding, donating materials and supporting eleven dedicated Nepali teachers and staff in creating warm and engaging learning environments
You funded wraparound social services, essential for the well-being of every HIO girl and mother. Health clinics and food distributions were a major highlight of the year. We successfully provided potentially life-saving cervical cancer screenings for BPOHD mothers and the HPV vaccine to over 200 girls Over 220 families on the edge received a month's supply of food in November and June.
You generously contributed to our reserve funds for higher education and the newly established Ram STEM Fund. We aim to further spark girls’ interest in science, engineering and technology careers through 2025 STEM initiatives Young women who receive HIO scholarships through your kindness are paying it forward by serving as mentors to younger HIO sisters. Your belief in the power of education is setting them on a path to a better life.
With deep gratitude ~ Ricky and Laura, Co-Executive Directors
EARLY LEARNING
Investing in children increases their chances of staying in school.
Since 2012, HIO has funded a unique Montessori-based preschool program serving 100 marginalized children in two of Kathmandu’s hidden slums. Our preschool program has served as a feeder for almost half of our sponsored girls in grades 1-12 HIO’s partner school teachers often comment about how well our early learning program prepares girls for formal school.
For many years, five staff members and 50 children crammed into a converted garage in the center of the Balkhu slum for lessons. Sponsored girls received tutoring there and mothers attended BPOHD classes Our teachers created an engaging space for learning and achieved remarkable outcomes The facility, however, was located in a squatter community and under constant threat of being bulldozed by the government. Floodwaters from the Bagmati River came closer to the center’s doorstep each year.
In 2023, HIO assumed full responsibility for managing both learning centers, which were previously overseen by partner NGOs. We swiftly relocated the center serving Balkhu to a rental home across the river as a temporary safe haven. In April 2024, we moved to a six-room facility on the second floor of a school building a short walk from the Balkhu slum area Our Learning Center staff lovingly prepared the space with fresh paint, new carpets and bookshelves to begin the school year.
Many thanks to Neil Levine and his Motorcycles and Mountains team for raising funds for new supplies for the center, hauling them to Kathmandu, and cleaning up the outdoor play area In the fall, Bob and Leslie Bernert donated a new set of play equipment that the children can barely believe is theirs to enjoy. We’ll continue upgrading the facility with books, supplies and hands-on experiences to inspire children’s imaginations and their love of learning.
SOCIAL WORK
We respond with compassion and care to the unique challenges girls and their mothers face living in poverty.
With Ram Adhikari retiring at the end of 2024, it was an important year of transition for HIO-Nepal. Ram set the standard for our family-centric and highly personalized social work over his 30-year career as Senior Director. He scrupulously shared stories, insights, photos, and a few tears about his caseload, then graciously passed the torch to Mamata Rai, our new Executive Director. Mamata and her team - Binita, Sushila, Chanda, Lata, Samjhana and Shreejana - are firmly committed to carrying Ram’s legacy forward.
A day in the life of an HIO social worker is gritty and boots-on-the-ground. Our educational interventions go well beyond simply providing girls with access to the classroom Each social worker manages a caseload of girls and mothers who depend on their guidance and treat them like family They are trusted advocates, helping navigate the complexities of deeply entrenched, gender-biased cultural norms in a male-oriented society.
Illiteracy prevents many of our girls’ mothers from exercising their basic human rights and supporting their daughters’ studies. Nearly 75% of HIO mothers are single heads of their household Our social workers help women gain access to birth and marriage certificates vital to validating citizenship During home visits they discuss strategies for managing finances, nutrition, healthcare and safety Workshops we organize help instill good parenting skills and help mothers gain confidence to participate in educational systems
HEALTH CARE
Our wellness initiatives encourage self determination and opportunities to thrive.
Promoting HIO girls’ health and well-being is a number one priority of our social service program We’re grateful to our healthcare partners for making excellent care possible Ek Ek Paila conducted eye exams for mothers in the Be Part of Her Dream program. The Adara Group supported dental screenings, while a Henry Schein Cares grant made health screenings possible. Eyeglasses, follow-up treatments and emergency medical care were offered as needed
After steadily working on a cervical cancer prevention initiative for two years, we were pleased to achieve two major goals in 2024, thanks to the Comeau Family Foundation. In partnership with the Nepal Fertility Care Center, we offered cervical cancer awareness workshops and free HPV screenings to 125 HIO mothers and all female HIO staff members We partnered with EkEk Paila to vaccinate over 200 HIO girls and young women A truly remarkable and collaborative effort.
The combination of the HPV vaccine and regular cervical cancer screenings is the most effective way to prevent cervical cancer In 2025, we’ll build upon momentum we have gained to regularly offer these potentially life-saving interventions to HIO girls and their mothers.
I learned about cervical cancer in the HIO women’s literacy class We were asked to do a checkup by a gynecologist and a test for cervical cancer. I thought, “Why should I have a checkup if I am not sick?”
I collected a sample myself and after a week my report came back positive I needed a hysterectomy I was worried The HIO team gave me information about all the treatments and supported me well
I am grateful that HIO helps poor families like mine and saves people's lives too. From now on, I will remind other women that they should also do their HPV screening.
~Sarita Moktan, BPOHD mother
NUTRITION
Food security adds a measure of diginity to our girls’ lives.
Food insecurity remains a pervasive challenge for HIO families Most sponsored girls live in households that rely on a single mother’s income. Food expenses, around $80/month for a family of four, typically account for more than three quarters of their total household budget. Two factors significantly impacted food prices in Nepal in 2024 India’s restricted export of rice in July and unprecedented late monsoon rains in late fall. The cost of a 50 pound bag of rice rose from roughly $11 to $17, an increase of 53%. Agricultural loss due to heavy rainfall and landslides reduced food availability.
With the generous support of Arthur and Lisa Berkowitz, HIO offered two major food distributions that provided a measure of food security for approximately 220 families. Each distribution benefitted over 900 individuals, including children at our two learning centers, sponsored girls and their mothers, as well as our valued HIONepal staff The November distribution was a true lifeline for HIO families in the Balkhu slum, which had been severely impacted by unprecedented monsoon rains
TOTAL FOR TWO DISTRIBUTIONS
24,310 pounds of rice
350 gallons of sunflower oil
4.5 tons of beans and lentils
972 pounds of peanuts
972 pounds of soy chunks
1,105 dozen eggs
1,768 toothbrushes
454 umbrellas
122 shoe brushes and polish
EMPOWERMENT
Girls whose mothers are educated are more likely to stay in school.
HIO first began sponsoring Hemu Sunuwar’s daughter, Salomi, about 15 years ago Hemu and her husband lived with Salomi and her younger brother in a tiny, rat-infested rented room on the scond floor. They had one bed, a gas hot plate serving as the kitchen and a single, bare light bulb hanging from a wire in the ceiling. Hemu worked long hours as a day laborer on construction sites, shoveling cement and laying bricks Over the years, Hemu has demonstrated incredible grit, courage and determination to build a better life for herself and her family.
Hemu joined HIO’s Be Part of Her Dream women’s empowerment program and did very well in her studies After five years, she moved on to women’s adult education classes and earned a high school diploma With HIO’s support, Hemu is now enrolled in a four-year Bachelor’s program and plans to become a social worker. Our first BPOHD grad to attend college! Ten years ago, Hemu never could have dreamed that her life would change so dramatically for the better There’s still a tough slog ahead for this single head of household in a maledominated society, but Hemu’s grit and determination make the path appear so much brighter.
Hemu is the second graduate of our Be Part of Her Dream empowerment program to serve on the HIO-Nepal board. Two other BPOHD graduates serve as program assistants. Engaging our girls’ mothers in leadership opportunities increases program sustainability.
PROFOUND IMPACT
We channeled 88% of your contributions directly to our boots-on-the-ground programming and wraparound social services this year. School fees, Nepal staff salaries, health and nutrition make up the bulk of our expenses. Our increased 2024 budget reflects more HIO girls pursuing higher education degrees, leading to their future financial stability.
2024 EXPENSES
HIO-NEPAL BOARD
Dr Archana Thapa
Dr. Nyima Phuti Sherpa
Sashmita Raut
Sanju Budhathoki
SPECIAL THANKS
Jennifer Brewster
Dr Pier Boutin
Laura Carlisle
Harry Dickens
Lilly Fitzgerald
Allen’s Neck Friends Meeting
Elizabeth Grumbach
Michelle Hoffmeister
Nina Hunt
Josh Jaffe
MaryLou Jelenik
Steve Kass
Neil Levine
Dr. Mahesh Maharjan
Sukrima Gurung
Hemujmi Sunuwar
HIO-U.S. BOARD
Simmie Kerman
Val Stori
Sarah Kooshian
Lani Peterson
Laura Gladding
Kelly Case
Will Dixon
Lesley Riva
Jan MacLeod
Catherine Miller
Nancy Mobley
Motorcycles and Mountains
Sashmita Raut
Susan Sargent & Tom Peters
DeDee Shattuck Gallery
Sheffield Library
Nancy Spirito
Giulia Sorgato
Deepak Swamy
Tracy Tyson
Mary McIntosh
Tony & Peggy Natale
Jossy Nebenzhal
Sharon Nolan
Bobbie Olsen
Jeff and Jessica Pearson
Bill & Lynn Poland
Ellen Reeve
Ann Rollins and Jim Jose
Susan Seestrom
Jan Solomon & Ken Simonson
Peter Zandan
rons
SUSTAINABILITY
You make everything possible.
In 2024, we established a significant and meaningful reserve fund with a monumental lead gift from Ann Rollins and Jim Jose to honor Ram’s 30 years of dedicated service. Laura Gladding, Susan Sargent and Catherine Miller held regional fundraising events that sustained vital programming. We’re indebted to Lizzie Aga Kahn, Jeff and Jessica Pearson, Simmie Kerman and Steve Aarons for their generous gifts that funded our early learning centers and encouraged STEM education initiatives to flourish. Our Rudi Dundas and Nettie Isler higher education funds continued to grow, offering life-changing opportunities for young women pursuing college degrees.
Aayushma has been lovingly sponsored by Ann Rollins and Jim Jose since she was in first grade. She’s now in 11th grade, planning to study business in college. Every afternoon, Aayushma volunteers as an afterschool tutor at LMV, where she received an excellent education herself Young learners like Aarya look up to Aayushma like a big sister. Because most HIO girls’ mothers were denied the opportunity to attend school when they were young, their ability to help with homework is limited Afterschool volunteers play a vital role in our girls achieving their best and are a heartwarming part of HIO’s sisterhood of support.
