Schools & Scholarships

College in Kathmandu | In Nepalese society, family connections are the way to get a job. So what do you do when you're a poor orphan? Or a bright kid from an impoverished, remote village? Or an ambitious youngster from a destitute urban family? You knock on NYOF's door and apply for a college scholarship. A college degree is usually the only way a poor youngster can begin to build a decent career. There is far more knocking—far more qualified students—than we can support with current funds. In this work, we are limited only by the amount of donations we receive.

"Fifteen years ago I was a hopeless and homeless nine-year-old sleeping in the streets and washing dishes for a little over a dollar a month. Today, thanks to NYOF, I have a BA and I am about to complete my MBA. Whatever I have achieved and whatever I am now, I owe to Olga Murray and NYOF." Santosh Basnet, who lived at J House Read Santosh's story

In 2006, NYOF supported 200 college students. Most study at the national university, and their fields of study range from forestry to humanities to computers. Several are medical students, and a number of them are blind.

Our children's counselor carefully checks the stories of the young adults who apply for college scholarships. We give some priority to women, the disabled, and applicants of low-caste, since these groups are severely disadvantaged in Nepali society.

Many of our college scholarship students have entered social service professions. For instance, one of the first boys to receive a scholarship from NYOF in 1985, Krishna Gurung, who himself suffers from a disability, is now a teacher for the disabled. He brings needy disabled students to NYOF's attention, and helps them in various ways during their schooling. For more stories about NYOF graduates, click on NYOF Kids Giving Back.

Learn about the wide range of options for sponsoring students