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.

Leveraged Philanthropy A few years ago, the Skoll Community Fund made a very strategic grant to NYOF—one that will continue to multiply in social impact for years to come. The Skoll Fund provided full, five-year scholarships for five highly qualified students who had been accepted into medical school but could not attend without financial help. It has also supported thirty young people, likewise from impoverished backgrounds, in Nepal's first graduate program in rural development. In the first year, over 164 medical students and 143 rural development students applied for the spots. Needless to say, those who were accepted have extraordinary potential. Our hats off to the generous founder and the staff of the Skoll Fund: Philanthropy like this can make a real difference in the world.

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.