Renowned for its natural beauty and cultural diversity, Nepal often hides a harsher reality including deep social and educational inequalities. Among those most affected is the Muslim minority, largely living in rural Nepal, where limited access to education and the high cost, and danger, of transportation, not just tuition, often determines whether a child stays home or builds a future.
But two big, yellow school buses, provided by Zakat Foundation of America, are changing everything.
Today, 773 million adults and young people around the world cannot read or write, according to UNESCO. The situation is even more dire in low-income, rural regions, where children are four times more likely to be out of school compared to their urban counterparts.
Recognizing the urgent need, Zakat Foundation of America launched the “School Bus Project”, targeting the underserved Muslim communities in Nepal by providing two school buses to serve two under-resourced, English-medium boarding schools. These schools cater to underprivileged Muslim children, including orphans, families with little to no access to safe, affordable transportation, and students in remote rural areas where government services are nearly nonexistent.
A total of 200 students now commute safely to school every day resulting in regular attendance, higher performances due to a structured routine, safety for female students and community growth with educational services.
This project is more than a means to get to school; rather, it provides dignity and long-term empowerment. It’s about breaking cycles of poverty and giving children the tools to build a better tomorrow, for themselves and their communities.
As the wheels of our school buses roll across Nepal’s rugged paths, they carry not just students, but the hopes of a generation.
