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Nepal

Children's Education
see info below

Program Details

DATES
June 16-July 2, 2025

17DAYS

SERVICE HOURS
100
TUITION
$6099* (Plus Airfare)

* SEE DETAILS

AVAILABILITY
Available

Alongside our partner, The Small World, you will learn about sustainable development, rural education, and women’s empowerment.

 

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

This program will take you to remote Himalayan villages where you will learn about how The Small World is improving access to education through locally driven sustainable community development projects.

While in Nepal, you will travel to the remote Solukhumbu region where you will work shoulder-to-shoulder with community members on a project designed to improve girls’ access to education. During the project phase, you will have the opportunity to experience Nepali culture while learning from local leaders. Upon completion of the project, you will trek along classic trekking trails, seeing Sherpa villages, and stopping at guest houses along the way while learning firsthand about the challenges facing rural communities.

*Please note that programs are subject to change based on the health and safety of participants and our partners.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Support in the construction of a structure to improve girls’ access to education. 

Experience the remote mountain villages of the Solukhumbu region. 

Learn about Nepali culture while trekking through Sherpa villages.

Course Elements

1 is the least rigorous, 5 is the most rigorous

5
LEARNING SERVICE
You will spend time constructing a structure to improve girls' access to education while learning about sustainable development and educational access.
5
CURRICULUM
Prior to your travels, you will complete an online curriculum to gain background knowledge for your experience. While traveling, you will learn through engaging articles, cultural experiences, and group reflections.
5
TREKKING
You will complete a multi-day trek through the Himalayas over beautiful mountainous terrain. You carry small packs during this adventure, so it is critical that you are physically fit.
3
LIVING CONDITIONS
While in Salleri, you will stay at The Small World’s volunteer guesthouse. During the trek, you will sleep in guesthouses.
4
ON THE MOVE
After a couple of days in Kathmandu, you will spend a day driving to the Solukhumbu district where you will spend a majority of your time before driving back to Kathmandu.
4
REMOTENESS
Outside of two days in the city of Kathmandu, most of the days will be spent in the rural Solokhumbu region.

Itinerary

Day 1-2

Arrive to New York, JFK by 5 PM on June 16. Depart New York, JFK, at 1:20 AM EST on June 17 for Kathmandu, Nepal

Day 3

Arrive in Kathmandu, continue orientation, welcome dinner with TSW staff, settle into the guest house.

Day 4

Orientation about TSW mission, visit Shechen Monastery, Boudhanath, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Day 5

Drive to the Solukhumbu region. Evening at the volunteer guesthouse. (Altitude: 8,000 feet).

Day 6

Meet with local TSW staff. Work at the project site in the afternoon. Evening at the volunteer guesthouse. (Altitude: 8,000 feet).

Day 7

Project work. Evening at the volunteer guesthouse. (Altitude: 8,000 feet).

Day 8

Project work. Meet with local students about the importance of girls educating girls. Evening at the volunteer guesthouse. (Altitude: 8,000 feet).

Day 9

Project work. Evening at the volunteer guesthouse. (Altitude: 8,000 feet).

Day 10

Project work. Evening at volunteer guesthouse. (Altitude: 8,000 feet).

Day 11

Hiking to a view of Everest and Tibetan refugee camp. Evening at volunteer guesthouse. (Altitude: 8,000 feet).

Day 12

Trek to Junbeshi. Discussion with porters. Evening at tea house. (Altitude 8850-9350 feet)

Day 13

Trek to Taksindu Monastery along Everest trekking trail. (Altitude 8850-9350 feet)

Day 14

Buddhist ceremony. Trek back to Salleri and evening at volunteer guesthouse (Altitude 8850-9350 feet)

Day 15

Return to Kathmandu.

Day 16

Final day in Kathmandu. Group reflection and closing dinner. Depart for home.

Day 17

Arrive at New York, JFK. at 9:00 AM

NOTE

Itineraries are subject to change based on the health and safety of participants and our partners.

Nepal : In Three Phases

1

PRE-COURSE CURRICULUM

Prior to your departure, you will be guided by your course instructors through a series of interactive, online lessons designed to help you engage with other members of your group while gaining important context for your experience.

2

FIELD STUDY

The majority of the days at each site are spent learning from our local partners and serving alongside them shoulder-to-shoulder. You will learn through service and experiences designed to help you understand the local context, culture, and history.

3

LIFELONG NETWORK

Ethical leadership is a lifelong journey. After your experience, you will become a part of the Shoulder-to-Shoulder network. This network of past alumni and partners is designed to inspire and support your journey in ethical leadership.

Travel Journal

During the travel phase of each SStS course, you will spend time reflecting and processing your experience. The posts below are from past programs.

Friends and Discoveries

June 21, 2017 Wednesday Day 1 - Kathmandu Waking up with the light was a new and interesting experience for me, with the added confusion of not knowing the time beckoning me to consider not waking up. After going downstairs (where it was clear that the sun had risen over cloudy Kathmandu), I no...

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Krishma

All of the SStS girls and I would agree that the relationships that we have formed with the Hope Girls over the past fourteen days have really taken us by surprise. Fourteen days does not sound like a long time, but when we had our closing ceremony yesterday there was not a dry eye in the room. All...

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Hope Girls

Over the past five days or so, we've been working at the Himalayan Hope Home; lugging bricks up four flights of stairs, shoveling sand to make concrete, and getting to know the amazing girls who live there. These girls are orphans, mostly from Solukhumbu, and range in age from five to fifteen years...

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The Project

Tashidale everyone! That's Sherpa for greetings! I am so glad I have another opportunity to post a blog today. I want to share with everyone how much progress we have made and what we have been doing for the community here in Salleri. We are building the first women's hostel here in the Everest regi...

Read More

Important Details

TUITION*

Tuition (students from partner schools): $5899
Tuition (students from non-partner schools): $6099

*Students attending a partner school receive a tuition discount. Click HERE to see partner schools. Please note that tuition does not include airfare.

AIRFARE*

Estimated Flight Cost: $2400

*All students travel to their program destination on a group flight booked by Students Shoulder-to-Shoulder. Participants are responsible for any increase in airfares imposed by the airlines. All participants are responsible for arranging their own transportation to the departure city. SStS will confirm airfare and connecting travel information approximately 60 days before travel. 

FINANCIAL AID

SStS is in search of curious, compassionate, globally-minded students from all backgrounds. We will do all that we can financially to support students who require assistance. If you would like to be considered for financial assistance, please indicate this on the application.  Resources are limited and tend to be less than 50% of tuition.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

For a full description of our Terms and Conditions please CLICK HERE.

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