Bidya

About us:

Bidya is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering Nepalese girls by providing them with the education they deserve. In Nepal, girls, especially from lower caste or living in poverty, face extreme barriers to education and often become child brides—35% are married before the age of 18. Shockingly, only 4% of these young girls have the chance to pursue higher education (Girls Not Bride).

At Bidya, we believe that education is key to breaking this cycle. We make a long-term commitment to our scholars, supporting them all the way through to college graduation. This support includes covering tuition, school supplies, and other necessary expenses.

We empower these girls to control their own future,free from child marriage and the cycle of poverty. Our mission is simple: to provide a chance for every girl to become an educated woman, capable of transforming her life and community. Further information on Bidya is available at https://bidya.org/

Goal: Currently, we have 7 scholars in our program. With your support, we hope to add five scholars in the next academic year’s cohort.

Please consider donating to Bidya today through GoFundMe or our website at https://bidya.org/. You can also reach out to us at bidyaeducation at gmail.com if you would like to use other methods of payment or have any questions.

100% of your donation goes toward funding scholarships for Nepalese girls. Your donation, no matter how big or small, will directly fund their educational journey and help break the cycle of poverty and child marriage for a Nepalese girl. Bidya greatly appreciates your support.

Additional Project: Donating Used laptops/tablets/ipad

This year, we are partnering with Reinstalling Hope, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing quality education to underserved communities in rural and remote areas of Nepal. Reinstalling Hope is working tirelessly to break the cycle of poverty by ensuring that every child, regardless of their socio-economic background, has access to education and the opportunity for a successful future.

As part of this effort, the organization is in urgent need of laptops or tablets for their students to enhance their learning experience through virtual tutoring programs. Access to technology is essential for bridging the education gap in mountainous countries like Nepal, especially in remote areas, and these tools will help the students develop essential digital skills for their future.

We greatly appreciate your contribution of any used/extra computer/laptops you may have. These donations will go directly to students in need and help provide them with the resources they need to succeed.If you are interested in donating any used computers, please contact bidyaeducation at gmail.com.

Bidya is a 501(c) (3) organization supporting female students in Nepal who face difficulties completing their education due to poverty and other harsh circumstances. Unlike similar organizations, we make a long-term commitment to supporting our scholars throughout their educational journeys. Bidya enrolls scholars in a private or public English-medium school in Nepal, covering tuition, school supplies, and other education-related expenses until they finish university. Nepalese girls, especially those from a lower caste and who live in poverty, are often subject to child marriage. They have very limited opportunities. Bidya believes that by supporting and empowering our scholars, we stop her from being another child bride, and we hope that she will break out of the poverty cycle to create a different future for herself.

Please consider donating to Bidya today. 100% of your donation goes toward funding these scholarships. Bidya is in need of approximately $2,500 - $3,000 each to add at least four scholars to the program, to help sponsor their education until they finish college. If you have any questions or want to donate to us directly, please feel free to reach out to us at bidyaeducation1 at gmail.com.

Please, visit our website at http://bidya.org/ to learn more about our organization.

About us: Bidya is a 501(c) (3) organization supporting female students in Nepal who face difficulties completing their education due to poverty and other harsh circumstances. Unlike similar organizations, we make a long-term commitment to supporting our scholars throughout their educational journeys. Bidya enrolls scholars in a private or public English-medium school in Nepal, covering tuition, school supplies, and other education-related expenses until they finish university. Nepalese girls, especially those from a lower caste and who live in poverty, are often subject to child marriage. 33% of Nepalese girls are married before the age of 18. Only 4% of the women who were married before the age of 18 had higher education (Girls Not Brides). They have very limited opportunities. Bidya believes that by supporting and empowering our scholars, we stop her from being another child bride, and we hope that she will break out of the poverty cycle to create a different future for herself. Further information on Bidya is available at https://bidya.org/

Scholars Highlight

Please take the time to explore all the scholars' stories in greater detail at https://bidya.org/; the information provided below is intended as a condensed overview of two of our scholars.

Manisha Magar: Manisha, a young girl from Nepal, lost her father in a tragic accident at a construction site when she was only six. Despite her father's sacrifices to provide her with a better education in Pokhara, due to his death, her mother’s wages barely earn enough to cover rent and food for Manisha and her four year-old brother, let alone Manisha’s tuition. With your help, we can ensure Manisha continues her education and fulfills her dream of becoming an elementary school teacher.

Roshni (Manika) BK : Manika's parents, Saraswati and Sher Bahadur BK, relocated to Pokhara, Nepal, aiming for a brighter future for their children. Despite their relentless work as construction workers, financial struggles persisted, leading to borrowing money and mounting debts. Tragically, Saraswati's suicide in 2019 left the family shattered, but with Bidya's assistance, Manika is now able to pursue her education at Shree Laxmi Secondary School, offering her hope for the future amidst profound loss.

Please consider donating to Bidya today through GoFundMe or our website at https://bidya.org/. You can also reach out to us at bidyaeducation1 at gmail.com if you would like to use other methods of payment or have any questions.

100% of your donation goes toward funding scholarships for Nepalese girls. Bidya is in need of approximately $2,000 - $2,500 each to add at least two scholars to help sponsor their education until they finish college. Bidya greatly appreciates your support.

In memory of Saraswati BK (1984-2019)

 About us: Bidya is a 501(c) (3) organization supporting female students in Nepal who face difficulties completing their education due to poverty and other harsh circumstances. Unlike similar organizations, we make a long-term commitment to supporting our scholars throughout their educational journeys. Bidya enrolls scholars in a private or public English-medium school in Nepal, covering tuition, school supplies, and other education-related expenses until they finish university. Nepalese girls, especially those from a lower caste and who live in poverty, are often subject to child marriage. They have very limited opportunities. Bidya believes that by supporting and empowering our scholars, we stop her from being another child bride, and we hope that she will break out of the poverty cycle to create a different future for herself.

 

Scholars Highlight

 

Manisha Magar: Manisha was only six years old when her father passed away in an unfortunate accident at a construction site where he worked. Her father had brought Manisha to Pokhara, a city in Nepal, from Rolpa, a highly undeveloped area in Nepal, in the hope of providing her with a better education. To make ends meet, he worked 14-hour grueling shifts at a dangerous construction site, only to make less than three dollars a day. No matter how draining his job was, her father, like any parent with an unwavering love for one’s child, was committed to Manisha’s future. Thus, he happily spent almost a third of his salary on her education. After her father’s passing, Manisha’s mother worked as a construction worker, earning a wage that was barely enough to cover rent and food for Manisha and her four year-old brother, let alone Manisha’s tuition. This brought the Magar family to Bidya. She has been part of our organization for almost three years and is currently in 6th grade at Sitaldevi School in Pokhara, Nepal. Manisha hopes to be an elementary school teacher.


Manisha with her mother 

 

Roshni (Manika) BK : Like many parents, Manika’s mother, Saraswati BK, and father, Sher Bahadur BK, moved from Madhi, a rural municipality, to Pokhara, Nepal in the hopes of providing a better future for their three children. Both Saraswati and Sher Bahadur worked as construction workers. Despite working 12-hour shifts, seven days a week, the BK family’s salary was not sufficient enough to meet basic needs like paying rent, buying medicine for Manika's disabled, 83 year old grandmother, and funding their children's education. Saraswati and Sher Bahadur still remained hopeful for the future, so they borrowed money from their neighbors and family members to pay for the remaining expenses. The couple was certain that they would be able to repay the money by working more hours. Unfortunately, inflation decreased the value of their salaries. They had to borrow more and more money, and then could not pay their existing debt. Suddenly, the future did not look so bright to Saraswati. She fell into despair feeling that her life was not worth living if she could not even provide her children with a basic education and necessities. In May 2019, 35 year-old Saraswati took her life leaving her husband and three children. Saraswati's death completely shattered the BK family. Manika was on the brink of ending her educational pursuit, but with Bidya’s support, Manika is now in 7th grade at Shree Laxmi Secondary School. Manika shared that while she will never be the same after Saraswati’s death, she is somewhat hopeful about her future, knowing that she will be able to go to school without having to worry about the finances.

  Manika with her younger brother 

Please consider donating to Bidya today. 100% of your donation goes toward funding these scholarships. Bidya is in need of approximately $2,000 - $2,500 each to add at least two scholars to help sponsor their education until they finish college. If you have any questions or want to donate to us directly, please feel free to reach out to us. Bidya appreciates your support.

 

In memory of Saraswati BK (1984-2019)