HVP Nepal-UK Newsletter October 2026
Welcome from the Chair
A very warm Namaste! and Happy Vijaya Dashami! to all our supporters and friends of HVP Nepal-UK. May the celebration of Deshain in Nepal be a time of family togetherness and bring the hope of light to the world.
We are pleased to report that the academic year has begun well for HVP Dang, HVP Thali and HVP Central. All three schools are in a good place and have spoken of their pride in the outgoing Class 10 students, who acheived excellent results in their GCSE equivalent of SEE exams. In particular, this edition will report back on a summer of volunteering in Nepal. You will hear of a second successful expedition from Merchant Taylors' School and the beginning of a new chapter of university volunteering: for the first time in seven years, the HVP schools have hosted volunteers from Oxford and Cambridge.
There is a good deal to bring you up to speed on since we last wrote to you in June. Over the last 6 months we have sent more than £10,000 out to Nepal: £5,164 in the form of the Scholarship Fund, collected from our generous monthly donors and supporting the education and welfare of pupils most in need at each of the three schools; and a donation of £5,000 towards the purchase of a new school mini-bus at HVP Thali. This means that within the space of a year, all three schools will be in possession of a new mini-bus, essential for the safe transportation of pupils to and from school each day: an important investment for the future.
Before we go any further, however, it is imperative that we address the response of HVP Nepal-UK to the terrible and tragic events of the floods that struck Nepal at the end of August.
HVP Nepal-UK Disaster Relief Appeal
On the 26th August, a terrifying wall of water and mud swept down the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers in northern Nepal. The most likely cause: a huge section of glacier collapsing from the side of the mountain, Langtang Lirung, and falling into the valley below. The force of the impact was so great it registered 5.2 on the Richter Scale. The consequences downstream were catastrophic. Images and footage of the disaster unfolding were inconceivable, such was the magnititude of the force unleashed and the scale of the destruction. The people living and working in its path lost everything: their homes and livelihoods, and most tragically, their loved ones.
Speaking to our friends in Nepal, they describe a country still in trauma. People are trying to come to terms with what has happened. We report with great relief that none of the schools we work with and support were directly affected: HVP Balkumari and HVP Thali in Kathmandu, and HVP Dang and the Children's Peace Home in the south-west of the country. Nepal, however, is a small country and everyone knows somone - a friend or relative - who has been impacted in some way. Tragically, a graduate of the HVP Balkumari from 20 years ago, Satya Sundar, was killed while working as an engineer in one of the hydro-electric power stations on the Trishuli River. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.
HVP Nepal-UK stands, as it has always done, with the people of Nepal. In conversations with our friends from the Nepalese community living in the UK, we have heard their urgent and powerful wish to support their country in its time of need. We share that same motivation.
To which end, we have set up an appeal to raise money and to channel funds that will go towards the ongoing relief effort in Nepal. The money will be sent to the fund created by the new Nepalese Prime Minister, Balendra Shah, to draw together fundraising from both within Nepal and from around the world. The Prime Minister's Fund is widely considered bona fide and the most direct means of getting help and financial assistance to those in Nepal who need it most.
To date, we have raised £668 through our appeal on JustGiving, while students from Merchant Taylors' School have raised over £2,400, which will be split between supporting the HVP schools and donating to the diaster relief fund. Yours truly is undertaking his first ever ultra-marathon this coming weekend, with all money raised going towards the fund. He needs all the help he can get.
In normal circumstances, we ask our wonderful network of friends to give towards the schools in Nepal we have been supporting for 30 years. But these are not normal circumstances, and in a moment such as this, we consider it our compelling duty to support Nepal as a country in a time of crisis.
Friends, we ask you to give what you can. We are most grateful and feel humbled to have your support.
Volunteering Summer 2026
It has been our number one priority as a charity to revive the programme of placing undergraduates from UK universities as volunteer teachers in the three HVP schools. In 2024, we had one volunteer from the University of Kent go out to HVP Dang and the Children's Peace Home, while within the last two years there have been two successful expeditions from Merchant Taylors' School, both of which included one-week teaching placements at HVP Central (2024) and HVP Thali (2026). This summer, however, was the first time in seven years that we have had volunteers from Cambridge and Oxford universities back teaching and living in the HVP schools. With six-week placements ranging over the period July to September 2026, six volunteers (three from Oxford and three from Cambridge) came to HVP Central School and taught classes in English and Science to HVP students from Class 5 to Class 10.
Not since the pandemic have we seen university volunteers ascending and descending the muralled staircases of Central School, heading towards classes with a plan and a prayer. From Oxford, we had Alfie, Dom and Tessa; and from Cambridge: Chloe, Eibhlinn and Louise. None of them had taught before, and for all it was their first time in Nepal. It spoke volumes about them, therefore, that after a brief wintry meeting in a university college with Ellie Piggott and myself, they were prepared to put their trust in HVP Nepal and commit to a summer placement.
With Vishnu, we knew everyone would be in the safest and kindest hands, after so many years of looking after volunteers. In fact, for that week in July when the 24 staff and students from Merchant Taylors' School were staying at Central School, while teaching at Thali, we were all under one roof together, and it felt very special to have the volunteering family reunited. There was everyone, including Ghanshyam ji and Chintamini ji, as well as Kamal ji and Suman Sir talking with volunteers over dhal bhat in the dining room, or watching late night World Cup games in the prayer hall, courtesy of Kuber Sir and Raj Sir. The volunteers have since spoken of their heartfelt gratitude for their time at HVP. They loved their classes, even when lesson plans went awry, and they valued equally the long and gently meandering conversations of an evening on the rooftop of Central School. They were part of a very special community.
Below is an extract from the testimonial written by Tessa, one of the Oxford volunteers:
All the world's a stage and my classroom certainly was. Teaching massively appealed to the theatre tendencies of my childhood and my explanations were often big, expressive and involved many a hand gesture. It became a running joke I could not get through a lesson without some sort of animal impression. With my embarrassment long left at the classroom door, this technique certainly had its advantages when teaching with a language barrier, and with teenagers whose attention spans did seem to be somewhat affected by the digital age in which we live.
I hope they took something away - whether it was chemistry, biology or a sense of excitement and playfulness in learning. Maybe as importantly, I was very proud when Kuber Sir, the class seven science teacher, told me he felt he had learnt a lot from my lessons too, and asked if I could pass on the various powerpoints and resources I had made so he could use them in future classes.
Words cannot express how grateful I am for my time at HVP. I will treasure every memory I made in Nepal: every playtime game of duck duck goose, every lesson (whether it went to plan or got derailed by world cup chat), every plate of Daal Baat (which I came to genuinely look forward to at 8am) and every long winding conversation with Vishnu on religion, politics and life – a man inspired by the simple dream of educating children in aid of a kinder future. I am so grateful to have been a part of that story.
Tessa Yates, Trinity College, Oxford
The volunteers had the opportunity to teach at HVP Thali as well, where they were very warmly received. Head Master, Raj Kumar ji writes:
We were truly grateful to have such amazing volunteers from Oxford and Cambridge Universities. Their presence brought great enthusiasm and warmth to our school, and we sincerely appreciate the time and effort they devoted to our students. Their visit provided our students with valuable opportunities to learn, interact, exchange ideas and gain new perspectives. During their stay, we also arranged refreshing visits to beautiful nearby places such as Sundarijal, Changunarayan & Kageshwori creating wonderful and memorable experiences for everyone. Our students and teachers were truly delighted to have them with us, we are deeply grateful for their kindness, time and valuable contribution.
The mutual rewards of volunteering cannot be overstated. For the schools, it is hugely beneficial to have native-English speaking university undergraduates teaching HVP pupils, modelling pronunciation and sharing pedagogy and new perspectives. For the Oxbridge volunteers, it is an opportunity for exceptional personal development and discovery of a country and its people. It is an opportunity for spiritual development, too, perhaps the most subtle benefit, yet most profound. At the heart of volunteering are relationships; it is the lifeblood of our charity as well, and our great hope is that these placements are only the beginning of a long and meaningful relationship with Nepal.
To which end, last summer's volunteers are resolved to inspire the next cohort of volunteers from Oxford and Cambridge, even as we hope to widen our scope and bring further universities into the fold. Our ideal scenario is to see volunteers placed at all three schools next summer. Launch events will be held at Trinity College, Oxford and at Clare College, Cambridge, and from these we hope to begin and sustain the volunteer cycle all over again. Should any of our readers have contacts at UK universities that they could reach out to, then please do not hesitate to get in touch with us in the first instance and we can support you with all the materials that you need.
A new chapter of HVP volunteering has begun and the more people we have involved, the richer it will be.
Merchant Taylors' School Expedition
This was the second expedition from Merchant Taylors' School go out to Nepal, building on the success of the first in 2024. Same, same but different, this time the team stayed at HVP Central School in the newly reburbished hostel and for a week in July - fresh from a week in the Himalayas - made the journey each morning to HVP Thali to teach classes in English, Maths and Science.
After six days of trekking in the Langtang National Park, an exhilarating bus journey brought the team back to Kathmandu and a very different challenge. We were given the warmest of welcomes by Vishnu Sir, Head Master of HVP Central School. Under the gaze of the Goddess Saraswati and located close to the historic district of Patan Durbar Square, this is where the team would be staying for the duration of their teaching placement. Two years ago, the first MTS expedition had taught here, and there were many familiar faces among the staff and pupils. ‘Namaste, sir’, they would say in passing up and down the flights of stairs, decorated with paintings of Nepal and inspiring aphorisms from generations of volunteers.
Looking into the classrooms, it was encouraging to see the new brightly coloured desks and chairs which the school had purchased through MTS fundraising from two years ago. Also in the welcome party were undergraduates from Oxford and Cambridge universities, who were volunteering through the charity HVP Nepal-UK, which supports three schools in Nepal and which I now chair. Among them was one Dominic Murphy O’Connor, a former Head Monitor of Merchant Taylors’ School, who had just finished his degree in English Literature at Trinity College, Oxford. It was a further opportunity for the current team, comprising Lower Sixth and Year 11 pupils, to mix with the university volunteers, especially one of their own, to see where the future perhaps might take them.
Quickly the team were into the new routine of rising from their dormitories, in time for breakfast of toast and fresh mangoes, before jumping on the bus that would take us further into the lush green of the Kathmandu Valley to sister school, HVP Thali. This is where the actual teaching would take place, and beneath the auspices of the ancient hilltop temple of Changunarayan, we were treated as honoured guests by Head Master, Mr Rajkumar Thapa. The whole school assembled in the playground to greet us, as we were wreathed in the ceremonial orange flowers of welcome. Next onto the stage was a school dance troupe of girls dressed in shining traditional robes, to perform a breathless whirling dance, just before the monsoon rains came down on our parade.
Then it was into the classrooms for everyone, as the MTS boys began their new roles as teachers of Nepalese school children aged between 8 and 15. Expectations were high, and the boys had to be on their mettle as they taught consecutive lessons of English, Maths and Science each day. The range of topics was wide, among them: teaching narrative fiction and use of the past tense in English, the classification of animals, the differences between flowering and non-flowering plants, the laws of indices, and exponential equations. Fair to say, the boys were at the sharp end of learning on the job,
Special thanks must go to Mrs Hazan, Mrs Omert and Miss Green for being on hand to help with lesson planning, subject knowledge, and lesson observation and feedback. Credit to the boys: they took everything on board and learnt how to adapt their teaching to ways that best enabled their pupils to learn. By the end of the week of teaching, they looked the real deal. Several, such as Marcus W. and Christoph Z., had taken their classes outside – a novelty for the Nepali pupils - and were using drills, chanting and games, to teach such topics as multiplication. It was joyful to watch, as much as the fierce games of football and basketball, played between the MTs boys and the pupils of HVP Thali, or the more gentle games played by the younger girls, akin to ring-a-ring-of-roses.
Some emerged as natural teachers. Noah W. always seemed to have a smile on his face in front of his pupils, Karim O. took remarkable care with his lesson planning and marking, and Karim A-H held his classes in the palm of his hand with his storytelling. Aarav P. did brilliantly, despite being racked by Delhi-belly. Louis P-B. was an absolute hit with Class 10 (the studious girls especially), the oldest and academically most demanding class. This was an expedition as much about self-discovery as it was about mere experience.
What it meant to the MTS boys to be given the responsibility of teaching their own classes for the first time is best expressed by the boys themselves:
Daniel Z: Before this summer, Nepal, to me, was strictly known as the home of the Himalayas and mountaineering. I hadn’t really explored the culture in this country, let alone known anyone from there. Looking back, I feel a sort of envy to my past self: I know that for the rest of my life I’ll be chasing the feeling of stepping into a completely foreign country, meeting completely new people and discovering their unique worldview. I ate food I’d never heard of, learned songs I never imagined singing, my feet moved in ways I’d never thought possible; most of all the hospitality of strangers inviting us to eat, pray, and explore with them was truly remarkable. I never really considered myself to be a teacher. Apart from teaching fieldcraft and drill in CCF I didn’t have much practice especially with younger students. I went to Nepal expecting the trekking to be the highlight for me – foolishly I considered the teaching ‘necessary work’. On reflection, however, it was that the connections I formed with the students and staff, the feeling you get from making a impact on these kids’ school lives and seeing the efforts in planning and preparation pay off in a class, was by far the highlight of the Nepal trip for me. I went to Nepal expecting to enjoy the trekking when in reality the reason I’d go back will most definitely be the people I was lucky enough to meet.
Max F: I was nervous at first about teaching because I had never done anything like it before. I felt like I lacked the confidence to stand up in front of a class of thirty and teach them. But during the first day of teaching, I realised that the pupils were so welcoming there was nothing to be afraid of, which helped my confidence both in the teaching and in my life. I felt like there was a strong connection between the Taylors' pupils and the HVP pupils - even if we lived pretty different lives across the world, we would still bond and have lots to talk about, which is something that I didn’t expect. We would play football together and bond over our favourite players and teams. I won’t forget how grateful the HVP pupils were for our teaching, which I could tell by the multitude of thank you cards we received. Overall, I think we built a strong connection to Nepal. When I heard about the floods that happened, it felt close to heart as we had been there a few weeks beforehand, and it made me want to help out because of that connection we built. The connection to Nepal and HVP schools that we built made it a very special trip whose connections will stay with me for my whole lifetime.
We were given memorable send-offs by both schools. On our penulitmate day, the team returned to HVP Central from teaching at HVP Thali to be presented with a unforgettable cultural show from each of the classes. The storytelling of traditional Nepali myths through the beautiful choreography of the performers, brilliantly dressed, was a sight to behold. A great deal of work and rehearsal must have gone into each of these shows, no doubt under the watchful eye of lead dancer-director Saddixya Miss. By the end, we were all dancing: pupils, volunteers, teachers - a joyful chaos!
It was no less emotional the following day, which saw our departure from HVP Thali. We were each presented with individual tokens of gratitude, even as we pledged future fundraising to help with the school’s aspiration of purchasing of a new minibus for the safe transportation of pupils to and from home each day. Speeches of thanks were made, as were sincere wishes for the partnership between MTS and the HVP schools to continue. Then the dancing and the singing began, at first more swaying and measured, but then quickly becoming a jubilant union of Nepal and the UK in scenes more in keeping with summer festivals. Several of the younger pupils had tears in their eyes and gave handmade thank you cards to the MTs boys.
This kind of experience stays with you. It has with me for nearly 30 years now, when I first went to Nepal as a volunteer teacher myself. The boys will have learnt many things about Nepal and had experiences beyond the reach of those who come merely as tourists. They have forged deep connections with the country and people of Nepal, and they have discovered they can make a meaningful difference to the lives of young people, at once so similar and so different to their own.
Matthew Hilton-Dennis
Head of English at Merchant Taylors' School
Chair HVP Nepal-UK
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