Program outline:
• Paudwar School in Myagdi District (Annapurna) established a cheese factory in 1998 as a source of funds for the school
• Cheeses are sold to local tea houses for consumption by tourists, but production is constrained by lack of an adequate milk supply
• The Khayar Barahi Milk Production Cooperative was established in 2009 to establish a dairy farm and expand cheese production – target: 100 dairy cattle
in production by 2013
• Preparations are underway – fodder cultivation, dairy and cheese factory design
• 120 local families have subscribed Rps 1.2m. (AUD 15,000) – a remarkable effort for a subsistence farming community largely dependent on remittances
from family members working overseas
• A grant has been obtained from the District Development Committee, with prospect of more from Government – but there’s still a long way to go to raise
sufficient funds.
Why its needed:
• Government funding rarely covers the full salaries of teachers in Government schools in Nepal
• As parents – subsistence farmers – can’t afford fees, schools themselves are forced to raise funds
• Paudwar School’s fund-raising enterprises include a cheese factory, camping ground for trekkers, etc.
• Expanding dairy farming and the cheese factory will not only provide funds for the school, but also income for Cooperative shareholders and
much-needed local employment.
How to help: Pay for a cow - $500-$1,000! Click here to donate.
