Our project began in the summer of 1998 when our director visited a small village in the foothills of the Himalayas. He soon saw a need to improve school attendance and encourage female participation in education. In response to these needs, he decided to establish a non-profit society focused on encouraging education in rural Garhwal. From its humble beginnings, HELPS now includes projects that focus not only on education, but women’s welfare and village development as well. The education activities of HELPS include two English-medium, government-approved schools; scholarship schemes; nutrition programs; childcare facilities; and evening classes. HELPS’ women’s program includes vocational and health training. Finally, our village development focus includes assisting with a variety of village initiatives such as water and sanitation projects. As we move into the future, HELPS is looking to introduce technology-based course offerings into its classrooms and expand its capacity to help with village development projects such as greenhouse construction and income-generating initiatives.
