2026 Annual Appeal | First Steps Himalaya

Building safer, stronger communities in Nepal

On 26 August, a sudden and devastating flash flood entered Nepal through the Bhote Koshi River in Rasuwa and surged downstream along the Trishuli River corridor, affecting communities in Nuwakot and beyond. Homes, livelihoods and vital infrastructure were damaged, and many families suffered devastating loss. First Steps Himalaya works close to this area through our local partner, First Steps Nepal. While our project schools were not in the worst-hit zone, the disaster has brought home more sharply than ever why our long-term work across rural Nepal matters.

Above: Our Menstrual Hygiene and reusable pad making workshops at Trishuli High School, Nuwakot prior to the floods.

When minutes matter, leadership saves lives

Last year, our Nepal team trained 75 Early Childhood Development teachers at Trishuli High School and provided menstrual hygiene training to 135 girls in Classes 11 and 12. Two of our Visit the Projects groups, from the UK and New Zealand, saw this training in action.

When the flood hit, the head teacher at Trishuli High School, Mr Rajendra Dawadi, acted quickly. He recognised the danger, gave clear instructions, and moved children and staff to higher ground. His decisions in those critical moments helped save lives.

After talking with his colleagues, he decided that missing one day of lessons was far less important than risking lives, even if the warning later proved cautious.

That kind of calm, informed leadership can make all the difference in a sudden disaster. It is also what our long-term work aims to strengthen: local people who know their communities, understand the risks, and feel confident to act.

This year’s Annual Appeal is inspired by what we have seen in Nuwakot. In the coming year, we plan to focus work in Nuwakot and Sindhupalchok, while continuing to support the wider rural communities we work alongside.

Your gift helps

This year’s appeal focuses on the skills, relationships and everyday support that help communities before, during and after an emergency.

• Leadership training for teachers and community leaders, building the confidence and judgement to make clear, timely decisions in an emergency.

• Safe Steps expansion, adding practical disaster-readiness skills such as recognising danger, knowing evacuation routes, and helping younger children or older relatives move quickly and safely.

• Teacher training and menstrual hygiene education, the vital everyday programmes that support children’s learning, health, dignity and wellbeing.

• Essential running costs, helping us sustain our small team and trusted local partnerships so we can direct support where it is most needed.

FSH works in partnership with First Steps Nepal across Sindhupalchok and Nuwakot, delivering teacher training, school support, menstrual hygiene education, community programmes and Safe Steps.

Choose your gift

You can give any amount, but if you’re looking for guidance:

Suggested giving levels:

You can give any amount, but if you’re looking for guidance

Make a transformational gift

NZ$1,050 (approx. £530 / US$660)
Provides a Safe Steps workshop for 25 teachers.

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If you are a New Zealand resident, you can donate directly by bank transfer.

First Steps Himalaya
Account number: 02 0704 0065005 00

Your donation is tax deductible.

Become a long-term supporter

If you’d like to support our work year after year, you can become a Friend of First Steps Himalaya. Friends make a regular gift that helps us plan ahead, train more teachers, expand Safe Steps, and sustain menstrual hygiene and teacher-training programmes in communities like those in Nuwakot and Sindhupalchok.

Regular support also gives us flexibility to direct funds where they are needed most, respond to urgent needs, and sustain vital work over the long term. Friends can give monthly at NZ$50, NZ$75 or NZ$90, and can adjust or stop their support at any time.

Nepal is open

If you have travelled with Beyond the Clouds — or dream of visiting Nepal one day — images from Nuwakot may feel unsettling. Our team’s message is clear: Nepal is open, and travel to the regions where our groups stay and walk is continuing.

The disaster was highly localised, and the areas where Beyond the Clouds groups travel are in different parts of Nepal. Your visit supports local economies, and all profits from Beyond the Clouds help fund First Steps Himalaya’s education and community-development work in rural Nepal.

Travelling also offers a deeper connection with the communities we all care about.

Please support the appeal

Emergency response in the flood-affected areas is rightly led by Nepal’s emergency services and humanitarian organisations. Our role is different: we build relationships, stay for the long term, and help communities become better prepared for what comes next.

With your support, First Steps Himalaya and First Steps Nepal can continue building safer, stronger communities in Nuwakot, Sindhupalchok and rural Nepal.

Help us empower children in Nepal with opportunities through learning.