Surya Krishna Shrestha

Chairman
Nepal

Surya plays many roles in his very busy life in Nepal.

Exec Member of the Private & Boarding School Organization of Nepal

As Centre Executive Member of The Private & Boarding Schools’ Organization of Nepal (PABSON), Surya Krishna Shrestha is very involved and incredibly dedicated to improving the education system and addressing the critical access to education issues that continually challenge the children of Nepal.

Principal and Founder

Surya has also set up more than one school for underprivileged children, of which he was and is the principal. One of these schools is the Gaurishankar School which is one of our projects.

Children’s Educational Sponsorship Facilitator

Surya also facilitates child educational sponsorships (see the Sponsor A Child section) which allows disadvantaged and orphaned children a chance to attend school. In his 20+ years of experience he has allowed many students to attend his school, thereby the school incurs some debt and is unable to buy things like needed desks, supplies, etc.

It is likely because he has a hard time saying no to a parent or guardian who desperately wishes their child to have a chance at a better life.

Liaison with Schools & Orphanages

In addition to his continuing work, Surya has also been employed by Nepal’s government to compile statistics on orphans, orphanages and schools in Nepal. He has been to countless districts, compiling data and sometimes traveling for days into remote villages accessible only by foot. In his work, he has seen examples of both good schools and children’s homes and orphanages, and examples of illegal and often horrific child exploitation and abuse.

Chairman of Org4Peace International Helpers (Nepal Chapter)

As Chairman of Org4Peace International Helpers in Nepal, Surya is the link between our partners and Org4Peace in Canada, and Thailand.

Some Interesting History

Prior to starting the Gaurishankar English School (aka School on the Mountain), Surya used to run another school for underprivileged children. However, when the Maoists overthrew the government in Nepal in what is referred to as Nepal’s 10 year war, they proceeded to systematically shut down all educational institutions. The intimidation and violence successfully shut down many schools like Surya’s.

For months he was able to ignore countless letters from the Maoists advising him to shut down his school. It is only when they came to his home, kidnapped him, held him for days in a shack in the middle of the forest for 3 days that he finally, sadly agreed to close down his beloved school.

The Maoists told him that he could go home alive and close his school himself, or they would kill him and shut his school down for him. He chose to go home.

As soon as the Maoist rebels were finally ousted after a decade of violence and terror, Surya started setting up his new school, where to this day he is still the Principal at his beloved, Gaurishankar English School (aka School on the Mountain).

The school is not entirely set up yet and needs a lot of work. Desks and supplies need to be bought, rent needs to be paid every month, and over 200 orphaned, and underprivileged children attend this school free of charge, which puts a strain on all of the resources of this school. The school is also on rented land and the building is rented.

For more information about this school and this project, please see Gaurishankar English School.