We’re a US–Nepal team that builds schools, and the systems around them, so every child gets a real chance to learn.
We’re a US–Nepal team that builds schools, and the systems around them, so every child gets a real chance to learn.
We create safe, inclusive, and inspiring learning environments by bringing together thoughtful design, teacher training, education technology, sustainability, and practical support—working alongside communities to build schools that serve children today and remain meaningful for generations to come.
Six things we hold ourselves to.
Whatever their background, income or address, every kid deserves a high-quality, 21st-century education.
Great design inspires people, and kids are people too.
Sustainability brings benefits now and decades from now.
We build schools to last.
We’re not experts on everything, and that’s ok. We learn what we don’t know.
Funders, communities, students, teachers, school committees, architects, engineers, craftspeople and tech partners each bring something we can’t. We find the best, then let them do what they do best.
We started out naive about how Nepal works. Here’s how that changed.
After volunteering at a child care home in Nepal, Jami Saunders and Andrew Raible saw how slim the odds were for 49 children to have a healthy, happy life. Back in New York, they founded Kids of Kathmandu to get those kids into a better school.
Within a year, it was clear that a better school alone wouldn’t do it. Once we added clean water, proper nutrition and essential clothing, attendance and grades climbed. With in-country director Bhushan Dahal, we partnered with other care centers to reach more children.
The earthquake destroyed over 8,000 schools across Nepal. We switched to relief aid immediately, then pledged to rebuild. Within a year, we’d vetted six communities and worked with SHoP Architects in New York on a flexible, kit-of-parts school design built for Nepal’s terrain. Every school came with water purification, a library, computers and teacher training.
After six schools with partners, we began designing and building independently. From our eighth school on, we’ve built only with rammed earth and compressed earth brick: low-carbon, fire-resistant and naturally insulating.
With a Japanese NGO partner, we also launched video lessons in math and science to close the gap between urban and rural public schools.
Thanks to our Nepali and international partners, we’re now experts in designing, building and equipping schools, and in Nepal-specific educational content. With 13 schools built and thousands of kids learning with our digital materials, we’re focused on growing our partnerships and sharing what we’ve learned.
A board in the US, a board in Nepal, and a Nepali team that runs the work on the ground.
Funders, architects, engineers, builders and specialists, with the years they’ve worked with us.
Acts of Kindness Collective
2016–now
e-Education
2018–now
Fundación Heres
2018–now
The Nepal Initiative
2020–21
Asian Friendship Network
2015–18
Jacobs|Chang Architects
2024–25
Kamara
2021–23
MESH Architecture
2019–21
Cycle Architecture, Marissa Feddema
2018
Sam Pepper / Mathew Streeter
2018
SHoP Architects
2015–17
Office of Structural Design
2015–23
Build Up Nepal
2020–now
Rammed Earth Solutions
2025–now
Sustainable Futures
2018–22
Arch Himalayan
2015–18
Smart Paani · water
2013–now
OLE Nepal · computer labs
2018–now
Books for Change · libraries
2018–now
MPOWERD · solar lights
2016–20
Bookmandu · libraries
2016–17
