NYT Features Foundation Set up By DPhil Shrochis Karki To Help Poorer Students in Nepal into Further Education
The New York Times has written a feature about the Samaanta Foundation, set up by ODID DPhil Student Shrochis Karki to enable children from low-income families in Nepal continue into higher education.
The foundation was set up in 2012 and has since raised more than $30,000 to fund nine "fellowships" to help gifted students from poor rural backgrounds complete their secondary education and, in some cases, continue to university.
The fellowships cover tuition fees, room and board, setup costs, stipend and transportation, uniform, lab and exam fees, English language training, and books and stationery.
In addition, fellows have access to a mentorship programme and commit to a “pay it forward” initiative, which enables them to get involved in and give back to their local communities.
Shrochis was motivated to set up the foundation while conducting research for his doctorate, provisionally titled Education, Employment and Transition: The Marginalized Experience in Nepal.
Shrochis was recently joint winner of the 2014 Matthew J Quinn Prize, which is awarded to scholars by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation for extraordinary achievements in their communities.