What Shikshya Foundation Nepal does

Shikshya Foundation Nepal (SFN) is a non-profit charitable foundation established in 2011 by New York-based fashion designer Prabal Gurung alongside his siblings Pravesh Gurung and Kumudini Gurung Shrestha, and friends Rati Shah, Rupali Golchha, and Riva Thapa. The foundation is governed by an Executive Board that operates voluntarily with zero overheads, ensuring donated funds flow directly to program implementation. SFN's mission is to support education of marginalized children in Nepal, with a particular focus on girl children, through scholarships, arts-based learning, and capacity-building partnerships with local organizations. It operates from a primary office in Lalitpur (Gyan Mandala, Jhamsikhel) with a contact office in New York (247 W 37th St, #1501), and serves beneficiaries across Nepal with a stated geographic focus on South Asia.

SFN delivers programs across three core areas: direct scholarships (full tuition, uniforms, books, stationery) to students from earthquake-affected and marginalized districts including Dolakha, Sindhupalchowk, Nuwakot, Gorkha, Lalitpur, Kavre, and Okhaldhunga; the Art Works! Sangai Khelaun arts-in-education initiative (in partnership with Srijanalaya and Panchpokhari Thangpal Village Municipality under a 3-year MoU) covering eight districts; and direct support for partner organizations including Early Childhood Development Center/Butterfly Home (23 girls, CNN Hero Pushpa Basnet), Sathya Udhyan (40 children), Naad Sangeet Pathshala (100+ children), Snow Yak Foundation in Upper Dolpo (30 students), and Tilganga Institute's Community Eye Centers (29,000+ beneficiaries). Cultural programs include Photo Kathmandu photography festival, screenwriting workshops, and the Mural Art Residency. All revenue is generated through donations and charitable contributions; no products or services are sold.

The foundation operates a low-cost, high-trust model with no proprietary technology platform, no paid staff, and no institutional investors, parent company, or venture backing. Strategic alliances with internationally recognized partners (CNN Hero Pushpa Basnet's ECDC, Magsaysay Awardee Dr. Sanduk Ruit's Tilganga Institute, Open Learning Exchange Nepal) and endorsements through Prabal Gurung's celebrity profile provide brand credibility and fundraising leverage. Financial statements are not publicly disclosed, and growth is signaled through program diversification (scholarships, arts-in-education, eye care, cultural residencies, screenwriting) rather than through revenue scale.

Name

Shikshya Foundation Nepal

Legal name

Shikshya Foundation Nepal

Website

https://shikshyafoundationnepal.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Shikshya Foundation Nepal is a non-profit, volunteer-run foundation that supports education for marginalized children in Nepal through scholarships, arts-in-education programs (Art Works! Sangai Khelaun), and partnerships with local schools, shelters, and cultural organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Non-Profit Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

NGO/Nonprofit Education Programs & Service Delivery (EDADALAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

International Development & Donor-Funded Education Programs (EDADALAB)

Keywords

• Education nonprofit foundation
• Scholarship programs
• Arts education
• Child welfare services
• Community development

Headquarters

HQ city

Kathmandu

HQ country

Nepal

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: SFN operates entirely on donations. The executive board members work voluntarily with zero overheads - every amount donated goes to implement specific projects. The foundation conducts fundraising through events and partnerships with supporters.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Shikshya Foundation Nepal is a non-profit educational foundation that provides holistic education support to underprivileged children in Nepal. Its core offerings include a Scholarship Program covering full tuition, uniforms, books and stationery from primary through higher education; arts-based educational programs such as Art Works! Sangai Khelaun and Arts in Education delivered in schools across multiple districts; and funding/support for partner organizations running shelters, schools, music education, and community eye care services for marginalized communities.

Product overview

Shikshya Foundation Nepal is a non-profit education foundation established in 2011 that operates various educational and cultural programs rather than a single unified product. Its core offerings include: (1) the Scholarship Program providing full educational support to children from earthquake-affected and marginalized areas; (2) Art Works! Sangai Khelaun and Arts in Education programs, which are arts-based educational initiatives developed in collaboration with Srijanalaya; (3) Early Childhood Development Center support for children of prison inmates; and (4) various cultural programs including Photo Kathmandu, screenwriting workshops, and mural art residencies. The foundation also supports partner organizations including Sathya Udhyan (shelter school), Community Eye Centers, Snow Yak Foundation education, and Naad Sangeet Pathshala music school. All programs emphasize education beyond classrooms through arts and culture, with a particular focus on holistic child development and support for girls' education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Art Works! Sangai Khelaun: Art intervention initiative that brings arts education to children across various districts in Nepal
• SFN

Products and services

• Shikshya Foundation Nepal Scholarship Program A scholarship program providing full tuition fees, uniforms, books, and stationery to deserving students (primarily girls) from earthquake-affected areas. Covers students from Dolakha, Sindhupalchowk, Nuwakot, Gorkha, Lalitpur, Kavre, and Okhaldhunga through their higher education.
• Art Works! Sangai Khelaun An arts education initiative in collaboration with Srijanalaya, bringing various art forms including storytelling, mural making, visual arts, music, theatre, and creative movement to children and teachers. Has been implemented in Gorkha, Rasuwa, Mugu, Nawalparasi, Ramechap, Dang, and Sindhupalchowk.
• Arts in Education A three-year program (2021 onwards) in partnership with Panchpokhari Thangpal Village Municipality and Srijanalaya, bringing arts education, workshops, and psychosocial intervention to schools across 8 wards in Sindhupalchowk. Incorporates local cultural practices into curriculum and builds teacher capacity.
• Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) Support Partnership with ECDC run by CNN Hero Pushpa Basnet, supporting education of children of prison inmates. SFN supports all girls at Butterfly Home (23 children) and has extended support through their higher education.
• Sathya Udhyan Support Program Support for a free residential school and shelter for abandoned children of waste workers and displaced children of drug addicts. SFN supports all 40 children, teachers, and staff at the shelter and school in Bungamati, Lalitpur.
• Community Eye Centers Partnership with Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology to build and support Community Eye Centers in Charikot, Dolakha and Chautara, Sindhupalchowk. Provides comprehensive quality eye care at subsidized costs, covering over 2.6 million people in rural districts.
• Snow Yak Foundation Support Support for education of children in remote Upper Dolpo area. SFN supports all education needs of 30 students at Yanjer Gumba Primary School, Shey Phoksundo.
• Naad Sangeet Pathshala Music Education Support Support for a music school providing free classes in tabla, violin, flute, guitar, and vocal classes to over 100 children from underprivileged backgrounds around Pashupatinath, Guheswori, Chabahil, and Bouddha areas.
• Mural Art Residency: Learning From Khokana Art residency program 'Learning From Khokana' where artists engage with local communities through research and creative collaboration, including mural painting workshops with students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50+ students supported through scholarships with full tuition, uniforms, books and stationery
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SrijanalayacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024SFN and Srijanalaya signed a 3-year MoU with Panchpokhari Thangpal Village Municipality for Art Works! Sangai Khelaun Program. Art Works! has traveled to Gorkha, Rasuwa, Mugu, Nawalparasi, Ramechap, Dang, Sindhupalchowk, bringing arts education to classrooms. Program includes visual arts, creative movement, writing, music workshops for teachers and students.
• Open Learning Exchange Nepal (OLE Nepal)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019OLE Nepal organized story-writing workshops for SFN scholarship students to create original children's stories for digital early grade reading content. SFN students participated in 5-day workshop facilitated by Muna Gurung of Katha Satha. Stories were developed into learning content by OLE Nepal's team of illustrators, designers and game developers.
• Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) / Butterfly HomecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSFN's first partner organization since 2011. Run by CNN Hero Pushpa Basnet, Butterfly Home provides safe haven for children of prison inmates. SFN supports education of all 23 girls. SFN also collaborates with ECDC for Palpa Female Prison school support.
• Tilganga Institute of OphthalmologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Dr. Sanduk Ruit's (Magsaysay Award winner) institute for Nepal Eye Program. Built Community Eye Centers in Charikot, Dolakha and Chautara, Sindhupalchowk. Over 29,000 people benefited, 277 had sight restored, 3,526 had sight improved.
• Snow Yak FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSFN supports all education needs of 30 students at Yanjer Gumba Primary School, Shey Phoksundo in Upper Dolpo. Led by Mr. Binod Shahi Newa who journeys to Dolpo with volunteers for six months yearly.
• Sathya UdhyancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA shelter and school for abandoned children of waste workers and children of drug addicts, run by Ms. Rashmi Kafle. SFN supports all 40 children, teachers and staff at the Bungamati, Lalitpur location.
• Naad Sangeet PathshalacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic school run by Ms. Sarita Mishra providing free classes in tabla, violin, flute, guitar and vocal to 100+ children from underprivileged backgrounds around Pashupatinath, Guheswori, Chabahil and Bouddha area.
• photo.circleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSFN is proud associate of Photo Kathmandu, Nepal's first international photography festival. SFN supported 2nd edition (2016), 3rd edition (October 2018), and looks forward to 4th edition in 2020.
• Actors' StudiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheater group collaborated with Srijanalaya for Art Works! Nawalparasi and Dang programs, putting up children's theater productions using local Tharu folktales.
• Quixote's Cove and SPOKENminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-presented 'Alok Live in Kathmandu' poetry and comedy special featuring internationally acclaimed gender non-conforming artist Alok Vaid Menon. SFN was one of the supporters for this inclusivity-focused event.
• The Embassy of the United States of America in NepalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner with Global Media Makers for 'Tell Your Own Story' short film screenwriting workshop providing platform for marginalized female storytellers from Madhesh Pradesh.
• Panchpokhari Thangpal Village MunicipalitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner3-year MoU signed for Art Works! Sangai Khelaun Program with emphasis on involving local authorities and incorporating learning into local curriculum. Covers 8 wards.
• Kiran Shoes (Goldstar brand)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMr. Amir Pratap Rana donated 530 pairs of Goldstar shoes to all children and teachers in Ghyachchok VDC, Gorkha.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Srijanalaya: Nepal-based arts and education nonprofit that co-designs and co-delivers SFN's flagship Art Works! Sangai Khelaun program. Highly comparable: small volunteer-led organization using arts to advance education and social development in Nepal.
• Bright Horizon Foundation: Nepal-based child welfare and education nonprofit where SFN board member Kumudini Gurung Shrestha serves as Director for Education. Highly comparable mission around holistic child development and educational support for vulnerable children in Nepal.
• Snow Yak Foundation: Nepal-based education nonprofit supporting remote-area schools in Upper Dolpo; SFN underwrites all 30 students at Yanjer Gumba Primary School through this partner. Comparable small-footprint, donor-funded model focused on rural educational access.
• photo.circle: Nepal-based nonprofit running Photo Kathmandu and visual-arts education programs; SFN is a long-time associate supporter. Comparable cultural-education nonprofit using creative practice to expand learning opportunities for Nepali youth.
• Open Learning Exchange Nepal (OLE Nepal): Nepali nonprofit that builds digital early-grade learning content and has run story-writing workshops with SFN scholarship students. Comparable as a Nepal-focused education nonprofit working through partner schools to expand learning access for marginalized children.
• Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) / Butterfly Home: SFN's longest-running partner (since 2011), run by CNN Hero Pushpa Basnet, providing shelter and education to children of prison inmates. Closely comparable mission and beneficiary profile, and SFN funds the education of all 23 girls in residence.
• Tewa: Nepal's leading women's fund and gender-focused grantmaking organization with overlapping focus on girls' education and grassroots empowerment. Comparable as a Nepali nonprofit using pooled donor capital to support marginalized communities, including educational pathways for girls.

Broad incumbents

• Pratham: One of India's largest education nonprofits, operating literacy, vocational, and girls' education programs across South Asia. Comparable donor-funded education model serving marginalized children, though at a materially larger scale than SFN.
• UNICEF Nepal: Large international agency running nationwide education, child protection, and health programs in Nepal, including post-earthquake school recovery in many of the same districts SFN serves. Comparable beneficiary focus, but operates at vastly greater scale and scope than SFN.
• Room to Read: Global education nonprofit operating literacy and girls' education programs across South Asia, including Nepal. Closely comparable mission on supporting marginalized girls' education through completion of secondary school, but at a much larger organizational scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sfnepal
• Instagraminstagram.com/sfnepal
• Facebookfacebook.com/shikshyafoundationnepal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shikshya-foundation-nepal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Shikshya Foundation Nepal