Ghunsa Project

From a single cold classroom at 3,400 metres to a community-run model school with 100% attendance.

Ghunsa is where HDFA began — a remote, high-altitude village deep in the Kanchenjunga region, reachable only by flying to Taplejung, driving 18 hours, and trekking three days into the mountains.

When HDFA first arrived in 2013, only 25% of children attended school, and many students slept on a concrete floor with thin mats to protect them from the cold. The village had limited government support, minimal infrastructure, and almost no outside assistance.

WATCH: Two of HDFA’s founders, Chris Miller and Duncan Chessell, share the moment they first saw the school in Ghunsa — and why it changed everything.

Location of Ghunsa, Nepal

Working side-by-side with the community, HDFA rebuilt the school, upgraded the hostel, strengthened governance, and supported teachers — always with the long-term goal of Ghunsa taking full ownership.

By 2017, the community achieved 100% school attendance, an extraordinary milestone for one of Nepal’s most remote valleys.

Today, Ghunsa is a fully community-managed project. The local School Management Committee and municipality fund and run the school, hostel, and health unit. Tourism businesses have created a local fundraising mechanism to support ongoing school maintenance.

HDFA now provides light-touch support, including an English teacher salary and scholarships for students continuing to Years 9–12 in Taplejung, Khotang, and Kathmandu.

Ghunsa stands as a blueprint for HDFA’s place-based model: deep partnership, strong governance, and community-led independence.

What Impact Looks Like

Education
Health
Livelihood
Sustainability

Transformed from a single cold classroom where children slept on concrete floors with thin mats to a safe, fully functioning school and hostel.
School attendance increased from 25% to 100%, achieved by 2017 and maintained for eight years.
Recognised locally as a model school in a remote Himalayan setting.
Classrooms upgraded and hostel expanded, enabling more children from surrounding settlements to attend.
English language teaching strengthened with HDFA-funded teacher support.
Scholarship pathways established for graduates to study in Taplejung, Khotang and Kathmandu (Years 9–12).
Multiple Ghunsa students have now completed high school — something not possible before HDFA’s involvement.
Local governance capacity strengthened, with SMC training in leadership, budgeting and planning.
60th anniversary of Ghunsa School celebrated in 2025.

Establishment of a permanent health unit for the valley, improving access to care for Ghunsa, Phole, Gyabla and surrounding settlements.
Health post transitioned to full government funding and management.
Continuous access to first aid, maternal health care and emergency support.
HDFA supplied critical medical items over the years, including portable oxygen, first-aid kits and high-altitude sickness medication.
Health camps and awareness programs delivered by local staff.

Tourism revitalised, with more than 600 visitors recorded in October 2024, strengthening local incomes.
A local fundraising mechanism created by tourism businesses to support school maintenance and repair.
Micro-hydro system assessed and upgraded, with a new 15 kW system funded for Gyabla.
Advocacy and planning underway for improved 4G connectivity.
Strengthened community governance through collaboration with KBSS, the Rural Municipality and HDFA coordinators.

Ghunsa has fully transitioned to community-led management across the school, hostel, health unit and local infrastructure planning.
HDFA’s role is now light-touch, providing only an English teacher, targeted scholarships and emergency support.