Kathmandu, Nepal - June 2025

Creating Futures in Nepal: Advancing Art for Children and Empowerment for Women

Part 1: Igniting Creativity at Bal Uddhar Secondary School

In a city where basic educational resources are a daily struggle, and art is often considered a luxury, PTGF stepped in to champion the importance of creative education.

We donated a full year’s supply of art and educational materials to Bal Uddhar Secondary School — marking our second major contribution to the school in three years, as we continue building on the art curriculum we helped launch in 2023.

Many students in Kathmandu come from families who cannot afford even the simplest art supplies. Without tools for creative expression, these children are denied the chance to develop essential skills like problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and innovation. Our donation empowers over 400 students to fully participate in art education, fostering brighter futures through creativity.

Children’s Struggles in Art Education

Children in Nepal face persistent barriers to accessing creative education, particularly in under-resourced public schools.

• Art is rarely prioritized within the national curriculum, especially in low-income urban communities where academic performance in core subjects is emphasized over creative development.

• Many classrooms lack even the most basic materials — including crayons, paint, brushes, and paper — making consistent art instruction nearly impossible.

• Without access to creative tools, students miss opportunities to develop critical thinking, problem-solving skills, emotional intelligence, and self-expression.

• Overcrowded classrooms, limited school budgets, and overstretched teachers further restrict the ability to integrate meaningful arts programming into daily learning.

In Kathmandu and across similar communities, these systemic gaps limit children’s ability to explore imagination, build confidence, and cultivate innovative thinking. Access to creative education is not a luxury — it is foundational to holistic child development and long-term opportunity.

Nepalese women continue to face significant structural barriers:

• Only 28% of women participate in the formal workforce, limiting financial independence and economic mobility.

• Unemployment and underemployment disproportionately impact women, particularly in low-income and rural communities.

• Early marriage, interrupted education, and gender-based violence restrict opportunity and long-term stability.

• Cultural expectations and economic hardship often prevent women from pursuing higher education or formal employment.

In Kathmandu and beyond, these realities create systemic obstacles that limit access to education, skills development, and safe pathways toward self-sufficiency.

Access to practical, marketable skills — particularly in technology — remains one of the most powerful tools to break these cycles.

What We Made Possible Through Art

By equipping Bal Uddhar Secondary School with a year’s worth of high-quality art and educational supplies, Paint the Globe Foundation did more than fill shelves — we reignited imagination, dignity, and possibility in the lives of hundreds of children.

In a country where art is often viewed as non-essential and access to creative materials is virtually nonexistent in public schools, this contribution is transformational.

• Unlocked creative expression for 1,700+ students who now have the tools to paint, draw, build, and explore their imaginations in ways they’ve never experienced before. For many, this was their first time ever holding a paintbrush or choosing colors that represent their stories.

• Enabled teachers to deliver a more holistic, inclusive curriculum that goes beyond rote memorization — one that nurtures emotional intelligence, curiosity, and innovation alongside core academics.

• Fostered confidence, resilience, and healing in children who are growing up in communities often burdened by poverty, instability, and lack of opportunity. Through art, these students are not just learning to express themselves — they are reclaiming their voices and shaping their identities.

This wasn’t just about crayons and paint. It was about planting seeds of possibility — and proving to each child that their ideas, emotions, and creativity matter.

Building a Foundation for Women to Thrive

In partnership with Rural Women’s Network Nepal (RUWON Nepal) and The Fixers, Paint the Globe Foundation co-led the transformation of two classrooms into a fully integrated free computer literacy training center for underserved young women.

The Fixers team — known globally for executing complex builds under tight timelines — worked alongside PTGF, RUWON Nepal leadership, and local workers to complete the transformation in just five days. The renovation included structural modifications, spatial redesign, and modernization of the environment to support hands-on IT training.

The result is a purpose-built center located on the campus of Oxford Advanced Engineering College — an accessible, credible academic setting that strengthens long-term program sustainability.

This center now provides:

• Free computer literacy (IT) training

• Practical digital skills development

• A safe, structured, and professionally designed learning environment

• Access to opportunity pathways that can lead to employment and economic mobility

Paint the Globe Foundation’s role extends beyond construction. In partnership with RUWON Nepal, PTGF is responsible for ensuring long-term sustainability through strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and direct contributions so that programming continues well beyond the television episode.

This is infrastructure with intention — built to support generational change.

The project is featured in The Fixers Season 5, Episode “Nepal,” sharing this story of collaboration and resilience with a global audience.