Climate Change, Conservation, and Sustainability 

Climate change and environmental instability loom large in the agricultural and economic fate of Nepal. Every Volunteer has at one time or another witnessed villages scramble to repair the damage caused by heavy rainfall or a landslide. Earlier this year, a USAID spokesperson remarked, “… erosion from mountains, heavy monsoon  rains, uncontrolled burning, and forest fires make the country especially vulnerable to climate change. Climate  change poses a direct threat to Nepal’s remarkable biodiversity and cultural diversity.”

Over the years, many of the projects selected by the Grants Committee have overlapped with environmental causes. For example, one of  our partner organizations, Himalayan Healthcare, is providing agricultural training in northern Dhading to women who have suffered from the economic fallout caused by the Covid pandemic. Not only does this benefit  the environment, it also supports the entrepreneurial pursuits of women as they work to recover from the losses  of this past year. 

Whatever the focus, the FoN Grants Committee has sought to work with grassroots organizations that have a longstanding relationship to the target area and its community members. We will continue to uphold this goal and advocate for the people of Nepal as we move into a new year. 

Here are examples of important questions that the Grants Committee will keep in mind as it considers proposals in 2024: 

● Climate Change - How can an agrarian nation like Nepal feed itself as the climate becomes inhospitable? 

● Conservation – How can Nepal’s incredible breadth of wildlife and ecosystems be taken into consideration in helping to stabilize the environment? 

● Sustainability - How can people minimize the destructive impact of human activity in Nepal?