What if every student, no matter where they were born or what challenges they faced, had the support to envision, and build, a future they could be proud of?
At Kopila Valley School in far western Nepal, that’s the vision we’re working toward every day. For students growing up in poverty, without stable homes or parental support, career guidance isn’t just about job prospects; it’s about hope and transformation. Our Futures Program equips students to make informed choices about their education, careers, and personal lives, while offering a model for how schools can be powerful launchpads for life.
We believe this program’s personalised programme of career counselling, mentorship, life skills, and scholarship support; is a key reason why 95% of our Grade 10 students have passed the national Secondary Education Examination. This crucial milestone opens doors to new higher education, vocational courses, and career opportunities.
Education with Roots in the Community
Kopila Valley School was founded in response to local needs, to develop equitable and accessible education for those children who are vulnerable, through collaboration with the local community. Public school access is often out of reach due to even nominal fees, stationary needs, uniforms, or the absence of supportive caregivers.
Our school prioritises students who are most in need, and our commitment goes beyond academics—we offer daily meals, healthcare, individual psychosocial counselling, and family/home environment support. We believe thriving in life and school begins with stability and safety.
We integrate place-based and sustainability education throughout our curriculum. Our campus—the “greenest school in Nepal”—was built with sustainable materials and continues to model environmentally responsible practices. We view education as a tool not just for individual advancement, but for social and environmental transformation, equipping students to build brighter futures for themselves and for generations to come.
When students are free to learn and encouraged to explore in our place-based and caring environment, they begin to dream.
Source: Kopila Valley School
The Futures Programme: Practical, Personal, Transformational
As our Co-founder Top Bahadur Malla says, “We are concerned not only about children’s education, but also about their futures.”
Launched in 2018, our Futures Program begins in Grade 8 and continues through post-secondary years. It was designed to provide career guidance and life preparation for students who might otherwise graduate without knowledge, skills, and confidence for the future. Our approach includes:
- Career exploration through our Inspirational Speaker Series, where students meet professionals from a range of fields in governmental, non-profit, local businesses, and private businesses, including emerging green careers.
- Strengths assessments and academic advising through the team of guidance career counsellors and enrichment officer.
- Life skills workshops, including personal discovery sessions, public speaking, mock interviews, financial literacy, writing job applications, resume writing, and basic budgeting.
- Mentorship and one-on-one coaching, pairing our alumni with a mentor to support them in personal, professional, and life skills development.
- Post-secondary support, including assistance with college applications, scholarship applications, and a no-interest loan fund for university or technical training. Sixty-three percent of all graduates are pursuing higher education.
- Internships and entrepreneurship, developed through partnerships with local businesses and organisations. Students gain real-world experience or seed funding to launch their own ventures.
Source: Kopila Valley School
We understand that university is not the sole path to success and offer a wide variety of resources to our students. Every Grade 10 student engages in a local internship. Of recent graduates, 21% are in vocational technical certification degree programs, 23% are in full-time paid apprenticeships, and 2% are in entrepreneurial ventures. The goal is not to push students down one path, but to give them the tools and support to make informed, empowered decisions about their own futures.
“We believe schools should be launchpads, spaces where young people learn to take ownership of their lives.”
From Learning to Leading
The Futures Program’s impact is already clear. Our students are more confident, goal-oriented, and socially aware. Alumni have graduated from top-ranking universities in the IT, engineering, medical, and hospitality sectors. They are developing healthy habits and showing leadership in personal and professional life.
Crucially, we’ve seen students move away from challenges common in our region—such as early marriage and substance abuse – thanks to education and financial independence.
All 256 graduates to date have participated in climate action initiatives during or after their school years. For example, alumnus Pushkar founded “Hamro Group,” a nonprofit focused on collaborative environmental actions. Five alumni have started their own businesses, using seed funding from our no-interest loan program. In 2024, we helped graduates scale up their local business, Yatra Rental and Gears.
Sixteen alumni have returned to work at Kopila Valley, contributing their skills back into the school and broader nonprofit programs. Recent alumni have completed skills training in barista work, hotel management, networking, and CCTV installation through local and national programs. These emerging professionals serve as visible role models for younger students, proof that it’s possible to learn, earn, and lead in your own community.
Building a Culture of Ownership
We believe schools should be launchpads, spaces where young people learn to take ownership of their lives. That means cultivating both independence and interdependence: the ability to make choices with confidence, and the sense of responsibility to one’s community and environment.
At Kopila Valley, we approach this work as a team. Our counsellors, mentors, teachers, and program staff are trained to listen deeply to students—to help them surface their own dreams and navigate real-world barriers.
Students receive post-graduation coaching to support their transition into adulthood. Many remain active in the Kopila Valley Alumni Association, an emerging network established for professional development and maintaining connections.
Lessons for Other Schools
If your school is interested in launching or expanding a Futures-style program, here are some key lessons we’ve learned:
- Start with relationships. Students must feel known and supported in order to dream big. Career guidance is effective when built on trust.
- Stay adaptable. Curriculum and guidance must evolve alongside the education landscape and student needs.
- Make it holistic. Academic guidance alone is not enough. Include emotional and physical wellness, personal assessment, life skills, and exposure to real-world experience.
- Celebrate all pathways. Honor success in all its forms—university, skilled trades, entrepreneurship, caregiving, or activism.
- Involve the community. Internships, speakers, and alumni mentorship can all reinforce the idea that students belong to a larger web of support.
One Generation, Profound Change
Perhaps the most powerful proof of our program’s impact is this: we are beginning to see cycles of poverty end—in just one generation.
Most of our students are the first in their families to complete higher secondary education. We are deeply humbled by their resilience, determination, and leadership. They are not just dreaming of better futures, they are building them.
At Kopila Valley, it is our privilege to walk beside them.
By Pratikshya Bhandari and Katy Munden Hays
Pratikshya Bhandari is Kopila Valley School’s Futures Program Coordinator. She oversees the planning, implementation, design, and team management for career counseling, career guidance, scholarship plans for students, and development of the Kopila Valley Alumni Association. Katy Munden Hays is the Public Relations Manager at the BlinkNow Foundation, the U.S. funding partner of Kopila Valley School. She tells Kopila Valley stories and also supports communications for a range of good causes.
