10.04.24 / Category: Impact - Grant Awards

How We Work To Remove Barriers of Education – Volume 3, Episode 1: Amereican Himalayan Foundation

Founded in 1981 by a group of climbers drawn to Nepal for its breathtaking mountains, the American Himalayan Foundation (AHF) quickly turned its focus to the people of the Himalayas. These climbers were deeply moved by the resilience of the Nepali people, who endure extreme poverty amidst the towering peaks. Since then, AHF’s mission has been clear: to provide shelter, safety, education, health, and opportunity to the people of the Himalayas. Over the years, the foundation’s work has touched the lives of more than 300,000 people annually, with a focus on interventions that deliver lasting, sustainable change.

One of the foundation’s most critical initiatives is the Stop Girl Trafficking project, which seeks to protect girls from the dangers of trafficking by keeping them in school. In regions where girls are often at risk of being trafficked, forced into early marriage, or enslaved as child laborers, education serves as their most powerful safeguard.

In 2023, the Circle of Sisterhood, through a $10,000 grant funded by the Western Kentucky University (WKU) Panhellenic Council, joined forces with AHF to support this life-saving initiative. This grant will provide 90 impoverished Nepali girls with the opportunity to stay in school for an entire year. By covering tuition fees, school supplies such as textbooks, backpacks, and uniforms, and offering tutoring and supplemental classes, the grant helps remove financial barriers that typically prevent these girls from continuing their education. In doing so, it not only ensures their safety but also paves the way for a brighter, more secure future.

The Stop Girl Trafficking project is already a beacon of hope for over 12,000 girls in Nepal, keeping them safe by engaging families and communities on the importance of girls’ education. By working to shift deep-rooted cultural biases that prioritize boys’ education over girls’, AHF is helping to build a safer and more supportive environment where young women can pursue their dreams and achieve their goals.

Through their support of this project, the Circle of Sisterhood and the WKU Panhellenic Council are playing a crucial role in fighting against the systemic issues that put girls at risk of trafficking. Their commitment is not only providing direct, life-changing interventions for 90 girls this year but is also part of a broader movement to promote global gender equality and education.

The Western Kentucky University sorority community has been a proud partner of the Circle of Sisterhood since 2011, raising nearly $50,000 to support global education initiatives. Their impact has been wide-ranging, from funding the construction of a school in Malawi in 2021 (in collaboration with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte) to their recent grant supporting the American Himalayan Foundation. Their dedication to empowering girls through education is inspiring, not just on their campus but in communities around the world. By continuing to invest in these life-changing programs, the WKU Panhellenic Council and the Circle of Sisterhood are helping to transform lives, one girl at a time.