According to the United Nations, Nepal ranks 138th in the world in overall human development, behind such countries as India and Bangladesh and one of the least developed countries in Asia. About one-half of the Nepalese people live in poverty. They endure the typical problems of impoverished people around the world, such as high rates of malnourishment, childhood mortality and illiteracy.       

 

Poverty in Nepal is concentrated in rural villages and among lower castes and ethnic minorities. Learn more about who we serve. These villages are often located in remote, mountain villages that are geographically isolated and far from basic services. Subsistence agriculture is the rule, leaving villagers little opportunity to improve their welfare. These rural areas have seen little of the modest economic growth that has benefited larger cities in Nepal. Rural healthcare services are at best rudimentary, with government health posts often going unstaffed and undersupplied for years. Nutrition is inadequate; vaccination rates are poor. Access to education is irregular, and low literacy rates remain a barrier to economic progress. 

Political instability continues in Nepal, after the eleven year long battle bewteen Maoists and government forces. These political problems have hurt tourism in Nepal, one activity that had been delivering economic opportunities to some rural areas. The 2015 earthquake of 7.8 Richter devasted 14 regions of Nepal while it grapples to recover. Recent political developments leave us hoping for a more stable and and prosperous future in Nepal. In the meantime, poverty in Nepal remains severe. HHC has made the rural poor of Nepal its main target for assistance, focusing on key needs in healthcare, education and income generation.