In Nepal, one in four children are unable to complete even the basic eight years of education, largely due to financial hardships and systemic challenges. Surya, raised by a single mother in a remote village, faced these very obstacles. His village was a two-and-a-half-hour walk from the nearest school, but his mother, recognizing that education was the only pathway to a better life, took a bold step that would change Surya's life forever.

When Surya was just seven years old, his mother convinced him to walk 27 hours to Kathmandu to take a national scholarship exam, enticing him with promises like, “the farther you walk, the more allowance you will earn." Surya passed the exam with flying colors—achieving the best results in his district and earning a place at a national boarding school for gifted students. The cost, however, was immense: Surya wouldn't be able to see his family for the next nine years. Although he was devastated and wept, he saw that 70 other students selected from across the country were in the same situation and resolved to face it with determination. Surya focused on his studies, eventually receiving scholarships to attend UWC high school in Venezuela and later completing both a university degree and a master’s degree abroad. Education changed his life completely.

Yet, many children in Nepal's rural areas still have very few opportunities for education. Determined to address this disparity, Surya founded UWS Nepal in 2015. Since then, he has opened and run 82 schools, providing more than 14,000 children with access to quality education. UWS Nepal’s holistic approach includes teacher training, workshops on producing sanitary products for female students, livelihood support for mothers, and school lunch programs—contributing to a remarkable 92% completion rate at its partner schools.

Surya’s vision extends far beyond these achievements. He is committed to bridging the educational divide across Nepal by collaborating with the government to scale these programs nationwide, ensuring that children in even the most remote communities can access the transformative power of education.

Closed Caption:

”Hi, everybody. My name is Surya Karki and I’m the co-founder and director of the Nepal, and the Earth Company’s Impact Hero 2024.

I’m excited, very excited, surprised, very happy, and grateful for the opportunity. This is really an opportunity to make a real difference for those who need it the most, the most vulnerable communities of Nepal.

I still can’t believe it, but here we are finally at the starting point of a new journey. This is a new beginning with Earth Company and I can’t wait to get started.

Our goal is to provide quality education for over 10,000 Children in Western Nepal. We will empower these communities, give them a voice, and help them find solutions to their biggest challenges. ”

Together with our new Impact Hero, Surya Karki, Earth Company will be committed to supporting children and their parents in the most marginalized communities in Nepal until December 2026.

We also have some exciting news! Surya’s visit to Japan has been confirmed for our 10-year anniversary event, “Earth Company Tokyo Pop Up,” scheduled for October 6, 2024. We are thrilled about the opportunity to meet our supporters in Japan. Event details will be announced next month in August. Please save the date and stay tuned!