A Place That Gives Children Stability
The Chepang, an indigenous ethnic group in Nepal, are living in isolation on barren land, which means their children often suffer from malnutrition. In order to create better living conditions for these children through schooling and further education, KP Kiran founded the Chepang Hostel. Since 2022, he has been supported by the Hahn Air Foundation.
Currently, 150 children aged between 5 and 23 live at the hostel. Daily tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and washing are carried out by the children themselves. A highlight of the visit in November 2025 was the handover of 30 new school desks and benches, which were provided in cooperation with the Olgapuri Training Center in Kathmandu and the Rotary Club Göttingen; additionally, a dental care training session was held at the neighboring primary school. In addition, new bed linen, school backpacks, and various cooking utensils were purchased
Food assistance still is making up the largest share of financial support: the children receive two to three meals per day at the hostel. Subsistence farming and livestock are not sufficient and therefore mainly serve educational and demonstration purposes. The newly built covered cooking area is daily in use.
The premises are well-kept and clean, and have been extensively paved, making it possible to move around safely on foot or by bicycle even during the rainy season. To support the head of the hostel, a local staff member was hired full-time and previously trained in office management and office software at the Project Propel Nepal office in Kathmandu.
Unfortunately, the continuing education programs were not as well accepted as expected, as the children are strongly attached to their home region and are reluctant to pursue training far away. One boy, after completing his training as a plumber, began a three-year English degree, continuously is living at the hostel, and supporting the younger children. Another boy unfortunately did not pass the test for medical studies, but plans to study engineering instead and has already found sponsors. Project Propel Nepal in Kathmandu, the local representative of Brepal e.V. in Nepal, is supporting the hostel throughout the year.
“In summary, it can be said that over the past five years the hostel project has fundamentally changed the lives of the children by providing a supportive and nurturing environment with education and adequate nutrition, thus giving them a better future,” says Anke Korves. The children’s discipline, hard work, and cheerfulness are reflecting the success of the project.
