Sama Nepal

Our local partner

Sama Nepal is a non-profit organization founded in 2015 with which we collaborate to develop inclusive education projects in Nepal. Sama Nepal works alongside families, local communities, schools, and networks across its target districts so that children with disabilities and diverse learning needs can grow, learn and find their place in society.

Our objectives

• Ensure that every child, regardless of their differences, has meaningful access to quality education.
• Promote genuine inclusion by enabling children with diverse learning needs to learn alongside their peers in mainstream schools.
• Provide ongoing guidance to parents, teachers and schools to foster supportive and welcoming learning environments.
• Raise awareness among communities and local authorities to encourage positive social attitudes and promote a more inclusive society.
• Develop an inclusive education model that can be replicated in other districts of Nepal.

Our approach

In every district where we work, we develop a holistic approach tailored to local needs and realities:

1. School-Based Support
We work primarely with:

• one or more partner schools, where our Inclusive Education Resource Teachers and assistant teachers provide daily technical, academic and classroom assistance;
• resource classrooms and assessment spaces, integrated within partner schools, allowing children who require more intensive support to receive individualized assistance while gradually participating in school life;
• other schools within the district, where we provide awareness programmes, teacher training and support for children included in mainstream classrooms.

Our Inclusive Education Teachers and assistant teachers are at the heart of the programme. Working directly in classrooms and in field settings, they support children, assist teachers, collaborate closely with families and coordinate with the various professionals involved. They help build a constructive  link between the child, the school, the family and specialized services.

2. Home and Community-Based Support

Not every child is able to attend school. Some are still too young, others have passed school age, live too far away or have needs that make travelling difficult. Our team also provides home-based support and community based rehabilitation (CBR). These visits allow them to continue developmental activities, guide and support families, adapt equipment when needed and, whenever possible, prepare children for future school inclusion.

3. Collaborative Community and School Strengthening

We work closely with schools, families, parent networks, hospitals, rehabilitation centres, government agencies and local organizations. Rather than creating parallel systems, we seek to strengthen existing structures and professionals, coordinating appropriate, comprehensive and sustainable support for each child and their family.

At the same time, we organize training programmes and awareness-raising activities for teachers, parents, communities and local authorities. Changing attitudes towards disability and encouraging the involvement of local stakeholders are essential to building a more inclusive society and, ultimately, to ensuring that this work can continue independently.

The benefits of inclusion

Inclusion benefits all children. School principals and teachers consistently share that students become more caring, more respectful of differences and more willing to help those who need support. From an early age, they learn that everyone may need help at some point and that giving and receiving support are both natural parts of life.

Beyond academic learning, this experience nurtures empathy, kindness, responsibility and the ability to live and grow together. It helps shape young people who will contribute to building a more inclusive society.

Our goal is not only to include children with special needs in society. We believe that all children should grow up together, learn from one another and discover that diversity enriches us all.