About

Samaanta Foundation is a Nepal-based not-for-profit organization that promotes equity and empowerment by providing quality higher education and skills development opportunities to meritorious public school graduates from underserved communities in Nepal who are at risk of dropping out. The Foundation provides comprehensive Fellowships that cover all direct and indirect costs such as tuition fees, room and board, transportation, uniform, lab, and exam fees, language and computer training, civic engagement and leadership workshops, mentorship, and other extracurricular activities.

The foundation delivers a fully residential program, with the initial agreement of 2 years for each Fellow for higher school education, and extended support for another 4-5 years for their Bachelor’s degrees, provided Fellows meet the expectations around academic excellence, commitment to service, and potential for leadership.

Since our inception in 2012, Samaanta Foundation has provided Fellowships to a total of 161 Fellows.

Vision and Mission

Vision: To level the playing field by building a society where talented young people get the opportunities they deserve, irrespective of their socio-economic background.

 
Mission: Provide access to transformative higher education and skills development opportunities that help create a critical mass of diverse change-makers empowered to serve and lead their communities.

Why We Exist

For talented students from underserved communities, the distance between potential and opportunity is shaped by much more than academic ability. Where a student grows up determines not only the quality and resources of the education they receive, but also the social, cultural, and economic capital they have access to. For students from rural and underserved areas, these disadvantages begin early and accumulate over time.

The disparities in Nepal’s education system are visible in student outcomes. While the national Grade 10 pass rate has improved to around 66%, significant differences remain across the country. In 2026, the pass rate was 51% in Sudurpaschim and 58.5% in Madhesh, compared with 78% in Bagmati. These differences reflect the very different educational environments in which students grow and learn. Access to well-resourced schools, technology, extracurricular activities, English-language instruction, and broader academic and professional exposure remains uneven across the country.

For many talented students from these communities, the first barrier is financial. A strong Grade 10 result does not make higher education affordable. Tuition, books, uniforms, examination fees, and other education-related costs can make continuing education impossible for families with limited means. A student can have the ability to succeed and still be forced to stop simply because their family cannot afford the next step.

For those who are able to continue, the disadvantages only compound. Students from underserved areas enter higher education with less exposure to English, technology, extracurricular activities, professional environments, and the social and cultural norms of institutions they are expected to navigate. They have had fewer opportunities to build confidence, develop professional relationships, find mentors, and establish networks that can open doors later. Meanwhile, students from more advantaged backgrounds often arrive with years of accumulated social and cultural capital that helps them navigate these environments and recognize opportunities that others may not even know exist.

The pattern continues beyond education. Completing a degree does not automatically translate into a good job or upward mobility. Competition for employment is intense, and access to professional networks, mentors, internships, and social connections can be as important as academic credentials. The result is a system that can appear meritocratic while reproducing the inequalities with which students began. Hard work and academic ability matter, but they cannot by themselves compensate for the absence of financial resources, exposure, confidence, and social capital.

Samaanta exists to break this cycle. Our Fellowship ensures that a talented student’s inability to pay does not prevent them from continuing their education, while also addressing the disadvantages that compound around it. We provide the financial support, education, skills, mentorship, exposure, leadership opportunities, and networks that enable students from underserved communities not only to pursue higher education, but to turn that education into meaningful opportunity.

The Fellowship Model

When unequal access to quality education shapes a student’s preparation and opportunities, addressing financial need alone is not enough. Samaanta’s Fellowship is designed to address the broader set of barriers that can prevent talented students from making the most of their education.

We support academically strong students from underserved communities with the resources they need to continue their education and the support they need to thrive within it. The Fellowship covers the full cost of education and living expenses, while also providing language and computer training, mentorship, leadership development, civic engagement, extracurricular opportunities, and exposure to wider academic and professional networks.

The Fellowship begins with two years of higher secondary education and, based on academic performance, commitment to service, and leadership potential, can extend through a Fellow’s Bachelor’s degree. This sustained support gives students the time and foundation to strengthen their academic capabilities, build confidence and skills, and take advantage of opportunities that may otherwise remain beyond their reach.

• 158

  Fellows supported

  As of 2026

• 15

  Cohorts

  As of 2026

• 32

  Districts represented

  As of 2026

• 74

  Graduates

  As of 2026

• +120

  Community projects

  As of 2026

• 18000+

  People reached

  As of 2026