If you want to experience rural life in Nepal and contribute directly to a local community, Shree Udaya Secondary School in Dhampus offers a meaningful place to volunteer.
Located around 25 km outside Pokhara, the school gives you the opportunity to support students and teachers while becoming part of everyday village life in one of Nepal’s most beautiful mountain regions.
About Dhampus Village
Perched on a ridge in Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality at around 1,650 metres, Dhampus is known for its impressive views of the Annapurna Range and Mt. Machhapuchhre.
But there is much more to Dhampus than its mountain views. Daily life revolves around agriculture, school and the routines of a close-knit community deeply rooted in Gurung culture and traditions.
While many visitors pass through Dhampus on their way into the Annapurna region, volunteering here gives you the opportunity to stay longer, become part of village life and experience rural Nepal beyond the trekking trails.
The School: Shree Udaya Secondary School
Shree Udaya Secondary School is a public school in Dhampus providing education from Nursery to Grade 10.
Around 135 students currently attend the school. The majority come from economically disadvantaged families in the surrounding area, making public education an important pathway to further education and future opportunities.
The school operates with limited resources, and volunteers can provide additional support to both students and teachers.
Location: Dhampus-7, Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality
Distance from Pokhara: approx. 25 km
Students: approx. 135
Classes: Nursery to Grade 10
Your Role & Impact
We are looking for practical and motivated volunteers who understand that consistency and genuine involvement matter more than grand gestures.
What you do will depend on your skills, experience and interests, as well as the current needs of the school. You are not expected to reinvent the curriculum or replace local teachers. Your role is to work alongside them, support the existing school structure and give students additional time and attention.
Your volunteer work can include:
Classroom Assistance
Support local teachers during regular lessons. Depending on your skills and experience, this may include conversational English, literacy, mathematics, science or other subjects.
Activities & Skills Sessions
Help students discover and develop new skills through practical and engaging activities. This could include computer skills, creative activities, sports or additional support in particular subjects.
Supporting Local Teachers
Work alongside the teaching staff, exchange ideas, help prepare teaching materials and provide additional support in the classroom.
You do not need to arrive with a grand project. Being reliable, taking time for the students and finding ways to contribute with the skills you already have can make a valuable difference.
Daily Life & Homestay
During your placement, you will live with a local host family in Dhampus.
Accommodation is simple, and meals are home-cooked, typically including dal bhat and seasonal ingredients grown in or around the village.
Living with a host family is an important part of the experience. It gives you an opportunity to become familiar with everyday routines, practise Nepali, share meals and build genuine connections with people in the community.
Dhampus is not simply the location of your volunteer placement. For the duration of your stay, it becomes your home in Nepal.
“Volunteering in Dhampus is not about changing the way a school works. It is about supporting the people who are already making it work every day.”
What We Expect from You
Previous teaching experience can be helpful, but it is not essential for every volunteer role.
More important are reliability, patience, flexibility and a willingness to work within the existing structures of the school. You should be comfortable adapting your contribution to what students and teachers actually need rather than arriving with a fixed idea of what you want to do.
Our local team and the teachers at Shree Udaya Secondary School will help you find a role that fits both your abilities and the needs of the school.
Experience Rural Nepal in Dhampus
Volunteering at Shree Udaya Secondary School combines meaningful involvement with the opportunity to experience a part of Nepal that many travellers only see briefly.
You will spend your days alongside students and teachers and your time outside school as part of a rural community surrounded by the hills and mountains of the Annapurna region.
If you would like to contribute your time and skills while experiencing everyday life in Dhampus, we would be happy to welcome you to Shree Udaya Secondary School.
→ Send us a message to learn more about volunteering in Dhampus.