Friends Of Dolpa, About Us

Friends of Dolpa

Dolpa Region

Tapriza School

Dunai School

Cultural Preservation

History of Friends of Dolpa
Friends of Dolpa was founded in 1996 as a natural outgrowth of community connections made by Catherine Inman while she was working in Shey-Phoksumdo National Park as a US Peace Corps volunteer. Daily immersion led to projects following local peoples' interests. In the first year, Inman participated in planning the new Tapriza School and partnered with villagers to repair a local Chorten (religious shrine) at Rigmo. She spent the following three years living and working in remote Phoksumdo area villages facilitating projects as they began. In 1998, the number of projects and support from abroad led to the incorporation of Friends of Dolpa as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the United States.

How We Work
Friends of Dolpa serves as a liaison between Dolpa communities and their supporters in Nepal and other countries. Within Nepal, we've facilitated stronger bonds and sustainable working relationships between the local village organizations, Nepalese government, and various Nepal based non-government organizations. In the USA, we manage and direct donations sent for the benefit of local projects, network for resources and ideas, and produce a newsletter. Since 2000, we maintain our commitment to community groups with yearly follow-up visits to Nepal.

All activities in managing Friends of Dolpa are carried out by unpaid volunteers. We work in cooperation with many organizations including, Tapriza Verein in Switzerland, American Himalayan Foundation, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer organizations, The Partnership for Biodiversity and the Treton Norbutse Bonpo Monastery in Katmandu.

Goals
Our aim is to assist the peoples in and near Dolpa District, Nepal to undertake community development projects of their design, improving the quality of life in the region. Through organizing and managing such programs, the local communities gain increased confidence and control of their development in a rapidly changing world. We have supported education and cultural preservation endeavors.