Additional Context: In Nepal’s marginalized communities, girls’ education is often overlooked. Even before the terminations, girls in these communities—many from Musahar, Dalit, and religious minority groups—faced immense barriers to education. Families relying on daily wages often prioritized boys' schooling, leaving their daughters uneducated. Without access to education, these girls are at even higher risk of early marriage and trafficking to India or the Gulf, where many are forced into domestic servitude or other exploitative labor.

UDAAN, also known as SOAR in other countries, is CARE’s specially designed education program for girls ages 10 to 14 who have never attended school or who have dropped out early. Through an intensive 11-month curriculum, it gives them a second chance to transition into formal public schools. Operating across 13 learning centers, the program provides education, leadership and life skills, academic support, and practical services that keep girls enrolled. UDAAN also gives girls a chance to delay or avoid early marriage, because quality education enables girls to make informed decisions about their lives.

After months, CARE reopened the program briefly with non-U.S. funding to transition 282 of the 307 girls to formal schooling. The program is now officially closed.

Source: CARE