A provincial government creating large-scale enrolment of pupils with disabilities in cooperation with a foundation
- Solution
- Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Programme (DPRP)
- Organization
- Karuna Foundation Nepal
- Country of Implementation
- Nepal
- Region
- Asia & Pacific
- Subregion
- South Asia
- In cooperation with
- Provincial Government of Koshi province
- Start Year
- 2008
- First published
- 03.12.2023

Solution details
People
“One of the programme’s core objectives is to provide training in inclusive education to teachers and school management committee members.”
The Provincial Government of the Koshi province has partnered with the Karuna Foundation Nepal (KFN), a Netherlands-based foundation focusing on development support in Nepal, to carry out the Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Programme (DPRP) by training teachers, identifying out-of-school children, and improve school accessibility, among other activities. Since 2008, DPRP has built 35 accessible schools and enrolled 1,267 children with disabilities. By 2023 all schools in the Koshi province have adapted the DPRP model, and the Government of Nepal started to pilot it in other provinces as well.
Problems Targeted
In Nepal the perception exists that children with disabilities cannot be educated together with children without disabilities.
Solution, Innovation and Impact
In an innovative collaboration called the Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Programme (DPRP) the Provincial Government of Nepal’s Koshi province and the Karuna Foundation Nepal (KFN, the Nepalese arm of a Netherlands-based foundation) initiated a large-scale programme aimed at enrolling students with disabilities into mainstream education. Launched in 2008, this tripartite initiative encompasses two core components: prevention and community-based rehabilitation, with education as the main driver for change. One of the programme’s core objectives is to provide training in inclusive education to teachers and school management committee members. Beyond training, the programme takes active steps to identify children with disabilities who are not enrolled in schools and offers counselling to parents and children to facilitate their inclusion, or organize school enrolment campaigns. DPRP is designed to address a wide range of needs, including physical, sensory, intellectual, and developmental impairments. It emphasizes personalized support structures, but also works on the accessibility of school buildings, teaching materials, teacher training, etc. DPRP is part of a larger cooperation between KFN and regional governments. Its unique approach involves collaboration among the provincial government, local government, and development partners at all levels, and puts responsibility and ownership on school management committees.
Funding, Outlook and Transferability
DRPD has developed a funding model with the Ministry of Social Development, the rural municipality, and the Karuna Foundation Nepal whereby each are responsible for a third of the cost. The education dimension is only a part of the larger development funding programme that is conducted jointly, with the education dimension amounting to €341,258 in 2022. Koshi province policies and programmes have integrated DPRP into their regular programme and as well as their developed directives and manuals so as to implement it more fully. Additionally, the Government of Nepal has allocated funds to implement the programme in two additional provinces of Nepal, namely Lumbini and Karnali. (Awardee 2024)
Media
Pictures
Videos
Life Story
THE STORY OF GANESH KUMAR RISHIDEV, BENEFICIARY OF THE DISABILITY PREVENTION AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMME BY KARUNA FOUNDATION
“My grades started to improve, and I felt like a new person.”
My name is Ganesh Kumar Rishidev, and I am an 18-year-old male resident of the Morang District of Nepal. I was born hard of hearing, which made my life quite challenging. Growing up I faced difficulties in communication and learning, and I often felt left out in a world that relied heavily on the sense of hearing. But then, something incredible happened. I became a beneficiary of the Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Programme in my community. The day I received my hearing aid was a turning point in my life. I remember the overwhelming excitement I felt as I put it on, and the world of sound opened up to me. With my new hearing aid I enrolled in a local school, a dream I had held onto for so long. For the first time in my life, I could hear my teachers clearly, understand what they were saying, and actively participate in class. My grades started to improve, and I felt like a new person. But it wasn’t just about academics; it was about personal growth. My confidence soared as I gained the ability to communicate with others, make friends, and be an active part of my community. The quiet, introverted boy I once was transformed into a vibrant and enthusiastic member of the community.
Related information
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Organization
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