About Us

Gorkha Development Scheme (GDS) is a small charity founded in the UK and registered with the Charity Commission in 1988.  Simultaneously, Gorkha District Health and Education Development Scheme (GDHEDS) was registered as our Sister Charity in Nepal in 1989. 

The aim of GDS has always been to work with local people in Gorkha to support the poorest in the community focusing on Health, Education, Women, Community and Volunteers. As GDS and GDHEDS work closely together, this enables us to link directly with the community, assess needs and support meaningful projects appropriate to the local culture. This close working relationship was seen all too well in 2015 following the devastating earthquakes which hit the region, as we were able to provide rapid response to support schools, hospitals and individual families. 

See Projects for details of our current work and previous projects for an insight into our earlier years.

Both GDS and GDHEDS members work voluntarily 

GDS remains a small group of Trustees in the UK, and GDHEDS committee members are specialists in health and education as well as members of local non-governmental organisations (NGO’s). Regular committee meetings are held in the UK (now often via Zoom) and also in Gorkha where programme updates are discussed. Correspondence between the groups is via email and also via Viber/WhatsApp which allows free messaging and phone calls. This has over recent years transformed overall communication and enabled greater understanding between the working groups.  Minutes of meetings are available upon request. 

GDS aims to work as sustainably as possible to:-

  • Support GDHEDS members to develop projects which will benefit the wider community 
  • Enable and fund Teacher Training in rural government schools
  • Develop women’s and children’s health awareness and improve sanitation through funded training programmes
  • Sponsor children in school and college, to ensure they complete their education
  • Fund necessary equipment in Gorkha Hospital
  • Fund raise to provide funding for selected proposals 
  • Ensure transparency throughout the process of projects and financial records
  • Encourage volunteering experiences in Nepal with a focus on sharing skills with the Gorkha community
  • Enable medical students to undertake their electives in the local hospital.
  • Select volunteers appropriate to the needs of the community
  • Provide guidance for selected volunteers

The small GDS team work tirelessly to fund-raise in the UK ensuring worthwhile projects in Gorkha can be funded and every bit of support is valued. All work and finance is monitored and transparent.

As confirmed in GDS registration with the Charity Commission:-  ‘No trustees receive any remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity’

                     ALL money raised goes directly to fund projects in Gorkha.