Education as protection for the most vulnerable children in Nepal.
The children FTEN supports are among the most marginalised in Kathmandu — Dalit kids from Indian immigrant families, invisible to most systems, at high risk of early marriage and exploitation. Since 2015 we've helped over 80 of them access education. Thirty are enrolled in school today which includes continuous personalised social support to ensure they can keep attending from the start to the end of their schooling. $300 AUD is what it takes to keep one child in school for a year.
In 2015, devastating earthquakes struck Nepal. FTEN founder James Spence returned to search for the street children he had befriended during a 2013 visit to Kathmandu. After finding them safe, he joined emergency teams helping with earthquake recovery.
After months working in the mountains building 328 emergency shelters, James returned to Kathmandu to reconnect with the children. These were kids from desperately poor Indian immigrant families—facing double discrimination from both the caste system and their immigrant status.
James offered to sponsor them for school. The boys took two weeks to answer. Their response surprised him: they suggested the opportunity should go to their younger siblings and friends instead.
James realized these children had a chance to escape poverty if they were educated. Enabling them to read, write, and do math had the potential to change everything—not just for them, but for their families and communities.
This is where FTEN began.
James Spence with some of the first FTEN students
"These children had a chance to escape poverty if they were educated. Enabling them to read, write, and do math had the potential to change everything."
Our Mission Today
A small group of dedicated volunteers, friends, and family have helped FTEN create better lives for children and families in Nepal. We focus on Nepali Dalit and also Indian immigrant Dalit families—one of the most marginalized groups in Kathmandu—with particular emphasis on supporting girls' education.
What We've Achieved in Eleven Years
80+ children educated in local public schools since 2015
30 children currently enrolled with full support (school fees, uniforms, books, tutoring)
$120,000+ raised by the Australian community since 2013 — through 13 concerts, market stalls, art sales, cinema nights, and backyard events
Medical emergencies supported including eye surgeries, skin grafts, and ongoing health care
Child trafficking prevented through emergency intervention
COVID food distribution when lockdowns devastated families
Partnership with schools ensuring effective communication and quality education
Sewing Centers (2018-2023)
Recognizing that supporting children means supporting entire families, FTEN operated three sewing training centers over five years to empower mothers with marketable skills. Most of these women cannot read or write, having been married at ages 12-13 with no opportunity for education.
The mothers learned to make tote bags which were sent to Australia for fundraising. While all three centers eventually closed due to funding constraints and discrimination challenges, they represented FTEN's commitment to addressing root causes of poverty through economic empowerment.
Mothers developing marketable skills through FTEN's sewing program, which operated 2018-2023
How Your Support Makes a Difference
We need your support to break the cycle of poverty. Education transforms lives. Skills training creates independence. Your donation directly changes the future of children and families living in extreme poverty.
On average, it costs $300 AUD to sponsor a child for one year of education in a public school in Nepal. This covers school fees, uniforms, books, supplies, tutoring, and emergency support when needed.
100% Volunteer-Run: All who work for Freedom Through Education Nepal are volunteers, including founder James Spence. No money from donations is used for salaries or administration in Australia. Every dollar goes directly to supporting children and families in Nepal.
🎙️ Hear James Tell the Story
Listen to FTEN founder James Spence explain who we help and tell the powerful story of how it all began—from a cold night in Kathmandu in 2013 to a sustainable education program supporting 30 children today.
Podcast interview recorded for the Witchcliffe fundraiser, 2025
Indian immigrant Dalit families in Kathmandu face extraordinary challenges. They're marginalized in both their country of origin and their current home—experiencing discrimination based on caste, nationality, and poverty.
The Reality for Girls
In vulnerable communities, girls face particular barriers that boys do not. Early marriage remains common, with many girls married before age 18—disrupting their education and limiting their futures. When families face economic desperation, daughters are often seen as financial burdens rather than future contributors.
Education changes this equation.
"When a girl learns to read, write, and develop skills, she becomes more valuable to her family as an educated person than as a child bride."
A formal education creates protective documentation—school records, attendance, relationships with teachers—that makes children more visible and harder to exploit.
Why Nepali Dalits and also Indian Immigrant Dalits?
These families occupy the most precarious position in Kathmandu's social hierarchy:
No legal status - most lack official documentation in Nepal
Double discrimination - they face prejudice both as Dalits and as Indian immigrants
Economic exclusion - limited to informal, low-wage work with no legal protections
Educational barriers - children struggle to enroll in schools without proper documentation
Social isolation - excluded from both Indian and Nepali communities
Working Where Systems Fail
FTEN works with families that formal systems have completely failed. We help children who would otherwise be invisible—creating educational foundation which assists in providing protective documentation and encouraging community connections that support vulnerable children.
While we prioritize supporting girls due to their particular vulnerabilities, FTEN helps both boys and girls. Every child deserves education, protection, and opportunity—regardless of gender. Our approach recognizes that supporting all children strengthens families and communities.
Our Values
What guides the work — and what doesn't change regardless of circumstance.
01
Education as Liberation
We believe education is the most powerful tool for breaking the cycle of poverty. When children can read, write, and think critically, they gain agency over their own futures.
02
Whole Family Support
We can't support children effectively without supporting their families. Our approach includes medical emergencies, housing assistance, skills training for parents, and crisis intervention when needed.
03
Dignity and Respect
We work with families, not for them. We respect their decisions, honour their culture, and ensure our support empowers rather than creates dependency.
04
Long-Term Commitment
Education takes years, not months. We commit to supporting children through their entire school journey — from enrolment to graduation — and we don't walk away when things get complicated.
05
Transparency and Accountability
Operating under RAWCS (Project 82/2017-18), we maintain clear accountability for every dollar donated. We report honestly about both successes and failures.
06
Grassroots Effectiveness
We keep overhead minimal. We know every child by name. We visit families in their homes. We respond flexibly when emergencies arise. Small scale enables deep impact.
On the Ground in Kathmandu
Eleven years of presence. These are the people and places at the heart of the work.
FTEN students, Kathmandu
One of FTEN's students, dressed for school
Skills training for mothers at the sewing centre
Celebrating Bikram's return with families, February 2026
Families gather — the relationships built over eleven years
Renewed commitment to grassroots leadership, 2026
From the Ground
A handful of videos that give a sense of the work and the people behind it.
An overview of Freedom Through Education Nepal's work supporting Indian immigrant Dalit children in Kathmandu. Featuring founder James Spence and team member Julian Silburn, this video shows the impact of education on protecting vulnerable children and creating opportunities.
We gathered all the children and their mothers together to celebrate and wish everyone a happy and prosperous year. Education makes these children more valued members of their families, and parents become less likely to approve early marriages for their daughters—breaking cycles that have persisted for generations.
James wishing the children the very best for a happy and prosperous year ahead, after providing all the educational support and school requirements they need to succeed. This personal connection—knowing every child by name—is what makes FTEN different.
Protect a Child's Future
$300 gives a vulnerable child a full year of education, documentation, and protection—creating pathways to safety and opportunity.
Want to get involved? We'd love to hear from you. FTEN runs on people's input — contact us about donations, volunteering, events, collaboration, or anything else.
