ABOUT US
Since 1993, we have been enabling children in the mountainous regions around Pokhara in Nepal to receive a better education. It started with three sponsored children in 1993, and we continued adding more year over year. After a few years, it became a matter close to Damgar's heart that 50% of all sponsored children should be girls, so that they too could have the same opportunities for a better future. As of today, we have supported over 1,300 students, of whom approximately 500 have already successfully graduated from secondary school.
“The heartfelt gratitude and warmth we receive from parents, children and teachers during our visits to our schools in Nepal encourages us to continue working tirelessly for this foundation.”
– Jörg Overlack († 2023), founder of the Nepal Children Overlack Foundation
Our vision
We are driven by the vision of supporting the Nepalese people in building their country, educating their children, and thereby creating a better future for the country and its population.
Unfortunately, the government does not do nearly enough in this regard, and it is necessary for privileged countries like Germany to recognize that we have the means to truly change lives there. Jörg Overlack († 2023) said: "The heartfelt gratitude and warmth we receive from parents, children and teachers during our visits to Nepal's schools drives us to continue working steadily for the foundation. Thus, as a familiy. we will continue working on the Nepal Children's Project. We are convinced that by financing and improving the education of gifted and underprivileged children in rural areas of Nepal, our help has the greatest impact."
The Nepal Children Overlack Foundation has grown steadily over the last 30 years: from a small private initiative to a project supported by many friends and acquaintances, culminating in the establishment of the foundation in 2018. Step by step, we aim to continue developing in the future. The successes of the past 30+ years were only possible because we overcame setbacks and continued working despite obstacles and uncertainties.
Jörg Overlack († 2023) noted: “Success lies in consistency.”
In 2022, the foundation leadership was passed from Jörg to his two sons. This was a far-sighted decision, as both founders, Dagmar and Jörg Overlack, sadly passed away in 2023. Today, the families of both sons Bert and Marc are involved in the foundation. The grandchildren of the project founders are also active and wish to continue the foundation.
The next milestone of the Foundation is to develop the organization with the involvement of the younger generation. In addition to new school projects, we want to invest particularly in the quality of education and ensure that our schools become among the best in their region. The key to this is teacher training and development. We also aim to better organize and digitalize our operations. Close communication and connection with the schools are essential to promote environmental conservation projects, organize an alumni program for supported students, and award scholarships for outstanding high school graduates to continue their university education.
Our school projects and student development program show that our help and support are making a difference and remain necessary. Many underprivileged young people still require our assistance to receive a good education and develop according to their potential.
Among our students, some particularly motivated and committed individuals have pursued international careers. While this is not our primary goal, it demonstrates the fruits of early support for children.
One of these success stories is Shiva Bhandari, one of our very first students, who completed his doctoral thesis in Biomedical Physics in the USA in 2024 and dedicated his doctorate diploma to Dagmar and Jörg, out of gratitude for their support. He acknowledges that he would not be where he is today without their early support, which laid the foundation for his incredible career.
Our philosophy
"There is nothing good - unless you do it!" (Erich Kästner)
Over the years, a clear philosophy for our activities and investments in Nepal has developed, guiding how we select projects and advance the foundation:
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All donation funds go 100% directly to the schools and, consequently, to the students. Additional costs such as administrative expenses, travel costs, and transfer fees are covered by our family.
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Gender equality is rarely achieved in the poorer regions of Nepal. To counteract this, we ensure that at least 50% of the children supported through our "sponsorships" are girls.
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Investments in renovations, new buildings, and equipment are regularly monitored by our on-site team and family members at least every two years in Nepal to ensure proper use of donation funds. Additionally, the academic performance of the schools is evaluated, and positive development is expected.
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We only support children in rural areas. These children are selected by expert committees from the schools and communities. They are always children for whom attending a private school rather than a public school could be crucial for their development, but whose families do not have the means to afford private schooling.
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To receive direct investments from our Foundation, the school must award scholarships (10 years) for a certain number of children. A further requirement to the schools is to contribute by 15-30% of the costs themselves. This approach provides support for self-help in the schools and promotes accountability.
How it all began
(Our story)
It all began Christmas 1992 when Dagmar († 2023) and Jörg Overlack († 2023), during a trekking tour with their sons Bert and Marc in the Annapurna range, came across a small and modest school, now the Morning Star Higher Secondary School (MSHSS). Located in the small village of Naudanda in the hills around Pokhara (Nepal’s second-largest city) the area had no paved roads at the time, only dirt paths, no electricity, and, apart from a few wells, no water supply. Our parents were deeply moved by these impressions. Throughout the rest of their journey, they kept wondering how they could best help the children in what was then a very economically challenged Nepal.
Jörg Overlack described the discovery of the first school and his decision to support it:
"For me, the school was a fateful discovery. A few years earlier, the headmaster, Adhikari, had founded a small private school in Naudanda with two teachers and 60 students. The school's rudimentary facilities were at an absolute minimum. On-site, we learned about the extreme poverty of the people and the long school commutes, often one to three hours each way, despite poor footwear and even in bad weather."
Despite these hardships, Jörg Overlack noted, the students radiated enormous discipline, warmth, and gratitude. It was a privilege for them to attend school. Dagmar and Jörg then decided that this school would be an opportunity to make a positive impact for children in Nepal. They began by financing the education for three children whose parents could not afford the school fees, including Ramjee Bhandari, whose story you can read in our success stories. This marked the beginning of an incredible success story, at a time when the literacy rate in Nepal was over 70%, and it laid the foundation for what has become a remarkable journey.
Many initiatives followed, always aimed at improving the education of Nepalese children. In 2018, we founded the “Nepal Children Overlack Foundation,” which continues our efforts for children in Nepal. Since 1993, €1.2 million has been invested in the education of over 1,300 students and direct investments in eleven partner schools.
Our Team in Germany and Nepal
We have built a team of helpers both in Germany and Nepal, without whom the preservation and development of the Foundation’s work would not be possible.
In Nepal, our key figure is Dr. Krishna Bhandari, who coordinates the selection of sponsored children and schools, communicates with school leaders, and carries out inspections. He was a teacher at the first school we supported in 1995, later earned his doctorate, and now teaches at Pokhara University.
Also indispensable to the successful development of the project were our guides Vijay Vaida and Arun Regmi, who accompanied our trips for 30 years and initially coordinated communication with the head of the first school. Our friendship with Arun and Vijay has always been marked by deep trust.
In Germany, most of the work is handled by us, the Overlack family, now in the second and third generations. We are particularly supported by our long-time friend and and employee, Andrea Walter, who is responsible for the coordination and communication with our Nepalese contacts and handles all administrative tasks.
However, the most important contributors are the numerous supporters and sponsors who, through scholarships, fundraising events, private donations, and other ideas, continuously help the Foundation grow, gain recognition, and support more schools and children.
