According to the Nepal Living Standards Survey (NLSS-III 2010-2011), Nepal has an adult literacy rate of 56.6 per cent, with a huge variation between males and females. The literacy rate in Nepal is 71.6 per cent for men and 44.5 per cent for women. This contrasts sharply with the developed world where a literacy rate of nearer 100% is the expected norm.
Although Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world, with about 25% of the population living below the international poverty line of $1.25 a day, there is considerable potential for tourism and hospitality. In fact, according to a World Bank report released in 2011, over 600,000 international tourists visited Nepal in 2010. Having a better education, with a good understanding of English could enable the people to tap into this resource and successfully find their way out of poverty.
Nepal is one of those destinations that should be on everyone’s wish list of places to visit. I’m fortunate to have travelled to Nepal a few times now and on each visit the country has offered something different. Whether it’s visiting the many temples of Kathmandu, taking an elephant safari through the steaming hot jungles of the Terai, or marvelling at the snow-white peaks of the Himalaya, there is always plenty to see and do. My aim is to make Nepal the go to adventure travel and holiday destination.
If you are thinking about visiting Nepal and have the time, why not consider volunteering for part of your trip. Volunteering provides a different type of travel experience. It allows you to see the country from a ‘non-tourist’ perspective.
Useful links.