Mount
ain Delights Treks & Expeditions &Tukee Nepal Society
Social Entrepreneur: Ram Sapkota
Location: Jyamrung, Dhading
Website: www.gotomountain.com
Phone No: 01-4700190, 9851089497
Email: info@gotomountain.com
OPPORTUNITY
The project sites in Jyamrung are located in an area which is inaccessible by vehicle beyond a certain point. The inaccessibility and the remoteness of the area make even the basic necessities very difficult to attain and the relevant problems that are addressed by Mountain Delights social projects are:
Education: Access to primary education until class 8 in Jyamrung. Students also have access to a Swedish Higher Education Fund.
Health: The Health Clinic and Health Fund were established to provide basic medical help to the villagers. The Health Fund allows the villagers to take a loan for treatment up to an amount of Rs. 35,000.
Living Conditions: Many villagers suffer from lack of food or proper living conditions and the food and housing project distributes grains as well as helps in the repair and maintenance of the houses.
Electricity: Introduction of alternative and renewable sources of energy such as solar and micro hydro.
Sanitation: Due to the lack of toilets in the village, 8 eco toilets have already been established in Dalit households and 20 more will be completed by November.
BUSINESS MODEL FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Mountain Delights (MD) is the main profit generating venture sustaining the projects through social and volunteer tourism. MD promotes itself as an eco-friendly organisation with social objectives. Projects are funded by:
Income generated by trekking tours and a certain % invested in the social projects.
Tourists/ clients who donate or sponsor individually to support the projects.
THE SOCIAL/ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THE VENTURE
Employment: 6 staff, 10 guides, 6 sherpas, 3 cooks, hundreds of porters (per trip basis), 4 health clinic staff, and 4 teachers.
Education: 260 sponsored students.
Higher Education Fund: 6 students supported.
Eco Toilet: Already established in 8 households, 20 to be completed in November 2011
Health Centre established in 2011
Health Fund established in 2007
Fooding & Housing: 20 households supported
Solar Lighting: Established in 2065 (2007) 7 households
Hydro Power: Established in 2067 (starting of 2011) 125 households
THE VENTURES POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH, SCALABILITY AND REPLICABILITY
Growth: Numbers of Mountain Delights clients and employees are increasing.
Scalability: Supported schools have grown to 10 in and around Jyamrung.
Replicability: The education fund, health clinic, and health fund are all models that can be replicated in many rural areas of Nepal.
Since I started ChangeFusion Nepal, it has mostly been work 365 days, so my New Year resolution for 2012 was to give time to myself atleast on weekends. What I did not know was that destiny had something else planned for m... 
