What is the Himalayan Gap Project?

The Himalayan Gap is a term we derived from many of the obstacles facing the thousands of rural communities across the world. The disparity between people with effective access to digital and information technology, substantial educational resources, and healthcare services – and those with very limited or no access at all. The term Himalayan Gap refers to the remote isolation many rural villages within Nepal–due to the vast mountain range that dominates the landscape. Often without roads to connect them, many of these villages lose its young members, who move to more urban areas seeking better schools and jobs, thus leaving their family members and their heritage behind. The Himalayan Gap project will document (both with images and story) the efforts of Mahabir Pun and others within the Nepal Wireless project, as well as many other programs that enhance the lives of rural communities in Nepal.  Narrowing this technology gap in turn narrows the educational gap. Education is the key driver in building sustainable communities and creating a prosperous future for remote areas of the world.

Why is this project happening now?

As team leader of Nepal Wireless—a project funded by the Himanchal Education Foundation and fueled by free-will donations, Mahabir Pun’s initiative is on track to becoming the biggest rural Internet service provider in Nepal, maximizing the benefits of wireless and information technology for rural populations in extremely remote areas. Establishing wireless Internet in rural areas around the globe has the ability to bring education, healthcare and economic opportunities to extremely poor villages that otherwise would be too remote for conventional means of such structure. By bridging the gap of disparity with modern technology, the work started by one man is now changing the landscape of Nepal’s rural communities for the better. This idea is transferable to various forms of capital, i.e. human capital and financial capital. The Nepal Wireless mission focuses on small-scale networks and encourages that these networks are initiated by local communities, not by large corporations or governments. Nepal is just one example that the rest of the world can follow. These advancements are small-scale compared to the large-scale potential and the large-scale need. If one man can change one village, imagine what a small group of people can change around the world.  Read on for more info -