Our Story
Working Together Toward Nepal’s Sustainable Future
When avid backpacker and Elevate Nepal founder Dan Maurer first went to Nepal, he had an immediate connection with the people who called this country home. They were generous, kind and contagiously positive. Forging lifelong friendships with his hosts, Dan knew it wasn’t the last time he’d visit.
Then, back-to-back earthquakes hit in 2015, changing the course of Nepali history. The quakes, each ranked higher than seven on the Richter Scale, reduced entire Nepali towns to rubble, killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more. Risking his own safety, Dan returned to the country to distribute immediate disaster relief aid, constructing temporary structures for those who had lost their homes and sanitation improvements in remote schools. Soon after, Dan founded Elevate Nepal, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, to continue giving back to the country and people he cares about so deeply. Our current focus includes projects in the education, employment, public health, and infrastructure spaces.
Unlike other nonprofits that come into Nepal, complete an aid project and leave, we are committed to establishing international coalitions to support sustainable communities long term. Nepali ingenuity, resilience and cultural resources are core to every project we pursue. Moreover, we are a registered nonprofit with the Ministry of Social Welfare in Nepal. With a devoted donor base in the United States and close partnerships in Nepal, we’re working together toward Nepal’s sustainable future.
