Location: NEPAL
The Project
In Kathmandu, Nepal, where fear and misinformation have long fueled hostility toward stray dogs, Angeela Shrestha saw an urgent need for change. After witnessing a disturbing video of a street dog being brutally killed by police officers in public view, Angeela returned from her graduate studies in the United States determined to take action. She founded Project Humane Nepal (PHN) with the aim of changing how communities understand and treat stray animals. At the heart of her approach was education, working with schools and orphanages to help children develop empathy, learn safe ways to interact with dogs, and foster a sense of responsibility toward both animals and their communities.
The Impact of the Seed Grant
A seed grant from The Pollination Project was instrumental in helping PHN grow beyond its early grassroots efforts. With the grant, Angeela and her team reached more than 3,800 students through school visits that combined visual presentations, printed materials, and interactive lessons. A portable projector and speaker enabled them to bring compelling educational content to classrooms that had never encountered this kind of programming.
“The grant helped us deliver our message widely and professionally,” Angeela shared. “We were able to show children that dogs are not something to fear, but beings that deserve care.”
The team also developed a formal humane education course, distributed animal welfare-themed merchandise to extend awareness, and directly addressed long-held myths that contribute to violence against strays.
By challenging harmful perceptions and equipping young people with compassionate tools, Project Humane Nepal laid the groundwork for a more humane and informed relationship between humans and animals in Nepal. The Pollination Project’s support helped turn a vision born of heartbreak into an education movement that continues to echo in the lives of the children who took part.
The grant helped us deliver our message widely and professionally. We were able to show children that dogs are not something to fear, but beings that deserve care.
Angeela Shrestha
Angeela Shrestha founded PHN in 2015. She is a communications graduate student from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and, is passionate about helping the homeless and helpless animals in Nepal, her hometown. After watching a shocking video of a street dog being brutally killed by a group of Nepalese Policemen in view of the public, she made up her mind to work toward ending this suffering and ‘Project Humane Nepal’ was founded. Angeela has three rescued dogs of her own, Miyu, Olive and Rajoo.
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