Surunga is a growing commercial center in Jhapa District, located in Koshi Province in southeastern Nepal. The town is home to Shree Kankai Secondary School, which provides education for both hearing and hearing-impaired children, along with a residential hostel for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

At the beginning of the project, the hostel accommodated 80 students aged 8 to 16 years (39 boys and 41 girls), supported by three teachers and one caregiver. Due to limited infrastructure, only six rooms were available, resulting in 12 to 15 students sharing a single bedroom. The overcrowded living conditions negatively affected students’ comfort, well-being, and learning environment.

To address this challenge, Chay Ya Nepal, in coordination with Chay Ya Austria and local partners, implemented the Deaf Hostel Extension Project at Shree Kankai Secondary School in Surunga–03, Kankai Municipality, Jhapa. The project involved the construction of four additional hostel rooms, along with improved sanitary facilities, to create a safer and more supportive residential environment for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

The expansion significantly reduced overcrowding and improved living conditions, allowing the hostel to increase its capacity from 80 to 100 students. As a result, the municipality committed to hiring additional teachers and caretakers, contributing to improved educational quality and student care. The Kankai Municipality also demonstrated strong local ownership by contributing 20% of the total construction cost.

Despite challenges such as extreme weather conditions and delays in fund disbursement, the project was successfully completed in August 2025. The construction was carried out under continuous technical supervision to ensure quality, safety, and accessibility standards.

This project represents a meaningful step toward inclusive education, providing deaf and hard-of-hearing children with a dignified, safe, and enabling environment where they can learn, grow, and thrive.