Mondo Foundation and HELP: History and Relations
The relationship between HELP and Mondo Foundation traces back to Jimmy Lama, founder of HELP, meeting Anthony Lunch, founder of Mondo Foundation, at Yangrima School in Helambu when Jimmy was just six years old.
Jimmy attended Yangrima School for over a decade, completing his secondary education with the guidance of several of his teachers, international volunteers, including Anthony’s son, Nick Lunch. Later, as president of the ex-students’ association of Yangrima School, Jimmy supported fellow students in finding opportunities to continue their education in Kathmandu after the school was forcefully closed amid Nepal’s political upheaval.
Before pursuing his master’s degree in England, he was invited to work with Anthony at the Mondo Foundation office in Northampton, where he became familiar with Mondo’s global programmes. Together, Jimmy and Anthony began planning an educational initiative targeting the Helambu Valley to support small local schools and improve children’s education. Their collaboration led to successfully securing funding from Scot Bader Company in Northampton. Jimmy returned to Nepal, conducted a comprehensive needs assessment, and established HELP as a local NGO with the support of his former teachers, school friends, and senior members of the Helambu community.
True to Anthony’s emphasis on the value of partnerships, Mondo and HELP developed programmes that directly supported rural schools in Nepal while engaging local communities. HELP identified local needs, designed sustainable approaches, and built strong community relationships, while Mondo provided funding and expert connections. This partnership continues robustly today. Together, HELP and Mondo have managed over £2 million in funding, from constructing the first classroom in Helambu to rebuilding 14 schools after the 2015 Nepal earthquake, and now significantly supporting the Saathi Teacher Programme, scholarship schemes, and livelihood programmes etc. While HELP is not wholly supported by Mondo, it remains HELP’s oldest, longest-serving, and largest partner. Jimmy, as co-founder of HELP, serves as Mondo’s Country Representative and has worked with all of Mondo’s CEOs, from Anthony Lunch to the current CEO, Matthew Band.
Tribute to Anthony Lunch
Late Anthony Lunch: 13th Feb 1945- 20th October 2022
On behalf of HELP, the entire community associated with HELP, and the people of Helambu in Nepal, we would like to pay tribute to our most valued supporter, the founder of Mondo Foundation and an extraordinary human being, Anthony Lunch, who sadly passed away in October 2022. We also extend our heartfelt condolences to Martine, Nick, Cecilia, Chris, Jenny, and the Lunch family.
We vividly remember Anthony and his wife Martine visiting Nepal for the first time in the early 1990s. They had come to see their son Nick, who was volunteering at Yangrima Boarding School. Little did we know then that Anthony would become a steadfast supporter of the village through every challenge. We witnessed a brand-new school building being constructed at Yangrima, and Anthony played a pivotal role in making it happen. Anthony recognized that his vision could connect and support communities far beyond a single school, and he did not stop there. In 2004, MondoChallenge established a charitable arm, inspired by his belief that lasting change occurs when people come together. Hundreds of volunteers have since traveled worldwide, and countless supporters have raised millions of pounds to meet immediate community needs, educate children, alleviate poverty, and provide emergency relief.
Anthony never waited for large charities or organizations to act; he often became a “superjet force,” taking swift, decisive action. He inspired everyone connected to Mondo to embrace self-reliance while doing charitable work. In 2009, he helped establish HELP—Helambu Education and Livelihood Partnership—in Nepal. Starting with a modest £25,000 grant, HELP has since supported hundreds of schools across the country. Anthony remained a loyal and steadfast supporter, from laying the foundation of the first school in Helambu to supporting all 15 schools we reconstructed after the catastrophic 2015 earthquake. He last visited Nepal in 2017 to assess quake-damaged schools and returned with renewed determination to help us complete the monumental task of school reconstruction. Without him, many hundreds of children in remote villages such as Tartong, Birkharka, Gunsa, and Bhotenamlang would not be studying in safe, proper classrooms today.
Anthony’s contributions have been woven into every initiative at HELP—from organizing scholarships, supporting teachers, and volunteering programmes to the broader community development work. His vision and dedication profoundly shaped the way we continue our work. In tribute to Anthony, we are pleased to have launched the “Anthony Lunch Memorial Scholarship for Postgraduate Studies in Nepal.” This initiative is our way of honoring his legacy and ensuring his contributions are remembered for generations. You can contribute to this effort at Anthony Lunch Legacy Fund. For more details on Anthony Lunch and his work, please see the tribute published by Oxford University Yacht Club: In Memoriam: Anthony Lunch.
“As HELP marks a decade of work in education and community development, I would like to congratulate you on the outstanding achievement of your special anniversary. When I look back at the visits I made since 2013 (and indeed earlier) with Martine to the schools, MondoFoundation supported me during this period. I am overwhelmed by the fantastic work that has taken place. Starting with the smaller classrooms in 2009, before HELP’s formation, but with your amazingly energetic and dedicated leadership, I am incredibly proud that Mondo has been involved with such a dedicated team. Your constant desire to improve the quality of education, initially encouraging girls to attend school, has led to the pathfinding teacher training programme, which will have transformed many of your students’ futures. The presence of many volunteers under your leadership has been just one of the many programmes you have developed.” - Last Remarks by Anthony Lunch (2022)
Acknowledgement
We extend our gratitude to our initial founding members and the local communities and schools who welcomed us. The invaluable support we have received from the Mondo Foundation—including Anthony Lunch, Hirsh Cashdan, and Andrew Alright—has been the backbone of HELP’s journey. We also acknowledge the trust and support of Stephen Carrick-Davies, Anna Brian, and Matthew Band, whose contributions have been enormously important.
We extend our gratitude to our initial founding members and the local communities and schools who welcomed us. The invaluable support we have received from the Mondo Foundation—including Anthony Lunch, Hirsh Cashdan, and Andrew Alright—has been the backbone of HELP’s journey. We also acknowledge the trust and support of Stephen Carrick-Davies, Anna Brian, and Matthew Band, whose contributions have been enormously important.
Meeting Luke Simon of SchoolinaBag, through our mutual friend Lucy Needham, opened unimaginable opportunities for HELP. The support of Fondation Eagle and Bhavana Dziurzynski via the Mondo Foundation was crucial to the expansion of our programmes, supporting us continuously from 2011 to 2017 to fund several school buildings. Wayne Cheung, introduced to us by Jimmy’s friend Remi Le in Japan, helped raise over USD 20,000 to build Nakote School. He later went on to support other schools through the Nepal Initiative education organisation, along with co-founder Chiring, focusing on the development of Nurbuiing School. Behind the scenes, Deborah Weir, a professor emeritus in the United States, has been an unseen but constant guide and support to Jimmy, our co-founder, through thick and thin and in the early days of HELP.
We are equally grateful for the enduring support of our friends in Denmark—from the late Frank Kroyer to Jytte Svendsen—who have stood with us since the beginning. Many indirect opportunities and partnerships, such as our collaboration with GoGlobal Vermont, were made possible through our connection with Dr. Nina Meyerhof.
We also thank Jon and Mette in Norway for placing their trust in the Interhands Foundation’s commitment to Nepal. Our CU HELP volunteers- including Nitish, Doug, Priska, James Hollingshead, and many hundreds more-have been amazing supporters all the way from they were involved at HELP. At home, we are grateful to the continuous support and guidance of Dr. Bidyanatha Koirala and Gagan Thapa. Last but not least, we acknowledge the unwavering support of our scores of national and international supporters and partners, mainly all of the over 250 schools we are fortunate to work with and the countless individuals we have built friendship along the way. Their belief and dedication have been, and continue to be, the inspiration behind HELP’s journey and growth as an organisation.