For those in government and elsewhere who find giving people access to quality education and affordable health a formidable challenge, the schools and health posts managed by Himal Power at its Khimti plant site are an example of how easy it is if the work is properly managed.

And it's not even a question of resources, since the money required is not much and most communities are able to mobilise the subsidies.

The Khimti school started out during the construction phase of the project for the children of workers, but has now been upgraded to a secondary school that is managed by the local community and has now become a model for the district. Himal Power has also helped upgrade 11 other schools in the valley.

The result of the quality education was seen in this year's SLC results in which Kiran Ghimire and Rajan Adhikari topped the district first and second with distinction.

Today, only a quarter of the nearly 500 students in the school are children of Himal Power staff and the company has allocated Rs 4 million a year to subsidise fees and for school administration.

Khimti's health post has now turned into a small hospital that can treat up to 60 patients a day. More complicated cases are referred to the district hospital in Charikot and an ambulance is on standby. What is remarkable is that patients have to pay just Rs 10 for a checkup and the medicines are subsidised.

"For us, this hospital is a great gift, I paid just Rs 35 for checkup and medicines," says Ganga Bahadur Thapa who brought his daughter Sanu for treatment last week, "if I'd gone to Charikot I'd have spent Rs1,000."

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Electric transformation - FROM ISSUE #464 (07 AUG 2009 - 20 AUG 2009)