The striking beauty of Nepal's landscape stands in stark contrast with the country's wide spread poverty. Landlocked and endowed with few natural resources sustainable for commercial exploitation, Nepal remains one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world with its social indicators one of the lowest in the entire Asia Region. Unlike Australia, whose social welfare system is among the finest in the world, Nepal suffers much from its lack of an organized …showed first 75 words of 907 total…

…showed last 75 words of 907 total…building block and is vital for alleviating poverty. NGOs such as VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) are involved in both technical and vocational training, as well as assistance in basic education for children. Centres are being set up where teachers give lessons to children and adults at flexible times, so as not to interfere with housework or farming. Scholarship schemes have also been developed by ACTIONAID to help cover the costs for their books and stationery.