Birendranagar, Feb. 17 -- Children of Raute community, a nomadic tribe that mostly lives in the forests and bushes of Karnali Province, have been learning to decipher alphabets over the past few weeks. Going to school for education is against the Raute norms, something their ancestors have defied for generations.

Raute people, who live off forest resources, do not stay in one area for too long, which they believe is a sustainable way to prevent the depletion of forest resources. The community shifted to Girighat of Barahatal Rural Municipality-2 in Surkhet two weeks ago from Barahatal area of the same ward. There are a total of 137 individuals in the settlement and they don't pay much attention to health, hygiene and education.

However,...