France/ Between the Jura and the Himalayas, they’re launching a unique partnership: What is this crazy project called “Vilthouki”?
Bringing together the children of Villette-lès-Dole and those of Thukima (Nepal) through a four-year linguistic and cultural exchange: that’s the daring challenge of a trip planned for 2030.
The idea was born out of the meeting and strong friendship between Pascal Mergey and Sangé Sherpa. Far from mass tourism, the “Vilthouki” project—a portmanteau of Villette-lès-Dole in the Jura region and Thukima in Nepal—aims to create a unique community-based sister-city partnership. Starting this school year, young students from Villette in fifth and sixth grade will communicate in English once a month via video chat with schoolchildren from Thukima, a remote Nepalese village perched at an altitude of 2,000 meters and located 30 hours from Kathmandu, the capital.
Sangé Sherpa, who has strong ties to the Franche-Comté region and lives a nomadic life while climbing in Europe, is the local driving force behind this initiative. His organization, Kanchenjunga, has already built three schools and a clinic there.
“We’re focusing on the human aspect; we’re not being selective,” insists Pascal Mergey before presenting the project. “We wanted to come up with an idea, a way to return to Nepal and help the locals, but by putting the human aspect at the heart of the project so that it would truly make a difference. ” Beyond learning English—which is essential today—this exchange offers a profound window onto the world and a culture radically different from our Western society.
Four Years to Grow and Make the Adventure Their Own
This long-term project will span four years. During this time, the children and their parents will participate in events and yard sales to raise funds. The goal is for the final trip, scheduled for early July 2030, to cost families zero euros so that no one is excluded.
But Pascal Mergey’s true ambition is to gradually step back. “I want every child to say ‘I ’ or ‘we,’ but not ‘Pascal did’ or ‘Pascal will do.’ I need to become invisible so that the children can take ownership of the project.” Eventually, the teenagers will even take the reins of the organization. Once there, the money raised will be used to buy school supplies directly from local businesses to support the Nepalese economy.
Meticulous logistics and memories that will last a lifetime
To ensure the safety of this adventure—a flight lasting over 14 hours with a layover in Doha (Qatar) or New Delhi (India)—Pascal turned to a longtime friend, Olivier Jacquot, manager of the Mana Voyages travel agency. The agency will provide essential volunteer logistical support to handle insurance, flights, and health requirements. “Our role is also to ensure the children’s comfort as much as possible, not only on board the plane but also in terms of the overall travel time and logistics.”
He emphasizes that road conditions in Nepal are “catastrophic.” While Sangé Sherpa handles on-site lodging and meals, the agency steps in beforehand to organize the trip safely. He will participate in meetings to reassure the families.
“This project will foster travelers—in fact, future adults who want to discover other cultures,” explains Olivier Jacquot. For him, this experience will leave a lasting impression on the children: “For the children—both French and Nepali—this experience will stay with them for the rest of their lives.” This solidarity initiative promises to permanently transform the worldview of these future global citizens.
Source: actu.fr
