Our story

Established in 1952, INF is Nepal’s longest-serving international non-government organisation. INF Australia supports and shares the work of partners in Nepal to bring life in all its fullness for Nepal’s poor and marginalised.

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INF history

The International Nepal Fellowship is an interdenominational and international Christian mission that seeks to bring life in all its fullness for the people of Nepal. During the 1930s, pioneering medicos, Dr. Lily O’Hanlon and Hilda Steel began medical work among Nepali people living on the Nepal-India border. Here they faithfully waited and prayed that one day they would be able to work in Nepal, which at the time was a closed and secretive Hindu Kingdom.

When Nepal opened up in 1952, a small group of medical missionaries including Lily and Hilda together with some Nepali friends walked north from the Indian border to the Pokhara valley, and with the permission of the Nepali Government set up a clinic and a few years later the ‘Shining Hospital’ – the first hospital in the west of Nepal and the beginning of INF as we know it today.

Since its humble beginnings INF has grown to be an organisation recognised for its approaches to community health and empowerment. Since the establishment of the ‘Shining Hospital’ in 1954 INF has established further hospitals and clinics across the West and Mid-Western Regions of Nepal. New community-led programs, particularly supporting women, people with disabilities and marginalised groups and communities, have also been at the core of INF’s work since the 1980s.

INF Australia was formed in 1961 by Australian supporters of INF. We exist to support and share the work of INF in Nepal and a small number of other Christian partner organisations. As well as supporting through prayer and finances, INF Australia has sent and supported many Australians to serve in training and support roles alongside Nepali counterparts, as doctors, nurses, teachers and organisational and community development specialists . Read here for more about INF’ Australia’s work.