KATHMANDU, Dec 6: The US Embassy in Kathmandu in partnership with the World Monuments Fund and the Chiva Chaitya Organisation has announced the completion of the restoration of the historic Yenga Hiti in Lagan, Kathmandu.
The project was funded through the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), underscoring the United States’ continued commitment to safeguarding Nepal’s cultural heritage and supporting tourism-driven economic growth benefiting both Nepali and American visitors and businesses.
Locals effort in restoring Yanga hiti
U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks, together with local leaders and government officials, inaugurated the restored hiti and expressed appreciation for the collaboration that made the project possible.
“The restoration of Yenga Hiti is more than the repair of a heritage site; it is the renewal of a living water system that has served this community—and the nation of Nepal—for more than fifteen hundred years. The U.S. Embassy remains committed to the strong and long-lasting U.S.-Nepal partnership. We will continue to support cultural preservation, community resilience, and a prosperous future for both our countries,” Meeks said.
Friday’s ceremony also marked the return of water flow to Yenga Hiti for the first time in 50 years. The restoration is part of the Hitis of Kathmandu Valley: A Water Heritage Rehabilitation Project, supported by a USD 275,000 AFCP grant. The wider initiative aims to restore at least three traditional hitis in the Valley, provide practical training for students and heritage professionals, and strengthen long-term conservation planning. Yenga Hiti is the first site to be completed following a year of detailed research, documentation and restoration.
The project was carried out in close collaboration with the Yenga Club, Chiva Chaitya Organisation, Department of Archaeology, and local and provincial governments. Since 2003, the U.S. government, through the AFCP, has supported 28 cultural preservation projects in Nepal, contributing nearly USD 4.6 million—making Nepal one of the programme’s most active and valued partners.
