Nuwakot

About Nuwakot

“… locals were directly involved in the decision-making process from the beginning and took ownership to ensure the success of these projects.”

Once intended for Umbrella’s relocation, Gurje village in Nuwakot just outside the Kathmandu Valley, had a poor economic status and educational system. Wanting to base development projects on the local community’s actual needs, we conducted meetings to collaboratively discuss village problems, come up with sustainable solutions and ensure follow-up of programmes. Locals were directly involved in the decision-making process from the beginning, taking ownership of these projects to ensure their success. Projects set up to to enriching the community as a whole included:

Rural Education Support Project

Absenteeism was a major challenge for Gurje’s schools, with children’s work in the fields given higher priority by families relying on crops to generate income and food. Subsistence farming had these rural communities struggling to keep above the poverty line for generations. However, many parents were persuaded of the value of education and the opportunities it would afford them in the future. For children who did attend school, many found it impossible to concentrate on an empty stomach. In 2007, a ‘Food For Education’ programme was developed to combat this cycle where a nutritious meal was provided every morning to children attending school. This not only set them up for the day, but was an added incentive to be sent to school – and it also created a market for local vegetables! Before implementation, 10 children had been regularly attending in each school: at its peak, 250 children were fed dal bhat daily at the 4 local schools.

In 2008 and 2009, Umbrella also provided infrastructural support to renovate these schools – providing water supplies, completing construction on unfinished buildings, as well as painting, decorating and furnishing classrooms and setting up kitchens to facilitate the Food For Education programme. This included fitting solar panels for electricity, windows, doors and shelving units, fixing leaking roofs and plastering level floors and walls. We also provided salaries for two additional teachers in an understaffed school as well as and regular teaching volunteers to support English language learning.

Health Post Project

Thanks to a private donation through French INGO, SolHimal, a primary healthcare post went under construction in November 2008 and was completed  in Gurje village in April 2011 and serviced by two qualified nurses dealing with the majority of cases presented, with others referred to a partner hospital in Kathmandu. Umbrella consulted with the District Health Office during planning and partnered with the highly experienced INGO Community Action Nepal (CAN) to manage the health post. It also included a training hall used to educate the community on health care issues such as first aid, hygiene, nutrition, sexual health and family planning.

Agriculture Project

While agriculture was the main source of income for many, farming methods yielded crops sufficient for 6-8 months (exacerbated by the use of grain to make alcohol) and resulted in malnourished villagers. It was our goal to raise the general standard of living for the entire community and the consensus was that they wanted to become self-sustaining. In 2008, local agricultural experts were hired to survey the land and consider the climate, altitude and general farming conditions. A report was developed with recommendations on the most suitable crops to grow, taking into account the demands of the Nepali market. SolHimal distributed seeds and plants to 400 farmers in 13 surrounding villages to vary their produce and relieve their dependence on millet. Training was given to improve farming techniques and to educate farmers about the dangers of harmful pesticides and other practices that could hinder their yield.

Women’s Groups Project

As in most developing countries, women do not enjoy the same opportunities and rights as men. Literacy for men in Nepal is 68.51% while for women it is 42.49%. It is typically boys who are encouraged to attend school, whereas girls are taught domestic skills and marry young. To empower women and ensure their voices were being heard, we re-launched 13 women’s groups and built a women’s training centre in one village in 2008. This was used to host the monthly meetings where they discuss coming events and challenges faced, as well as pooling their skills and resources to offer peer support.

In April of 2009, Kumari Girls’ House agreed to help the women’s groups adult literacy classes and also offered vocational training to them. Training camps in various income-generating activities included incense- and candle-making. Apart from the tangible results of working with the women’s groups, the vocational training camps and the literacy classes, there have also been significant changes in the women’s attitudes and confidence.

Sustainable Energy Project

Long-term positive effects in the community were a key consideration for Umbrella, and all our projects in Gurje use local resources and sustainable energy. Beginning in 2008, biogas units were built in the 4 schools and solar panels were installed in the schools, 2 women’s groups training centres and the health post, providing light for the classrooms in winter and the evening adult literacy classes. A hydro-electricity plant was also built to provide electricity for the health post and local communities.

The Future

In 2013, Umbrella’s projects in Gurje village came to an end. After 7 years of involvement and community support, they have come a long way and Umbrella is proud of what has been achieved with regard to education, healthcare, agriculture, women’s empowerment and sustainable energy. Nowadays, the health post is being run and funded by Community Action Nepal (CAN). Sunrise, an Australian NGO, have also begun working in Gurje with a view to further improving local schools and the quality of education in the area.

Rasuwa

About Rasuwa

“… vulnerable to trafficking due to their proximity to Kathmandu, poor educational opportunities and low economic status.”

Situated to the north of Kathmandu and sharing a border with Tibet, Rasuwa is home to the Tamang people, a culture with strong Tibetan influences. Some regions of Nepal are more vulnerable to trafficking due to their proximity to Kathmandu, poor educational opportunities and low economic status. Rasuwa is one such district and is the place of origin for 60 of our youngest children.

Our Reintegration Project

Working closely with Next Generation Nepal (NGN), we were able to trace the families of these children and prepare them for reintegration. In April 2011, Umbrella safely returned 27 directly to their families and set up a temporary childcare home in Syabhrubesi, Rasuwa for those remaining. This home was part of our staged approach to full reintegration and acted as a centre to reconnect them with their families.

One year later, the final 32 children went to live with their families and our temporary childcare home closed as planned. This was the fulfilment of almost two years’ work and, thanks to the dedication of our reintegration team, these children will grow up surrounded by family and community, with Umbrella continuing to monitor their progress regularly and providing them with support.

Foster Care

For 4 of the children in Rasuwa, it was not deemed suitable to fully and permanently reintegrate them as there was no local school for them to attend. Therefore, Umbrella established a foster care home in Syaphrubesi, Rasuwa to accommodate them in a safe, family environment where they are looked after and can go to school. Here, they are also close enough to their family homes that they can visit on weekends/public holidays and are growing up immersed in their own cultural and traditional environment.

Our Rural Education Project

“… we have made commitments to improve the local schools in which our children will be educated.”

The primary cause of migration to Kathmandu is to receive better education. Umbrella is improving the local schools our children attend to change the perceived imbalance between rural villages and the capital, weakening child traffickers’ main selling feature. Apart from providing English-speaking teaching volunteers since 2012, Umbrella also provided infrastructural and staff support as follows:

April 2012 – Began supporting the salaries of 2 additional teachers in Rastriya Secondary School, Gatlang. This had a positive impact on the whole school community as the villagers, motivated by our intervention, managed to collect funds for 2 more teachers to join the school staff;

February 2013 – Completed work on the ‘Gatlang Library Project’ which was led by French volunteers Victor and Adeline Lapras and Victoria Junior College, Singapore. They worked together to construct flooring and to furnish, decorate and stock the library with books and educational materials.

March 2013 – Provided teacher-training workshops for Rastriya Secondary School staff in Gatlang village.

April 2013 – Facilitated teacher-training led by Nepal English Language Teachers’ Association (NELTA) for staff of Shyameywangphel Higher Secondary School, Syabhrubesi.

June 2013 – Refurbished and constructed new mixed toilets for Parbati Kunda Higher Secondary School, Goljung.

June 2013 – Collaborated with The British School in providing a week-long teacher-training course in Kathmandu to two teachers from Rastriya Secondary School, Gatlang.

Sindhupalchok

About Sindhupalchok

“… one of the least developed districts in Nepal.”

Despite its proximity to Kathmandu, Sindhupalchok is one of the least developed districts in Nepal. It is mountainous and rich in natural resources. However this also means that the land, being hilly, is not very fertile and the yield is low, a challenge for people depending entirely on agriculture for survival. While it is also abundant in tourism resources including Tatopani (hot springs), the Bhotekoshi river for rafting and Ultimate Bungee, this exploits the local economy rather than benefits it. The Arniko Highway extending from Kathmandu to Kodari links this district with Tibet, making it a high-risk area for trafficking. With some of our children hailing from this district, Umbrella partnered with disadvantaged schools to improve rural education standards and to act as a preventative measure against trafficking. Locals were directly involved in the decision-making process from the beginning and took ownership to ensure the success of these projects.

Our Rural Education Project

“… improving the local schools to change the perceived imbalance between rural villages and the capital, weakening child traffickers’ main selling feature.”

The primary cause of migration to Kathmandu is to receive better education. Umbrella is improving the local schools to change the perceived imbalance between rural villages and the capital, weakening child traffickers’ main selling feature. Apart from providing English-speaking teaching volunteers since 2012, Umbrella also provided infrastructural and staff support as follows:

April 2013 – Provided teacher-training workshops for Shree Sukute Lower Secondary School staff.

June 2013 – Provided a teacher-training workshop for Shree Kshmadevi Higher Secondary School staff.

July 2013 – Refurbished classrooms at Shree Kshmadevi Higher Secondary School and Shree Sukute Lower Secondary School.

August 2013 – Provided a teacher-training workshops for Shree Kshmadevi Higher Secondary School staff.

July 2014 – Provided mini-libraries at Shree Bahradevi Primary School and refurbished classrooms at Shree Bachhladevi Lower Secondary School.