Project Update: Rebuilding communities and livelihoods in Gorkha, Nepal. A BLF Funded Project

The Big Lottery Fund (BLF) supports our ‘Rebuilding Communities’ project in Nepal. This combines education, health and agricultural training programmes as well as infrastructural re-building work.

This is a five-year project and we are pleased to share with you the project activities and impact in the second year of the project (2017-2018).

The overall aims are to improve access to and quality of education, improve public health awareness and to achieve economic empowerment and food security for people living in Gorkha district.

In the extremely remote areas of northern Gorkha, poverty indicators were consistently high, even before the earthquake. Lack of road access, low food security, high levels of alcoholism, under-resourced and often non-operational schools, and harmful traditional practices, such as bride abduction, are ongoing challenges. . The earthquake cut off most of these communities to all but helicopter access, destroyed infrastructure and livelihoods, and left the population (especially women and girls) extremely vulnerable.

However, through these programmes and with the help of BLF, we are supporting community members to re-build their lives and we are really proud of what we have achieved together in the last 12 months.

KEY HEALTH ACHIEVEMENTS

• 7,909 patients treated across Kashiguan and Keraunja
• 276 people attended Female Community Health Volunteer Meetings
• 739 people attended family planning meetings
• 91 women accessed the recommended number of antenatal care visits
• 384 people attended street dramas promoting public health awareness

KEY AGRICULTURAL TRAINING ACHIEVEMENTS

• 200 farmers formed 18 farmers’ groups. These farmers were given improved seeds for a large variety of crops and vegetables, equipment to greater their yields, and in depth training in vegetable production, poultry farming and off-season vegetable production.
• 22 young adults received 15 days training on basic carpentry works.
• PHASE staff followed up and visited 428 farmers. In these visits, the PHASE technical staff gave technical support and suggestions to the farmers to address problems
• One-day refresher training on off seasonal vegetable production for 214 farmers
• Hatt Bazar (weekly market) was conducted 7 times, allowing community members to gain income through the selling of their crops, generating livelihoods.

As a result of these training opportunities and the materials provided, farmers have begun rearing chickens and selling the eggs and growing vegetables during off season – something they previously did not do. This allows them to sell the surplus and generate income.

KEY EDUCATION ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2 days mentorship teacher training was conducted in seven schools in Keraunja – there were 14 participants
• Girls’ empowerment training was conducted in three schools, in total 182 girls took part
• 3 days of teacher training was conducted in Kashigaun and Keraunja with 51 participants
• Gendered toilets have been constructed in three schools

The girls’ empowerment training and the building of school toilets have proved vital in improving rates of school attendance among females. Before the programme took place most girls did not attend school during their menstrual period. Now, a safe and private zone has been created within the schools and the girls feel more confident and aware of their rights both in the classroom and in the community.

We’d like to thank BLF for their support and for funding these vital development projects. Together we are able to make life a little easier for people living in some of the most hard to reach corners of Nepal.