Returning to Nuwakot
We were thrilled to be able to get back out in the Nuwakot project area recently. Our Nepal team has had a two year wait of lockdowns, restrictions and school closures, but we are back to monitoring the Nuwakot region now.
Project Manager, Ranjana Giri travelled to Nuwakot with assistant manager, Sabina Tamang this month. Read on to hear about their journey and work in this remote part of rural Nepal.
A Twisty Road Journey
To reach our Nuwakot projects, Ranjana and Sabina had to leave their homes in Sindhupalchok early in the morning, head to Kathmandu and then continue to Nuwakot via the main east-west highway that climbs out of the Kathmandu valley heading for Pokhara.
Once over Thankot hill (anyone that has driven to Pokhara will remember the huge hill where trucks and buses queue to zig zag the twisty road), they turned off towards Nuwakot, a district north west of Kathmandu.
First Steps Himalaya works in Bidur Municipality which is located in the far west of the district. We literally travel to the end of the road!
Traffic hold ups are common place. Delays are inevitable.
The local roads are in poor condition.
Ranjana and Sabina based themselves in the small village of Deudi for the week. From here they embarked on daily journeys by hired pick up truck, to all the far flung villages that make up our project area.
Once you leave the main road (in truth, you could hardly classify this as a ‘main road’ but in comparative terms it is better than the rest), the journey continues on tracks connecting villages high up on the steep sided valley.
Small schools improving
We support nine remote schools in the Nuwakot valley. Ranjana and Sabina visited each, checking on progress and offering support to the teachers who have coped with so much over the last two years. It is important to see teachers in their own classrooms and work with them to find solutions to the challenges they are facing.
Srijansheel School which once had dark and dirty classrooms, now has brightly decorated welcoming classrooms. The ECD teacher is using what she has learnt at our training to provide nurturing child- friendly education.
Here Ranjana ia talking with teachers at at Srijansheel School, Nuwakot
Here Ranjana takes photographic evidence of the teaching for her report on the improvements made at Pragitsheel School. This classroom was build by First Steps Himalaya in March 2020 using earthbag building methods.
Pragitsheel School is also making great progress with neat and tidy classrooms that are well organised and welcoming. This is our earthbag built school which we just managed to complete literally hours before lock down in March 2020. The children are a joy at Kalyan School and Kanyadevi School continues to strive towards improved child friendly learning.
A kettle is used to pour water for handwashing at Shree Kalyan School, Nuwakot.
One of the most successful projects in Nuwakot, Shree Kanyadevi School.
Young adults making grass roots change
Ranjana and Sabina also caught up with our 16 Community Animators who are supporting the Community Resilience Programme in Nuwakot. Over the last few months we have been working with this group of enthusiastic young adults by supporting them to develop initiatives that can improve daily life for their communities.
The Community Animators visit schools to increase environmental awareness, health and hygiene. They have also developed and started performing a street drama to educate their audience about the importance of keeping girls in school, better nutrition, the role of parents in a child’s education and the dangers of human trafficking.
It is fantastic to see the commitment of these young people who are providing education on social issues to their rural communities in Nuwakot.
Community Animators gathered for training. First Steps have provided these young people with a suite of skills such as leadership training, presentation and group facilitation skills.
Introducing the street drama at Kagune village. Human trafficking is a real risk in remote regions of Nepal, particularly of women and girls. The Community Animators are passionate about warning their communities about the danger.
Street drama being performed at Ajhinghare School to students and parents.
Ranjana and the team talking to locals.
Finding out about the current situation on the ground.
Committed to our communities
Connecting with the schools, teachers and community members in Nuwakot is important to us and we are so delighted that we are now able to travel there again. Ranjana and Sabina plan to return to Nuwakot in May when they will conduct more teacher training to continue the improvement of these small but dedicated village schools.
To support or find out about our work, visit www.firststepshimalaya.org