As the new decade kicks off, we at First Steps Himalaya have set ourselves the goal of taking our services to new regions of Nepal. This will involve training more rural teachers, fitting out their classrooms and providing them with the support they need to provide quality child friendly early years education.
The FSH team meet with new project partners in Pokhara, December 2019.
To achieve this we are partnering other like minded organisations who share our vision which is Opportunities through learning. These organisations have requested us to provide training and project services in their project areas. It is an honour to be so well regarded and we are thrilled to be reaching out to children, teachers and communities in different project areas in new corners of Nepal.
We would not be able to expand our services without our highly experienced and dedicated team on the ground in Nepal. We know that in order to bring about long lasting change, the key is having local Nepali staff who understand the communities in which we work. Our local supervisors are responsible for visiting a cluster of projects each week, providing in class support, monitoring and on the job training. This can involve walking for several hours up and down hills to reach outlying schools and we are full of admiration to the dedication of our front line staff.
They in turn are supported by our project manager, Ranjana Giri who oversees the day to day running of our projects in Nepal. Ranjana, who started as a teacher nine years ago, is now responsible for thirteen staff. Ranjana is also our senior trainer and along with the assistant Project Manager, runs our teacher training workshops either at Sangachok or off site at various locations. Ranjana reports to Nepal Director Durga Aran who ensures the smooth running of the entire operation.
Project Manager, Ranjana Giri meets some of the children at our projects
We are very excited to be entering into a new phase where we are able to spread our methods to teachers in brand new areas. During a recent visit to Eastern Nepal, a 12-hour drive from our Sangachok headquarters, it was clear that there are thousands of schools across rural Nepal that are in dire need of drastic change both in terms of teaching methods and behaviour within the classroom.
Children in Jhapa, Eastern Nepal
All over Nepal, teachers are still using corporal punishment as well as shouting and insulting children as a means of controlling a class. As soon as modern child friendly teaching methods are properly implemented, teachers understand the importance of respect and modify their behaviour.
Teacher training workshops creating resources and learning about classroom & behaviour management
We are constantly receiving applications from schools all over Nepal to train and support their staff so that they too can provide nurturing environments. It may sound simple, but if you have never known any other way of doing something, you are not likely to change. This is very much the case in the schools that we work with. Until they are trained by us, most teachers have only witnessed teaching in the way that they were taught. Suddenly, they realise that it doesnt need to be that way and their job becomes so much easier as children start to enjoy learning.
Children loving their learning at Sangachok ECD
First Steps Himalaya is entering its 11th year working in rural Nepal. We spend a lot of time fundraising as we are entirely reliant on the generosity of people who believe in our mission. As we enter 2020, we need more support so that we can reach more schools.
It is not too late to donate to our annual appeal which will help us do more in Nepal. We are always grateful for any help no matter how big or small. Thank you!
