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Since April 2020, GNI Nepal has been supporting the central, provincial, and local governments across Humla, Mugu, Darchula, Bajura, Doti, Kailali, Bardiya, Myagdi, Kaski, Parbat, Nawalparasi East, Nawalparasi West, Gorkha, Nuwakot, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Morang, Jhapa and Panchthar districts with essential medical equipment, food and non-food items, health,WASH and education interventions. 

In 2020 and 2021, GNI Nepal reached 17,150 food-insecure households with food and livelihood support, 1.2 million rural children with radio schooling program, central and local governments with medical equipment, non-food items and cash support, and communities with public service announcements and radio shows to raise awareness of COVID 19, child protection, education and public health-related issues. GNI Nepal has so far invested NRs. 157,968,805 in supporting the communities and Government of Nepal in combating COVID-19. The pandemic will continue to impact communities into the foreseeable future, GNI Nepal will continue response and recovery interventions as per need.

Health and WASH

GNI Nepal provided 34,140 RT-PCR kits, 30,167 RNA extraction kits, 19,850 VTM swab collection kits, 46,762 surgical masks, 2,700 KN95 masks and 5,455 PPE sets, 20,500 pairs of sterile gloves, 1,200 goggles, 65 infrared thermometers to the Government of Nepal. Additionally 14, 281 antigen kits, 395 bottles of disinfectants, 67 finger pulse oximeter, 26 ICU material sets, medical equipment for 13 health posts, 15 nebulization machines, 13 oxygen concentrator, 15 oxygen cylinder, 785 oxygen flow meter, 1,135 oxygen mask, 457 oximeters, 1,410 reservoir bag masks, and  10 ventilators were also provided to local, provincial, and federal governments.

350 bottles of hand sanitizers, 7,500 bottles of hand wash and 20,868 hygiene kits were provided to health facilities and children in 12 districts respectively. 14 local governments received support for quarantine management and installing 102 handwashing stations.

Holding center for fighting a crisis 
Ward No. 5, Mahakali Municipality, Darchula District

In March 2020, Government of Nepal enforced a nationwide lockdown to respond to the crisis. It is estimated that more than one million Nepalis live and work in India. Due to the restriction, thousands of homebound migrant workers were stranded at the Nepal-India border. They lacked access to basic personal hygiene materials and facilities, and medical care.

To support the efforts of the Government of Nepal at containing the virus and managing the humanitarian crisis, GNI Nepal helped establish a holding center at Ghaat Bazaar of Mahakali Municipality, installed a handwashing station at the Nepal-India border, and provided personal hygiene materials. More than 400 incoming and outgoing travelers benefited from facilities and hygiene materials.

Education

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in countrywide school closures leaving more than eight million children in a limbo for almost an entire year. To address the critical learning gap children were facing, GNI Nepal with technical assistance from the Center for Education and Human Resource Development (CEHRD) and in coordination with Nepal Education Cluster designed and launched Radio Kaksha, Sundai Sikdai, a radio schooling initiative for sixth, seventh, and eighth graders. These classes aired six days a week via Radio Kantipur and re-aired via local radio stations from June to December 2020.

Radio Kaksha reached an approximate 1.2 million learners in 59 districts across the country. Additionally, 3,400 grade ten students of Bajura benefited from Radio SEE Preparation Class, 5889 students benefitted from 172 radio phone-in shows, and 1449 students participated in 75 community-based learning sessions. GNI Nepal also took the lead and contributed to the development of self-learning materials for grades two, three, and five jointly with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and Center for Education and Human Resource Development.

As schools have not yet reopened, this year too, the radio program is being rebroadcast across 12 working districts. Furthermore, GNI Nepal is reaching young learners with awareness-raising, psychosocial, learning pack, and home-and community-based learning supports across 11 districts.

Continuing education at home with Radio Kaksha 
Prerana Chanda, Grade 8
Janata Basic School
Ward No. 9, Janaki Rural Municipality, Kailali District

Prerana had just finished her seventh-grade final exam in March 2020, when the COVID-19 lockdown took effect. She did not have much to do as she remained at home most of the time. Like every other underprivileged student, she had no access to guided learning. To help students like Prerana, GNI Nepal started airing a radio schooling program which Malika FM, a local radio station also broadcast. Classes for grade six to eight students on three core subjects: English, Science and Social Studies were offered six days a week in the mornings and evenings.

Prerana was fascinated by the newfound source of learning. She could learn just by listening to the teachers speak on the radio. She listened to the classes regularly from the comfort and safety of her home, and enjoyed them as well. Keshav Tamata, Principal of Shree Amarawati Basic School claims, “The radio program was a big hit among local students and they all benefited from it.”

Livelihood

The pandemic has adversely affected the livelihoods of informal sector workers and low-income households. More than one-third of such workers lost their jobs and those employed also had to accept pay cuts. Across 19 districts, GNI Nepal provided NRs. 7,235,855 (62,333 USD) to 37 local governments for helping 17,150 food-insecure households with groceries, smallholder farmers with seeds, and agriculture input support and local business promotion opportunities targeted youths.

With GNI Nepal’s support, 4593 farmers in Lalitpur, Gorkha, Kaski, Parbat, Myagdi, Bardiya, Doti, and Mugu received seeds; 553 farmers received cash for business start-up in Humla, Gorkha, Bajura, Darchula, Doti, and Lalitpur; received groceries; 986 farmers in Bardiya and Kailali received fertilizer; local women made 14,100 masks after participating in a mask-making training. An additional 900 individuals will receive livestock and veterinary services and business skills, conditional cash, and livelihood support.

Making masks, making money 

Ward No. 5, Sunwal Municipality, Nawalparasi West District

At the start of the nationwide lockdown, masks were not easily available in Nawalparasi East and West districts because nobody used them. Overnight, it became a vital need and the demand skyrocketed. During the lockdown many people became jobless and also got stuck in their homes. Realizing an employment potential and solution to an emerging demand, 20 local women of Ward No. 5, Sunwal Municipality were provided a one-on-one mask-making training under GNI Nepal’s Inclusive Rural Development Project.

They produced 14,100 masks which contributed to partially meeting the local demand. Each of the trainee mask-maker got NRs. 15 (0.13 USD) for a mask. On an average, they earned NRs. 10,575 (91 USD) for 705 masks, working for 17 days. The ready-to-use masks were distributed among the project’s 6,000 direct beneficiaries and 13 wards of Nawalaparasi East and Nawalaparasi West.

About GNI Nepal

Good Neighbors International (GNI) is an international development and humanitarian organization that empowers people in 40 countries across the world through social development activities and places particular emphasis on their economic development. Good Neighbors International (GNI) Nepal has been working in Nepal since 2002 for improving the lives of poor people, especially children through child protection, education, income generation, health services, water, sanitation and hygiene, disaster risk reduction, and advocacy programs. Currently, GNI Nepal serves marginalized, vulnerable, and poor children, families, and communities in 19 districts across Nepal.

For more information:

Website: www.gninepal.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/gninepal.org
Instagram: www.instagram.com/gninepal
YouTube: www.youtube.com/gninepal
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/gni-nepal/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GNI_Nepal
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@gninepal

A handful of sugarcane farmers from Tarai-Madhes are back in Kathmandu protesting yet another delay in the payment of their dues by various sugar mills. Were it not for Covid-19 restrictions, there would have been many more protestors. These farmers have time and again been forced to take to the street as their payments continue to be delayed on various pretexts. Nearly half their dues, which comes to around Rs 400 million, are yet to be cleared even though both the government as well as the sugar mill owners promised to do so by December 2020. Around 6,000 farmers have been affected in Sarlahi district alone.

Mill-owners say they have cleared all dues and there is no point to the farmers’ agitation, a stance that is backed by the central government. Apparently, the farmers have failed to provide concrete proof of the dues that the mills still owe them. The differing perception on payments partly owes to the fact that while the farmers say they were to be paid Rs 536 for a quintal of sugarcane, they only received Rs 500 a quintal. They have accused the mill owners of falsely claiming that the farmers had agreed to the lower price.

Besides Sarlahi, farmers from Nawalparasi (East), Nawalparasi (West), and Rautahat districts have been most affected. As they have repeatedly faced hurdles in getting paid, many sugarcane farmers are no longer cultivating the cash crop. The other persistent problem they face is a shortage of fertilizers. Nor, for that matter, are Nepali sugarcane farmers liable to the kind of subsidies their counterparts in India get. Whatever the case, it is in everyone’s interest to settle the dispute at the earliest.

In the last fiscal year, Nepal imported sugar and confectionery worth Rs 12.26 billion, nearly three times it did in the previous year, which is reason enough to make the country self-sufficient in sugar. But this will be possible only when our farmers are treated and compensated well. Whatever the status of their payment, they have not gotten the kind of support they need to sustainably harvest their crop year in and year out.

The popular singing reality TV show Nepal Idol has been renewed for a fourth season with a new set of judges. Previously, the panel consisted of composer Nhyoo Bajracharya and singers Kali Prasad Baskota, and Indira Joshi. Rumors have it that all three have signed up for another reality show.

Season 4 judges are composer Sambhujeet Baskota and singers Sugam Pokharel and Subani Moktan. Composer Baskota says he has always wanted to become a part of Nepal Idol. Likewise, Moktan and Pokharel say they are delighted to be a part of Nepal’s most popular franchise show. 

The fourth season audition will be held from August 17 to September 19. Due to the current pandemic, the audition will be conducted digitally.

Until a few years ago, only a handful of Kathmandu’s food-hunters knew about Vietnamese cuisine and there were not many places serving it. Now, they have the option of choosing among three different locations of a single Vietnamese restaurant—Pho99.

Located at Jhamsikhel, Boudha and Thamel (we recommend the Jhamsikhel outlet as it is outdoors), the restaurant serves authentic Vietnamese food at reasonable prices. Jhamsikhel is the most recent Pho99 outlet and the most pleasing one with its outdoor seating and plenty of greenery.

The restaurant does not spend lavishly in forcing a TikTok worthy ambience as most new businesses do these days. Instead, it focuses on what a restaurant should focus on, the food. Our photojournalist was blown over by Pho99’s food and his excitement in narrating his experience tells us how good it really is.

Pho99, Jhamsikhel
Chef’s special: Pho Ga, Vit Lagu, Bun Thit Noung
Meal for two: Rs 2,000
Opening: 11am to 8pm
Reservations: 9803203119
Cards: Accepted

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Health Care Facilities (HCFs) is fundamental to improve the safety and quality of healthcare services. Safe dignified care relies on clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene, all of which must be underpinned by a strong and resilient health system. Better WASH services result in fewer healthcare related infections, an increase in use of health services, improvement in staff performance and morale and build them as a role model for the community to set community hygiene norms. Adequately equipped healthcare facilities are vital in treating patients and advising them on good hygiene to control the spread of COVID-19 and tackle future pandemics and other health crisis.

Nonetheless, WASH in Healthcare Facilities is often a neglected crisis. Instead of being models of good WASH practices, HCFs suffer from water shortages, poor water quality, deteriorating water infrastructure, lack of water storage tanks, insufficient sanitation blocks in poor state of operation, not inclusive and user-friendly, poor hygiene conditions etc. Drawing from World Health Organization’s (WHO) report on the assessment of WASH in healthcare facilities in 54 low and middle-income countries published in 2015, representing 66,101 facilities show that, 38% lacked an improved water supply, 19% did not have improved sanitation and 35% had no soap and water for hand washing. This lack of services compromises the ability to provide basic, routine services, such as child delivery and compromises the ability to prevent and control infections.

In Nepal, the situation in Healthcare Facilities is dismal where 36% of Healthcare Facilities do not have basic water supply, 8% of HCFs still do not have toilet facilities, only 46% of HCFs have handwashing materials at point of care, and just 1% of HCFs have basic waste management practices (JMP Baseline 2019).

Adequate and inclusive water, sanitation and hygiene conditions and practices in the healthcare facilities are the prerequisites to providing high-quality health care services. With the growing number of deliveries taking place in the birthing centres, these WASH conditions and practices (at least basic level as defined by WHO-UNICEF-JMP WASH service level for HCF and The National Standards for WASH in HCF, draft 2018) within healthcare facilities must be improved in order to achieve national and global Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets.

In 2019, a World Health Assembly Resolution on WASH in health care facilities, agreed to by 194 member states, outlined concrete actions that countries can commit to. These included establishing national roadmaps and targets, implementing standards, integrating WASH and IPC indicators into health programming and monitoring and increasing domestic funding.

The healthy start project

WaterAid Nepal (WAN) implemented The Healthy Start project (HSP): WASH in Healthcare Facilities (HCFs) in Bardiya district from 2018-2021 with an aim to improve water, sanitation and hygiene services in Healthcare Facilities and also contribute to reduction of neonatal mortality.   The Healthy Start enabled Health workers and Pregnant and Lactating Mothers (PLMs) to have access to safe water and improved sanitation facilities in the birthing centers of 8 HCFs out of the 34 HCFs in the district. The three-year long project, anchored by WAN’s programmatic approach of “Doing some and influencing the rest”, was implemented by WaterAid Nepal (WAN) in partnership with Backward Society Education (BASE).

Key focus of the project in transforming the lives of the Healthcare Workers

Model WASH facilities sanitation, and hygiene facilities in the selected HCFs. These WASH facilities were built as per the National standards for WASH in HCFs-Draft 2018, with an aim to support the local governments to learn and replicate such model of WASH invention throughout the district.

National standards on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Health Care Facilities has tried to capture the basic and advance service level of water, sanitation and hygiene according to the SDG.

As per the baseline survey conducted in November 2018, only 32% of HCFs had the availability of an alternative improved source of water. Only 32% HCFs had separate toilets for males and females and the percentage of HCFs with at least one usable improved toilet that meets the needs of people with reduced mobility was only 3%. Only 9% HCFs met the criteria for ‘Basic service level’ for hygiene as defined by JMP and only 44% HCFs had cleaning protocols available. Out of 34 HCFs, only 3% met the ‘Basic service level’ standard for waste management.

To cope with the of lack of adequate WASH facilities and to deliver better health services for Pregnant and Lactating Mothers (PLMs) and provide better child care, there was urgent need to construct inclusive WASH facilities to contribute to the decline of health complications often caused by poor WASH services in HCF.

As a follow up to the counselling sessions, hygiene promotion sessions at the community level were organised to reiterate the hygiene behaviours. Health and hygiene officers formed several groups of PLMs at the community level where five key hygiene behaviours were promoted using tools like flipchart, storytelling, handwashing rituals, games, commitment-making and certificates for participants.

The hygiene sessions were delivered to a group of 15-20 PLMs at the community level in one-month interval before the pandemic. The number was later reduced to 10 due to COVID-19, but there was a need to double the frequency of such sessions to reach the targeted number of PLMs. COVID-19 preventive messages were also disseminated through distribution of flyers and broadcasting of jingles regularly and frequently through local radio. During the hygiene sessions, “model families” were chosen, who received recognition and appreciation for adopting all the hygiene behaviours. Similarly, another motivational factor contributing to behaviour change was the “healthy mother award” presented to the one mother who diligently followed all the key hygiene behaviours.

The overall hygiene intervention followed the “Behaviour Centred Design” (BCD) approach to hygiene promotion, which was designed in reference to the result of the formative research conducted for hygiene promotion through routine immunization (HPTRI) project.

The hygiene sessions at the community level was followed by monthly household visits by Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs) to run the campaign contributed towards improving knowledge on hygiene related behaviours and transcribing it into practice. A total of 936 PLMs was directly reached with hygiene sessions at the community level whereas the secondary data collected from 34 HCFs show that a total of 7,484 ANC visits were recorded indicating that many pregnant mothers received personal counselling sessions during their ANC visits to the HCFs. They might have also received these personal hygiene counselling during their PNC visits after the successful delivery of their new-borns and any other follow-up visits to the HCFs

3. Capacity building of healthcare facility staff

Healthy Start project reached over 121 HCF staff which included HCF In-charges, health workers, auxiliary nursing midwives (ANMs), cleaners, health facility operation and management committee (HFOMC) members, health coordinators, etc. with numerous trainings and orientation workshops on the importance of WASH in HCF, personal counselling, Water and Sanitation for Health Facility Improvement Tool (WASH FIT) to assess the WASH status in HCF and accordingly prepare the WASH Improvement Plans.

During the first year of project intervention, several sensitizing orientation and Hygiene training packages were developed based on the scoping assessment carried out from several HCFs. Interviews with respective HCF staff, HFOMC members, other stakeholders including service seekers and observations from the field visits were also undertaken.

The HCF In-charge from all 34 HCFs were trained on WASH in HCF to supervise and monitor the work of health workers and provide onsite coaching to ANMs, specially to conduct personal counselling sessions on hygiene behaviours along with other regular health check-up, advice and guidance. This was followed by a training to the ANMs from all 34 HCFs on WASH in HCF with focus on personal counselling and promoting five key hygiene behaviours using hygiene flipchart.

These trained health workers then provided hygiene sessions to PLMs during ANC/PNC counselling visits. A total of 33 onsite coaching and monitoring events were carried out by respective health coordinators and HCF In-charges providing further practical tips of counselling with demonstration exercises. Since the sanitation workers play a vital role in maintaining good hygiene and good environmental sanitation, a hands-on refresher training on environmental sanitation was conducted for the cleaners, sweepers, helpers, etc.

End-line evaluation of the project completed in March 2021, indicates that there have been significant improvements in the WASH status in the HCFs. It states that 85% of HCFs have cleaning protocols and 85% of the HCF’s cleaning staff have received trainings as per the protocol.

Orientations and hands on training on water quality was organized for the laboratory staff as well. They were trained to use ENPHO field water test kit to test the water quality in their respective HCFs. The trained laboratory staff after this training have now been ensuring the quality of water in their respective HCFs by conducting the water quality testing on a monthly basis and recording them in their laboratory register. Additionally, the HFOMC members along with HCF staff were also oriented on WASH in HCF with a major focus around using WASH FIT as an assessment tool to assess the existing status of WASH facilities in the HCF and accordingly formulate WASH Improvement Plan to upgrade the situation and service level of the WASH facilities.

Similarly, representatives from local governments including health coordinators, deputy (mayors), vice (chairpersons) were sensitized on the importance of WASH in HCF in orientation workshops to highlight the crucial role of WASH in HCF. Few representative ward chairpersons were also included in the orientation sessions along with their respective HCF In-charges. The Mayors and Chairpersons expressed their commitment to advocate and prioritize the agenda of WASH in HCF in their municipal council meetings and accordingly include in the local level strategy, plan, and budget. It is expected that they will incorporate the agenda of WASH in HCF in upcoming local programme plans with respective budget allocation.

4. National level policy influencing through WASH in HCF Technical Working group

A technical working group on WASH in HCF at the Federal level, formed in 2017, in leadership of Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), Management Division. Multi- sector Coordination Section, Health Coordination Division, Ministry of Water Supply/ Department of Water Supply and Sewerage Management, Curative Division, Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, WHO, UNICEF, USAID, SNV, NSI, PSI, ACF, TDH, Save the Children, WaterAid Nepal are members of this group with WaterAid Nepal providing secretariat support. The working group has contributed to drafting the National Standards for WASH in HCF in the government leadership and followed up repeatedly advocating for its endorsement. As a result, Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has endorsed the WASH in Healthcare Facilities National Standard.

Conclusion

The project was successful in bringing about positive changes in the WASH service level of most of the HCFs in Bardiya district and helped improve service delivery and extension of WASH facilities. Many of the outcome indicators showed improved results in the end-line as compared to the baseline from water, sanitation, hygiene, and waste management perspective. Similarly, this project has also contributed to improve the key hygiene behaviours of the targeted pregnant and lactating mothers (PLMs). At the federal level, WAN demonstrated models, strong evidences and learning from practice helped contribute to national policymaking, including the National Standards for WASH in HCF (draft), which once endorsed will shape the roadmap for WASH in HCF in Nepal – guiding both health and WASH sectors for years to come.

Key performance Indicators showing improved results

Drinking water services

The End-line evaluation showed that 77% of HCFs have tested the water quality of the main source, compared to 32% in the baseline survey. End-line indicates that 97% of the HCFs treat drinking water, which has significantly increased compared to 77% in the baseline.

Sanitation facilities

Out of the 33 surveyed HCFs during End-line evaluation, 32% met the ‘Basic Service’ level of sanitation, indicating sanitation services have improved, in comparison to 0% during the baseline. 68% of HCFs fell under the ‘Limited Service’ level as mentioned in JMP. Out of the 33 surveyed HCFs during End-line evaluation, 32% met the ‘Basic Service’ level of sanitation, indicating sanitation services have improved, in comparison to 0% during the baseline. 68% of HCFs fell under the ‘Limited Service’ level as mentioned in JMP. 85% of HCFs have separate toilets for males and females, in comparison to 32% in the baseline

Hygiene

94% of the HCFs had a functional handwashing station available at the selected point of care as compared to 41% in the baseline. 59% of the HCFs had segregated the waste into at least three labelled bins correctly. This percentage has sharply increased compared to 18% in the baseline. Among those HCFs who had correctly segregated the waste, nearly 65% had kept segregated waste in the color-coded buckets as compared to 24% in the baseline. 41% of the HCFs have disabled friendly handwashing stations, as compared to 0% in the baseline. 94% of the HCFs met the criteria for ‘Basic service’ level for hygiene as defined by JMP, which was 9% in the baseline survey. 85% of HCFs have cleaning protocols available, compared to 44% in the baseline and 85% of the HCF’s cleaning staff have received trainings as per the cleaning protocol.

Waste Management

59% of the HCFs had segregated the waste into at least three labelled bins correctly. This percentage has sharply increased compared to 18% in the baseline. Among those HCFs who had correctly segregated the waste, nearly 65% had kept segregated waste in the color-coded buckets as compared to 24% in the baseline.

Success story: WASH – key to long term community

Safe and readily available drinking water and improved sanitation are vital for long term public health and wellbeing. Yet, many healthcare facilities (HCF) lack basic WASH services, leaving them vulnerable to disease and long-term health problems.

 Few years ago, Dhadhawar Healthcare Facility (HCF) in Barabardiya Municipality lacked basic WASH services and safe drinking water making the patients vulnerable to diseases. The health facility had only three toilets, which were on the verge of being destroyed due to the road extension construction work. Men, women, patients and staff were all compelled to use the same toilets. With just one water filter for staff, availability of safe drinking water for patients were a major problem.

WaterAid Nepal, with its local partner organization Backward Society Education (BASE), aims to improve the WASH services in HCFs to provide quality health services. Considering the problems in Dhadhawar HCF, Bio-sand filters were installed for safe drinking water and Child, Gender and disabled (CGD) friendly toilets were built. Now, safe drinking water is readily available for all staff and patients, women and men have separate toilets inside the HCF, hygiene is given utmost importance and various orientations were provided to the cleaning staff to keep the HCF clean.

Since the establishment of birthing center in Dhadhawar Healthcare Facility, the patients and visitors have had a lot of problems with water and toilets, but now there is no such problem, the patients, the visitors and all the concerned bodies and the whole staff are very happy.

Health post in-charge Jung Bahadur Chaudhary says, “We were worried about the demolition of the toilet since the local government was not able to provide the budget to the health post for a substitute toilet. We are thankful to BASE and WAN not just for supporting us with child gender and disabled friendly toilets, but also for installing bio sand filters for drinking water.”

Dhalakl Bista , Health worker, says,“When pregnant and lactating mothers visit the health post for ANC and PNC, the health staff not only check their overall health condition, but also give proper counselling to the mother as well as visitors. They teach them the five key hygiene behaviours and also encourage them to be a model family.”

A two-year (2020-2022) partnership between the Government of Nepal and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Early Grade Reading Program II (EGRP II) is helping children across Nepal learn to read with fluency and comprehension-skills that help set them up for success later in life. EGRP II supports evidence-based reading instruction in grades 1-3 in nearly 14,000 schools in 396 municipalities across 38 districts of Nepal, in line with the Government of Nepal’s National Early Grade Reading Program (NEGRP).

Through strengthened policy, practice, and system capacity, EGRP II will make lasting contributions to improving early grade reading for an estimated 450,000 learners. These efforts build on the foundation laid through USAID’s first Early Grade Reading Program (EGRP) in Nepal. Benefitting more than 550,000 learners in two cohorts across 16 NEGRP target districts, EGRP achieved a significant impact in terms of reading gains. In addition to training, ongoing support to teachers, including mentoring and coaching, is essential to ensure that what is learned is being applied in the classroom.

Working with Nepal’s Center for Education and Human Resource Development (CEHRD), EGPR II is helping to revise and roll out a teacher professional support system to operationalize the new curriculum and materials. According to Jodie Fonseca, EGRP II Chief of Party, “These capacity-building activities are part of EGRP II’s comprehensive approach to strengthening educational capacity, curriculum and teaching, and professional support for educators—even in the face of a prolonged Covid-19 pandemic. Over time, these efforts will contribute to stronger reading skills for children in the early primary grades, in line with Nepal’s education goals.”

As the Covid-19 pandemic forced school closures, flexible learning approaches became critical to ensure continuity of learning. In response, EGRP II provided direct support to local education units to implement community—and homebased learning, targeting 16 rural, disadvantaged municipalities in Province 2 that are heavily impacted by Covid-19. These interventions include small grants to 119 schools, teacher training on flexible learning approaches, distribution of tablets pre-loaded with offline learning content, and provision of decodable books and stationery packs.

From mid-2021 through early 2022, EGRP II will work with district and local governments to scale up these efforts to 264 additional schools in Province 2, ultimately reaching over 73,000 children. Narayan Krishna Shrestha, Director of Programs of EGRP II, shares, “Irrespective of Covid-19, we have continued working with palika members, teachers, and communities to build their capacity through virtual mediums. Our home learning clusters have provided an important space for children to continue their learning journey despite the closure of physical schools. Our engagement with parents through teacher-parent meetings has helped motivate children towards learning at home.”

Under "Quick Impact Project" , My Radio School: My Future Program was designed for increasing the educational continuity of girls despite COVID-19 and decreasing the risk of school drop outs, early marriages and other types of negative harmful practices. Therefore, beneficiaries of this project: girls from grade 6 (Age10) to grade 10 (Age 16) got the opportunity to listen “Math-Science (MS)  and life skills/soft skills focused radio lessons including professional career counselling (episodes/interviews), and radio jingles on social evils or negative practices, i.e. child labor, early marriage, gender based violence, reproductive health and hygiene, etc. 60 targetted groups (9 girls and 1 boy in each group) selected and mobilized to motivate the peers regarding gender responsive school education and educational continuity. It is found that girls' drop out rate is high because of the far distance from home to schools, low learning competency to catch up the normal lessons ( technical subjects) and lacking remedial lessons on them, deep-rooted harmful practices, early marriages, lack of safety/WASH materials at schools,improper safeguarding mechanism along with domestic chores and violences, no availability of ICT devices, insufficient counseling in schools and homes regarding career, study, SGBV and negative effects of school drop outs. Community schools of remote area do not have any access of other means of learning except radio education. Poor households were more likely to take place the child labor and early marriage because of lower household expenditures. 

COVID-19, had significantly disrupted every aspects of human life, including education. The alarming spread of the virus caused a havoc in the educational system forcing educational institutions to shut down. As distance and online education was dependent on technological facilities, including internet and Wi-Fi, the discrepancies that existed in their availability were widening the gaps in access and quality of education. The situation indicated that the pandemic has had serious impacts on students’ learning and well-being, and it was widening the already existing GESI gaps between advantaged and disadvantaged boys and girls in their equitable access to quality education. Selected schools of QIP: Okhaldhunga, Taplejung, Khotang, Sindhuli, Rupandehi, Bajhang were public schools where poor, vulnerable and excluded group of students often read and write. Schools did not have any other options of online education. Students were at homes doing domestic chores. Teachers were also waiting for the technical support. Schools did not have the internet facilities for online education and students also did not have the appropriate ICT devices to continue their education. Many studies were already had proved the high chances of school drop outs, SGBV case increament, child labor, losing interest on study and low education quality because of COVID-19 and regular education disruption.

In this context, REED conducted the baseline survey in December, 2020. Based on study, many girls (94.4%) wanted to go schools but was not possible because of movement restrictions and safety reasons. Many girls (2.42%) were at the risk of drop outs out of 600 children. 71.1% children out of 600 children did not have the access of an alternative mode of learning and radio was the only the option to that vulnerable group of children. Parents (74.6%) found supportive if radio education and radio station managers also (86%) said radio was only the option for targeted areas. 36.7% of principals were not sure about the equal participation of boys and girls in the classrooms of schools. 71.4% of children did not have the any participation in life skill programs including of sexual and reproductive health issues that they were not aware of such lessons/issues which are crucial for adolescent girls/boys. 14 out of 60 schools (23.3%) do not have gender-friendly or separate toilets ,  water & handwashing facilities in schools for girls and vulnerable groups. 10.5% of girls do not attend schools during menstruation and more than fifty percent i.e 53.23% of girls did not come to schools at the times of menstruation due to shyness and uneasiness. 58.4% of female parents of girls/boys responded that there was no equal payment to males and females in the community resulting discrimination on equal pay for equal work.

Further, during "Quick Impact Project" implementation, it has been observed that educational opportunities (avialiability of ICT devices, reading time, workload at home, etc) have been unequally distributed across girls and boys that have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Many female parents found illiterate in remote areas caused much domestic workload to daughters found high, and very little technological infrastuctures at schools hindering the quality learning of children in QIP targeted areas. Girls found the victim of domestic violence more in comparision to male students. The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) directed municipal governments to reopen the schools at their own discreation with proper health and safety measures but it seems very risky at the movement which is exacerbating already established gender disparies more. Online education seems almost impossible in remote areas' schools resulting more drop outs in next couple of years. In fact, schools do not have the ICT infrastructures even radio access in some parts of areas.  Local governments found very little GESI responsive education emergency plans in place but waiting the direction of central government. Further, gender disaggregated data caused by COVID-19, it is almost impossible to get from local municipal units. The IEMIS data also has not been updated by many schools and municipal units because of COVID-19 lockdown.

Similarly, based on the endline survey (REED: 2021), the preparation of marriage especially for the girl's children from parents in many communities indicates that they are still at the risk of school drop outs. The major reasons found:  the fear of COVID (81.1%) to be irregular at school, partial lockdown imposed by the local government, inconsistency of school reopening and closure, COVID-19 infection to teachers and students. Some girls (1.2%) still are not using masks because of their availability cum affordability/ access. 97% targeted children develop the habit of listening the radio lessons regularly either at home, school or public places but the continuation of radio programs seem a high priority to sustain the achievments of project as said by the parents of children .55.6% and 53.7 % girls reported the cases of SGBV in schools but still relucted to report openly. It indicates that they hide the issues because of lacking the established reporting mechanism in schools and fear of social stigma.

Achievements/good practices: It was expected that "Girls attain life and academic skills by gender responsive radio education and secure educational opportunity" which has been achieved successfully from project initiatives. 100% of girls/boys from targeted group reenrolled/no drop outs during endline survey. 98% of girls/boys from monitoring group passed the proficiency test/post tests.100 % of girls/boys from monitoring group attained life skills:  targetted children (9 girls and 1 boy) from every 60 school are continuing their education. None of them left the school till end line survey time.

Establishing benchmark through baseline/pre-test directed all the activities towards project goals and endline/post-test justified the authenticity of success. Girls’ empowerment through Gender responsive academic lessons enhanced the learning achievement in technical/SM subjects and boosted their self esteem to choose these subjects as favourite one in class. Girls’ empowerment through "Life Skills Lessons" helped to reduce the drop outs (0% drop outs during QIP project period) and reenrol all children in schools. This approach enpowered the girls to cope with possible life challenges and continue the opportunities of learning. Student to student approach (Talent Hunt Activities) became powerful approach in overall. All students of schools engaged and no drop out rate of monitoring group girls/boys during project period.

Talent hunt activities boosted the leadership skills of children/girls after applying life skills practically in close mentorship of GESI focal teachers and field officers. Capacity Building and Coordination with Stakeholders (Local Government Representatives, Head Teachers, GESI Focal Teachers, Parents, SMC/PTA, Social Welfare Counsil, Curriculum Development Committee, and Ministry of Education supported to create the conducive environment in project success. Alignment of policy with practical activities enriched the learning of students too. It helped to implement the project initiatives successfully despite COVID-19 movement restrictions.

National Level Essay Competition, Prize and Talent Hunt Activities motivated all students, teachers and parents to listen the radio lessons and practice them in daily lives resulted meaningul participation in every initiative of QIP.GESI guideline, joint monitoring, MPAC meeting, frequent communication with local government representatives helped to allocate the budget from local government for GESI initiatives in RM/UM level and créate the conducive GESI environment in schools. Frequent online/onsite mentoring cum monitoring from field and central staff motivated the stakeholders to make conscious and accountable towards project goals.Regular feedback via SMS and incorporation of students' voices in main lessons made their voices are heard.  The drama and diological radio lessons on trafficking, domestic violence, child labour, Chhaupadi, and early child marriage changed the mind set of the local stakeholder along with creating motivation to discuss on SGBV issues openly.

The training on self defense/SGBV to the children triggered the children to speak up on SGBV issues. Short dramas/videos aware the villagers against untouchability and its legal consequences. After working in the monitoring group together, boys’ attitude towards girls changed and started to repsect the girls and stoped bullying to their friends. Reading habit and parents' support has been increased despite SGBV at home of children. The empowerment of monitoring group children through the GESI responsive life skills lessons, and hosting talent hunt activities prepared them to appeal with local government to allocate the GESI responsive budgeting.The invovlement of children in extra-curricular activities/talent hunt activities built up the leadership of girls and explore their hidden potentials. The GESI orientation to the teachers has transformed in to GESI responsive pedagogical activities at schools.The parents’ involvement in listening life-skill lessons continued their childen to send in schools with the dismissal of early marriage of respective children which further stoped the posible school drop outs.The dialogical and dramatized radio lessons on technical subjects: Maths, Science and ICT motivated the children to take them as interesting subjects. Regular review meeting among the monitoring group children inspired them to listen the radio regularly and performed the talent hunt activities at schools, and eased to get the support from teachers. The guidance of field officers/GESI focal teachers lead them to start the piggy bank at home with the development of saving habits among them.

Teachers initiated to teach the children adopting alternative approaches of education.All QIP schools contributed for talent hunt activities (at least 2 from each school) conduction. Maths, Science, Social Studies teachers contributed their time for worksheet completion and regular radio listening from all students of schools. Nepali teachers and principals from all schools contributed/collaborated to conduct, evaluate, shortlist the "Essay Contest" participants after being sensitized from radio lessons and mentoring from Field Officers/GESI Focal teachers. All schools prepared and kept the "GESI Message Flex Print and COVID Flex Print" in their own investment in the school premises after being sensitized from Radio Lessons and Mentoring from Field Officers.

Goggling the website initiated to study the foreign languages too, i.e. Korean language from students. Mobile messaging has been initiated from the parents of different districts. Group based learning initiated in different districts after the coaching and mentoring from media to students. Girls used to sit together and listen the radio lessons and discuss each other. The activity built up the team for learning and sharing culture among boys and girls.

Parents started to keep the reading timetable for children at their homes, and became aware on the importance of girls' education after regular radio listening. They have been sensitized on mobile literacy, child labor, domestic violence, girls' education, early marriage from students to student's approaches. They have realized the consequences of forced marriage, early pregnancy and dowry system. SGBV issues have been also sensitized among the stakeholders. Parents started to come into schools activities upon the request of schools after parenting education. Appreciation of parents towards "Radio Lessons" found praiseworthy. After listening radio lessons and mentoring from Field Officers, parents initiated to allocate the reading space and time to girls/monitoring groups. As they said, radio lessons are very useful to solve the academic queries of students; they are linked to the curricular objectives; they are helpful to pass the exams and relevant to daily life activities too. Teachers sensitized via child friendly approaches of radio lessons. Teachers initiated to teach the children adopting alternative approaches of education.

Success/impact stories

QIP brought some systemic changes in my school
Kalyan Kafle, Student, Siddhababa SS, Sindhuli

 "As a member of monitoring group, I have seen some positive changes in me, in my school as well as in my family. There was no provision of monitoring group before QIP project in my school. Soon after, there became a provision of GESI focal teacher and monitoring group. One day orientation changed me a lot to adopt the GESI lens into school ECA and talent hunt activities. All the programs were focussed for the empowerment of all girls and few boys too. QIP provided us radios, worksheets, bags and many hand washing materials. There were altogether 144 lessons including 72 life skill lessons which are useful in daily life and 72 SM lessons which were related with our school curriculum. We realized that radio contents on early marriage, school dropouts, untouchability, girls trafficking, bullying, etc. into our talent hunt activities inflame to all students and stakeholders to realize the gaps from GESI lens. Male teachers of our school also found positive towards students after QIP. The radio lesson with curricular objectives made us and our teachers to be connected with lessons. The support materials in pen drives helped us who could not listen because of radio tower and domestic problems. During interval time and leisure period, we practiced the group listening .The worksheet based on radio lesson added value to monitor our understanding. We tried to promote equal participation of girls and boys in speech, essays, dance, dramas, sports, arts, etc.

Due to COVID– 19 lockdown and movement restrictions, there were some works which cannot be held in our school. Complaint box was kept and we started to use in our school after the QIP project. For green school environment, our monitoring group conducted plantation program in the school premises. Our group went to community to aware the people on digital mobile literacy like messaging and making phone calls to illiterate people. Our group initiated to keep piggy bank/khutruke at our own initiation. It helped us to sensitize the saving concept from now. Our monitoring group organized radio lesson review meeting in every 7 days. We opined the lesson and shared to each other.The one day orientation to the parents helped us to manage the reading space and times at our homes. REED staffs (Shova Shrestha) visit and support motivated us to do our work. Our head teacher also motivated us to listen radio classes.The Municipality Education Officer (Dr. Hari Lamsal) and Mayor came to our school to see the changes on us and appreciated the work done by monitoring group. The national level essay competition encouraged to all of us students to listen radio and develop the feeling of competition to get the award from there.To change the attitude or stereotyping thoughts of people, the project duration should be continued. And, this project should be established in all schools of our municipality. Finally, I would like to thank JICA\IC Net and REED NEPAL for this opportunity."

This is an inspirational story about Bhimeshowor Digo Krisak Samuha (Bhimeshowori Farmer’s Group), Mandandeupur–7, Ratmate, Kavre, and their inspirational journey that started with a program launched by World Neighbors in 2014. As part of the program, a saving group with 17 women was formed and the members decided that each member would contribute Rs 50 as monthly savings every month. As the women were new to the group approach, members were shy, lacked self-confidence, and were inarticulate while discussing their issues.

They were small farmers without knowledge of modern technologies in agriculture. None of them had a well-managed and organized kitchen garden and their agricultural plots were left fallow. In the morning, the group members would be occupied by chores like fetching water and fodders from the jungle. Women were completely dependent on their spouses even for small expenditures like buying slippers, cloth, and bangles. They were unaware of nutritious food needed by the family and children.

Women never used to visit health clinics but rather depended on medicine that their spouses brought from a pharmacy. After the group was formed, members got opportunities to participate in exposure visits to various program areas where they observed the work of women farmers like them. As a result, members started gaining self-confidence. They religiously practiced newly learned skills and knowledge. They even started an improved kitchen garden, which gradually expanded into a sizable vegetable farm.

They planted fodder and trees near their homes and on fallow/waste/public land around their village. They collected savings every month and provided loans to members of the group to start goat rearing and vegetable farming businesses. Having observed the progress the group made, more neighbors joined in. When the number of members went up to 25, each member agreed to save Rs 100 every month. At present, the group’s capital amounts to Rs 171,600.

The group has planted more than 13,000 plants so that members don’t need to go to the jungle to collect fodder. To develop their community as a pocket area for fruits, each member has planted more than 500 trees of different fruits such as mango, litchi, and lemon. All of them produce vermicom post and have prepared improved animal sheds. Women have added income to the family through goat farming and vegetables. Moreover, the group contributed financially to build a community hall where it convenes for monthly meetings, even on rainy days.

Before the community hall was built, the group would sit for monthly meetings either under a tree or in an open area. The group is also promoting local seeds to replace hybrid seeds and lessen the dependency on the market. The group has a small seed collection center at the community hall where they regularly collect local seeds of 14–15 varieties. The group has registered itself at the livestock development and the agriculture office from where they get subsidized agricultural inputs. New groups from other areas visit them regularly to observe their work and learn from them.

Women continue to generate income through small businesses like vegetable farming, goat farming, and poultry as they can access loans easily from their own group. Some of the members also practice the system of rice intensification (SRI) and have doubled their rice production. Eleven members regularly earn Rs 8,000 to 18,000 per year through goat farming. Likewise, other members sell cow and buffalo milk that provides a steady income.

In seven years, this small community has become a model for others to emulate. As a way forward, the group has plans to expand its work on local seeds, and run a homestay service so that people from faraway places can visit them.