2012 Progress Report
The four illustrations on this page represent the four development activities we intend to support in the future: school construction; health post construction, sanitation and construction of drinking water systems. The picture top left is Dayagaon Primary School in Ward 6 of Dyagaon VDC. We have constructed this school in 1990 and last year we added two more classrooms to meet current enrolment. The second picture illustrates the Sano Pokhara health post in Phokshintar VDC. THe pictgure bottom left is a typical village scene where we provided assistance with sanitation; the picture on the righ illustrates a drinking water system under construction.
CIDA has been supporting our development activities within the southern Mahabharat region since 1986. Although during the past six years CIDA assistance fucused entirely on sanitation, in the early years of our engagement within the southern Mahabharat CIDA has been supporting a variety of projects, which included school construction, construction of drinking water systems and vocational training of young Mahabharat adults. Since the formal evaluation of NSP development assistance took place in 1992 or nineteen years ago, the Canadain Cooperation Office (CIDA's office in Nepal) has decided to undertake a brief monitoring visit into the Mahabharat region to get a more up-to-date perception of our development assistance and we would like to share with you the key observation of the Nepalese monitoring team:
Monitoring Report - Nepal School Projects, Kabhre District
CCO Monitors: Dr. Prabin Manandhar, Director; Dr. Ramji Neupane, Program Advisor
Project Background: Nepal School Projects, a Canada based organization received funding support from CIDA's Partnership Branch to support communities in Kabhre district, Nepal since 1986, So far CIDA has provided support for 19 projects. The projects were implemented in the most remote VDCs of the district. There are 11 VDCs located in the south face section of the of the Mahabharata mountain range. Tamangs, a disadvantaged ethnic group is the dominant ethnic community of this area. Local partner reported that of the total population, vast majority (85%) are Tamangs, while remaining consists of other merginalized groups such as Magars and dalits. In terms of development, access,, availability of government services and geographic location, this region is considered the most remote, excluded and marginalized are within the district.
The project provided easy access to clean drinking water supply, hygienic toilets to provide better sanitation facilities and improving education by school building construction in several Tamang communities. During our visit to the Agretar community, we found that some households had also installed biogas plants to supply cooking gas and and lighting the house. The community members were able to access government subsidy program for biogas plant installation, while NSP was providing material support.
The local partner - NSP/Nepal has been implmenting the project activities in partnership with the local communities. NSP/Nepal was registered in 2006 with the Government of Nepal as a local NGO.by local staff working with NSP/Canada. Previously, NSP as a Canadian NGO was directly implementing the project.
Results achieved: NSP has implemented 3 activities namely the school building, drinking water systems and tgoilets construction since a long tome in these VDCs and CIDA has been supporting the initiatives since 1986. From our direct observations, visit to individual households, inspection of drinking water reservoir tank in the Agretar community, it is clearly visible that the project has made significant achievements in terms of providing easy access to clean drinking water, sanitation facility and quality education. It has improved general sanitation of the households, community and improved the living conditions of community members. Communitgy beneficiaries acknowledged the Canadian support and some of them were even referrin to those facilities as "Michael's". He has been very instrumental to bring positive changes in their lives and of community as a whole.
The beneficiaries said that the project intervention significantly reduced the incidencies of water borne diseases (diarrhea, dysentery), lowered respiratory infections, and improvededucational situation of the community. The health condition of families has been improved after the construction and use of toilets, primarily because open defecation is controlled. Women's time to collect water has been saved and is utilized in other farming activities (field crops cultivation, livestock, as well as reproductive activities (taking care of children, feeding). They feel that this has improved their economic well being and made the household work easier. The improvements in basic school infrastructore has improved the enrollment of children, increased knowledge and literacy level. The results of the projects can be easily felt and visible in the project communities. NSP was ablwe to continue working in these areas even during the armed conflict period by adopting conflict sensitive strategies and being protected by the local communities.
Michael R. Rojik, Executive Director