Chairperson’s Word

I feel proud to make a note that Sansthagat Bikas Sanjal has prevention in Kailali and Achham District. Migrant spouses successfully completed its’ 8th year of operation promoting and PLHAs have formed self- help groups and started income good governance, peacebuilding and rural community generation activities for their livelihood. They have been development through capacity development of NGO. maintaining adherence to ART. Since the country has been threatened by political instability Rural Education Project is producing significant results with and natural disaster (earthquake), Sanjal too is facing the high pass rate in SLC. Due to the commendable effort in consequences. Particularly project execution and monitoring improving education, Janjagriti Higher Secondary School in of the projects have been partly affected by the unexpected Dhading is recognised as model school by DEO. The school occurrences. Despite this, Sanjal is able to make progresses with was awarded Rs.500,000 grants from DEO this year. Similarly, its continual effort and interventions. Executive committee Sagma Secondary School, Morang has made tremendous of Sanjal is now more inclusive with participation of Janjati progress in achieving tangible results in SLC exam in women from Kosis Nepal- Okhaldhunga. Newly commenced comparison to other school in northern hilly areas of Morang practice of holding Sanjal executive committee meeting in the district. constituencies of EC members has significantly contributed to Food security projects in Morang, Achham, Banke and Surkhet mutual learning and sharing. Sanjal was able to have meetings have been implementation in partnership with 4 member of Eastern region and Western region in Okhaldhunga and organizations to improve the food and nutrition security of Kailali exploring new capacities and strengths of MOs for marginalized, vulnerable, landless and economically poor collaborative ventures. communities. Projects are aimed to improve the availability of In addition, Sanjal has provided support to needy MOs food by increasing production, improve food access through to identify needs of constituencies and develop plan for income generation, and improve nutritious utilization of it. Furthermore, Sanjal has worked with MOs to support available food. The projects, which directly benefit 4675 Tarpaulin and CGI sheets to 185 earthquake hit families in households across 4 districts, focus on nutrition, agriculture- NGO Solidarity Project Sindhpalchowk and Ramechhap. Sanjal also successfully based income generation including a farmer business coordinated with Tewa to supply earthquake survivors with school, and strengthening community-based organization or 1100 blankets in Okhaldhunga via Gramin Mahila Jagaran cooperatives. ansthagat Bikas Sanjal has been implementing order to enhance their management capacity and Samuha. SNGO Solidarity Project (NSP) with financial clarify the role and responsibilities of staff and EC Community peace and Sustainable Development Project a assistance from Bread for the World, Germany since members. 31 members including board and senior In order to fulfil the vision of Sanjal, Capacity Development unique project with concept of Interfaith and others issues of CBNOs and NGOs has been continued in this year as well. related to injustice, has been successfully implementing last seven years with the key objective of strengthening staffs have attended the meeting. governance and organizational development of Sanjal’s Through NGO solidarity project, Sanjal provided grants to 5 in Banke. The project with especial focus on the Muslim • Five member organizations that have been CBNOs and NGOs to enhance livelihood of Rajbanshi, Majhi communities has been expanded in Kailali and Achham. Under member organizations around the country The project implementing livelihood projects held one day and indigenous ethnic groups in Okhaldhunga and Morang. the project, women and youths are engaged in livelihood also has been contributing in advocating the rights orientations to their respective target communities. Sanjal also organized several trainings and workshop for the activities. They jointly organize and celebrate Dashain and Eid of highly marginalized communities living within organizational development of MOs. Most of the member programme to develop religious tolerance in community. The A total of 166 participants attended such orientations. constituencies of the member organizations. organizations nowadays maintain computerized book keeping. material support project provided to construct Madarshas in In the meantime, Sanjal conducted advocacy training focusing compliment to teaching learning has resulted improvement in Currently, Sanjal is in its phase-III of the project on the rights of highly marginalized communities such as education of Muslim Children in the community. incepted in April 2014. The phase-II of the project Chidimar, Kushabadiya ,Raji, Mushar and Majhi and helped I am really pleased with the progress of Sanjal has made to in forming groups to keep on the process further. that has been completed in March 2014 included serve marginalised people in remote rural areas of Nepal. The programmatic activities focusing on good governance Reaching Across Boarder for HIV prevention project is able progress has been possible only through hard work of the team of its member organizations, organizational capacity to build network of PLHIV support group for advocacy of led by Mr.Bal Krishna Maharjan, Executive chief. Similarly, the rights of PLHAs in 4 districts namely Makwanpur, Kailali, I highly appreciate member organisations for their sincere building and advocacy on behalf of highly marginalized Surkhet and Makwanpur. PLHIV support groups have and deliberate efforts to accomplish the project activities. communities. In the fiscal year 2071/72, Sanjal has acquired support from VDCs and DDCs for Endowment The project implementation is impossible without support carried out following activities under this project: fund. Further, revolving fund allocated in the project has been of Nepal government and also with the financial support effectively mobilised to execute livelihood activities. It has been of Mennonite Central Committee, Bread for the World, Developed Capacity of Member Organiza- observed in the community that PLHAs are less stigmatised Germany and Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission in Nepal and their spouses have started seeking HIV health services in and other agencies. I look forward to continuous cooperation tions in terms of project implementation local health institutions. and coordination of financial partner to intensify the capacity and managerial skills of Sansthgat Bikas Sanjal for the cause of needy people in Education on Migration for HIV prevention project has future. • Sanjal carried out six meetings, two each with three contributed in raising awareness on Safe migration and HIV member organizations—CDF, NJSS and VLTA—in Photo: Participants of Training on Right-Based Approach and Advocacy

SANJAL SANJAL Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 2 Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 in order to find out their Training that changed my perception… advocacy issues.

Dr. Bidur Pakhrin • In Morang, five days Programme Director, Animal Health Training and Consultancy Service long organic vegetable production training was work as programme director for the Animal Health Training and Consultancy Service, Pokhara. The organization provided to the members of works in the area of animal health and animal rights and is one of member organisations of Sansthagat Bikas I Rajbanshi Community. The Sanjal. I am also a Executive Commitee member of Sanjal. I got an opportunity to participate in rights-based advocacy training, from 17 to 19 September 2014 in Budole, Kavre, was organized by Sanjal for progamme staff program also purchased of its affiliate organizations. two Bigaha land for the landless people of Rajbanshi This was my first participation in any advocacy related training. The training began with expectation collec- Community. tion, introduction of participants, experience sharing of respective NGOs, and setting norms and the time-table. When session started with sharing of the case study of a Mushahar community in Sunsari district, we had a good • Held four days (November deal of brainstorming on Problem versus Issue and Cause versus Effect. I perceived that “advocacy is the action 20 to 23) workshops with taken against the cause” so as to dig out unseen issues. In fact, demonstration, information and communication staff and EC members of exchange are not advocacy but they are only essential parts of advocacy. Advocacy is a well-managed process by GMJS and KOSIS Nepal which basic rights and concerns of the people are stated. in order to enhance their management capacity. In the training, we also discussed and learned various steps of advocacy, factors affecting advocacy, advocacy Altogether 31 members Photo: A woman harvesting vegetables from her field< Morang tools, analysis of advocacy and governing factors, identifying lobbyist for successful advocacy, how to implement including board and senior effective advocacy etc. Simulation exercises on selected issues for advocacy were helpful to understand and use staff attended the meeting. Sanjal member organizations. Three trainings were advocacy tools. organized in different regions, Chitwan, Morang • Prepared Organisation profile of 16 Sanjal’s and Nepalganj by Co-operative experts. Also, Now, I fully understand that advocacy is not merely to organize rally, lodge petition and organize demonstration, member in order find out current situation of the provided tally software to Kosis, LDCDF, GMJS etc. on any issue but it is a process to make an unheard voice be heard. For this a good deal of analysis and organisations. research, evidence collection, and good programme/activities planning and patience are required. NJSS and VLTA with their 50% contribution. • Supported CIRDS, Dhading and Kosis Nepal for Interestingly, through this training I discovered that the activities that we had been doing in our project such as editing concept papers and proposals activities related to women empowerment and animal welfare were all essential components of advocacy. This training has helped me in effectively planning my works and counseling my team members whenever necessary. Enhanced inclusivity of groups belonging to marginalized communities of the work- • Conducted advocacy training to 17 representatives Photo: OIO Workshop Participants in group discussion ing areas from nine member organizations of the eastern • Five target groups are formed with general policies • Organized western regional meeting of Sanjal on region from September 17th to 19th, 2014 in Kavre for effective operation. Total of 134 members are September 8th, 2014 in Surkhet district. A total of district. involved in these groups. Two Joint goat sheds are nine representatives from six • Making focus on knowledge and skills of member established, one each in Morang and Okhaldhunga organizations attended the meeting where they organizations in connection to programme planning, with 50% contribution from members themselves. shared experiences, learning and challenges of their monitoring and reporting, two three days long Also, the members of the groups have worked organizations. Outcome and Impact Orientation (OIO) Workshops regularly for 15 days to construct these sheds where Photo: Meeting with Rajbanshi group members by Sanjal were carried out for the member organizations of they put goats purchased from nearby locations. • Organized a two days long (18-19 August) retreat eastern (on 27-29 July 2014 in Nepalganj and western programme at Godavari, Lalitpur for all 11 Sanjal • Held two rounds of meetings between the staff and Started mutual sharing of human resource (on 31 July- 2 September 2014) regions. staff members. EC members of NJSS, CDF, HRDON and VLTA to within the network and establish joint re- enhance their management capacities. Moreover, lationship with funding partners • Started publishing monthly e-newsletter from Sanjal has provided tally software training to the August 2014. New issues of the e-newsletters are • Supported CIRDS, Dhading, in publishing a accountants of the member organizations. been put on Sanjal’s website since then. booklet on the occasion of the organization’s 20th • Organized two days professional NGO visit program, anniversary. Provided tally software to ETSCN, and • Held two rounds of Sanjal’s Executive Committee in order to enhance organization management assisted CDF, Morang and ISS Surkhet in brochure Meeting, one in Tikapur and another in Kathmandu capacity of member organizations., in Banke publication. Provided support in developing where all the EC members were present. Similarly, district where 12 members from CDF, HRDON, proposals for Rural Education Project, Reaching Sanjal‘s eighth Annual General Assembly Meeting LDCDF, GMJS and Kosis Nepal. across the Border for HIV & AIDS, Local Initiatives was held on 14 October 2014 at Local Development for Grass-roots Peace building; CIRDS, CDF Morang, Training Center, Jawlakhel , Lalitpur. • Held a day long meetings at different districts with GMJS Okhaldhunga, and Kosis Nepal. Rajbanshis of Surkhet, Kusbandhia and Chidimar of • Altogether 10 Sanjal staff meetings were held in the Banke, Musahar and Majhi community of Morang, • Provided Cooperative Management and Accounting last fiscal year. Updates on monthly reports and Training to the cooperatives members and staff of plan have been exclusively shared in those meeting.

SANJAL SANJAL Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 4 Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 In the project supported schools of Dhading and Morang, absenteeism has been decreased, which by 15 and 5 percent respectively. Also, just two Subhash teachers, one each from Sagma Secondary School and Chandrajyoti Secondary School have resigned seeking other opportunities this developed life year. skills • Children have regularly attended Child Development Center at Banke. The center also provided snacks, water and other facilities to 21 children throughout the year. Absenteeism in Child development hidimar, Harijan Khatik, Dhobi and centre is limited to 15 percent this year. CYadav communities are the major inhabitants of Sumsergunj VDC, ward • Three schools and ECD centre have organized quarterly meetings with no. 7, Hawaldarpur of Banke district. parents (parent education) where around 700 parents participated in Rambohri Khatik has four members the year. in his family: him, his wife Sushma and two sons. The family owns three Schools benefited with teaching Kattha (10700 sq. ft.) of rain-fed land and management ideas that barely produces food grains to feed family for six months. Rambhori • Janajagriti School, Dhading and Sagma School, Morang organized do unskilled labor in India to earn to a daylong workshop making participation of school management support family expenses for remain- committee, resource persons, school staff and parents. ing six months of the year. Sushma being a literate woman had known importance of education and did her best to persuade to send her 10 years son Subhash Khatik to school.

Sushma says: Triveni Child Develop- ment Center operated by Triveni Bikas Samaj has done a remarkable work providing guidance and direc- tion to her son. Sushma proudly tells that ECD facilitator Mr. Sarita Kumari Yadav teaches children on various im- portant topics such as letter writing, storytelling, cleanliness, discipline Rural Education Project and respect for each other. Subhash went to the Center regularly and studied well, as a result he developed ith the genuine support of Mennonite Central Training in Chitwan on 25- 27 December 2015 where several life skills and showed desire WCommittee (MCC) Sansthagat Bikas Sanjal has seven English teachers (four females) gained new for further study. been implementing Rural Education Project (REP) from knowledge and skills through these trainings. last seven years with overall objective to contribute Upon graduating from ECD centre, Decreased absenteeism in students and in- Photo: School Management Committee Meeting at Sigma Secondary School, Morang to improve educational status of marginalized Subash is admitted to nearby school. communities in rural areas by improving quality of creased retention of teachers Other nearby schools who have attended such workshops and He is studying in grade two at pres- meetings conducted by Janajagriti School and Sagma School and teaching by teachers. • Conducted extra tuition classes in three schools, ent. He respects his teachers and learnt their successful management stories, have also adopted such greets them whenever he meets one each in Dhading, Morang and Kailali district Currently, Sanjal is in its phase-III of REP incepted management ideas and teaching methods. them on the way. He is actively par- targeting altogether 45 students (30 girls) belonging in April 2015. The phase-II of the project that has been ticipating in all activities in the class to marginalized communities. Tuition fee paid for implemented Dhading, Morang, Banke and Kailali • The schools organized two half-yearly interactions. Around 500 and is sincere in his studies. all girls and marginalized boys for grade 10 students. districts of Nepal got completed by March 2015. The hundred participants including parents, teachers, students and other stakeholders participated in the event. Sushma has expresses her deep grati- project has noticed significant changes especially Parents meeting at Janajagriti School, Dhading tude to Triveni Bikas Samaj for teach- with teachers, management committees, child clubs, ing such a useful life skills to her son. students and their parents During the fiscal year 2071/72, Sanjal has carried out following activities Key Lessons Learned under phase-II and phase-II of the project: • Constant support from local level member organizations have Improved access of marginalized students made it easier to coordinate with district level stakeholders. in School Leaving Certificate (SLC) exam • Refresher training has developed competence in the English teachers of the targeted schools. • Organized three days long English Refresher

SANJAL SANJAL Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 6 Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 help of community people he helped to reconcile among each other.

Mapped evidence of reintegration and reconcilia- tion in the community

The community people of five districts received various kind of training from the peace facilitators. The community people have felt the ‘we feeling’ among them. This has helped in reintegration among the conflicting parties in community. Hence, trainings remained very effective and many people by help of revolving fund have started to do farming and have been benefitted by it.

The training has brought people together and helping Photo: Meeting in Payal VDC, Achham each other has been started. This has also lead towards the reintegration among the people. Some of these trainings/activities were: Target communities are enabled to medi- ate conflict using non-violent means • Field Visit by independent researcher to find out the situation • 13 participants from 5 districts came to participate the eight days long mediation training organized by Sanjal in Nepalgunj. The training sessions were facilitated by Peace officer and TOT participants. Participants learnt about mediation and its importance. They also learnt how mediation process takes place The participants have been implementing their learning in the community.

Local Initiative for • 30 people (17 womem) participated the three days long mediation training organized by Peace Grassroots Peace Building Project facilitator in Ranibas, Surkhet. In the training the participants learnt about the mediation and its importance. One of the interesting part of this ennonite Central Committee (MCC) and Finnish enable them to mediate conflict using non-violent means. training is that the peace facilitator solved some of Photo:Mushroom training in Akalgharwa MEvangelical Lutheran Mission (FELM) have For this program Sanjal is working in partnership with the disputes that occurred in the community. With • 46 times meetings were held in five districts. financially supported Sansthagat Bikas Sanjal to Youths in Empowerment Sector- Nepal, Sahakarmi implement Local Initiative for Grassroots Peace Samaj, Triveni Bikas Samaj, Interdependent Society • 31 people received potato and mushroom training in Building (LIFP) Project/s through implementing and Welfare Association Children, Tikapur. The major Dang. different field based activities since 2012. Sanjal has accomplished activities were: • 24 people participated in animal health training and been carrying out programmes like ‘Nepal School of 20 women participated in kitchen garden training Shanti’ making focus on vulnerable situation of the Reduced violence and crime among youth in Surkhet. country due to protracted political transition, in 11 • Several community level groups were formed where districts; and Interfaith Peace Building in Muslim • 42 member of Milaap group of Akalgharwa, Banke peace facilitator made multiple visits. Community with the basic objective to contribute for received two training on Mushroom farming. faith based peace building in Raniyapur VDC of Banke • 150 people (ex-combatant and community people) • 54 people from two trainings received basic district by addressing existing conflict, social injustice from five different groups were trained on peace informational training on agro- based training in and local problems. building training and mediation training. The Payal, Achham. participants learnt various aspects regarding peace building and their role for peace and community • 3 The interfaith/inter-caste feasts have been A. Under MCC support building process organized in five districts. During the feast community people came together (despite of the Sanjal has progressed with LIGP program under MCC • 45 times meetings were held in five districts. caste and other issues), they cooked and ate together. support during the period in five districts, namely: Members of group are working together for This process has brought respect and harmony Achham, Dang, Banke, Surkhet, and Kailali with basic improving their community. among each other. objectives to reduce violence and crime among youths, Photo: News published on peace activities carriedout at Supaila, Dang

SANJAL SANJAL Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 8 Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 intelligence was conducted with the help of a Participants focused on different kind of skill based Key Lessons Learned freelancer working on EI. training for community people, peace training and • Constant Interfaith/ Inter caste feast is very training for youths. They chose the issues which • Organized workshops on youths empowerment, effective method to bring people together were discusses during NSOS training. their rights and assist them to build bridge between and work together. them and local governance.

• The monthly meeting that has been NSOS participants and its Alumni identified - Organized Street theatre for raising awareness organizing by peace facilitators is very root causes of conflict in their communities on peace building effective. Through this people have learnt • NSOS Alumni Meeting was conducted. During many other aspects regarding peace. - In order to contribute to community peace the meeting there was a sharing program among This meeting has helped us to convey our building, youths of Raniyapur organized street participants regarding their learning, changes message. drama related to domestic violence that causes and challenges. Besides, training on emotional in the society. The drama was observed by more • Coaching and mentoring of our member than 200 people. organizations has helped to accomplish the Sanjal staff members with NSOS training Participants of YES Nepal, Achham activities effectively. • Organized workshops on women rights, causes and address problems in their community based on impact of ongoing violence, ESCR (Economic, Social • Training on different issues for peace their knowledge and skills acquired during the and Cultural Rights). facilitator will help to implement the NSOS Module I and II. activities more effectively. - Issues Based Discussion. - During module II participants developed action In Raniyapur by the help of JJS 11 Muslim women plan (according to their community) which they group have been formed and they are having implemented after the training B. Under FELM support regular meetings and group discussion has been held. In 2014, 47 discussions times where the Local Initiatives for Grassroots Peace Building Project • Peace Project members of groups discussed about: human right, under the financial support of FELM has comprised During module II, participants developed action women rights, health and sanitation, conflict of two main programs: Nepal School of Shanti (NSOS) plan (according to their community) which they management, peace, mediation, cooperative and Interfaith Peace Building in Muslim Communities implemented after the training. education and saving in Raniyapur, Banke. Three module training of NSOS Photo: NSOS Alumnai Meeting have been conducted for participants from nine districts namely- Morang, Dhading, Okhaldhunga, Banke, Kailali, Achham, Jajarkot, Surkhet and Dang. Story of Deepa Pun Magar Upon participation in NSOS training, the participants implemented learning, skills and abilities in their communities

Interfaith Peacebuilding Project in Banke, implemented in partnership with Jana Jagaran Samaj (JJS), Banke Deepa Pun Magar is one of the ex-combatants living She says, “It is very hard to stay in the community after the Nepalgunj. Through the training I came to know about the in Supaila, Dang. She was born and grew up in Rolpa. conflict. While we were involved in party we were never mediation, its importance and also knew about the pro- has intensively worked with Youths, Women and Her father was involved in Maoist movement which judged by our appearance; we were married but we were cess. Now I am able to mediate any conflict that would take Madrasha management committee in Raniyapur. At also inspired her to join. She opted to join movement not obliged to wear Sindoor, bangles and Tika”. But now it place in our community. present, women and youths are actively participating over her study (which she used to find boring). She is hard, in order to live peaceful life we have to follow all so- in 11 women groups and 4 youth clubs. Sanjal has travelled various place when she joined Maoist party. cial traditions that we rejected in the past.” It was very hard Through training on vegetable farming and opportunity also provided technical support to conduct peace She says, “I joined the party in order to serve my soci- for us. There are still some things that still differentiate us to make use of revolving fund I have started potato farm- building trainings for youths and community people of ety and eliminate all forms discrimination related to from others and we need someone to fulfill that gap. She ing and managed to sell some. Now, I am more connected Raniyapuar. The major accomplished activities were: caste”. She further adds, “There were times when it further adds, “Me and my husband did not have secured with community people, they listen to me and my issues. was too hard to survive, we had less food but our de- job so it was hard to have normal life.” Now, they are gradually accepting me as a normal people Youth acquired knowledge/skills and en- termination overcome was robust and motivated us and that I fell very good . I would like to thank Sahakarmi gaged community peace building activities to move further. I had fought for justice and for the Then Sahakarmi Samaj came in our life and integrated us Samaj for involving me in the group and providing me op- better Nepal.” in the Jagriti group of the community. When I started going portunities to participate in trainings and programs which to group meetings, I came to know that being in group is has changed my life. I cannot say my life is perfect, but my • NSOS 8th Batch training Like other friends in the party she had married with important and helps one another in need. One day Saras- life has improved. I am very happy to receive the trainings 15 participants from nine districts got opportunity a man from another caste. Everything seemed per- wati baini (peace facilitator) came to us and gave training and programs organized by Sahakarmi Samaj. Further I to participate in trainings organized by Nepal fect for her at the time. Later peace agreement was on Peace which I found very important and learnt so many would like to request Sanjal and Sahakarmi to bring more School of Shanti (NSOS). Participants from eight signed. She and her husband received aid from the things which I had neglected in past. She also gave us train- programs and training which would improve lives of other batch received training on three modules, in Kavre, government and began to live normal life. She went ing on farming Potato and mushroom as well as taught ex-combatants and show them ways to have normal and Pokhara and Sauraha respectively. to Rolpa but she could not integrate into the commu- us to make organic compost. We celebrated International productive life. nity and migrated with her husband to Supaila, Dang Day of Peace and Teej program. Further I was selected for - Participants prepared their community profile (where lots of ex-combatant have been staying). mediation training organized by Sansthagat Bikas Sanjal in and done various activities and programs, to

SANJAL SANJAL Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 10 Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 about interfaith and its contribution towards peace building in the community. Muslim women got relief Youth union for sustainable peace - Youth Club Management: The playground, that was made by Sunaulo youth club was maintained. from UP screening camp The barbed wire fencing was done to protect the Case Study outh of Raniyapur have involved in building social and religious ground. Case Study harmony. They have aim to establish sustainable peace in the ana Jagaran Samaj organized free Uterine Pro- Y - society through social and cultural harmony. Youth having faith in Youth Issued Based Discussion: Youth clubs of Jlapsed Camp in Raniyapur. Through this camp different religions are united for religious harmony and peace in Raniyapur have conducted monthly meeting many women were identified having uterine pro- the society.They have been participating in one another’s religious in different issues. So far 15 meeting was held lapse ranging from 1st – 3rd degree. Seven women and cultural activities with the respect for one another’s culture where 225 youths participated in this program. who had third degree problem got free operation and values.This has helped increase racial, religious and social har- - Sports Contest for Youth: Youth club organized service whereas other seven are under process. 117 mony. Youth of Raniyapur saiys: respect for other’sreligion increas- wome have got treatment of STI. Twenty eight preg- Football and Cricket competition among the es social harmony as well as help for establishment of sustainable nant women have got free HIV test service. Mina Youth Clubs. In this competition 6 youth club peace in society. Mohomadh Khan, President of Bismillaha Youth Khan says,” Uterus Prolapse and STI are one of the Club says: “having respect in each other’s culture, values and tradi- Photo: Meeting with Women group at Raniyapur from 4 different VDC participated. major problems of our community. These types of tion has helped increase religious and social harmony in our com- - Youth Enterprise Support: 18 members from 4 camp should be taken to marginalized women. She munity.” He further adds “those who never respect each other’s • Organized interfaith and inter youth club received training and support from further adds, ”Uterine Prolapse is a complex problem religion have started to respect all religion”. community peace building workshop on Jana Jagaran Samaj in connection to Enterprise because still many women feel odd to share on this in the family. We must not feel shy but be careful re- different religion and community activities. Youths are involved in different kind Youth from different religion like Muslim religion have started to garding our health. I would like to thank JJS for doing of income generating activities such as: Pig participate in Hindu’s cultural activities and festivals and vice versa. Peace building practices identi- god job for our community. “ Youth having faith in Muslim and Christians culture participated in fied, documented, promoted and rearing, goat raising, fish farming and Vegetable deusi bhailo program of last year Deepawali. According to Raju Bas- farming. net, President of Sunaulo Youth Club, money collected from deusi integrated into the activities of bhailo have invested for protection of public land by constructing NSOS participants playground. He added fun was unlimited while playing deusi bhailo • Studied in detail on community level interaction on human rights and importance of together. We have faith in different religion but youth from differ- peace practices-5 cases. proper nutrition was made. This program was ent religion working together increases social harmony. Under in- participated by 138 pregnant and post pregnant terfaith program youth have been doing different activities. As per Through independent researchers study women. Tarif Mohomad Khaan, for religious harmony they did street dra- was conducted on Raji, Kusbandiya, ma, interaction, discussion and different awareness programs. He Badi, Rai and Musahar community. It is • Child friendly teaching learning trainings to added, ”for social and religious harmony they have involved Hindu found that all of these communities have the teachers of Madarsa and other educational and Christians communities in Eid Mubarak and Eid Milan. People their own peace practices. Most of them supports of Hindu and Christian religion easily accepted our invitation and have stopped using their traditional attend the function”. He further adds, locals of Raniyapur who used - Teaching materials support: In 4 Madarsas, practice and have been seeking for peace to hate each other’s religion have started to support each other teaching material were distributed. Teachers feel (even in small cases). rituals financially”. Though people have faith in different religion comfort to introduce alphabets and numbers to Photo: Maniram Tharu infront of his recently constructed Pig Shed they are united for development and social harmony. According to • Skill development training to youth students by using materials. the youth of Raniyapur, ”religion should not be obstacle for social • Enterprise support to women - development and harmony”. Rijwam Miyan of Sunaulo Youth Club - Fish farming: In initiation of Madarsha building construction: Construction said “youth who were divided on the basis of religion now have Pashupati Youth club the fish pond has - Training on vegetables Farming: Two days of two roomed building for Madinatul Ulm been working together for development, social and religious har- been made in Ghiya, Raniyapur. After training on farming was held in JJS training hall Madarsahas was completed. the construction of pond fish farming mony which has great impact in society.” He includes religious faith was participated by 14 women and 4 men (selected - Teachers training for Madarsha: Teachers from 4 doesn’t affect if youth works cooperatively. is moving smoothly. Previously some by their respective groups). In the training, madarshas have got teaching skill development fish were sold by and now again 3500 participants learnt about the importance of training. After training madarsha teachers In order to reduce criminal activities in society by unemployed fingerling has been provided for the youth they bring unemployed youth in discussion, interaction, vegetable farming, method of making nursery, has started to use teaching material by making pond. Besides, motor (for irrigation) and training and awareness programs so that they become busy in management of manure and irrigation, and themselves.All madarshas have made School and Barbed wire fencing is provided productive activities. To transform unemployed into self employed diseases and their solution. The trainees also Improvement Plan (SIP) for five years and for better protection of pond and also they have managed training. Roshan Shahi, Member of Sunaulo received the seeds for vegetable farming. submitted in District Education Office. Youth Club says that youth have become self employed after get- plantation has been done. - Revolving fund support: 11 women group on - Sports Material support: Madarsas received ting training of driving, electrician, animal farming and agriculture. - Training on Interfaith Peace Raniyapur has mobilized revolving fund. Each Footbal, Volleyball, Badminton and other sports Building: Three days long interfaith Jana Jagaran Samaj, Khajura, Banke have been providing financial group has received 20,000 rupees. All together material. For children this has helped build peace building training was organized and technical support to the youth of Raniyapur. President of Jana 35 members from different group have started environment to play. Jagaran Samaj, Hem Raj Kurmi says through interfaith peacebuild- in Nepalgunj, Banke. 30 (youths 8 income generating activities. - Quiz Contest: Inter Madarsa quize contest was ing program unemployed youth are getting training for self employ- females) from 4 clubs participated in - Women Day Celebration: International women ment. Through youth employment we can reduce wrong deeds and this training. The participants learnt carried out where competition 37 students from 4 day was celebrated in Raniyapur VDC, where criminal activities. This program has implemented for this purpose.

SANJAL SANJAL Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 12 Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 Youth involvement in pig raring

ipin Bijali living in Sunaulo Tole of Raniyapur VDC had left his job and started pig farming with the help of Jana Jagaran Samaj (JJS). He was accountant in Janata Dugdha Dairy, but he left that Case Study B job for pig farming. He had invested to build pig shed and bought four pig. JJS helped Bipin by pro- viding 12000 rupees to buy pig. By help of this he has started rearing pig with great care. He says:, ’I would like to thank JJS as it helped to fulfill my wish to be self employed”. On my own initiation I am working in my house is easy for me. I don’t have any pressure of boss which I used to have during my job. He has been doing farming along with pig raring. He further says “while doing job income was limited but now I am doing both pig farming as well as agriculture”

Through Sunaulo Youth Club, JJS provided him two days training on pig farming as well as pro- vided financial support. The money he got from Jana Jagaran Samaj is not to pay back. According to president of JJS, Hem Raj Kurmi, the support was done in order to establish durable peace. He said “when youth become unemployed they involve in wrong deeds so our aim is to empower youth for sustainable peace.”Interested youth of Raniyapur are getting training, financial support for visits and buying materials. Kurmi Said “we wish to help youths or our community, especially who has received training and we are happy as most of the youth are working here”. Some of the trainees have went abroad and making use of skills acquired via JJS and are doing great.

Madarsa participated. in coordination with health post, VDC office and - Sport Contest: Inter Madarsa quize contest was Nagarjna Development committee. Through the held where 25 girls and 31 boys participated. camp seven women were identified in last stage of Winners were congratulated whereas students uterine prolepsis. They went through free operation. who could not win were motivated compete better next time. Key Lessons Learned Education for Safer Migration of Young - School Enrolment campaign: In initiation • Research on local peace practices remained of Madarsa, this campaign was participated very important as it helped find out the People (HIV Education) by youths, women, teachers and VDC’s mechanisms that are used and recognized representatives. This campaign team went to in communities. Muslim’s community’s houses and discussed nder the financial support of Finnish Evangelical migration safe.; improve • Regular discussion, sharing and co- about importance of education with the parents. Lutheran Mission (FELM) has successfully ordination with local stakeholders helped U health and income level of PLHIV families and advocate implemented Education for Safer Migration of Young - Scholarship Support: Economically poor 51 us to implement program effectively. for their rights. The project also aims to improve girls and 36 boys received stationary support People (HIV Education) by Welfare Association of governance and management of YES Nepal and WACT. as a scholarship. Students who received the • Awareness related activities need to be Children in Tikapur (WACT) and YES (Youths in added in order to reduce Uterine Prolapsed Empowerment Sector) Nepal in coordination with scholarship are regular in the classes. A. Activities implemented during the Pilot and Sexually Transfer Infection problems in Sansthagat Bikas Sanjal. The project was implementing - Madarsa’s Management Training: Two days Muslim community. in a pilot phase during September to December 2014. Phage (September – December 2014) Madarsa’s management training was done. The Then after the project has been under progress and will Project has aimed to improve in the living standards program was participated by 5 women and 21 • During trainings of NSOS, participants had be continued for three years. of PLHIV and prevent the HIV and AIDS new infection men. Through this training the participants shown keen interest on issues and different among migrant’s spouses and their families. To achieve, learnt importance of Management, how to methods and as such remained effective. Around 80% of the project activities have been assigned the goal and objective of the project, implementing manage Madarsa and many other important to the member organization; WACT is implementing organization has conducted awareness activities in the aspect. the project in Sugarkhal of Kailali district. YES-Nepal community which plays a significant role to sensitize is implementing in Kuika, Binayak, Chalsa of Achham • Health camp for women: Health camp was organized the target group on the issues of HIV and AIDS. The district. One project site office has been established in by Jana Jagaran Samaj and Triveni Bikas Samaj major activities accomplished ware Binayak VDC of Achham district is being operated by project field staff and team leader The Project has been addressing the issues of migrants and their spouses, Improved awareness on HIV/AIDS and STI PLHIV and people with disability. The basic objectives • Provided HIV and safe migration orientation to of the project is to educate the community members migrant workers, their families and youths aged regarding HIV/AIDS and other STI and make their 16-40 (making door to door Visit). The project staff

SANJAL SANJAL Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 14 Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 hen Bhawan Singh first appeared in our group meeting, we all have laughed. At first no Health Volunteers (FCHVs). Participation of FCHVs • A total of 92 PLHIVs are included in the home visit Wone of us believed that a person who seems fat and strong is infected with HIV nearly12 in improving HIV awareness in the community was program. Frequently home visits were made where years before. When he shared his story with us then only we are compelled to believe him. encouraged during the event the staff provided counseling support in the areas of Nowadays, when we see him we are filled with energy, encouragement and desire to live more. health, livelihood and client’s relevant issues. (These are the sayings of a woman in her 36, Binda Luhar of Kueka-4, Achham). Improved health and income of PLHIV • Referral for HTC and ARV: 95 people were in the Case Study Living in a family with his sons and daughter in laws, daughters, wife and half a dozen of grand- families risk and PLHIVs were referred to the HTC/ART sons and granddaughters making altogether 14 members, Bhawan Singh Bohara has already • PLHIVs were trained on Staying Healthy and centre in Tikapur and Achham by the project staff. completed 52 years of his age and lives in Gharegoan, Binayak Nager-3, Achham. During his Nutrition: Two-days health training was organized In Kailali volunteer assisted the referred clients in long stay in different places of India as a gate keeper, his sexual behavior was not safe leading for the members of support group in Kailali, Where the HTC and ART centre including helping them get Bhawan him to HIV infection. as in Achham same events have carried out in tested, take ART, medical treatment and CD4 count, Singh: and accompanying them to the care home. When I knew I am infected, I started taking precaution during making sex even with my wife. monthly basis. During monthly meeting main center for Because of clean & nutrient food & drinks and continue medicine I still don’t feel weak, even topics discussed were : Opportunistic infections • In coordination with the local health centre, hospital after 12 years. “I might live more, says Bhawan Singh” while talking with us. and infection prevention, ART adherence, HTC/ART Centre and other organizations working hope and nutrition, staying healthy and reducing stigma and in HIV sector 2 days HTC camp has organized. 257 Since last several years YES-Nepal is doing HIV Education program for Safe Migration at Binayak, discrimination. of Achham and 536 of Kailali has been benefitted by trust among Kueka and Chalsa VDCs of the Achham district. Given the objective to help the HIV infected people it is making Help Groups in the project VDCs, as a result Bhuwan Singh is the Chairperson this service. Among of them 5 migrants got reactive HIV infected of Binayak Help Group. Bhuwan Singh says, “Being the Chairperson of Help Group I regularly results. people meet with infected people and suggest them to take healthy food and drinks, stay away from bad habits and take medicines regularly. We are infected; so what? We can still live a long life. Increased capacity of PLHIVs (and migrant Develop positive thinking, regular taking of medicine as per the instruction of health workers, workers) respecting the work, avoid inferior feelings, are among the few things we talk about in the Help • Group. Illaka level PLHIV network has been formed The network have organized advocacy campaigns to Whenever we see Bhawan brother, we feel encouraged and inspired. Nowadays, there is con- improve quality of life of PLHIV in the VDC. tinuity in our revolving fund and medicine consumption, for which Bhawan Singh brother has • Two-day advocacy training to the PLHIV network played very important role, says another member of Binayak Help Group- Mana Dhamala. members has been organized to develop their Nowadays, Bhawan Singh brother shares his thoughts in Help Group that ‘just money will not capacity in advocacy. The network prepared bring change in life, but changes can be bought with love, faith and positive thinking’. That is Photo: Participants of Health training advocacy plan at the end of the training. The plan why being the Chairperson of the Help Group, Bhawan Singh brother is the center of hope and includes requesting VDC to represent PLHIVs in • PLHIV Support Groups formed: PLHIV support faith for all HIV infected people here, says a facilitator of HIV Education for Migration program. the VDC council meeting and fund for the PLHIVs. groups were formed in the VDC. 27 male, 52 female They have been working on the advocacy plan. and 4 children have been associated in the group visited 1559 migrants and spouses by visiting every • Peer education training to youth/ staffs: The and 9 are in the process of joining the group. household and educated them on safe migration and project staff and volunteer participated in 2-days HIV and AIDS. Peer Education training organized by Sansthagat • Two days group management training was Bikas Sanjal in Dhangadhi. conducted for the member of support group • Group formation of migrant workers and their network in Achham and Kailali. The project staff spouses: A total of 16 groups consisting of migrant • HIV awareness activities for high school students: also participated in the training. Topics such as workers and their wives were formed. Monthly The project staff organized HIV class in local high objectives of forming the support group, activities meetings of the groups were facilitated by the school for students of class 7-12. HIV classes were of support groups, duties of members and office project staff. The discussion topics include HIV organized in 7 local high schools in Achham and bearers and effective management of support groups education, safer migration and local employment/ Kailali. HIV Day was celebration by Students and were included in the training program. IG opportunities. teachers of the Shree Rastriya H.S. School in Solta, Sugarkhal. An awareness rally was organized with Arrangement of Revolving Funds for support the slogan on HIV prevention and treatment. After groups: Revolving fund was provided to five support Photo: Advocacy training to Network Members the rally the school students and teachers organized groups which were organized through the project. drama on HIV. Similar events were conducted Project staff assisted them to preparing policy for fund mobilizing and opening bank accounts. The in Achham. The major theme of the drama was- • Periodic meetings of PLHIV support groups and members also save money every month and borrow Migration of youths due to poverty & lack of local network were organized with VDC, DACC and other from the group. 10 members of Kaiali and 7 memebrs livelihood opportunities, visiting brother while agencies. working in India leading to HIV transmission, HIV from Achham have borrowed from the group for • Board member of PLHIV network has got a chance testing and ARV and promotion of safer sex behavior income generation. Among of them 5 members have to participate in accounting training.After the including condom use to prevent transmission. started goat raising and 2 of them were engaged in vegetable farming. training they have been practicing to maintain • HIV training was organized for Female Community their account in systematic manner. • Conducted 2-days goat rearing training for PLHIVs. Photos: Participants in a Group Meeting

SANJAL SANJAL Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 16 Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 Programmatic Support Improved awareness on HIV/AIDS and safe • Total 98 people are enrolled in support groups in Kailali and Achham. Meetings • Project orientation and brief training program was migration have been conducted in monthly basis organized for the staff. where they use to discuss on areas of • Carried out door to door campaign supports to health, income generation and advocacy • A VDC level program orientation was organized migrant and spouses to enhance their knowledge on eing a chairperson of Hatemalo PLHIV sup-

issues. Case Study where different stakeholders including health centre HIV prevention and safer migration. Bport group of Chalsa VDC of Achham, Mr. personnel, FCHV, VDC personnel, representation of • Half Yearly meeting of network with Mohan Thapa participated in Advocacy training Disability organization, civil society and political • HIV and safe migration education was provided to stakeholders (HP,VDC): The meeting has organized under HIV and safe Migration proj- parties participated migrants and spouses /disable people/teacher and ect. He says that”the training has helped me to been conducted is participated by HP in- community leader (Group session) Involvement realize our group’s right to access fund from charge, VDC staff along with member of • D-PAC /Coordination meeting was jointly organized of community leaders and teachers in awareness Village Development Committee.” PLHIV network. In the meeting member by FELM and MCC partners working in Kailali activities encourage the migrants and spouses to of PLHIV network have shared about district. At the same time coordination meeting seek the HIV testing services in their community Upon participating in the training, our group their group, purpose and function and the was also held in Achham. The project activities and and PLHIV also have been able to take ART without has made plans to improve livelihood improve- process. Participant from HP and VDC ment of PLHIV. At the same time, our group has progress was shared during the meeting by WACT fear of being stigmatized by community people. in Kailai and simultaneously by YES Nepal in have appreciated their work and assure received Rs. 50,000 as a revolving fund from the Achham. • Peer educators have been selected from migrants them to help in the near future. HIV and Migration project. In the mean time, and spouses group. They have been oriented about our obligation was to provide loan to more and • Follow up and monitoring: During the project period the objectives of the project and peer education Improve Governance and manage- more members in income generation activities sanjal’s program officer has visited to Sugarkhal process. since very few of them have access to credit. Kailali and Binayak Achham for monitoring. ment of YES Nepal and WACT ”Power of Group Unity” PLHIV are provided treatment facility. Similarly executive chief and FELM team has also • Adolescence Group has been formed and mobilized • A workshop on project monitoring monitored the program in Sugarkhal, Kailali. to disseminate HIV prevention and safer migration framework has been conducted in Earlier many organizations have implemented HIV awareness project in Achham as the dis- information among school students and community Tiakpur, Kailali where staff of FELM, trict has highest prevalence of HIV infection in people. Sanjal, YES Nepal and WACT have Key Lessons Learned Nepal, there are 1422 HIV infected people. Fur- • Monthly Support group meetings have been participated. Project monitoring thermore, Achham district has lowest Human • Behavior change communication is found conducted. Besides entrepreneurship matter, framework has been developed to help Development Index i.e. 0.378. People here are more effective through interpersonal discussions over various health related topic measure the effectiveness of program mostly migrants, dalit and their spouses. Stig- communications and informal education. were been done in such meetings. Such discussion activities in coming days. ma and Discrmination was wide spread. In case Home visits has helped in buidling trust and of Dalits and women, they are marginalized due encouraged them to stay healthy. • Bag and umbrella have been provided for confidence of migrant worker’s spouses. to caste and gender. • Monthly sessions on HIV and safe migration is peer educator.Two rounds of quarterly They have started to negotiate with their provided to high school students. PLHIV gave meeting of peer educator were held. Peer Recently started HIV and Migration project has husband for safe sex practices in order to orientation to students in class and students also educator shared their experience and brought HIV infected in one single forum and prevent from HIV and STI infection. showed their interest to learn more information on ideas regarding their field visit- proved has started to share their problems, feelings • Further, peer educators are proved another HIV and safer migration. Selected students from the to be best time to learn from each other’s and challenges now. Earlier, we always seek in- effective medium to raise awareness on HIV high schools were involved in Adolescence Club. experience. In the same meeting they dividual benefits through different implement- and AIDS of adolscence and high school have also prepared plan for next qua ed project which had resulted in failure due to lack of ownership of right holders. students. Improved health and income of PLHIV families Mr. Thapa told that they have realized their • Based on the project plan; two groups in Sugarkhal, strengths and potentialities now. They are B. Activities implemented in the able to submit their proposal to VDC. The VDC Kailali have been formed consisting 38 PLHIV. As council assessed their capacity and has pro- regular Project Phage per the request and need of PLHIV in Kuinae (Ward vided Rs.52,000 matching to revolving fund. no.9) a new group has been formed where eight new After the successful completion of the pilot phase Mr.Thapa added that they are able to provide PLHIV members were enrolled. (September-December 2014) now the project, Education more loan to needy PLHIV who are planning to for Safer Migration of Young People (HIV Education), • Project has provided seed money to PLHIV support start income generation activities. We hope is in its regular programmatic phase started since groups. With the seed money PLHIV have started that this will certainly contribute in raising hope January 2015. Under the financial support of the doing income generating activities. for our future of highly marginalized people- he Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission (FELM), the said. • Stationary materials along with uniform/bags have project has been implemented in consortium model, been provided to HIV infected and affected children. Further, the project is working in three VDCs of coordination support from Sansthagat Bikas Sanjal Through these support they have been motivated to Achham. The future networking among PLHIV and implemented by WACT and YES Nepal. Major go to school of 3 VDCs will add our voice and enable us to activities accomplished under this project were: work for our rights, he said. Increased capacity of PLHIV (& migrant workers) to advocates for their rights

SANJAL SANJAL Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 18 Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 Community people became aware risk elf-blaming puts life in problem than behaviors that lead to HIV/AIDS and treat- Sblaming and discrimination done by oth- ers. I hided inside my house for three years, ment associated with it consider that I have done a big sin I always kept on thinking about my mistake, I kept on telling my family members that this is be- Case Study cause of God’s will fearing that other could know about me. But since last two years these things are gone from my mind. The above words were told by a group member Purna Thapa during the meeting of Support Group.

There were many people in the village but I used to feel alone. I used to think that rela- tives are talking about me when I go out- side even to collect water. But, nowadays such thinking is fading way. This has been Photo: Performing Street Drama said by another member Sabi Mizar.

• Street drama has been conducted in 17 VDCs. During a discussion in monthly meeting of the Help Group, Chairperson Ausara B.K. • 4932 high school students have been provided said “including medicines for infected peo- orientation on HIV and AIDS and STI. ple other big work has done by this Help • 2244 community people have been given information Group. Widowers used to face problem about HIV and STI. while burrowing loans at the time of need like where to go even for a single penny. • 5089 migrants and their spouses have been counseled Nowadays this big problem has gone away. during home visit by project staffs Exchange of feelings cures inner wounds During the meeting, member Bhim B.K. • 7425 migrants and spouses were sensitized about said “while staying 12 years in India I got in- Reaching Across Border for HIV HIV and AIDS in group session. fected with HIV. I didn’t earn even a penny • 611 migrants in India were counseled by focal but today when Help Group is formed, fear person. from mind is gone away as well as with the Prevention (RAB) support from revolving fund I have staretd • 485 migrants and their spouses and community goat farming and been able to educate my people has been referred for HTC, ARV, CD4 and STI three children. Such emotional voice could be heard during monthly meetings of Help eaching Across HIV and AIDS Prevention is those regions, main source of living is employment • Organized several rallies, Radio program, football Group, Budhakot. Rbeing implemented in consortium model by the in different cities of India. It has been reported that matches between local journalist and PLHA four member organizations – Welfare Association of while in India unprotected sex with sex workers is After the inception of Reaching Across the Children Tikapur, Youths in Empowerment Sector- the main cause of contracting HIV. Returning home HIV/AIDS infected and affected people are Borders for HIV/AIDS Prevention (RAB) pro- Nepal, Interdependent Society Surkhet and Education with virus and transmitting it to the spouses remain provided care and support gramme by YES Nepal, VDC level groups are Training and Service for Community – Nepal in another problem. Due to lack of health facilities and started to form for the livelihood of infected coordination with Sansthagat Bikas Sanjal. Currently, social stigma attached to it many people die from it people. In the first meeting of the VDCno the project is in its second phase and has acquired without being diagnosed. RAB project involves support infected person joined, in second meeting financial support from Mennonite Central Committee regarding creating awareness on HIV and AIDS among also just four infected persons have par- for three years. The main goal of the project is to migrant workers and their spouses through many ticipated. That day we have made group of improve livelihood of PLHAs and minimize the risk ways. The project makes its effort through Nepali focal those four people. Slowly we informed oth- of HIV and AIDS among migrant workers and their persons based in India considering the effectiveness ers about the group and today there are 23 spouses and sensitize them to have access to medical of intervention at their workplace. Counseling at members. They use to discus about their treatment. The project has covered four districts – Nepal-India boarder is another intervention being business and problems. In coordination Achham, Kailali, Surkhet and Makawanpur. undertaken by the project. The project also provides with the VDC office they have received Rs. 20,000 and kept in the revolving fund. Now- livelihood support and better care to them to address The main cause of HIV infections is lack of awareness adays they have development their capac- their economic needs and stigma and; build district on its mode of transmission. Due to many reasons, cases Photo: Household visit by Field facilitator ity. Continue formation of new groups has level networks of people living with HIV to unite them helped make their voices unified and they of HIV and AIDS are highly prevalent in mid and far • Field facilitators have visited 268 household of and jointly advocate against HIV and AIDS. Major have received additional support in their western region of Nepal and identified as concentrated PLHA and counseled in order to ensure PLHA on activities accomplished during the period were: business; says Facilitator Rampyari Rawol. epidemic of HIV and AIDS. For many families in ART adherence and screening their health problem.

SANJAL SANJAL Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 20 Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 • 14 PLHA groups from 4 districts have been supported in livelihood activities. Key Lessons Learned

• 53 affected and infected children have received • Mobilization of PLHIV, migrants and educational support. spouses as a peer educator is found more effective for awareness raising and • 3 PLHA mother under PMTCT service were able to sustainability of self-help group. get nutritional support. • Integrated approach of Awareness rising of Formed PLHA Networks PLHIV on locally available nutritious food has been found successful. • Conducted monthly meetings of PLHA support groups. PLHA support group are enabled to conduct • Information center remained productive in meeting with DACC, DDC, VDC and other agencies Kailali in delivering HIV and AIDS, better to and advocate for their rights. expand such centers in other project areas.

• Coordination meeting with line agencies has organized in quarterly basis # Programme and Finance staff members of Sanjal inten- • RAB coordination meeting has been organized. sively carried out follow-up and monitoring of the RAB 13 participants were participated from member programme. During monitoring visits, the monitoring organization and Sanjal. team shared suggestions and feedback with the project staff and member organization (MOs) so that they also • 60 members of PLHA network had participated in know the status of the project. The MO staff and the board accounting training. also visited the communities and talked to the beneficia- ries to see the impact of the project • Participatory review has been conducted in Kailali and Surkhet with the support of external facilitator.

atan Kumari Dhami of Payal VDC ward no. 7 is a student of class 9. Among two broth- Rers and two sisters she is the youngest. She says as her father has died in her early age and her mother is also HIV positive she could not continue her education. Even having desire to go to school but as mother falls ill time and again and due to poor economic condition of the family I couldn’t upgrade into higher class compared to my Enhancing Food Security Resilience in Case Study 17 years of age.

She shared, “My mother always used to give me medicine, but I was not aware about it. Land-Poor Communities Every time I asked what the medicine was for. She used to reply me that the medicine is to make me healthy and also to cure my fever. She never told me the truth. One day my brother came home and began to argue with mother. He was heavily drunk on that day. nder the financial support of Mennonite Central are rain-fed so rice seedling transplantation has My brother shouted me and mother too. He was saying that we both were worthless. I UCommittee (MCC) Enhancing Food Security got badly affected this year. This delay led to lower was really shocked when I heard these words. On that night, my mother cried and told Resilience in Land-Poor Communities is being production. In addition, rainfall during harvesting

Educational Support me all the reality. She said that my father died due to AIDS. She is also suffering with implemented in consortium model by the two member (mid of October) period also affected the paddy HIV now. I was shocked and could not believe the bitter truth. I was studying at grade 8 organizations Jana Jagarun Samaj (JJS) and Tribeni production. In addition, torrential rainfall during mid when I came to know that this disease is incurable. I left my school upon thinking that I Bikas Samaj (TBS) in coordination with Sansthagat will die very soon. I stayed in home and used to go for grazing cattle. of August caused heavy flood which claimed number Bikas Sanjal, in four VDCs i.e. Belahari, Belbhari, motivates to go School of lives and tons of stored food. In January/ February, Once my mother took me to VDC office where I saw many HIV infected children (or- Kholapur, Manikapur and Rajhena of Banke district unexpected rainfall affected wheat, mustard and lentil nd phans). Many of them were studying well and the best student was awarded also. That of Nepal. Currently the project is in its 2 year having harvesting. Meanwhile, some of our project activities inspired me to continue my education that I had left. Later, I came to know about RAB total period of two years (May 2014-March 2016). The also got delayed as a result of unpredicted rainfall project of YES Nepal providing support to the Children Affected By Aids (CABA). I applied ultimate goal of the project is to increased food security pattern. In working area connectiong roads/ bridge and got selected for the CABA program. Though the program I received educational ma- among landless and land-poor rural households in got damaged by flood. Political environment was terials and uniform. Also the project member coordinated with school for free educa- Banke. cooperative except some incidences of Nepal Band tion (scholarship) for me. I work hard for my study and stood fourth position in my class (Closing of Markets) during this period. However there and have been upgraded in class 9. Nowadays I go to school regularly and I am good in Banke district belongs to terai (plain) region of Nepal is no disturbance in implementation of the project. On my study. Ratan adds ‘She has a dream to serve her community becoming a teacher. is relatively drier during summer. On an average, pre- monsoon begins from May and full monsoon starts April 25th devastating earthquake of 7.8 magnitude from June. This year, however, monsoon got delayed struck Nepal taking lives of thousands and destroying by over 45 days. Most agricultural fields in the region property worth billions. As the effect of earthquake was

SANJAL SANJAL Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 22 Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 limited to hilly and mountainous district of Nepal, no any noticeable damage has been recorded in working area. The major activities accomplished under this project were:

Improved food consumption (due to in- Case Study creased production) • Conducted three days semi commercial vegetable training for community people: 39 participants (31 female) from 8 farmers group attend the event. The participants got knowledge about semi commercial vegetable farming techniques. Topics covered Photo: Recently constructed farm for piglets during training are introduction to vegetable farming, seasonal vegetables farming, types of seeds, Bikash Samaj and Jana Jagaran Samaj for two preparation of compost, preparation of botanical days. A total of 31 participants attended the training pesticides and its use, management of disease and events. 30 piglets have been distributed as a subsidy rs. Hasta Bista, 38, is a permanent residence of Kohalpur -10. She has been a member insect pest. for 15 trained participants of JJS working area. Mof Namuna group since 2060. Initially she has got training from TBS in semi commercial Similarly, 20 piglets have been distributed to 10 pig vegetable farming and started growing vegetable in a small area. The produced vegetable • Provided seed and other material to semi- farmers of TBS working area at 75% subsidy. was enough to feed six family members. Now she has expended her business to 0.56 ha. commercial farmer: 39 trained participants with About 80% of the land is in rent and she pays about 24000/ annually to the land owner. vegetable farming have got vegetables seeds. Seeds • Entrepreneurship training for agriculture and of cauliflower, cabbage, tomato, , chilly, reddish, livestock business: Entrepreneurship training has Mrs Bista is also equipped with semi-commercial vegetable production technique in this coriander has been distributed to cover 0.101 to 0.23 conducted in Belahari VDC. Fourteen participants year. She learned sustainable pest control techniques like biological, botanical pesticide etc. Ha/ participants. In addition of seeds, 8 participants including 12 female of JJS working area were Now, she is following crop rotation on her farm to maximize production and profit. After the from JJS working area got watering cane and 10 participated the event. After completion of the training she has started producing off seasonal vegetables like cauliflower and tomato. This members of 3 group got electric motor as a subsidy training most of the participants motivated to year she has sold 20 kgs of cauliflower @ Rs 35/kg in off season while 1300 kg in season. She in TBS working area. establish agriculture or livestock related business, also produces bottle gourd, bitter gourd, cowpea, cabbage etc as a seasonal crop. She has some of the participants started the business. also started counseling to neighbors for commercial farming. Because of her counseling two of the neighbors also have started farming. I got basic training and improved a lot , however, Improved nutrition status of under 5 years we still have problems and challenges like disease, fertilizer management, variety selection children and pregnant/lactating mothers etc so we do need advance training to improve farming techniques, she said. • Conducted a day long interaction on nutrition In average she is making Rs 16000 per month. She invests earned profit in her children edu- for community people in 3 VDCs (Rajhena, cation. My family is very happy now for which credit goes to Tribeni Bikash Samaj and their donors, she expresses with smile.

Kohalpur, Manikapur) of TBS working area and diet for them, frequency of health checkup, breast 2 VDCs (Belahari and Belbhar) of JJS working feeding, vaccination, balance diet, preparation

Photo: A woman farmer showing her Semi-commercial vegetable farming area. About, 156 participants including 117 female method and importance of Sarbottam Pitho etc. In have participated the program. Topics like: food Rajhena, Kohalpur and Manikapur, a repeated one • Poultr farming training: Two days poultry types, cooking techniques, balance diet, junk food, day nutrition campaign was conducted where 184 farming training was conducted for 5 farmers vitamins and deficiency symptoms of vitamins participants attended. belongs to Hariyali and Srijan group of Belahari and minerals, balance diet, health checkup, breast • Nutrition Fair: Three rounds of nutrition fairs have VDC. All of the participants were female. Topic feeding, food security, and challenges and problem been completed in belahari VDC of JJS working included, introduction of poultry farming, breeds faced by women regarding nutrition etc. were area. About 85 participants including 71 female of poultry, management of housing system, feeding discussed in the program. attended the fair. Participants brought food from management, symptoms of diseases and their • One day interaction campaign on nutrition to their own production for display and sell and treatment, cost and profit calculations etc. After husband and wife has been conducted in Belahari, also learned the value of locally produced items completion of training 100 poultry chicks has Manikapur, Kohalpur and Rajhena VDCs. A total of and healthy ways to prepare it. In addition, basic distributed. 110 participants were involved including 81 females. nutrition awareness on Balance diet, Sarbottam • Conducted two days Pig farming training and Most of the participants were pregnant/lactating pitho, Brest feeding, kitchen gardening has also provide pig subsidy to group-selected farmers: women and husbands. Topics discussed were: been given to the participants. Pig farming trainings were conducted at Tribeni Photo: Nutrition awareness training care of pregnant/ lactating woman and necessary • A two days Community Facilitator skill

SANJAL SANJAL Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 24 Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 development training on nutrition was conducted • A VDC level meeting was organized at Trbeni at JJS office for group leaders and FCHV to improve Bikash Samaj. A total of 31 participants including their facilitation capacity. A total of 15 participants project participants from Manikapur, Rajhena and including 12 female have participated the event. Kohalpur VDCs, VDC secretary, politician and Now, all of the leaders and FCHVs are capable of project staffs have attended the event. A District facilitating meeting themselves. Project advisory committee meeting was also held in December at Nepalgunj in presence of representative Improved CBO Capacity from MCC, SBS, TB, JJS, DADO, DDC, DHO and DLSO. In addition, frequent informal meetings and • Two days group fund mobilization training was field visits along with line agencies were conducted. conducted at TBS training hall and Belahari VDC. The training was facilitated by the cooperative manager and executive manager of TBS and Program supportive activities incase of Belahari JJS staff facilitate the event. 78 • Three orientations on food security program were participants (56 female) from 24 community groups conducted in TBS and JJS working area. A total of 86 have participated in those trainings. participants including 52 female have participated the event. Political leaders, representatives from • Three days policy making workshop has been different organizations were given orientation on conducted at TBS training hall. 11 staff member program, objectives, donor organization, working and 14 board members have been participated in area, activities, budget, staff mobilization, supports the event. Topic covered were: planning, how to and other related activities. implement the program, activities date and time, selection of participant rules and regulation for • JJS and TBS have established good coordination loan, saving and credit policy etc. with VDCs, DLSO, DADO for different activities like, training materials, and financial support. To • Conducted two days training to main committee distribute vegetable seeds to participants, Belahari management members of groups of Belahari and VDC office has contributed NRs 40,000 to JJS. Belabhar VDC. A total of 63 participants including 35 female attended the event. Topic covered: strength and weakness of main committee, improvement Key Lessons Learned of weakness, opportunities, challenges, role and responsibility of main committee etc. • Most of the time completion of planned • A total amount of NRs 178,000/- as a revolving fund activities got delayed due to heavy flooding has been distributed to seven communities. The during rainy season each year. So it is Yuwa Krishi Swarojgar (YKS): project has actually disbursed NRs 144,000/- and strongly felt that during project planning, TBS disbursed 34,000/- through cooperative. The some disaster awareness activities should loan has been used for the purpose of vegetable also be included. There is also need to Young Farmer Entrepreneurship farming, pig farming, poultry farming and banana allocate fund for emergency response. cultivation. • Some of the participants didn’t able to for Food Security feed medicine or vaccinate to their piglets thus the growth of the piglets is slow than normal. uwa Krishi Swarojgar: Young Farmer marginalized youth like agriculture-based livelihood • The agriculture related training could YEntrepreneurship for Food Security project has opportunities and reduce the trend of migration of youth be more effective if we have also planned been implemented by Sansthagat Bikas Sanjal in to India for employment opportunities, and strengthen for at least one day farmer to farmer partnership with Youths in Empowerment Sector (YES cooperative organization capacity to provide services visit. of PLHIV, migrants and spouses as Nepal) since March 2014, under the financial support to its member. a peer educator is found more effective for of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in five VDCs Achham district belongs to the Far-western region awareness raising and sustainability of self- namely; Marku, Duni, Patalkot, Sokat and Syudi of in Nepal. The region is relatively drier than other help group. Achham district of Nepal. The ultimate goal of the regions. On average, pre-monsoon begins in May and project is to improve food security among hunger- full monsoon starts from June. However, monsoon is affected households through increased local livelihoods Photo: Piglets supported by the project delayed by one and half months in the project month. opportunities for marginalized youth. Among others, Most agricultural fields in the region are rain-fed so the main objectives of the project are: to increase rice seedling transplantation and maize sowing have food security among hunger-affected households got delayed this year. This delay has led to lower through increased local livelihoods opportunities for production. In addition, hailstone at harvesting time

SANJAL SANJAL Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 26 Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 has resulted less food product in project constituency. • Two days nutrition training was organized along with farmer business school classes. All together 200 The one year project period seem more peaceful in participants’ from 5 VDCs were trained in improved response to favorable political environment. Moreover, nutrition practices. The topics included: importance this program has established a good coordination with of carbohydrate, proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins community-level stakeholders such as agriculture sub-

and their sources; balance diet; malnutrition; rakash Saud lives in Achham District Case Study center office, veterinary sub-center office for proper improved feeding habits to reduce malnutrition; Siudi VDC ward no. 4 Khedi. In his implementation of the program. Currently, YKS project P disadvantages of junk food etc. family he has his mother, brother-sisters, is trying to establish coordination with SUAHARA daughter, he and his wife making alto- program to avoid duplication of nutrition related • Four staff of this project participated in a five-day gether eight members. Eight years before activities. Project also trying to establish coordination TOT on basic nutrition, at Gaindakot, Nawalparasi. someone in the family has to go to India with SAFAL project based on cooperative improvement The TOT was organized by MCC with technical for work and earn money to support the activities. The major activities accomplished were: support from Nutrition Promotion and Consultancy family expenses. But, sadly six year back Photo: Government representatives interacting with FBS participants Services. his father passed away leaving all family Increased consumption of nutritious food responsibilities on him. To ease the finan- • About 152 pregnant and lactating women were • A total 159 participants who completed business among hunger-affected families cial problem in the family he planned to identified in five VDC for nutrition education. school classes and skill training got the loan and go to India but as there are no other male • Conducted three days Nutrition Fair in Gairilek Participants were from nutritionally poor family. grant. Each of the participants got loan of NRs 8000 members in the family and brothers are Suidi, Manegada Sokot & Chukhutee Duni VDC in After the education they are able to share their without interest for a year and same amount (NRs also small he couldn’t manage to go, in- April 2015 in coordination with local youth clubs. learning on nutrition to their colleagues 8000) of non refundable grant to start business. The stead he started goat farming but initially participants will contribute NRs 4000 to establish in traditional manner. YES Nepal through About 464 including 323 community members • Interaction program were conducted in all groups

the business. I want to be a role model ROSE program has helped to form coop- attended the event. Participants were taught in presence of 150 mother/daughter-in-laws to about three types of food, iodized salt, benefits erative in the village. In that cooperative discuss about maternal health and family nutrition. • A total of six participants were trained in Village he got the opportunity to work as a man- and preparation technique of super flour, and Interaction meeting was held on the world breast Animal Health worker training, was conducted by ager. Nowadays, Young Farmer Entrepre- disadvantage of junk food. Local Youth club also feeding day. Animal Health Training and Consultancy Services neurship programme is also running in organized cultural program from each ward in (AHTCS) (one of the member of Sansthagat Bikas Siudi VDC. From that programme his wife Suidi and Sokot VDC. Patalkot, Marku and Duni Increased access to nutritious food Sanjal). The training lasted for 35 days (31 Oct got an opportunity to participate in 11 VDC jointly organized campaign in Chukhuttee, to 4 Dec,2014) in Arva Resource Centre, AHTCS, days Farmer Business School as well as re- Duni VDC. • Training on Farmer Business School was conducted Arvavijaya-5, Kaski. ceived training on goat farming. Prakash in all 5 VDCs of working area. 200 participants, being the manager of the cooperative, he cooperative members were trained in improved • Subsector analysis was conducted together with also participated in goat farming training. agriculture business skills. Participants were value chain analysis. In a daylong workshop, Participating in the training he and his selected from poor and marginalized families who farmers from respective VDC, agriculture (Agro wife acquired knowledge on commercial have interest in agriculture or livestock business. vet) traders, representative from DADO and DLSO, goat farming. Nowadays, they are us- In addition, youth who already went to India for job collector and Retail shop keeper have attended the ing knowledge they have learnt in their searching or potential migrants got priority for this event. Group work was conducted to find out the behavior. He says, in the training I learnt training. promising subsector for young farmer’s business. A that ‘for good offspring mating between total of 27 participants attended the event. close relatives should be avoided’. He has • Four days TOT on Farmers Business School bought a male goat of Jamunapari breed was conducted in Sanfebagar, Achham, with the • Conducted Value Chain Actors workshop along in Rs. 14,000 from another village. Nowa- presence of 17 participants from YES-Nepal; Prabin with subsector analysis. The workshop had covered, days to feed goats he use to make tatano Poudyal, marketing and value chain expert from lectures based classes on value chain analysis, and mineral balls. He told that he want to Linking smallholders with local institutions and group works and subsector analysis. Altogether 27 work being a role model for other poor Photo: Participants attending Nutrition Fair markets (LINK) funded by HELVETAS Swiss Participants worked on value chain of goat meat and back-warded communities.. Interoperation Nepal has facilitated the event. (from goat rearing to final product). At other hand, he has developed high • Upon completion of FBS classes, same participants • A collection center located in Chaukhutte, Duni knowledge in cooperative management. were trained to enhance their existing skills VDC along with Siddhababa cooperative has been Before, it was difficult for him to manage according to their business interest. The training reactivated and supported with balance scale and accounts but now after having several topics were depending on the participant’s business weight, wooden cupboard and steel cupboard. trainings it has become easier. Now he even visits other cooperative organiza- plan which was prepared during Farmer Business Farmer business school participants and other tions for providing counseling service. School (FBS) classes. 134 of the participants wish to community people are benefited through the service Also, to make his own cooperative orga- have goat business, so those participants were trained • To increase access to irrigation for young farmers nized and active he has been coordinating in improved goat raising skills/techniques for 6 in the community, six drinking taps along with with different stakeholders. days. The remaining eight participants have chosen irrigation water collection pond aside and 2 poultry/ vegetable farming business, so 6 days Poultry cemented pond constructions has been completed in production training was organized in Chaukhutte. Photo: Vegetables and fruits in Nutrition fair 5 VDCs. About 155 HHs including 35 young farmers

SANJAL SANJAL Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 28 Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 now have increased assess of irrigation facility. and opportunities; strength and weakness of the chairperson, treasurer, secretary, and farmer Users committee member contribute unskilled cooperatives and application of business plan. leader) including 3 project staffs participated in labour, estimated amount of sand, aggregate wooden exposure visit. • Cooperative management training in accounting, flacks. leadership, transparency and business planning Program supporting activities was conducted at Chaukhutte, Duni VDC. Strengthened cooperative organization ca- Five cooperative managers, 10 cooperative • Program orientation for beneficiaries was pacity to provide member services representatives of the five VDCs, five social conducted in all the five VDCs of the project area. A • Youth orientation program on cooperative was mobilizers and two JTAs participated in the event. total of 148 participants have been familiar with the conducted in five working VDCs. A total of 202 project concept, activities, goals, objectives, outputs community members have participated and and outcomes as stated in the proposals. gather knowledge on introduction to cooperatives, • Stationery and accounting material was supported to • Five planning meetings were conducted. Meetings organizational structure, objectives, benefits as a cooperatives to help take on the extra administrative were focused on: reporting, details of quarterly member, and role/responsibilities of members. work of disbursing and monitoring loans for the allocated activities and their mode of operation; • All grant and loan amount for 159 FBS participants project. Additionally, monthly contribution of NRs report format development, etc. 3,000 has been made to incentive for cooperative has disbursed to FBS participants. FBS participants • The adult education training was organized with The Training was jointly facilitated by Project managers. have invested the loan and grant amount on their the attendance of 15 participants of YES Nepal Coordinator of Sanjal, Project Coordinator of approved business. Cooperative loan monitoring • Five day business plan development workshop comprises 5 social mobilizers, 2 JTAs, 5 co-operative YES, Soil scientist- NARC and Senior livestock committee and YES-Nepal staff are conducting was conducted in Mahendranagar. Total of 20 managers, project co-coordinator, field supervisor Technician-DLSO. A total of 11 participants attended jointly or separately monitoring visits to participants (3 participants from each cooperative and account assistant in Mahendranagar. the event. participants business. including Chairperson, Treasurer, and secretary) • Fourquarterly sharing meeting has conducted and 5 project staff participated in the event. at Chaukhutte of Duni and Chirkitte of Marku • Six days exposure visit has been organized for Key Lessons Learned VDCs. Where cooperative representatives cooperative members to improve the cooperative (managers, executive committee members) status, their fund disbursement and fund raising • Salary budget for staff members should from five VDCs sit together and discussed about techniques. A total of 29 participants (5 participants be competitive as per the sector and progress of cooperatives, learning, challenges from each cooperatives including, manager, consideration to project constituency. • The compensation worth of NRs 3,000 per month for cooperative manager is very untali Saud, 39, permanent resident of Achham District, Shokat VDC, ward no. S1 Chakumi has four members in her family. It was problem in the family even to low especially for crawling cooperatives. manage two meals a day from production they make throughout a year. Besides, During initial period of cooperative this family has less land and production was also not so good. She has done vegeta- establishment, they are not able to pay high ble farming previously but as planted vegetable were been eaten by wild animals, salary for the managers. So, for the effective Buffalo: she could not succeed from that business. management there shall be more allocation Case Study Photo: Participants that are participated in Cooperative Exposure visit than currently budgeted. Our main Since March 2014, YES Nepal started Young Farmer Entrepreneurship programmes. In that programme, from every ward 3-4 youths of 20 to 40 years of ages were se- • To maintain transparency and accountability, • Any activity that is based on cost sharing lected to do agriculture related business. 11 days Farmer Business School was or- one day social audit organized in all five VDCs. with other projects should have alternative source ganized for selected entrepreneurs where Suntali Saud was one of the participats. Local political leader, Teacher, Social leader, plan for fund arrangement. After participation in the Farmer Business School, she developed plans for buffalo entrepreneurs have attended the event. In total, 193 • Improvement in working efficiency of of family farming, as per which she got Rs. 16,000 from cooperative and invested extra Rs. including 96 female have participated. cooperative manager has been found after 24,000 from her own to purchase a buffalo. income • To enhance training skills on improved vegetable, implementation of monthly working plan. Suntali use to sell in average four liters of milk daily in the nearby market place. Do- fruit, goat and pig farming, six days agriculture • Cooperative business plan helped to prepare ing this she has been challenging all rudimentary/traditional norms and values of based TOT was organized from 9th December,2014 operational plan for cooperatives the society. Earning Rs. 200 per day in three months she has earned Rs. 18,000. She to 14th December 2014 at Hotel Sunrise, Banke. says milk collected at evening used for family and only the milk collected at morn- ing is sold., . If I could also sell the evening milk I would have earned more. She says, from the money I earned from milk I paid back Rs. 5,000 to the village merchant, bought books, copies and bags for children worth Rs. 2,000, purchased one quintal of rice and 10 kgs of lentils.. Sometimes family members get sick, so I have kept Rs. 4,000 at home for emergency situation. Therefore, buffalo has become our main source of income to meet all our family expenses. She has a plan to buy and rare one more buffalo and increase income by selling more milk.

SANJAL SANJAL Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 30 Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 out, there are few activities accomplished under the remaining last quarter of the project (i.e. July-October 2014), they are:

Social Audit • HRDON organized one day social audit each in two working VDCs i.e. Singhadevi and Yangsila VDC to share completed Case Study Progressive activities and their budget disbursement to the community people and stakeholders. During the audit, chairperson of farmer of Sansthagat Bikash Sanjal- Mr. Dilli Ram Adhikari, chairperson of HRDON- Mr. Tek Bahadur Limbu, Program coordinator- Northern Mrs. RashilaShrestha, accountant-Ms. Mina Rai, overseer- Mr. Khadka Kumar Basnet and other project participants Morang attended the event. Detail about project activities and fund disbursement were the topics at the event. The main objective of mrita Sigdel, a single mother, conducting social audit it to be transparent to the beneficiaries, Alives in Rajarani of Yangsila communities and related bodies regarding the resources used VDC in Northern Morang. Her for the completed activities. main income source is vegetable • All the participants were happy during this sharing event farming. Now days she looks and acknowledged to all related stakeholders. They wished very busy with her daily chores of planting, weeding and -har for continuing the program enhancing knowledge on plastic vesting of vegetables. In spite of green house, fertilizer management, harvesting techniques and her hard labor, she was unable to marketing of produce. They also wished to have continuous increase her production as she monitoring on their farming activities, like micro irrigation used to face a lot of problems techniques and disease pest management. They suggested for related to soil nutrient manage- separate presentation of financial report for each VDCs (we have ment, disease and pest manage- presented the combined financial report of activities conducted ment. in both VDCs) which would help better understand expenses Vs outcome. Her technical knowledge on veg- etable farming improved when Capacity Enhancement of Cooperatives she joined the Setogurash farm- ers’ group initiated previously by IFCO project. As a group mem- Strengthening Community ber, she was trained in vegetable production technique after im- plementing “Strengthening Com- Self-Reliance for Food Security munity Self-Reliance for Food Security project” and received bitter gourd seeds for demon- nder the financial support of Mennonite Central sheets can be seen all over the areas. Nicely promoted stration. Recently she has sold Committee (MCC), Sansthagat Bikas Sanjal home stays, locally made garbage buckets along the 73 kg of bitter gourd worth NRs U 2920.00 in Dharan. As a progres- in partnership with Hilly Rural Development paths of Singha Devi VDC reflected the awareness level. sive farmer, she has got plastic Organization have carried out Strengthening Most of the participants belong to Janajati or Dalits, greenhouse from this project. Community Self-Reliance for Food Security project at however, there is no discrimination between them and Now, she has started offseason Yangshila and Singha Devi VDC, Morang District. The are free to celebrate their cultures and traditions. tomato production under the project has started on November 1, 2013 and recently In response to climatic factor, prolonged dry season and greenhouse. She is very happy got completed on October 30, 2014. The overall objective insufficient pre monsoon delayed in transplantation of with her green environment. She of the project is to strengthen community self-reliance Photo: Participants involved in cooperative management training says “now I am pretty sure that, I agriculture crops, especially in rain fed fields. Delayed for food security through capacity enhancement of can improve my life by producing monsoon heavily affected summer vegetable crops, • Two days account keeping trainings were conducted to improve CBOs to address community needs and increase access vegetables and thanks to HRDON maize showing and rice seedling transplantation. Most the capacity of cooperative and 6 farmers’ group in record to nutritious food among and increase the use of good and ‘Strengthening Community of the working areas are connected with rugged road keeping and transparency in two different places i.e. training nutrition practices among farmers’ group members. Self-Reliance for Food Security which are only assessable during winter and summer hall of Sundhara cooperative for members of cooperatives, project’ for bringing the program Both working VDCs (Yangshila and Singa Devi) of are season. Heavy rain during end of the July created some Parijat & Barabhanjang and training hall of Himali group for in my community”. most remote areas of Morang district. Small houses, difficulties in transportation of vegetables and regular Himali, Santisrijana, Lalupate & Setogurash. roofs made up of grass/straws, stones or galvanized iron travel. As most of the activities are already been carried

SANJAL SANJAL Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 32 Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 Case Study knowledge of crop production. People had to work for • Information for on project updates was collected others to sustain their daily life. Low wages and lack of from frequent follow-up visits, monthly project appropriate jobs year round have had made their life reports, including information recorded by staff at difficult. Learning from the different capacity building each training session. Sanjal staff and MCC staff trainings and crop production trainings organized by the have visited the project working areas on May 12-14, ‘Improving food security through community organiza- and September 7-9, 2014. tion’ project (IFCO) (2010-2013) and the ‘Strengthening community self-reliance for food security’ project (2013- • Most of the farmers have increased awareness 2014), the situation now has been changed. Many group about vegetable/ livestock production technology members are earning enough from vegetable farming and their marketing strategy. They have started to and do not need to go for daily wage labor. Children are produce off-season vegetables for higher earnings. going to school since families can afford school fees and Year round vegetable production (both seasonal uniforms. Group members report that their knowledge and off-season) is now possible in Yangsila VDC on nutrition improved the health of children and families after construction of MUS. Most of the farmers have as well. Establishing good relationships with government plastic green house on their field. Some of those are agencies and other CBOs is another part of the sustain- Growing Cooperation supported by projects and some are constructed by able initiation the group has taken. About 2 km of motor accessible road has been constructed. About 80% of the themselves (demonstration effect). All the plastic tunnels were filled with tomato plants. All fields Photo: Cooperative ginger farming by Himali Farmers’ Group cost for constructing of the road was collected by them, 15% cost from the VDC, and 5% from the Sadhutar local were filled with tomatoes, cauliflower, mustard imali Farmers’ Group is one of the actively (SBS) and Mennonite Central Committee(MCC). Now, forest committee. Construction of this road has increased leaves as offseason production and chilies, cowpeas, in the Himali Farmers’ Group Hgrowing farmers’groups of Yangshila VDC the capacity of the group has been building up and is access to market for locals. The group is able to distrib- sponge gourd, cucumber etc as seasonal crops. of Morang District. The majority of group moving gradually towards self-reliance. They are taking ute easy and low interest loans for medicine, farming and members are from ethnic minorities and dalit initiative to start cooperative farming and other social other important activities. Now, this group is emerging as (so called untouchable) people groups.. The development activities. a role model for other communities. group was formed in 2010 with support from Key Lessons Learned Hilly Rural Development Organization Nepal Before the formation of the group, the people were • (HRDON) along with Sansthagat Bikas Sanjal quite poor, socially disadvantaged and had limited Some of the participants are member of other project’s beneficiary group. There involvement in both projects’ groups • To improve access of credits for investment in Increased Knowledge of good nutrition pitho to their u-5 children which are 9% increment may provide comparison of this project agriculture, a total of NPR 30,000.00 revolving practices then baseline survey. Most of the parents know the with another project and increases more fund per group was given to three farmer’s groups importance of surbottam pitho and preparation expectations to remaining members as well. (Setogurans, Santisrijana and Lalupate farmers • Program coordinator participated in a five-day technique but they are found lazy to prepare at • Job allocation (% of working responsibility) group). As per the guidelines, loan has been provided TOT on basic nutrition at Gaindakot, Nawalparasi. home. However, children are fed more than thrice for staff seems very much important in to most disadvantaged and hardworking member of The TOT was organized by MCC with technical a day. About 31% HHs stopped taking junk food success full implementation of the project. the group. support from Nutrition Promotion and Consultancy which has decreased monthly expenditure from Services. NRs 565 to 787 by the end of the project. End line data • Most parents know about sarbottam pitho • Two days refresher nutrition training was held for all shows here is tremendous increment (NRs 56,691) and how to prepare it but they do not bother 6 farmers’ group in Singhadevi and Rajarani VDCs. in income through vegetable production compared to prepare it at home. It seems, there is need A total of 91 participants including 67 female were to baseline survey (NRs 10,188). About 68% of the of additional nutritional awareness. respondents were found to use improved/modern participated in the Training which was facilitated by • Need additional training on commercial technique in vegetable production. Moreover, about program coordinator. Topic covered: introduction vegetable production techniques as most 58% of the respondent eat balanced diet. Increment of nutrition and nutritious foods, balance diet, of the farmers are attracted towards it. It is on consumption of vegetables in their diet is due to introduction to malnutrition, prevention measures observed that most of the farms are suffering increment on their vegetable production. from malnutrition, importance of mothers’ milk from lower production due to wrong variety for infants, importance and preparation method selection, disease and pest infestation and of Sarwottam Pitho(Super flour) for children, and Project Monitoring other agriculture techniques. That is why importance of Iodine. they still need to earn modern techniques • Since the project proposal, groups have expanded regarding, crop variety selection, fertilizer from a total of 100 members to 131 group members End line Survey management, disease and pest management, and 170 cooperative members- making altogether • Program End line survey was conducted in 54 HHs of harvesting and grading techniques for 301 members. Singhadevi and Yangshila VDCs of Morang district sustainability of this change. (See annex). Among the respondents, 10 belonged to dalits and 20 belonged to janajati. About 32% of the respondents were found feeding sarbottam Photo: Goat and pigs purchased by farmers using loan from revolving fund.

SANJAL SANJAL Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 34 Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 destruction and loss of life and property in different parts of Nepal. Though the severe damage wasn’t recorded in working area, psychological effect created problem in community people. In addition, sudden raise in food price after earthquake is a new challenge for food insecure people. Political situation during this

Case Study Gratitude to the period seems normal life changing Follow up on management and use of MUWS project The MUWS in Sadhutar and Rajarani is used for drinking and irrigation. The communities of these two VDCs now have easy access to water. They have been using the water for drinking, irrigation Mr. Prem Basnet is considered as and other household use. This has made their lives much easier and an innovative vegetable farmer in women can now spend time saved from porting water in farming his hometown Yangshila-8, Sad- and other productive activities. Farmers are irrigating vegetables hutar, Morang. Earlier he was a by using drip sets distributed previously. MUWS management worried and unable to fulfill his committee is very effective. Use of water for irrigation is on routine family’s requirement. A transfor- mation when he joined “Strength- basis where 2 hrs per day per household has allocated for irrigation ening Community Self-Reliance for purpose. The management committee has decided to fine for misuse Food Security project”. He said: of water. Management committee also decided that each and every ‘the program was good for farmers MUWS user should plant 5 types of vegetables at least 10 plants of like me who don’t have any other each in their garden to have access of water. alternatives but to fully depend in agriculture for livelihood’. Mr. Basnet attended has received cash crop production and other vegeta- ble production training conducted by previous IFCO project. Step by step he started farming activities both on organic and conventional ways with expected returns. Now he has started organic vegetable farming on his own land. He is Project Monitoring: well supported by his family in farming activities. His family has supported in preparation of bo- Strengthening Community tanical pesticides and improved Photo: Farmer using drip irrigation after construction of MUWS farm yard manure along with Self-Reliance for Food Security vegetable growing activities and marketing of products. He is well conscious about negative impact of chemical pesticides and fertil- fter the successful completion of ‘Strengthening food security based activities that have been carried out izers on human health and biodi- ACommunity Self-Reliance for Food Security through this Strengthening Community Self-Reliance versity like beneficial insects. This project” under the genuine financial support of for Food Security project. rainy season he has earned about Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) at Yangshila NRs 100,000 by selling offseason Heavy and frequent rain in the end of February and and Singha Devi VDC of Morang District, monitoring tomato (produced under plastic early weeks of March has bady affected chilly and bitter of the those project activities has been carried out tunnel provided by this project), gourd production. Similarly in summer (May) severe through December 1, 2014 to May 31, 2015 as a separate chilly, bottle gourd and bitter heat wave badly affected the production. Continue project by Sansthagat Bikas Sanjal in partnership with gourd. “In the coming season of dry weather and lack of sufficient soil moisture due to Hilly Rural Development Organization (HRDON) in this year, I am hoping have double absence of any rainfall activities during pre monsoon earning as we have irrigation facil- two wards each of Yangsila and Singha Devi VDCs. days hit the farmer. Early variety of maize and rainy ity now” he said and added “I and The overall objective of this monitoring project was Photo: Pipes used for Drip irrigation for tomato season crops are mostly affected. Heavy wind in May the whole residents of Sadhutar to monitor the activities conducted by Strengthening also affected crops under plastic green house. Some of Follow-up of Groups for coaching and monitoring on are very thankful to this life chang- Community Self-Reliance for Food Security project and the plastic were damaged. On 25 April, 7.8 magnitude ing project”. facilitate cooperatives and farmers group to link with saving and record keeping earthquake struck Nepal causing widespread government, in order to help for sustainability of the All the groups are active in meeting and monthly saving. Ways of

SANJAL SANJAL Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 36 Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 improving agriculture/ livestock production and their Follow-up and monitor on consumption of marketing, increment of saving and mobilizing fund balance diet and awareness on nutrition are the main discussion topics of the meetings. This has assisted the groups in developing and maintaining As several trainings and awareness activities have been appropriate policies and standard accounting practices conducted regarding nutrition during previous food to ensure transparency and enhance the sustainability security project, some of the participants now include of the co-operatives and farmers’ groups. three types of food in their daily meal. This feeding habit changed due to increased vegetable production, Through revolving fund disbursed during previous their availability and access. However, most parents year, most of the participants are growing goats. The know about sarbottam pitho and how to prepare it but revolving fund has been sifted to 4th participants (4th they do not bother to prepare it at home. Children who generation). Some of the participants pay loan as a cash go to school are bit shy to bring home made snacks. or provide kids equal to the loan to new user. Positive point on the other hand is that, most of the people are aware on safe drinking water and reduced Follow-up and monitoring of vegetable pro- number of diarrhea cases compared to previous years. duction system and technical advice All most all farmers are busy in producing vegetables, the area covered with commercial vegetable production are been increasing. Knowledge regarding off seasonal vegetable production and cash crop seems very applicable to the community. Now most of the farmers are preparing and using organic fertilizer, liquid fertilizer for growing chilies, cucumber, bitter gourd, sponge gourd, tomato, carrots, cauliflower, coriander and beans. In addition, farmers applied acquired knowledge on nursery bed establishment which seems very effective to grow healthier seedlings. Photo: Chairperson of Sanjal monitoring farmer’s field Some of the farmers grew mushrooms for home Follow-up and monitor on consumption of consumption and surplus was sold out in local balance diet and awareness on nutrition community and market. Participants from Himali Cooperative is continuing their collaboration with farmer group, Rajarani farmer group, Barbhanjyang government agencies for agriculture supports like: Jokhim ma parekalai poshan: trainings, micro irrigations, tunnels, improved seeds, livestock, technical consultancy and other agriculture inputs. They have demonstrated good relation between government and community. Improving Nutrition of Vulnerable Communities A meeting with government and Santisrijana farmer group was organized to establish link with government. through Livelihood Enhancement They have completed some remaining process of group registration in DADO. In addition, available resource and their allocation in VDC was the discussion topic. ith the financial support of Mennonite Central Last year, delayed monsoon and lack of irrigation WCommittee (MCC) Sansthagat Bikas Sanjal in facility delayed in the cultivation of vegetable crops in Key Lessons Learned partnership with Interdependent Society, Surkhet (ISS), the kitchen garden of most participants. In addition, Surkhet has carried out “Jokhim Ma Parekalai Poshan: torrential rain from 13th to 17th of August in Surkhet Photo: Collection of urine for liquid manure • For the sustainability of the project, Improving Nutrition of Vulnerable Communities experienced one of the worst disaster recorded in its monitoring of project activities after its through Livelihood Enhancement Project” in history. Heavy rainfall caused flood and landslide farmer group performed well and fetched handsome completion is very effective. Though for Ghatgaoun, Tatapani, Bidyapur, Babiyachour VDCs of which claimed at least 34 lives in the district. In the profit by growing mushrooms. shorter period, monitoring plays a key role Surkhet District. The project was started in January village there are small houses- roofs covered with to establish, strengthen and sustainability The production of vegetable in spring and summer 2014 and currently in its second year. The overall straws or galvanized iron sheets. Most of aged people of disseminated knowledge. is now possible due to the MUWS constructed by this objective of the project has been to increase food use to drink alcohol regularly. Early child marriage at project last year. In addition, farmers have expanded • While running nutrition based activities security of PLHAs and HIV at-risk Raji community the age of 13-14 is still prevalent in the areas. the farmland for off seasonal organic vegetable up to targeted to children, activities focused in members to improve PLHA health and reduce risk of After successful completion of 1st year of the project, it additional 5 kattha. From last year farmers can harvest schools may impact positively. contracting HIV during labor migration to India. can be observed that women now have started going in 3-4 crops per year instead of only two before MUWS.

SANJAL SANJAL Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 38 Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 • Conducted four microenterprise trainings, to I am having ART and feel as normal provide practical introduction to essential business skills such as identifying the costs of inputs, and iru Shahi, 51, residence of Ghatgaun VDC of Surkhet district is a son of Dhanmal Shahi and Pabitra Shahi. He lost his father when the likely market price to determine what income he was just two year old. Due to poor economic condition he was only able to study up to Class three. By the age of 15, he started B generation activities are likely to be most profitable going to India in search for better opportunity. He earned some money and returned home after 3 years for marriage. He got married

Case Study and worth pursuing, as well as assessing what with a local girl and they planned to have a baby. Unfortunately, he lost both his wife and baby during home delivery. With depres- level of loan is appropriate. A total of 106 have sion, he again went back to India for work. After four years he came back for doing second marriage. He has 2 sons and 2 daughters participated the training. Topics covered were: now. In 2010 when his younger daughter was just 2 months old, he was diagnosed HIV positive. He was infected while he was in India income, business, types of enterprises, use of local for work. It was very shocking to him to know about the HIV infection but he didn’t lose his heart rather he planned to cope with the resources, business plan, and benefit cost ratio, disease. When he came to know about the PLHIV self-help group formed by ISS he was very happy to join it. He got involved in various marketing, and customer service. awareness and supportive programs. ‘It is been four years that I am taking ART and feels that I am a normal person’ He said. He got an opportunity to attend three days training on nutrition as well as kitchen gardening and started growing vegetables. With the help Demonstration of nursery bed preparation during kitchen garden training of the training he has been able to produce vegetables for daily use at home and managed to have balanced diet every day. Regular • In the second year of the project, to improve consumption of vegetables made him healthy and stronger. He wants to expand his production to commercial purpose. ‘I would like awareness on special nutrition needs of women to thank ISS and related donors for saving me and helping me to cope with my situation’ he said. especially during pregnancy and lactation periods, one day nutrition training was conducted with Raji pregnant, lactating and women having U- 5 children community meetings. Awareness level is increasing; hygiene of Raji people. In addition, information along with their husbands. The training focused on Raji women are participating in social events and on preventing HIV AIDS was also provided to the maternal health along with nutrition. are ready to take responsibility in any development participants. A total of 49 Rajis have participated activities. In addition, PLHAs also become more the event. active in group discussions and other developmental • To increase knowledge about different techniques activities. All the members (PLHAs) have measured to prepare dishes in the most nutritious way, three their CD4 count. This information has helped to cooking workshops were completed in Babyachaur, better understand health condition and preparation of Gahtgaun and Tatapani VDCs where 21 PLHAs nutritional strategy to cope with the disease. Political Photo: Conducting survey for Irrigation from Babiyachaurand Bidyapur, 18 from Ghatgaun situation remained favorable during the project • In the second year of the project, a survey has been and 18 from Tatapani and 52 Rajis have participated implementation. The major activities accomplished so completed in coordination with Sahakarmi Samaj in the event. Locally available foods like, potato, far were: (Member organization of Sanjal) for water pump colocasia, bean, cowpea, pea, gram, lentil, black irrigation. Overseer/ Technician Mr. Tara has gram, maize, wheat, rice,sweet potato, cassava etc Increased nutritious food consumption completed the survey. Survey report has already were used during the event. Photo: Interaction program with pregnant, lactating women with their husbands • Three monthly meetings integrated with mini submitted to ISS Surkhet. • Interaction program were conducted in all groups in • To increase nutritional status of the PLHAs, two lessons were completed in all PLHAs groups. presence of 55 mother/daughter-in-laws to discuss female chicks of breed were distributed to 60 Kitchen gardening, nutrition and care of PLHAs Giriraj- Improved functioning capacity of local or- about maternal health and family nutrition. Topics PLHAs. Each participant was expected to contribute were major issues. For the better understanding ganizations covered were: pregnancy, child birth, birth control, the cost of one chick themselves in order to get two of nutrition and HIV AIDS, nutritious diet, posters • Two days business skill training was conducted for mother/daughter-in-law relationships and care of female chicks from the project. and pamphlets were also demonstrated PLHA. The relation between mother and daughter PLHA self-help groups and Raji cooperative in • Two days long training was held in Ghatgaun VDC in law is improving. Mother in law seems caring to accounting and micro-enterprise development, of Surkhet to improve the nutrition, sanitation and pregnant daughter in law. Some of the participants in order to Toimprove management capacity of have started using temporary family planning groups, business plan development skills and skills materials. for managing finance. The training was carried out at office of Interdependent Society Surkhet where • Three days Kitchen garden training was conducted 18 participants from five groups were present. The in presence of 104 from Ghatgaun, Babiyachaur and topics included: Financial management, business Bidyapur VDCs. The topics covered were vegetables running skills, business and family relationships, and its importance, types of vegetables, kitchen points to consider for a successful business person, gardening, crop selection, management of nursery, production techniques and use of tools, management plastic pond construction, local organic pesticide of credits and marketing techniques. preparation technique. In addition, seeds for Photo: Distribution of Giriraj chicks • Currently, the staff of ISS has facilitated to explore kitchen garden were also distributed to participants Strengthened local agriculture-based liveli- during the event. Same kitchen garden training was potential benefits after linking with government, also conducted second time in Ghatgaun VDC for hoods the process of registration, and policy format. The the members who were not able to attend the first • Assessment of value chain analysis and market op- registration process is in progress. session. portunity has been carried out. Photo: Raji participants in nutrition training

SANJAL SANJAL Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 40 Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 Changing Occupation: Fishing to Vegetable Farming

Bhagani Raji, 63, a mother of nine children belongs to critically endangered marginalized group called Raji of Case Study Case Study Ghatgaun VDC, Surkhet. Fishing and boating in nearby river is their major occupation. Her husband, Feejhawa Thanks to the Raji, 66, along with other family members were unable to fulfill basic family needs. Decreasing number of natural fish in the nearby river shrieked their income sources and affected their dietary pattern. project for After linking with Jokhim Ma Parekalai Poshan Karyakram (Improving Nutrition of Vulnerable Communities changing our lives through Livelihood Enhancement) project, Bhagani is using small backyard space for vegetable production. Through the project she received training and seed kit for kitchen gardening. She is able to produce: cucumber, pumpkin, bitter gourd, cabbage, onion, broad leaf mustard, cauliflower. Produced vegetable are been con- Padam Shahi a PLHA from Ghatgaun- 6 sumed daily by her family and also sell some of the leftover vegetables to other community. loves growing vegetables for his family Photo: District level interaction program with GOs and other organizations having five members. He used to strug- Now she is happy to enhance the nutritional affordability for her family and earn an addition income from sale gle to meet basic needs of his family. of surplus product. ‘I am expecting to live 10 more years and I will expand area for vegetable production which reporting, sharing problems and challenges, preparation He worked in India as a driver for 20 will help me to live healthy’ she said with mild hopeful smile. of every staff’s action plan for next quarter, ensure how the years. During his stay in India, he got activity should be conducted. infected with HIV/AIDS. He returned home hopeless and depressed. But • To improve capacity of project staffs in the sector of adult when he joined self-help group formed Project Support Activities education and group management, a three days adult by ‘Reach across the Border’ supported learning and community mobilization training session has • Project orientations for beneficiaries were conducted by MCC and Sansthagat Bikash Sanjal, been conducted in ISS meeting hall. Mr. Shree Bahadur in all four VDCs of project area. 147 participants have his life drastically changed. Bhandari from KRIDAC Nepal facilitated the training. been made familiar with the project concept and All ISS staffs have attended the training. Topics covered: He started to take ART regularly. activities. Along with beneficiaries, local political introduction of social mobilization, differentiation between Now, ‘Jokhim Ma Parekalai Poshan leaders, representative from VDC, teachers, health Karyakram (Improving Nutrition of social mobilize and mobilization, quality of SMs, Facilitation workers, representative from district health office Vulnerable Communities through skills, Positive thinking and adult education, principles and were participants. Livelihood Enhancement) project has strategy. trained him for nutrition and kitchen • Program Coordinator, JTA and social mobilizers gardening along with seed kit support. participated in Five days TOT on basic nutrition. The Photo: District level coordination meeting Now he has started vegetable farming TOT was organized by MCC with the technical support DLSO, DADO and DPHO separately at associated Key Lessons Learned on his land. His garden is very intensive of Nutrition Promotion and Consultancy Services. government offices. Completed and running project with diverse vegetable crops like: pota- • Five days training was conducted on micro- activities and their outcomes, upcoming year’s plan • Closeness of the field staff with the community & to, onion, garlic, tomato, cabbage, car- enterprise development. A total of 9 participants and possible supports form GOs were the major ways of interacting with them are determining rot etc. ‘Previously he used to grow just maize and wheat. There were no such from ISS have attended including four from this topics of discussion.Food security coordinator form factors for project effectiveness. Sanjaland program coordinator of ISS followed the vegetables at home because it was ex- project. Topics included were business, types of • Integrated project of Food security and HIV and events. pensive and not easily available, her business, problems and solutions, enterprises and AIDS is more effective while simultaneously wife said. ‘Now because of the kitchen family relation, selection of enterprises, challenges, • In the second year of the project, a district level implementing both activities in addressing needs of gardens we have fresh fruits and veg- business plan and marketing techniques. interaction program was conducted by ISS’s marginalized people. etables in our own backyard! We defi- executive chief, program coordinator and financial nitely feel healthier than before.’ Last • A district level interaction program was conducted • Frequent coordination with stakeholders is needed year, Mr. Shahiwas able to earn about in Birendranagar, Surkhet. About 29 participants manager in Birendranagar, Surkhet. About 22 for the collaboration of the project activity and to 57,000/- net profit by selling onion, gar- including, district level political leaders, participants including avoid duplication. lic, green maize cobs, tomato, cabbage, representative from NGOs working in HIV and • representatives from NGOs working in HIV and • Proper discussion with the community people and cucurbits, radish and potato excluding nutrition, District Agriculture Development Office, nutrition, DADO, District livestock service office, besides family consumption. From the project beneficiaries is important before planning District development committee, Red Cross, District DDC, Nepal Red Cross, DPHO, Women development earnings, Shahi is able to educate his any activity. Public health office, Women development office office and news reporters have had participated the younger son who lives in Kathmandu. participated the event. event. • Recent disasters (flood and landslide) hahave taught My family is very happy and supportive that along with project focused activities disaster nowadays, we are very grateful for the • A District Project Advisory Committee (DPAC) • In 2015, two quarterly planning and reporting preparedness or awareness program also need to be support, Mrs Shahi said. meeting was held in Birendranagar, Surkhet where meeting has been completed in ISS office. Executive incorporated. 13 committee members including DDC, DADO and manager, program coordinator, finance officer, DACC representative have attended. JTA, and community mobilizers were involved • Coordination meetings were conducted with in the meeting. Discussed topics were: quarterly

SANJAL SANJAL Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 42 Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 Society have highly appreciated the quality of relief materials provided by the project. The A project was financially supported by Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) and carried out by Humane Sansthagat Bikas Sanjal, Lalitpur in partnership with Interdependent Society, Surkhet The overll Gestures objective of the project was to improve access to sufficient clothes and bedding for flood-displaced to families. disaster Improved access to sufficient clothes and bedding for flood-displaced fami- affected lies life • Held a project management team meeting to execute the project Life was normal • Organized a Community meetings for project for Mamata B.K, 27, a resident of Tikhakuna VDC. She has three orientation and follow-up children, two boys and one girl, and had been working as a health worker for four years. She has had a house to live and Organised District level coordination meeting • plots of land to grow food grains. She didn’t have much to com- with stakeholders plain about until 29 Shrawan 2071 when the flood in Bheri river • 268 children under 5 received a set of warm swept away all her assets. She became one among thousands of Case Study clothes people affected by flood in Bheri river that swept away whole village of Tikhakuna, Babiyachaur, Taranga and Ghatgaun. Photo: Baby clothes distribution to mothers • 297 families received 662 mattress and 580 blankets The disaster that befell on them brought greater impacts on their lives. They had to live in tents in open fields in front of VDC office. Each day life became a struggle, suffering get worst by the onset of winter. The tarpaulin tents were too thin to keep Relief Support for out cold. Moreover, there were children and old people vulner- able to communicable diseases such as common cold, flu and pneumonia. With the constant drop in temperature more chil- Disaster-affected People dren and elderly people started falling sick every day. Mamata became increasingly worried about challenges and difficulties in the winter.

n mid-August 2014 Surkhet District experienced a tarpaulin tents that are not well ventilated making it In the midst of this terrible situation, everyone in her settle- Imassive flood in Bheri River following the incessant crowded and challenging to live under especially for ment received information that ISS Surkhet had a program- rain for two days. Taking the life of nearly 125 people girls, women and small children. People lived with matic support for flood survivors. Mamata along with all other the disaster badly affected at least 36 out of 50 VDCs very limited clothes and that even gathers dew drops. flood survivors in the settlement received many valuable things and Birendranagar municipality in the district. It is According to camp and shelter records, there are 268 Photo: A child getting warm clothes for winter such as winter blankets, winter clothes for children estimated that the loss and/or damage of both public children of 5 years of age. Due to Lack of sufficient warm under 5 years of age and cold resistant mattresses. Mamata and private properties including basic infrastructures clothes in shelter, people were struggling with cold received two blankets, one mattress and two clothes sets for like road and bridges accounted over Rs. 10 billion. night in winter. The children and elderly people was her two children. As a health worker, she claims that after the Sanjal in partnership with Interdependent Society suffering from respiratory problem like pneumonia, distribution of these materials the chances of suffering from Surkhet (ISS) has conducted a field assessment of common cold etc. cold induced diseases such as flu, common cold and fever have significantly reduced. Mamata says, “These materials that we the impact in four of the hardest hit VDCs- Taranga, With the realization of these situations, this short- received from ISS with the financial support from Mennonite Tatopani, Ghatgaun and Babiyachour with a combined term project aimed to provide non-food items 268 warm Central Committee (MCC) and in partnership with Sansthagat total of 289 households (1,495 people) who were forced to clothes sets for U-5 children, 662 mattresses and 580 Bikas Sanjal have helped a lot to survive in this chilly winter. shelter in temporary camps/settlements. These VDCs blankets for 297 families displaced by floods and living We can see that these goods we received have come with a shares nearly 55% of loss of life caused by the disaster in temporary shelters in 3 VDCs, namely Taranga, noble intention to support the flood survivors as we can see in the district. Babiyachaur and Tatapani of Surkhet. In addition 8 that the qualities of these materials are good. These clothes have saved our children from coldness and diseases.” A small The displaced people are forced to live under temporary PLHIV from Tatapani who were partially affected by humane gesture has had a significant impact on the lives of di- settlements put up by the government on forest land, flood, have also provided blanket from the project. saster survivors; however, we believe that prevention is always school grounds and premises of VDC office and health Moreover, people living in shelter and Nepal Red Cross Photo: Women flood victims after having blankets better than cure. post. In average up to seven members had to live under

SANJAL SANJAL Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 44 Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 Key Lessons Learned • Implementing organization, ISS, could play active role in strengthening DDRC for distribution of Relief material through one door system in order to avoid duplication and monitoring effective use of relief materials.

• Emergency relief trust should be established in the organization to respond disaster in timely manner

• Allocate budget for staff salary either part time or full time according to need of the project for effective project execution and • 8 PLHIV received blankets. fulfill reporting requirements of the funding • Had a project follow and monitoring with MCC in agency. Surkhet • Prior to distribute relief materials, ISS Board and • Target participants have highly appreciated management team had organized meeting with and express their gratitude for the support. the struggle committee of affected families to Along with them DDRC and VDC level Many thanks to all those who have discuss on their role and the distribution process. government bodies and local community contributed their time, energy and The Struggle committee has generously agreed to leaders have also appreciated the project play active role to distribute the material based activities. financial resources: donors, member on family size. With the consent of committee, • Psycho-social support for women would be organizations, visitors, executive ISS has distributed materials to people living in also beneficial for women since women are shelters with active participation of ISS staff, board feeling insecure situation in shelters now. committee members, staffs and partner member, NRCS and member of struggle committee. agencies for their continuous support.

SANJAL SANJAL Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 46 Annual Report 2015 | Vol. 5, Year 5, July 2015 For your valuable comments and feedback, please contact at:

Sansthagat Bikas Sanjal PO Box: 24706, Kathmandu Lalitpur Municipality-4, Ekantakuna, Nepal Telephone: 977-01-5534244, Fax: 977-01-5521308 Email: [email protected], Website: www.sanjal.org.np