Education Nepal Project #7797

Literacy and Livelihoods for 445 Women in Nepal

by Language Development Centre - Nepal

Project Report | Jan 16, 2018
Tharu New Year & Maghi Festival Celebration, Dang

By Pushker Kadel | Director, Language Development Centre Nepal

Maghi Celebration in Ghorahi

Language Development Centre Nepal [LDC-Nepal] is working with Tharu community since 2008 in partnership with local communities, CBOs, GOs, I/NGOs, individuals and development partners. We are working to create the environment for quality life through language, education and development activities.

Last week, I got an invitation to participate in the Maghi festival and I participated in different cultural programs held in Dang. I am very excited to share my experience and observation. Maghi [Magh 1/Mid January] is a big festival and New Year of Tharu people. Each year they celebrate this day with different cultural programs, review the last year activities, choose the community leader and prepare the plan for the upcoming year. Tharu people are culturally very strong and committed to use, promote and preserve their language and culture. Our literacy program is very helpful to aware them why language is the matter to transfer their culture to the New Generation.

LDC-Nepal's partner organisation Help Society Nepal organised Tharu New year and Maghi festival program in Dang. One of the program was held in Ghorahi and the other one was held in Tulsipur. Local community actively participated in the program and presented Tharu dance and songs from 50 groups as well as Indigenous Knowledge [IK] holders shared their ideas to preserve and promote Tharu language and culture. All together about 1000+ people were participated in both the events. Narulal Chaudary, Mayor of Ghorahi Sub Metropolitan City announced the formal decision "Tharu language is an additional official language in Ghorahi Metropolitan city from 15 January 2018." This result is our joint effort.

You might be surprised to know that the Tharu people, especially the women are culturally trained to use and preserve their language and tradition even though they were not getting the opportunity to have formal education. They are enthusiastic to develop their capacities and share ideas to have a quality life. Pabitra Chaudhary [former literacy class facilitator] said, "We would like to change our life situation using our language and culture in our education to enhance our skills but we need advanced literacy programs to standardise the Tharu language and develop our capacities. I hope the organisation will find financial resources to address our expectations."

I noticed that all people are talking about the right to good quality education and language issue. The following statement is very close to local people's expectations. "I believe schools need to have a shared vision and an overriding collaborative ethos where there is genuine respect for diversity and language is viewed as a right and a valuable resource. Only in this way will all language and cultures have equal rights to the curriculum." [Ethne Gallagher, Educational consultant - specialising in language acquisition and mother-tongue Support]

We [LDC-Nepal] would like to address people's expectations to change the situation of their life through language, education and development activities even though our resources are limited. But we are committed that "Education [formal and non formal] must train our brain to develop a good system. It must be used in our daily life to develop skills, competencies and use our cultural diversities for prosperity.[P. Kadel, January 12, 2018]

We are grateful for your support. Thank you.

Tharu cultural dance in Tulsipur

My picture in Tulsipur program

Local Media coverage about our program

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Dec 5, 2017
Tharu Project Progress Report 5 December 2017

By Pushker Kadel | Director, Language Development Centre Nepal

Small Poultry Farm of our one beneficiary

Help Society Nepal, a partner NGO of Language Development Centre Nepal [LDC-Nepal], is implement Land and Food Security activities with Freed Kamaiya community groups in Dang and Deukhuri area. Last week our team had visited Deukhuri area to consult with project beneficiaries to know their progress and help them to continue their activities effectively.

I am very happy to share the report on our experiences and community's participation under this project. Community's response and involvement is very encouraging for us because it will help us to achieve significant results.

Objectives:

To monitor participant's progress after entrepreneurship and skill development training and help them to improve their performance.

Achievements:

We had visited 71 freed Kamaiya families from different three villages, who received entrepreneurship and skill development training in August 2017. The participants are doing their activities based on their work plan, which was prepared by them jointly in the training.

Eleven families received a grant to start family based business [Pig rearing-2, Goat rearing-3, Pultry farming-5 & Small tailoring shoop-1] through their community groups. All eleven families are doing well in their business as their commitment. Pig, Goat and Chicks are growing well. Tailoring shop is setup and gradually getting business. One of beneficiaries Cheukali Kumal told us, "Chickens are getting ready to sale within week and I am hopeful for good profit. I will able to make financial support to my group member to start new business"

Durga Sarki and Sumitra said, "We need more technical support and consultation to gain more information to upgrade our knowledge in poultry farming. We are planning to provide financial support another family within one year."

Group has decided family who received financial grant they have to provide financial support to another family. Even they received the amount as business grant.

We are giving full respect and providing support to the community from our limited resources to fulfil their anticipation to have quality life. So "Good and rapid prosperity can be achieved in the country only through good citizens and leaders by ending policy of privatisation and commercialisation in the education [formal and non-formal] system, which will develop an atmosphere to make development inclusive and qualitative." [P. Kadel, Dec 2017].

We [LDC-Nepal] would like to contribute to change the situation for better life of the freed Kamaiya's families through integrated development program. We need your regular cooperation and blessings to implement the project activities effectively.

We are grateful for your support. Thank you.

Busy to run Small tailoring shop

Small shed and Goat rearing situation

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Nov 21, 2017
Entrepreneurship & Business Plan Training Report

By Pushker Kadel | Director, Language Development Centre Nepal

Training Participants, Kailari Village Council

Help Society Nepal, Dang is implementing Land and Food Security Program, where Language Development Centre Nepal is providing consultative and small financial support. The program is implemented through local community groups in Dang, Bardiya and Kailali districts.

I am delighted to share an entrepreneurship and business planning training was successfully held in Bardiya [27 Oct to 3 Nov 2017] where 63 people [Female: 50 & Male: 13] were participated from different two groups.

Objective of training:

To develop entrepreneur and planning skills of participants to start family-based business in their own community.

Achievements:

All participants are committed to use the skills what they learned during the training
At the end of the training 25 participants are presented their draft business plan [Pig farming, Poultry farming, Tea shop, Retail shop and Mobile repair centre] and committed to start business within few weeks.
Local government representatives [ward chairperson and ward secretary] are ready to facilitate to ensure identity cards for missing Kamaiya and Kamlahari.

Padam Bahadur Aire, ward no 10, Chairperson said, "Gauriganga Municipality has allocated the budget Rs 500,000 for roads, provide drinking water and electricity and livelihoods activities for freed Kamaiya and Kamlahari to improve their life situation."

Kamal Chaudhary, ward no 7, Chairperson said, "Kailari Village Council is working to develop an integrated plan to address freed Kamaiya and Kamlahari family's issues."

"We are anticipating seed money to initiate the business because our financial capacity is not sound to make required investment as our business plan." [Collective voice from participants]

Challenges:

Participant's poor literacy level is indicating that they need entrepreneurship [Financial] literacy programs to make them successful in their business.
We do not have capacity to provide seed money to all families to initiate their business.

We had a fruitful training and conversation with participants and local government representatives. They are enthusiastic and creative to change the situation with wise plan and activities. We found that the participants are motivated to manage their resources to setup new business as their plan.

We believe that their dream will make change in their life because of self employment and family-based business plan is prepared by themselves. So "Financial literacy or self education will make us more prudent and efficient to deal our life issues." [P. Kadel, Nov 2017]

I would like to contribute myself with your great cooperation through the Language Development Centre Nepal.

We are grateful for your support. Thank you.

Training facilitator facilitating the training

Ward chairperson sharing his plan in the training

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