"Support-A-Child" Help Child Go To School & Study

While the loadshedding hours (for the electricity supplied from the government utility company) continue to increase in Nepal, many children are facing difficulties in keeping up with their grades in school. Currently, Nepal faces 10-11 hours of loadshedding in a daily basis. The consequential effects brought by this situation in national economy is often highlighted; however its effect on education of children is hardly addressed. 

Loss of homes,  infrastructures, weakened financial state and lack of immediate accessibility to alternative energy sources after the earthquake had made the situation worse especially in rural areas. 

To encourage young children in their education after the earthquake, ECCA had provided over 1500 solar tuki lamps (along with solar panels) in different schools of earthquake affected villages and the tukis are now growing to be more useful than ever. “It has been around 9 months since my children received this tuki in their school. Seeing my children study during night with this tuki makes me happy”, said one of the parents of Lalitpur district last week. 

Rasila, a grade 10 student, studies for her School Level Examination in Malta, Lalitpur

Rasila's mother gives fodder to animals with the help of tuki

Winter continues to torment lives of earthquake victims in Nepal. Among places destroyed beyond the threshold, many regions in Dolakha and Lalitpur districts still go through excessive struggle to revive. Dolakha, the epicenter of major earthquake shocks had all of its Village Development Committees affected. Similarly, villages in southern region of the Lalitpur district were worst affected.  Each and every sector got affected, and amongst the most sensitive issues were the children- and their right for education.

The earthquake brought chaos in its worst forms. Desks and benches were no more an option when classrooms got buried. Teachers could not assure the safety of their students anymore. With the situation getting better with establishments of Temporary Learning Centres and increasing series of educational support, arrival of winter created new problems. Majority of schools have recently been witnessing decreasing number of students due to cold. Students and teachers attend school daily from far areas, some even taking an hour long of walking. School dropout rate in this place is high due to low income source in family because of which they are unable buy stationary materials and school uniform. Most of the students having lost warm clothes in the earthquake were unable to attend school in the shivering cold. 

However, now students are more than happy to go to school. To help them attend schools regularly in peak hours of winter, ECCA Nepal through GlobalGiving’s support conducted Winter Support program. Tracksuits (along with a pair of shoes and socks) were distributed to 155 students of Kali Devi Lower Secondary School (Mirge, Dolakha) and to 255 students of Shree Bagh Bhairav Higher Secondary School (Kaleswor, Southern Lalitpur) including the school's Early Childhood Development Centre. In Lalitpur, warm tracksuits were distributed (on Feb 3, 2016) in the presence of Mr. Khem Nath Pokharel (Assistant District Education Officer of Lalitpur district).

“I used to catch cold every time I came to morning classes. But that has changed. Thank you for the warm tracksuit”, said one of the tenth grade students.

It wasn’t just students. In Majh Gaun Lower Secondary School (Mirge, Dolakha), blankets were distributed to 55 guardians (on Feb 10, 2016) with GlobalGiving’s support basically with two motives; provide them with a warmer housing and to motivate them to send their children to school regularly.

“After the earthquake weakened our economy, my wife and I had frequent debates over sending our children to school or let him stay at home helping with chores”, a guardian responded. “Now that he has got warm jackets, he doesn’t miss his classes anymore and we are happy too”, he shared remembering how happy he was when Bipin babu (ECCA program officer Mr. Bipin Shrestha) provided him with a blanket.

He spoke out one of the positive thoughts brought by ECCA among hundreds of those parents who couldn’t send their children in school. It is true that education after earthquake has a long way to reach pre-achieved quality but it could bring about new and innovative ideas on development. Furthermore, contribution of our donors during this time of struggle has helped us provide comfort and we are more than thankful to GlobalGiving as well.

A student of Shree Bagh Bhairav H.S.S. happily receives the tracksuits from Mr. Pokharel 

Sharing happiness with parents

Mr. Rabindra Khatri provides tracksuit to a student

Students of Shree Bag Bhairav H.S.S. together wearing the tracksuit

 

Blanket distribution in Dolakha

 "Thank you  very much for the blanket and I like the colour too! May be I will let my  children use this one... "- a resident of Dolakha in her Temporary shelter

"Winter doesn't feel so bad anymore!"

For regular updates regarding our programs and activities, please visit our Blog site,  Facebook,  Twitter, website, and YouTube Channel.

On January 24, 2016 ECCA (Environmental Camps for Conservation Awareness) with Global Giving's support provided white boards, markers, magnetic dusters and inks as educational support to 47 schools of 9 Village Development Committees (Dalchoki, Ikudol, Asrang, Bhattedada, Malta, Chaughare, Kaleshwor, Sankhu and Gimde) of southern Lalitpur. The materials were handed over to representatives of each school by Mr. Bisweswor Koirala (Senior Social Mobilization Officer of Lalitpur District) Mr. Rabindra Khatri (ECCA program officer ).

The educational support is expected to provide more efficient and easy learning for more than 2400 students of these schools which are currently in their phase of reestablishing the school environment after being affected by the earthquake. "We use blackboards for teaching and the chalk dust affects health of us teachers to a great extent. Now we won't have to worry much", said Bal Bahadur Lama principal of Kalidevi Primary School, Sankhu after the distribution programme.

ECCA thanks all donor/supporters for helping it to support students in rural Nepal. With the support of Global Giving, ECCA has already distributed copies, pencils, bags and other stationery materials as well as tracksuits, shoes and socks to students of various earthquake affected districts. To become a contributor, please visit our Global Giving website.

For regular updates regarding our programs and activities, visit our blog, website, Facebook,  Twitter and YouTube Channel. 

Mr. Bisweswor Koirala(left) handing over educational materials to a school representative

Mr. Rabindra Khatri(left) handing over the educational materials to  a school representative

Chaughare is one of the coldest places of southern Lalitpur district in Nepal. With the arrival of winter season, the temperature goes down at ultimate level often creating serious problems for regular conduction of schools. This year the problem is even worse. The earthquake of April made many students homeless leaving them to struggle for fulfillment of the most basic requirements of life: food and clothes. Attending schools is an equal challenge. There is little solace for those who can afford some clothing(which is a rare case) but for the rest, the struggle is beyond imagination.

To solve this problem, ECCA (Environmental Camps for Conservation Awareness) in co-ordination with District Education Office and with Global Giving's support organized Winterization Support program for the students of Shree Bagh Bhairab Secondary School of Lalitpur, Chaughare on January 13, 2016. With Assistant District Education Officer of Lalitpur district Mr. Khem Adhikari as the chief guest along with the presence of program officer and representative from ECCA Mr.Rabindra Khatri, all 214 students of the school were provided with woolen jackets and caps.

Assistant District Education Officer Mr. Khem Adhikari helps
a young student put on a jacket as students line up to receive theirs 

                                  Pema 

"After the earthquake, coming to school and staying in class during the shivering cold is hard. But... today is a different day. We hope every suffering child receives supports like we have. Thank you for caring", said Pema, vice president of school nature club with a smile. Along with him, all the students shared their happiness in similar way at the end of the day.

 ECCA thanks all donor/supporters for providing help to support students in rural Nepal. With the support of Global Giving, ECCA has already distributed tracksuits, shoes and socks to more than 1000 students of Jyamdi and Gairibisauna of Kavre district. 

For regular updates regarding our programs and activities, please visit our Facebook, blog, website, Twitter and YouTube Channel.

Dear all,

Environmental Camps for Conservation Awareness (ECCA) is currently in its 29th year of establishment. Over the years, we have succeeded in making significant improvements in the sector of WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), school environment, community development, promotion of alternate and renewable technologies (A Clean Solar Alternative to Kerosene Lamps,  ICS training) and even conservation related entrepreneurship. We can proudly say that our actions have helped people change their lives. Women in Jajarkot have learnt to invest in income generating activities through saving and credit schemes initiated among their own group. Children of Dolakha have learnt to initiate community awareness programs on their own. Our actions have made a difference in a sense that each trained member in the society now bears a sense of responsibility. The earthquake was however a turning phase for all but it proved more of a reason to work harder right from renovation and rebuilding to development that offers sustainability. From construction of Temporary Learning Centers to formation of nature club in schools, we have been attempting to bring progressive change from local to national level.

This note, henceforth, is to remind each of you contributors for your priceless support because all our successful attempts would have not been possible without you. To all supporters who are incessantly helping us in every way, be it on site volunteering or project donations, we express our heartfelt gratitude. To every heart out there that believes in us, we are thankful.

Considering the present hardships (due to cold weather) being faced by the earthquake affected people (who are still living in temporary makeshift shelters), ECCA recently initiated a campaign Win Against Winter. We're sure we'll receive support from each one of you as well.

We wish to move on with your ever-growing aspiration to help our motives.

Furthermore, we have prepared a short 2 minute video on our post-earthquake activities. We look forward to receiving your response on it.

Thank you!

ECCA Nepal

Links:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psY0wRkxkBY