FIDR Foundation for International Development / Relief

2015/03/12

Towards the realization of everyone’s dream…

In this project, we address the issues of living conditions in our target communities through a multifaceted approach. One of the activities is to improve the condition of elementary school, particularly school buildings.

Most of the buildings of the elementary schools in our target communities are badly damaged.
Therefore it is hard to say that school can provide a safe learning environment for children. To improve this situation, we support the communities to renovate the buildings and so far have implemented the activity in five schools.

When we launch this program, we always start with a discussion about “expectations for school” with teachers, members of PTA, school management committee members and representatives of the students. Participants are encouraged to express their ideas freely such as “school with clean and bright classrooms” or “school filled with children’s smiles.” Based on this brainstorming, participants select and prioritize ideas to get a clear picture of school they want. They also decide on their roles. Through these processes, all participants share common view of the overall project and its direction at the end of the meeting.

This fiscal year ten new schools join this project.

Photo: workshop at a school

2014/05/28

More and more young people stay in their hometown and continue to engage in agriculture

Nepal is in the midst of dry season now. As the winter season came, the Himalaya Mountains can be seen more beautiful than ever.

Against such beautiful Himalaya Mountains, people working for the project get the feeling of accomplishment, which they never experienced before.

Farm pond constructed by our activity last year sends water to the fields of 160 families and famers get planted cauliflower, Chinese mustard, cucumber and other vegetables one after another. One grandfather smiled sweetly and said “I’m so happy that my son left off working away from home and started to grow vegetables in our field”.

And furthermore, nothing is more pleased for grandfather than grandchild’s word “In the future, I’ll farm in our field!” While most young people emigrate to large city or other country in Nepal, family I met is engaging in agriculture in their hometown, and they looked reliable to me.

Family grows radish and onion, using water from the farm pond. We hope their three generations dream, going on farming in hometown, comes true.

　2013/05/27

Digging, singing and dancing

In Dhading district, rainy season starts in June.

Regarding “Activity of making agricultural reservoirs”, people in many villages started digging grounds in waiting for coming rainy season.

In one village, almost all the women has dug grounds collaboratively and started vegetable cultivation. At a neighboring village, all 16 families got together and dug ground. Another village, one hour walk distance away, approx. 30 families started it.

In the beginning, many said “it will be difficult to promote agricultural reservoir unless it is for individual use.” But, it was an imaginary fear after all.

Villagers not only work collaboratively, but enjoy discussing on water usage of reservoirs and vegetables to plant with singing and dancing cheerfully. Rainy season is just around the corner. We can hardly wait for the completion of reservoirs.