FIDR is a non-governmental organization working to support children in developing countries and people affected by disasters.

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2020/10/26

One year after the completion of new school buildings

Construction of new school buildings and sanitary toilet facilities at Siddha Jyohi Harimishra basic school and Shiva basic school in Betali of Ramechhap district was completed in July 2019. From the beginning of the project, FIDR has been encouraging teachers and school management committee of two schools in maintenance and management of the buildings. Almost one year have passed since the inauguration ceremonies of both schools. During this one year, both schools have been making efforts to improve the learning environment, and many positive changes can be seen in children, their parents and teachers of the schools.

At both schools, children have been learning at temporary classrooms made by bamboo and soil set up after the Great Earthquake in 2015. However, after the new school buildings were built, teachers and members of school management committee of schools have taken initiative in creating a better learning environment for children. Dust bins were placed and teaching materials were presented in the classrooms; a new hand-washing area has been set up near the toilet built by FIDR; table suitable for children of preschool level was made and so on. Thanks to these efforts of teachers and school management committee, children can learn in a safe and comfortable space now.

Children were learning in the temporary classroom (Siddha Jyohi Harimishra basic school)

Now teaching materials can be posted on the wall in the new classroom.

These efforts have brought positive changes in children, their parents and teachers of the schools. When the children studied in the temporary classrooms before, they couldn’t hear the teachers’ voice clearly, especially in rainy or windy day. But now, they can concentrate on the classes and listen the teachers’ voice clearly all the time. At Shiva basic school, while only half of 8th grade student passed the graduation exam last year, all the students passed in the exam this year.
Parents have also paid more attention to their children than before. For example, more children wearing clean clothes can be seen now. Also, parents pay more attention to children’s learning and communication with the teachers increased.

The spread of COVID19 occurred unexpectedly from this spring. Both schools had to close their schools from mid-March in accordance with the decision of the Government of Nepal. However, teachers who always worried about their children's learning, visited their houses and provided lessons to a small group of children from August. With the decision made by local government about reopening the schools in the area, in September, the schools are gradually opened while thoroughly taking preventive measures against the COVID19, such as social distancing in the classroom and hand washing before class.


2020/10/7

Landslide Victims Built Temporary Shelters in Ramechhap

In mid-July, a heavy rainfall hit Betali area of Gokulganga Rural Municipality, Ramechhap district which is one of FIDR project sites. Due to heavy rainfall, not only houses but a large area of cropland with newly planted rice seedlings, millet, corn and vegetable were also swept away by landslide and flood. Receiving the support request of the ward office and rural municipality, FIDR decided to provide emergency supply to 67 households who were most affected in the community. Among that, 19 households, whose houses were damaged by landslide, were provided with Zinc sheet and plastic sheet to build temporary shelters. Within a short period, they completed building temporary houses using the provided materials.

One of the residents shared his experience after the disaster.
"The landslide caused by the heavy rain washed away not only my house but also my crops. I lost my livelihood and I could not help crying. FIDR provided us with food and materials for building a shelter. I completed building my shelter in 5 days after receiving the materials. Thanks to that, now I have a safe place to live until I can build a new house."

Though Nepal has been experiencing heavy rain during September, it didn’t directly affect the people in this area. So people stayed safely in the shelter and returned to their normal lives. They are planning to build new houses using the materials supported by FIDR in October when the rainy season ends.

Temporary shelter was built using Zinc sheet and plastic sheet which is provided by FIDR

2020/8/14

School under COVID-19 Pandemic at Project Sites

In mid-March, all the Government Schools in Nepal rushed to complete the year-end exam foreseeing the effect of COVID-19. But no one knew the school would be closed for so many months at that time. As of the beginning of August, the target schools of FIDR project are still closed.

After imposing nationwide lockdown, the ease down modality was announced by the GoN in mid-June. Though the schools were not included in the activities allowed to open, Municipality and Rural municipality started to coordinate with the provincial government and discussed the plan for the opening of school, ways forward and alternate modalities of learning continuity.

All Municipality and Rural municipality confirmed that schools are publishing and disseminating the results of final examinations of the last academic year. Admission of students and book distribution activities also started for the new academic year that usually starts from mid-April.

Students and parents lining up to collect the school books keeping social distance
(Pateni Basic School in Dhading district)

While online classes are introduced in some private schools in Kathmandu, Municipality and Rural Municipality started FM broadcasting learning system in the districts. So far this new system seems not effectively working due to lack of radio/equipment at home and poor electricity connection at the villages.

This means that many children are still deprived of learning opportunities. Though the number of COVID-19 infected people are still increasing in Nepal and risk has been reaching to the villages, the teachers started to prepare so that they can receive the children once the school is allowed to reopen.

Observing the situation, FIDR has temporarily halted to implement the project activities at the site. We hope that we can see children happily going back to school soon.


Teachers planting grass for lawn and making school fence
(Siddhajyoti Harimishra Basic School in Rammechhap district)

2020/8/7

Monsoon Emergency Relief in Nepal

In Nepal, the monsoon season has started since mid-June. It is the season when people become busy with rice planting, whereas people suffer from disasters. In this one month, nearly 100 people have been died due to monsoon related incidents such as landslides and floods.

At one of the FIDR project sites, Betali, Gokulganga Rural Municipality, Rammechhap district, people also suffered from heavy rain hit on 5 July 2020. Due to this rain, landslides and flood occurred and some houses were destroyed. Also, newly planted rice seedling was swept away. People who lost their houses evacuated to the school classroom which completed its construction last year under School Improvement Project.

Landslide damage

Rice seedlings swept away by the heavy rain

The damage was bigger than usual years in the area and FIDR received the request of assistance from the local Government. Under the current situation where people needs careful attention to the spread of COVID-19, FIDR decided to conduct emergency relief to most affected people in the community so that they can shift to safe living condition.

From 10 July, FIDR distributed materials such as zinc sheet and plastic sheet for temporary shelter, and rice and soaps for handwashing and cloth washing to 67 households.


People evacuating at the school classroom

Distribution of relief materials

2020/8/5


Help desk is set up at the village for COVID-19

Situation in Project Sites under the Lockdown

In Nepal, the number of COVID-19 infected people is increasing hundreds every day and the total number has reached nearly 15,000 by early July. In FIDR project sites as well, the number continues increasing in the quarantine centres and transit areas which each Municipality and Rural Municipality prepared to control the spread of COVID-19.

Most cases found are the returnees from India, which is the major place for Nepalese to go for work. While many of them have recovered at the centres, there was a case that infected people ran away from the isolation house so people are afraid of the possibility of spreading at the community level.

Municipality and Rural Municipalities are preparing to accommodate the villagers for quarantine

At the centres, the minimum package includes basic water supply, basic sanitation facilities for males and females, basic hygiene support with soap, hand washing stations, towels were provided by the GoN. The priority of the health post also has shifted to COVID-19 treatment. However, this is causing difficulties for others. For example, pregnant women are afraid to go for a regular check-up and even doctors tell people to avoid coming for medical examination to the health post.

In the villages, the people in need are increasing day by day. Due to imposition of lockdown, housing construction, road construction, daily wages work and local trade business were closed and many villagers lost their work opportunities at cities and abroad. They are forced to come back to their hometown but have no means to earn food.

The ward has been conducting relief activities such as rice and soap distribution to support vulnerable community people mainly Dalit workers. While the support helping the needy people, there are some voices that the supports do not always reach to the actual vulnerable group in Nepal community where strong nepotism & brotherhood culture remains.

People are under the unsecured situation in the villages, but paddy plantation is ongoing where irrigation facilities are available. Farmers are preparing for transplantation of main paddy crop as the monsoon rains started from mid-June.


Seasons for rice planting started as usual year

2020/4/17

Sanitary Toilet Facilities Ready for Use at Schools

A massive earthquake hit Nepal in 2015. It caused significant damages to school facilities, and their reconstructions are still in progress even today. One of the issues in reconstructing school facilities is that school buildings are always prioritized, and as a result, there is not enough workforce for the toilet facilities. Therefore, FIDR chose three schools in Dhading District that appeared to be in the critical situation and supported them with the construction of the new toilet buildings.
Raghu Secondary School is one of those three schools with 259 students. The students had been using old style toilet which is a small common space without any partition. Everyday students were required to fetch water from an off-campus sight to flush and clean the toilet. The facility was under the unsanitary condition as it started to decay and did not have sufficient water supply. The new toilet building, on the other hand, separates rooms by gender. It has a tiled floor, and the water tank is implemented on the roof, which allows to bring water from the source and store it for use. Students can now use the sanitary toilet at school.
The other two schools also provided positive feedback on this activity. “Five years after the earthquake, there‘s finally a clean toilet available at school, and now I can come to school with ease at mind,” they said. “Our students started to wash their hands as the new toilet facility is equipped with sinks.”
FIDR will continue working on the project to create an environment where the schools and local communities can maintain the sanitary toilet by themselves as well as educate children for the proper use of them.

A dark and unsanitary (left image) turned into a brighter and more sanitary one (right image) (Raghu Secondary School)


2020/2/28

The School Construction Completed and the Inauguration Ceremony was Conducted

FIDR started the construction of new school buildings of Siddha Jyohi Harimishra basic school and Shiva basic school at Betali ward in Rammechhap district from October 2018 and the construction were completed in July 2019.
The school buildings are two-storey quake resistant made of reinforced concrete that meet the seismic standards set by Nepalese government after the earthquake of 2015 with nine classrooms, a teacher's room, and a library.
Children from preschool to 8th grade can study with piece of mind in the schools, where new desks, chairs, and gender segregated toilets are installed.

On November 6, FIDR conducted the inauguration ceremonies of both schools. One of donors of this project, Mr. Kaminaga, councilor of FIDR, and Mr. Okada, secretary general of FIDR who attended the completion ceremony received a big welcome from community people. Local government officials, officials from the Ministry of Education, Social Welfare Council celebrated the event with the whole community people.



Here are some voices from children:
“In the temporary school building, it was very cold on windy days and water entered the classroom on rainy days. It was very noisy because I could see and hear other classes. I also had a fear that there would be another earthquake. So, I am very happy to have new school buildings. I want to continue studying and become a doctor.”
“I want to become an engineer in the future.” “I want to be a soldier.”
“Learning is to be Happy” - as the message from the donor says, we hope that the new school buildings will be the place where children of Betali ward can develop their happiness.

2019/3/14

School Improvement Project in Progress

FIDR is conducting a construction work to improve a learning environment of Shiva Basic School and Siddajyoti Harimishra Basic School in Betali, Ramechhap District.

In 2015, a massive earthquake hit Nepal causing lots of damages. As the both schools lost buildings, students had no choice but to study in temporary classrooms made of bamboo--even now. In such a setting, students cannot focus on study when it is windy or rainy although the schools try to protect the rooms using plastic sheets.

Therefore, FIDR started reconstructing the school buildings in September 2018.

After Nepalfs big annual festivals, Dasain and Tihar, were over in November, construction work at the both schools in Ramechhap came into full swing.
As soon as the vacation season finished, the local residents voluntarily fixed the muddy roads and cleared landslide sections caused by rain. Their efforts made it possible to transport materials needed for the construction, and foundation work is now well under way.

2018/11/14

Preparation for Construction by a Series of Discussions

Preparation for Construction by a Series of Discussions

FIDR is working for the reconstruction of two basic schools in Ramechhap district, which is located about 75km east of Kathmandu.
Buildings of the two schools were particularly damaged by the earthquake in 2015. On 14 June, the Tripartite Agreement among FIDR, National Reconstruction Authority, and Ministry of Education was concluded and the project launched officially. At present, FIDR staff members are holding a series of discussions with community residents as well as teachers of the schools, and feel that the community has aspirations for childrenfs education and high expectations for the project. The construction will start after the rainy season.