Recent visit to Dansing | Coordinator

We would like to share detail report prepared on our recent visit to Dansing.  

We had a trip to Dansing, Chidhyar village of  Tindobato VDC  and Syangja  for 5 days. Trip was purposive one and got back after accomplishing it. It was scheduled to introduce new assistant coordinator and to distribute lunch box bag with a message to reduce plastic bag and hygienic food to be wise student (lunch box, water bottle), some stationary, children's day gift and speaker box for Ram Rajya Primary School and some stationery with gift, cassette player for Dansing kindergarten kids. Another purpose was to observe their current situation and trace out their need to include in our next year action plan.

We also shared the information regarding the arrival of guest from Cotta in October. They are pleased to know and very excited to welcome them. Most of the villager will be in the village celebrating Dashina Festival with their family but all schools remain closed during this particular time. They will arrange a day open school and request all the student to present at school.   

First day of our arrival, a short walk taken around the village in order to communicate with villagers and observe in surface about  current situation, our school partnership project and their deficiency. During the walk we could find some under plantation of bio-gas whereas most of the villagers already have, it shows the villagers are more conscious about the renewable energy and assisting to demoralize deforestation.

 

Surprisingly, we found Kindergarten kids are also learning rapidly. Kindergarten teacher is more focused in literary education as a result kids can write and read all letters in English and Nepali both but they are totally unknown about the color identification. Unexpectedly. Dansing kindergarten and Ram Rajya primary school both have a schedule of day meal(lunch) at school to the kids which shows impressive views about the lunch program but some time due unavailability of grocery, there is some fluctuation in feeding items.

On the occasion of National Children's day we distributed the materials to the school's kids. Ram Rajya Primary school also provided scholarship to 52 students worth rupees 250 for each in the same program. I personally could realize that teachers are providing and enhancing the quality education to them with extra curriculum activities. Student's performances was outstanding, they are conscious about the neat and tidiness. Even they have child club which motivates them to do their responsibilities according to the schedule for the extra curriculum program .They carry out it in their weekend. We came to know somehow they know about the children's right that nation has secured in the law.

Beside this, we saw a building which is still in under construction in the playground of Ram Rajya School. They have received building construction aid from the district education office which is about 1.3 millions Nepalese rupees but the expenses of construction couldn’t able to complete by the amount they allocated for. So, members of the school management committee are looking for additional support to accomplish building for over expenses and inadequate fund. 

We found some challenges for both school and kindergarten to increase the number of student, compete with private schools, and upgrade class from primary to secondary level. I found that they have started English medium course books which might help to increase student enrollment rate since most of the parent are influenced by the private school to send their children English medium education. According to headmaster, they have higher enrollment of student compare with other government primary school of that region.  


After 2 days living in Dansing, We went Syangja, the headquarter of district with another important official work i.e. legal approval and consent letter to extend our working area from District Development Committee (DDC) office, District Administration Office (DAO) and District Education Office (DEO).  We had to endeavor and wait 2 days to get it. It's our weak point that we proceed it after our project started to work in their area and also our random proceedings.  Actually, according to the charter of Namaste Nepal, there were clearly mentioned that we should have taken permission at the beginning of  any activities in other district which was the strong point for them. However we got the letter, now officially got authority to work in our project area. They are convinced with explanation made on detail activities and further plan of organization with bunch of supportive documents. Recommendation letter from District Education office and District NGO federation office favored us.

Hopefully, you all enjoyed going through detail report. For your kind information, we have already uploaded some picture of our trip on facebook. Please visit our facebook and enjoy with updates.

We highly appreciate your comment, suggestion and remarks to move forward.   Please feel to ask any question.

Recent visit to Gati | Project Coordinator

Adventurous visit to Gati

The visit was not as easy as the previous times I have been there, and I think its not the right time to be travelling to that region because of the high risk involved.  

Its hard to illustrate how heavy was the flow of the river that swept away Araniko highway at many places. The destruction starts from Barhabise heading all the way to China/Tibet border.

The situation of the road:

Alternate temporary road at Barahbise

I found three major places which are heavily damaged between Barhabise and the Borderland resort. The road just next to Barahbise bazar, Jambu and some areas close to the Borderland resort have been swept away completely. Just a head of Jambu, there is heavy landslide that block the road, where still falling rock from the hill close to Dandakateri. Other several damaged sites can be found in between these places. I would consider that it will be necessary to repair some of these places as soon as possible so that the damage doesn't increase any further.

At the moment travelers are using three alternative ways to pass the road: 

1. Walk all the way through the village, 

2. Walk down to the road and use two jeeps to pass it, changing vehicles in between the most damaged areas in the road, this is, however, an expensive solution. 

3. People walk all the way through the road using alternatives trails at damaged sections .

Road division and Bhotekoshi Hyodropower Company have taken responsibility to build temporary roads at damaged sites as a short term solution to the problem. There are excavators and roller machines from Bhotekosi Hydropower  which are fully engaged in the field to clear and build a temporary passage. Basically filling rocks and mud at damaged places but I am not sure to what extent this measure will resist the rest of the monsoon season.

There is possibility of resuming the road up until to Chaku within a  few weeks since the HydroPower Company has already been mobilizing the team at Jambu.  The locals have  informed me that the team is expected to build the temporary road  from there to Chaku.

If this turns out to be the case then we can start school building construction in Gati and Dandakateri. 

Communication and electricity:

The continuous downpour and massive flood in Bhotekoshi river have also caused disturbances in the electricity facilities and communication systems in the village, since most of the electricity poles have fallen down at the riverside and the mobile tower in the area has shortage of fuel and power to transmit a signal for a functional communication system.

Human settlement:

Human settlements in the roadside are at high risk of inundation due to the increasing flood in the Bhoteskoshi River area, as such most of the settlers have moved to a safer zone. On the other hand people in the village haven't changed their normal routine and are busy with farming activities as usual, most of them have just completed the seasonal paddy plantation.

Although, there is a possibility that some natural calamities may occur particularly due to heavy rainfall and landslide in the region, these are a typical part of monsoon season.

School building construction : 

School management committee and Constructions committee are hoping to begin school construction work in Gati and Dandakateri soon. However, the damaged road presents a significant problem because a huge amount of building materials need to be transported from suppliers/market to the site, therefore fixing this issue is imperative for the building process itself.

While returning back from Gati I used the trail through the village and visited Singarche on the way to observe the building construction site prepared by the school management committee. They have already leveled the building construction site but need technical advice for proper measurement of land size. Taking this into account, I have collected some general information from them and I am going to consult with an engineer for further advice. 

Last but not the least I hope no more natural disasters occur in Nepal and I would continue to push for this type of development activities.

Thanking you all for kind cooperation. 

Nima Tshering Lama     

 

Jambu

Jambu

Road block at Khorong