Mentruation Matters

Considering the topic of Menstrual Hygiene, our AFS-Nepal volunteer organized a program for adolescent school girls of Bhotsipa, Sindhupalchok Nepal and also distributed some sanitary napkins to them.

         

Menstruation is not some secret that needs to be carefully guarded, in fact, silence around it is harming too many girls and women around the world.

February Work Camp

February work camp was done in Dharapani, Bhotshipa ward no 7. People there are of low caste like Kami (Dalit). In this Work camp total 9 taps were made. The Work camp was started from February 22 but we reached there a day earlier and did some discussion with the beneficiaries and community people regarding the work plan.

February 22: The Salus Aqua team members AFS- Nepal volunteers and the community members all of us were divided into three working groups including the beneficiaries in each group. We started the work from 8:30 AM till the 12 noon. The working places were different. Everyone during the working time was very co-operative and friendly in a way like if they are doing it for our sake why not co-operate with them.  Even if there was language barrier the working hours went very smoothly and efficiently. Everyone was enjoying each other’s company. After the working hours we had a visit to previous work camp places. Then till 2:30 Pm it was a launch and rest time break, after that back to work. In twilight back to the tents and had a RECAP about the whole day work with the community members. Questionnaires were done with the villagers trying to understand their way of living, cultures, traditions, professions, difficulties they go through during emergencies and many more.

   

   

   

   

February 23:- The same Schedule as of previous day till Morning. Then in afternoon School Visit, extra curriculum activities for the students and general knowledge questions were exchanged. The students were very co-operative during the program organized by the Salus Aqua team members. After all this had a short recap in the meeting of the whole day and discussion regarding tomorrows work plan.

  

    

     

     

     

  

      

February 24:- Till 12 AM we completed the digging part started putting the pipeline. At the day time we had organized a short program with women of the villages regarding their wants, lifestyle, what kind of future do they want their children to pursue and also during menstruation what are the do’s and don’ts they follow and many more.

     

February 25:-Last day of our work. Early morning went for the sight visit in the upper hills. On the way visited Saraswoti School and showed the salus aqua members the only health post available there,then after returning back from there completed the pipelining work i.e. pouring the soil above the pipelining area. After all this the work was completed. In the evening, there was a program organized by the community people and also by the Salus Aqua team members.

  

February 26:- Early morning did all the cleaning and packing had breakfast and small ceremony was done as Thanks giving putting Tika’s on the forehead for the guest, and then returned back to Kathmandu.

December camp 2016

Environment program

This program is done every year on December. The program was held in Shree Naulin School, Chunikhel, Kathmandu. But this time the program was just runned for 1 day i.e on 25th December, 2016, where student from different schools participated in this program carried out by JAFS. This time total 7 school from different places participated on this program,  The main theme of this program was "Discussion on environment problems and its solution."  Every school had similar kind of topics (the objectives made last year) to be discussed like about their school environment that includes toilets, classrooms, Hand wash station, ground, their nearby places etc and how much percent were they successful on their objectives but their problems and situations were different.

Participants of December Camp

2016

Name of School	Address	Students		Teachers
		Boys	Girls	Sir	Madam
Saraswoti lower secondary school	Bhotsipa	2	3	1	1
Chandeswori higher secondary school	Bhotsipa	2	3	1	1
Swet Barahi School	Kavre	1	4	1	1
Pithauli lower secondary school	Kusnanhari	2	2	1	1
Shree shanti School	Gairi	2	2	-	2
Rajratna school	Rajmandir	2	2	1	1
Chunikhel school	Chunikhel	3	2	2	-

This program was runned by JAFS Deputy Director Ms. Noriko Atsuta Malla. Everyone enjoyed the session. She started the session by teaching them the thing that they have to start by themselves like personal cleanliness, before telling to others you gotta do it yourself, being proactive, way of listening and many more.

The children were shown some of the pictures related to environment through projector like the estimated graph of the environment pollution increasing yearly in Asian countries in compare to other countries. by creating an example (a land surrounded by 100 meters and have trees inside it) letting them know that how much ton of oxygen does the tress gives, how much ton does the trees takes the carbon-dioxide, and the number of people can use the ton of oxygen given by tree which is a practical knowledge for them out of their study book, discussed about the negative impacts of plastics bags if its just thrown in the mud or the impacts of it if its just burned, about detergents and its impact if its thrown in mud, pollution that create global warming that result negative impact on weathers and also about the importance of greenery on earth. As its 21st century the population is more, deforestation has been growing rapidly, technologies have been developed, and people try to use those things that are quick and very easy but at the same time they do not think about its impact on earth. 

...... Some Glimpse of the day...

Whole day program was a little bit difficult for the children to resist but at the end of the program the children's came with the sum up and made their goals that they will be doing in their school. The lesson learnt in this session, they will be sharing it with the school students, friends, neighbor, cousins and others. The sharing process was beneficial for them because they were able to take ideas that were successful on the same field and it was also a new experience for them.They were really happy meeting new friends from different places. Next day the participants headed towards their own home town.

Final Handsake before leaving

Bye Bye!!

Women Empowerment program

Dadagaun, Bhotsipa 8

Talking about the women in bhotsipa the moto of their life is just within their children's and husbands. They are unprivileged depending on their husband for their decision etc and also doing agriculture and farming. So, learning about the things going on there we organized a small orientation program for the senior women on the topic Women Empowerment ( as in nepali "Mahila Baithak"). Women Empowerment does not only means for income generation but also empowering the women to take their own decision for their personal dependent in all aspects from mind, thoughts, rights, decision, etc. 

So, Starting from bottom as an pyramid we the members and volunteers just asked them simple questions like did you know about the earthquake before ? Did you have any idea? most of them were like no, some had heard about it happening in japan through radio but didn't knew that it will be that devastating and ruin everything. Such type of question conversation were very interesting for them because these type of discussions was not done by them before so slowly they became more open up with their opinions, thoughts and experiences. 

We ran this program for 4-5 days were we taught and discussed about the precaution that they should take during such time, their roles in the community, regarding wash, Sanitation, what would be their guidelines for the next generations and also the skills they have besides the household works like sewing, making candles, their interest that they are willing to do etc.

Bhotsipa is also the village were we get vegetables very rarely. During the orientation class  Deputy Director Ms, Noriko Atsuta Malla gave them some soybean seeds of japan to try.

The seeds given to them grew very well

Moving on, now we are trying utilize the available resources there like available fruits to make sweet candy of persimmon which is found in Japan, which can also be a source for women here. And this training is given by JAFS Deputy Director Ms. Noriko Atsuta Malla.

"Hoping for the best"

Individual support

" A small help can also be very helpful at the time of need "

Knowing about the work done by JAFS in Nepal after the earthquake Ms. Mariko Sawamoto while is was in Nepal she has given her individual support i.e some medicinal items to JAFS/AFS-Nepal which will be helpful for the needy ones in the prone areas. Thanking her from the inner core of our heart for her kind and helpful support. 

26th AINS in Bangalore, India

October 8 - 12, 2016

The 26th Asian International Seminar was held in Maurya Hotel, Bangalore, India. Where from AFS-Nepal chapter three participant participated in the seminar "Partnership with the poor in building resilient communities and for human security". The overall seminar was about the mutual learning and understanding of current issues and trends affecting Asian countries and how they impact local communities, discussions on how local communities are taking actions to help themselves or improve their situation. The AFS is committed to address poverty, environment, community and human development, and to promote international cooperation for one Asian community without poverty for humane life. There were 53 participants from 12 Asian countries attending the seminar.

In the seminar there was also the presentation given by the Asian Youth submit members related to youth "Asian Youth Submit" their actions, roles in AFS Network, AFS projects and programs for the sustainable society.

Kavre Drinking Water Pipelining

Drinking water pipelining was done in Pune tole, Tukucha 6, Kavrepalanchok. The work was completed on 25^th September, 2016. JAFS/AFS-Nepal has been conducting such water projects in different places. The Pune tole had proposed for the pipelining from the main source.

Total 800 meter of pipe was provided by JAFS. The number of houses benefitted is more than 15. All the houses nearby has been using it properly. After the work is completed the people of those communities are very happy and using the water not only for drinking, washing but also for cultivating crops which will raise their economic standard.

After the pipelining it has become easier for the people living there for washing, cooking and many more. The water there is direct from the source therefore it’s clean and flows 24 hours daily.

The villagers are very thankful to JAFS / AFS – Nepal and donors for solving their problem without any hesitation.