Category Rights

 Based on a latest news published on Feburary 8, 2024 by Gorkhapatra Daily Newspaper माघ २५, २०८० गाेरखापत्र

 08/02/2024 (२५ माघ २०८०, बिहिबार) by Radhakrishna Dumre राधाकृष्ण डुम्रे

This news and there are several news gives hints that the public school must think, plan and act quickly.

Why can’t school manage to have a hostel partnering with parents. Partnering means, at least they as a parents provide monthly fee based on their social status. So that school could manage a place for the student. किन विद्यालयले अभिभावकसँग साझेदारीमा सही व्यवस्थापन गर्न सक्दैनन् ? साझेदारीको अर्थ, कम्तिमा अभिभावकको रूपमा उनीहरूले आफ्नो सामाजिक स्थितिको आधारमा मासिक शुल्क प्रदान गर्छन्। जसले गर्दा विद्यालयले विद्यार्थीका लागि ठाउँ व्यवस्थापन गर्न सकोस् ।

स्याङ्जाको गल्याङ नगरपालिका–९, कालीगण्डकी नजिकै रहेको माझी बस्तीका बालबालिका विद्यालय जाँदैनन् । विद्यालय जान उनीहरूलाई अभिभावकले प्रेरित पनि गर्दैनन् । यसको एउटै कारण हो घर नजिकै विद्यालय नहुनु ।

Children of Majhi or Fisherman community near Kaligandaki, Galyang Municipality-9, Syangja do not go to school. Parents do not encourage them to go to school. The only reason for this is that there is no school near the house.

छिमेकी गाउँका बालबालिका विद्यालय गइरहँदा यो गाउँका बालबालिकाका हरेक दिन मनोरञ्जन र खेलमा रमाएर बित्ने गरेको छ । विद्यालयको मुख देख्न नपाउनुमा गाउँमा विद्यालय नहुनु हो । उनीहरूलाई पढ्नका लागि कालीगण्डकी नदी तरेर अर्को प्रदेशमा जानुपर्ने बाध्यता छ । यही बाध्यताका कारण अभिभावक आफ्ना बालबालिकालाई पढ्न पठाउँदैनन् । 

While the children of neighboring villages go to school, the children of this village spend their days enjoying entertainment and games. If you can’t see the face of the school, there is no school in the village. They have to cross the Kaligandaki river to go to another province to study. Because of this compulsion, parents do not send their children to study.

स्थानीय श्यामबहादुर माझीले भन्नुभयो, “बस्ती नजिक स्कुल छैन । टाढाको स्कुल पठाउन सकिएन ।” उहाँले गाउँका बालबालिकालाई पढ्नु पर्छ भन्ने सामान्य जानकारी पनि छैन । माझी बस्तीमा १७ घरपरिवार छन् । उनीहरूका १९ जना बालबालिका विद्यालयको पहुँचबाट टाढा छन् । केही बालबालिका भने पढ्नका लागि छिमेकी जिल्ला पाल्पा पुग्ने गरेको स्थानीयको भनाइ छ । पढ्न गएकाहरू पनि तह अनुसारको पढ्ने उमेर नाघेका छन् ।  

Local Shyam Bahadur Majhi said, “There is no school near the settlement. Couldn’t send him to a distant school.” It is not even common knowledge that he should read to the children of the village. There are 17 households in Majhi Basti. 19 of their children are out of reach of school. Locals say that some children go to neighboring district Palpa to study. Even those who went to study have exceeded the reading age according to the level.

माझी समुदायका अधिकांश मानिस पढ्न र लेख्न जान्दैनन् । स्थानीय दिलकुमारी माझीले गाउँमा विद्यालय नभएका कारण आफूहरू शिक्षाबाट वञ्चित हुनुपरेको गुनासो गर्नुभयो । उहाँले विद्यालय नभएका कारण आफूहरू अन्य गाउँको तुलनामा हरेक हिसाबले पछिपरेको बताउनुभयो । उहाँले छोराछोरीलाई विद्यालय पठाउन सहज हुने खालको सचेतना आफ्नो बस्तीमा आवश्यक रहेको बताउँदै भन्नुभयो, “छोराछोरीलाई पाल्पा पठाउन कुनै अप्ठ्यारो थिएन तर यहाँको संस्कार नै यस्तै बनेको छ । छोराछोरी पढाउन एकल प्रयासले हुने अवस्था नै छैन ।” 

Most of the people of the Majhi community do not know how to read and write. Local Dilkumari Majhi complained that they were deprived of education because there was no school in the village. He said that because there is no school, they are behind in every way compared to other villages. He said that there is a need for awareness in his settlement to make it easy for children to go to school and said, “There was no difficulty in sending children to nursery school, but the culture here has become like this.” It is not a situation to educate children with a single effort.

गल्याङ नगरपालिकाले भने माझी समुदायका बालबालिकालाई पढ्ने व्यवस्था गरिएको दाबी गरेको छ । नगरपालिकाका वडा नं. ९ का अध्यक्ष नामदेव खनालले माझी बस्तीबाट आधा घण्टाको दुरीमा विद्यालय रहे पनि विद्यार्थी आफैँ अनुपस्थित रहेको दाबी गर्दै भन्नुभयो, “बालबालिकालाई शिक्षामा अगाडि ल्याउन र विद्यालय जाने वातावरण बनाउन पहल जारी छ ।” 

Galyang Municipality has claimed that provision has been made for the children of the Majhi community to study. Municipal Ward No. Namdev Khanal, the president of 9, claimed that although the school is half an hour away from Majhi Basti, the students themselves are absent and said, “Initiatives are ongoing to bring children forward in education and create an environment for going to school.”

शिक्षा विकास तथा समन्वय एकाइ स्याङ्जाका प्रमुख विश्वराज आचार्यले धेरै विद्यार्थी विद्यालय नजाने आफूहरूलाई जानकारी नरहेको भन्दै यसबारेमा आफूले बुझ्ने र समस्या भएको भए समाधानका लागि पहल गर्ने बताउनुभयो । पठित धेरै भएको जिल्लाका रूपमा स्याङ्जालाई लिइन्छ । स्याङ्जालाई २०७१ सालमा पूर्ण साक्षर जिल्ला घोषणा गरिएको थियो । जिल्लाका ८१.७ प्रतिशत नागरिक साक्षर रहेको २०७८ सालको राष्ट्रिय जनगणनाले देखाएको छ । 

Bishwaraj Acharya, Head of Education Development and Coordination Unit Syangja, said that they do not know that many students do not go to school and said that they understand this and if there is a problem, they will take steps to solve it. Syangja is considered as the most literate district. Syangja was declared fully literate district in 2071. The national census of 2078 has shown that 81.7 percent of the citizens of the district are literate.

If you meet me today, I am not the same as before when I visited Console Mission in December 2020.

I did not know why I was taken there but I was asked about my education first.

It had been a long time since I stopped my school. This October 8, 2021 I will celebrate my 22nd birthday. I told I had to take care of my brother. I may share more about my social situation.

During the 3 months from January – March 2021, I learned tailoring skills. And, by participating in activities and taking books to read, I still did not understand the importance of education. And, still I am ignoring school. If you recognize Kabita, she is my cousin who during the first lockdown left home and went with our relative living in the city and joined a garment factory. But, the Console Mission met her and re-reflected the advantages of education. She refused to continue school but next morning she contacted and planned to continue her education. All that was going on around me but I am not caring about it. Every Sunday I used to go to the Console Mission for training and returned on Tuesday afternoon. During that time I have heard most of the time the Console Mission is focusing on prevention and the importance of education to understand other areas like health, ways of earning and to play a part in a peaceful community. I also heard that “everything is worthless without understanding because understanding develops behaviors and education is the key for understanding and logical thinking”.

The main problem that I have is that I do not communicate well. I just smile. In my village we have green vegetables that are expensive in urban areas but I did not bother to carry some for my cousin living there at Console Mission. My trust in the Console Mission increased when I heard that it helped a 13-year-old Survival girl from our village area to get justice. That little girl did not even know that this NGO did help her. She now lives in our village, Bulakhi Chawor with her relative because it is not safe for her at her village. I know she went to the Console Mission to collect stationeries and educational materials. But she wanted to inform me that she was not feeling safe. Her relatives have their own children, it is not possible to carry on more burden. This girl has her younger sister also. I do not know how this NGO will help them to manage a safe place. I heard from my cousin that there are numerous NGOs who have Shelter Home but the Console Mission has unique ideas for developing such victims and they have different ways to rehabilitate. But, besides ideas, they also need resources, they do not have their own place. At Console Home, there are 4 more girls along with my cousin Kabita. Last month the relative of the owner of the house visited and questioned people living there. Because it was supposed to be for office use only. I think since Console Mission pays the monthly rent on time and took care of the house properly, they have not bothered. But, there are uncertainties otherwise I might have thought of continuing joining school.

Now, it is locked down, since April I along with my other friends had just started learning new things, everything stopped.

If I share more about my family, my father got married to another woman. It was in 2016 when we were suffering from an earthquake. And, later my mother also went with another man. They have their own children. They left us alone. Now, my sister and brother live with my uncle, auntie and cousins. I have been planning to start a tailoring and manage clothes to sell in my village after completing my training.

I have put my photos for you to see.

A place managed by the Government of Nepal for study.

“It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” Mahatma Gandhi

There are 3 types of interests group in an organisation where I am associated as Programme Executive. In this position I cannot ignore the members ideas to undertake but try to direct them together for the best of all. The fact is that both small or big project requires human resources that must play a role of managing human as well as non-human resources. #Health, #Education and #Human Resources Development are the three areas that the members are interested. I personally developed ideas that project that is initiated (#socialinitiationforchange) must focus on Prevention because it is linked with the sustainablty (#a_progressive_development).

Tailoring is a skill development training programme to empower females started by members especially female since 2019 targeting disadvantaged communities from both urban and rural areas of the capital city of Nepal developed by a team who are particularly knows that there are Nepali women who are not independent because they are illiterate and uneducated. The primary beneficiaries are the single women. The first badge was a success that trainee started earning by directly getting orders or through the contact with the tailoring shop that was created during the training. I have called it Skill & Business Development Programme/Tailoring and Sewing Skill or SBDP/TSS. While I have used TSS for this specific tailoring skill development programme but you might be curious about F&D. I have found it is a short form for Food and Dairy. But, it is not. When I interact with the trainees my job had/has been to find out about their future thought that how they will use their skill after they complete their course. And, to put knowledge about starting business is my primary responsibility.

However, it is a challenge to motivate the participants for business in a systematic way. Because tailoring is separated that only specific caste should do it in Nepal. Among them mostly do not know to manage their earned skill after completing. It could go together with selling cloths because customer may need to fix according to their size or they could be a trainer or they can get job in Fashion & Designing Companies or they could open their own Fashion stores. By giving examples of future possibilities, I have been successful to motivate trainees to continue. If there are 12 in starting after a month 1 or 2 discontinue because they either finds job or for a single woman with children they have responsibilities to handle, which is common reason that we have learned. At the end it is possible that about 15% – 20% discontinue.

All trainees are less motivated to be called Tailor. But, they are motivated to be called Fashion & Cloth Designer. And, it helps them to continue training as well as think more about developing skill in designing. To do this trainer, trainee and the advisory team works together.

During the training:

• Attendance is maintained
• Keeping notes and maintaining a Note Book is mandatory
• If anyone stops coming for 2 classes cannot continue except due reason but need to manage extra time to cover what is taught
• Trainee learn to come over the weaknesses and possible threats relation to their future plan
• If trainee cannot continue, they needs to fill up a form that includes the time she attended, the lesson that she learned and a proof of a valid reason for discontinuing is collected.
• Home visit of the trainee is mandatory that is carried on by Programme Assistant and a Volunteer.
• Trainer is focused on teaching and learning method that test are taken after the trainee learns new lessons

Individuals have their own choices. Both old and modern societies have their own cultures and traditions that help them to live their life smoothly. But the fact is that everyone can not stay in one place without going markets, visiting relatives and places like Government offices, hospitals etc.. Interaction is important and happens even if unwanted.

It is parents responsibilities to play a role of mentor to develop mental from early age

Interaction is purposeful therefore it is important that children from early age should get opportunities to develop their mind. And, games like Ludo helps. The other fact about this indoor game is that there are 4-players who plays together. Playing together or doing something together, following rules and accepting lost or appreciating win by other are some of the essentials that this games helps children to develop from their childhood. There are games that is managed at the Study Centre who gets to play in weekend. Such initiation are managed in the rural areas of one district where it is challenging to travel because roads are blocked by landslides.

Games that helps to develop self-attitude like working in team, accepting lost and appreciating win is important

Study Place or Study Centre is a project started since 2018 by participating the members of Console Mission, the individual supporters and the beneficiaries. The main objective of this initiation is that the children who are suffering to do their after school homework and prepare for test/exam because their parents are either busy or illiterate or low educated. To understand the impact, the Intern of Console Mission were sent to the schools and interviewed teachers and found that the children attending Study Place improving and doing well in their studies that is the achievement. Console Mission is looking forward for the opportunity to run this initiation effectively.

On a monthly visit when Bikram visited his contact office he shared about his work.

Particularly, I was interested to know that how long he is going to continue to play a role of guidance to do school homework to the children of his village after her sister started living at school for the preparation of SSE that is more than 2 hours away from her house. Recently their mother left world. When Ram Bahadur (person in his right) instantly informed me I asked that I was unknown about her illness. It happened suddenly, again asking whether it is an accident or police case that have to do something, he said everything was normal. Later I found she had blood pressure. I met Sunita also, she is the eldest daughter who said that she was sick. Daughter knows more than son. Along with them they have one younger sister and a brother too.

In this village this is only the family who does not have their own land. They are taking care of some others property by making a temporary house that was also affected by earthquake in 2015 and then they have been living in a house made of zinc sheet provided by Console Mission. Along with this family their entire village and 5 other neighboring villages received zinc sheet and food supplies.

Sunita who is the elder one and who was recommended by Bikram to provide scholarships (Console Mission actually preferred to say motivational package) instead of him because in 2016 he was planning to work stopping going to school so that there will be supply for his family. His father, according to them, villagers and as seen by myself, is a drunkard and what he earns spends in alcohol.

Since they love their father (Bikram and Sunita), they used to tell that their father is sick and could not work. However, analysing the situation Sunita was granted for the scholarship. She has been doing very well. As she helps to guide children in their study, Console Mission has a good provision for her that she receives extra support so that she could manage her coaching and rent at school where she could use it. When she come in contact she was in grade 8. Now she is preparing for grade 10 exam. There are more girls who are preparing too.

Sunita guiding children of her village in a facility managed with fund collected from Console Mission’s Board Member

Recently she shared that since she is the eldest sister she want to earn and take care of her family. But she was suggested to complete her school. Now as she is away she is worried that since she is not guiding she may not get support. She was suggested to come her village in weekend and take class for two days.

Bikram who had completed grade 8 will remain in village for a month until then Sunita have no problem. But, she will come in weekend to guide as suggested by our Project Executive because since she is studying she is better compare to his brother. The children coming to take help to do their homework and prepare for the test needs good guidance.

Bikram, Sunita and their two young brother and sister is one example that there are children in similar situation where Console Mission is reaching. They do not have a place. They are living in uncertainty. However Console Mission is a hope for them in this situation.

As an elder brother Bikram has been playing his role but then when he told that he is not studying I hesitated and asked the reason. He said that his father is physically unable to work and earn that he is only the one who should handle the responsibilities of earning for the family. And instead he requested support that Sunita could continue. Console Mission is worried that along with her there are other teen who will be away from their house for coaching class provided by their school. Since the month of Poush 2075, they have been staying at school for the preparation of grade 10 exam. Though they are under school premises they have to manage financial resources for room food and coaching. Most of the teacher are from outside of the village who are also residing at school. Anjali who is also one of our children from neighboring village is one of the clever one in this team that as they are far from their parents, they will hopefully be fine. In a recent visit done by our volunteer, they were not allowed to enter the school. They walked a long way to meet and ask some question that they had prepared but they were not allowed. These two were the interns from Internship project. Their purpose was to learn about the action that school takes when children stops coming to school. However they explored that it took them 2 hours to reach the school from the village of Bikram. For Anjali it will take about 3 hours from her village.

What Console Mission could do better has been doing | to manage  a place where children could at least get environment to concentrate in their study without distractions that is usual at their house is one purpose so that the similar grade work together, solve problems | to manage tutor even once a week for all grade is a challenge | at the movement study place is running collection from the Board Member |neighboring 5 villages  are also seeking such facilities | therefore a place enough for at least 42 to 50 children is the need.

Console Mission an indigenous Nepali grassroots NGO is thankful to its friends and well-wishers that without their support, it is unlikely that this could happen.  

Her story reflects 3 things for me related to the weaknesses in our Nepali Society. (1.) The responsible body or organisation with full authority lacking to help someone physically weak living in street (2.) Even though there are other organisation else than this but a person physically or mentally weak who is not capable to do toilet in proper place due to physical disability or cause of sickness, is difficult to handle. This types of social organisation do not have financial resources that could let hire someone to take care. (3.) and the third is that suppose if she is socially disadvantage or lower in social system, she is outcast from basic rights.

Console Mission has a place but do not have full or part time staff. It has been taking care of the people abandoned or living in street by placing them at the places relevant to them. But in such case it is a big challenge. More than food or shelter, she (the woman in picture: Mrs Kanchi Maya Nepali who had 7 children but none is there for her to take care and suffering from various social stigma) needs someone to take care for her to go to toilet or help her.

(C.M. has not still understood her situation that brought her in street but most probably, based on the experiences, she must be stranded while she needs someone to take care)

To find a better solution, team of #rescue-support-services learning her story who is in a vulnerable situation.