Our work
- ActionAid
- Focus areas of our work
- How we work
- Countries we work in
- Examples and results
- The organisation
Operation Days Work
29. June 2005
EFP in progress
In the last update, the general situation in Bardiya was described as critical according to the Maoists interruption of BASE Bardiya’s activities. The Maoists has from time to time restricted BASE Bardiya to enter in the field. In March, the Maoists had called for a nationwide bandh affecting all transportation and the schools. Schools were closed during many weeks especially the private schools. In Bardiya, it is said that schools in average have been closed 3 months in a whole school year, caused by bandhs and blockades. Now again the Maoists has called for an educational strike affecting the schools but only in the Headquarter of Gulariya. In the villages the schools are open.
The situation is still critical, and during the last 3 weeks the Maoists have intensified their presence in Bardiya, mainly in the bigger villages surrounding Gulariya. Typically they are around 400 armed Maoists checking people when coming and going to Gulariya. BASE Bardiya is also from time to time been denying to entering in the field carrying out observation and monitoring. However, BASE Bardiya is still managing and running the EFP with a stronger presence in the field than previous months. The EFP is being implemented with some disturbance. But construction of new classrooms is taken place, teacher training are provided and BASE Bardiya organises and join in many meetings with teachers, facilitators and SMC’s. BASE Bardiya had the last 2 months been quite present in the different VDC’s, and in the last 3 weeks almost daily.
However access in 2 VDC are denied by Maoists
BASE Bardiya needs always before going to the field to inform the local communities beforehand for acceptance from Maoists side. When Maoists are running their program in the villages, we are normally restricted from going. All other time we can normally go around quite easily either on bicycles, bus or car. When the security forces are in the villages for searching for Maoists, we are also told not to come to the villages. These conditions make planning difficult and our monitoring and visits are based on a daily planning in which BASE Bardiya needs to be very flexible.
In 2 VDC’s BASE Bardiya have no possibility to monitor regularly, because the Maoists are strongly present there running their programmes. These 2 VDC’s are positioned lonely and isolated from the HQ, and just since the start of the EFP, these VDC’s have been vulnerable. The VDC are “Baniyabhar” and “Dhadhawar”. In Baniyabhar VDC, BASE are running 5 flexible classes, 3 CBCDC centres and reflect class, one model education centre (a primary and lower secondary school) and one formal primary school provided support for construction of classrooms and teacher training. In Dhadhawar VDC, 5 flexible classes are running, 3 CBCDC centres and 1 Model School, and 3 general supported schools with construction of classrooms and teacher training.
In these VDC´s, BASE Bardiya is depending only on BASE’s social mobilisers living in the communities and also on the regularly meetings held in BASE office in Gulariya with teachers and community members from the local areas.
Campaign for enrolment in schools
BASE Bardiya has taken active part in the enrolment campaign, which has been running for 2 weeks ending on 25 May. Activities were organised in close cooperation with the DEO who coordinated with other NGO’s also. Activities like daily radio programme announced by the FM radio, door to door visit to each family organised by the SMC, pamphlets, posters and banners made by BASE Bardiya, and especially rallies were organised. The campaign ended 21 May, and it seems that much more students this year will be enrolled in schools, but the difficulty for
Construction of class rooms
BASE Bardiya’s Architect has provided guidance and estimations to the school construction committees for the construction of classrooms in five schools. Five government schools will have 2 new class rooms made very soon. 6 schools will be provided drinking water, and 2 schools separate toilets for girls and boys. The process is running fast, as the local communities soon will be unable to provide labour work as they will be planting rice in the fields.
Experiences from tour to BASE Kailali
A small team from BASE Bardiya´s Education and Monitoring sections went to BASE Kailali to study their programme financed by Save the Children US. Their programme involved now 31 early childhood centres and 54 child clubs. The purpose of the trip was to learn from their experiences as they have run the programme during the last 9 years. The 2 districts have agreed to share in future best practices as the 2 neighbouring districts seem to have a lot to learn from each other. Especially BASE Bardiya can learn from their early childhood centres which are focused on child care and learning through play.
MS Nepal in BASE Bardiya
MS Nepal has during the last months been frequently in BASE Bardiya. First of all during the AOR, that took place in mid May with the PO from MS CO. Secondly, several trips have been organised with MS Nepal, both the financial controller, administrator, DW journalist from Info-Unit etc. Also an important visit took place in the end of May with three country directors from MS Nepal: Nina Ellinger (present Country Director of MS Nepal), Henning Kjær (former Country Director of MS Nepal) and Philomen Jaz (present Country Director of MS Zimbabwe). They met different types of schools, and meetings were held in schools and in the villages themselves with SMC, PTA and community members.
Teachers get intensive training
Reflect classes have had their training in Gulariya for 8 days. The training was organised by an external consultant from Kathmandu. The approach of these classes has now changed from focusing on “Literacy” to focus only on “Empowerment”. The students of the reflect classes have been very non- motivated because of this change of approach. Actually the challenge for the facilitators has been to provide an integrated approach in which literacy is introduced in line with relevant topics related to life skills empowering the adults.
BASE Bardiya has decided to improve the teacher training in the Model Schools by choosing a well known and respected school in Kathmandu to carry out an intensive teacher training program for 7 teachers and the coordinator from BASE Bardiya responsible of the Model Schools. 7 committed teachers and the coordinator are now following almost 3 months intensive training in Kathmandu. The teachers will afterwards have the responsibility in cooperation with BASE Bardiya of sharing their experiences to all the formal school teachers in the EFP.
Child Clubs
4 child clubs are now established in different local communities. The process of setting up 10 new child clubs is under serious consideration. What was experienced from BASE Bardiya’s visit in Dhangadhi visiting child clubs is actually that the children being members of these child clubs might be brought in risk from Maoists. When the children are gathering together in the local communities they are in a risk and their activities are in a risk of being hampered.
Improving relation with DEO
BASE Bardiya has now taken up a closer relationship with DEO in Bardiya that was agreed upon at the last BEAB meeting. The DW for Monitoring and Education has since this meeting increased the cooperation with the DEO and BASE Bardiya have also had joint monitoring visits in the field with DEO. But although this was agreed at the BEAB to have more joint monitoring meetings this might not be possible. It is too risky for the DEO to enter in the field these days.
BASE Central in action
BASE Bardiya has experienced a recently intensive coordination and planning with BASE Central as BASE Central now seems to be a lot more careful and concerned about the organisations development during the conflict. 3 days meeting were held in Kanchanpur district for all BASE staff members. Everyone shows satisfaction about the meeting, because BASE Central in practice try to set up a better coordination among the districts, developing common policies and understandings of the different programmes, and having an overall security policy including accidents assurance for staffs.
In the coming 3 days BASE will be having their General Assembly in Nepalgunj. 5000 participants from Bardiy' are expected to join. BASE Bardiya has organised a large rally for all tomorrow morning arriving on bicycles from Maina Pokhar.
Education for Freedom – Tenth update
This update covers a period from first of March until beginning of June 2005. Many activities have taken place in these months and we have been regularly in the field visiting both formal and non formal schools and early childhood centres (CBCDC), much more than usual.
By Christine Høstbo29. June 2005
EFP in progress
In the last update, the general situation in Bardiya was described as critical according to the Maoists interruption of BASE Bardiya’s activities. The Maoists has from time to time restricted BASE Bardiya to enter in the field. In March, the Maoists had called for a nationwide bandh affecting all transportation and the schools. Schools were closed during many weeks especially the private schools. In Bardiya, it is said that schools in average have been closed 3 months in a whole school year, caused by bandhs and blockades. Now again the Maoists has called for an educational strike affecting the schools but only in the Headquarter of Gulariya. In the villages the schools are open.
The situation is still critical, and during the last 3 weeks the Maoists have intensified their presence in Bardiya, mainly in the bigger villages surrounding Gulariya. Typically they are around 400 armed Maoists checking people when coming and going to Gulariya. BASE Bardiya is also from time to time been denying to entering in the field carrying out observation and monitoring. However, BASE Bardiya is still managing and running the EFP with a stronger presence in the field than previous months. The EFP is being implemented with some disturbance. But construction of new classrooms is taken place, teacher training are provided and BASE Bardiya organises and join in many meetings with teachers, facilitators and SMC’s. BASE Bardiya had the last 2 months been quite present in the different VDC’s, and in the last 3 weeks almost daily.
However access in 2 VDC are denied by Maoists
BASE Bardiya needs always before going to the field to inform the local communities beforehand for acceptance from Maoists side. When Maoists are running their program in the villages, we are normally restricted from going. All other time we can normally go around quite easily either on bicycles, bus or car. When the security forces are in the villages for searching for Maoists, we are also told not to come to the villages. These conditions make planning difficult and our monitoring and visits are based on a daily planning in which BASE Bardiya needs to be very flexible.
In 2 VDC’s BASE Bardiya have no possibility to monitor regularly, because the Maoists are strongly present there running their programmes. These 2 VDC’s are positioned lonely and isolated from the HQ, and just since the start of the EFP, these VDC’s have been vulnerable. The VDC are “Baniyabhar” and “Dhadhawar”. In Baniyabhar VDC, BASE are running 5 flexible classes, 3 CBCDC centres and reflect class, one model education centre (a primary and lower secondary school) and one formal primary school provided support for construction of classrooms and teacher training. In Dhadhawar VDC, 5 flexible classes are running, 3 CBCDC centres and 1 Model School, and 3 general supported schools with construction of classrooms and teacher training.
In these VDC´s, BASE Bardiya is depending only on BASE’s social mobilisers living in the communities and also on the regularly meetings held in BASE office in Gulariya with teachers and community members from the local areas.
Campaign for enrolment in schools
BASE Bardiya has taken active part in the enrolment campaign, which has been running for 2 weeks ending on 25 May. Activities were organised in close cooperation with the DEO who coordinated with other NGO’s also. Activities like daily radio programme announced by the FM radio, door to door visit to each family organised by the SMC, pamphlets, posters and banners made by BASE Bardiya, and especially rallies were organised. The campaign ended 21 May, and it seems that much more students this year will be enrolled in schools, but the difficulty for
Construction of class rooms
BASE Bardiya’s Architect has provided guidance and estimations to the school construction committees for the construction of classrooms in five schools. Five government schools will have 2 new class rooms made very soon. 6 schools will be provided drinking water, and 2 schools separate toilets for girls and boys. The process is running fast, as the local communities soon will be unable to provide labour work as they will be planting rice in the fields.
Experiences from tour to BASE Kailali
A small team from BASE Bardiya´s Education and Monitoring sections went to BASE Kailali to study their programme financed by Save the Children US. Their programme involved now 31 early childhood centres and 54 child clubs. The purpose of the trip was to learn from their experiences as they have run the programme during the last 9 years. The 2 districts have agreed to share in future best practices as the 2 neighbouring districts seem to have a lot to learn from each other. Especially BASE Bardiya can learn from their early childhood centres which are focused on child care and learning through play.
MS Nepal in BASE Bardiya
MS Nepal has during the last months been frequently in BASE Bardiya. First of all during the AOR, that took place in mid May with the PO from MS CO. Secondly, several trips have been organised with MS Nepal, both the financial controller, administrator, DW journalist from Info-Unit etc. Also an important visit took place in the end of May with three country directors from MS Nepal: Nina Ellinger (present Country Director of MS Nepal), Henning Kjær (former Country Director of MS Nepal) and Philomen Jaz (present Country Director of MS Zimbabwe). They met different types of schools, and meetings were held in schools and in the villages themselves with SMC, PTA and community members.
Teachers get intensive training
Reflect classes have had their training in Gulariya for 8 days. The training was organised by an external consultant from Kathmandu. The approach of these classes has now changed from focusing on “Literacy” to focus only on “Empowerment”. The students of the reflect classes have been very non- motivated because of this change of approach. Actually the challenge for the facilitators has been to provide an integrated approach in which literacy is introduced in line with relevant topics related to life skills empowering the adults.
BASE Bardiya has decided to improve the teacher training in the Model Schools by choosing a well known and respected school in Kathmandu to carry out an intensive teacher training program for 7 teachers and the coordinator from BASE Bardiya responsible of the Model Schools. 7 committed teachers and the coordinator are now following almost 3 months intensive training in Kathmandu. The teachers will afterwards have the responsibility in cooperation with BASE Bardiya of sharing their experiences to all the formal school teachers in the EFP.
Child Clubs
4 child clubs are now established in different local communities. The process of setting up 10 new child clubs is under serious consideration. What was experienced from BASE Bardiya’s visit in Dhangadhi visiting child clubs is actually that the children being members of these child clubs might be brought in risk from Maoists. When the children are gathering together in the local communities they are in a risk and their activities are in a risk of being hampered.
Improving relation with DEO
BASE Bardiya has now taken up a closer relationship with DEO in Bardiya that was agreed upon at the last BEAB meeting. The DW for Monitoring and Education has since this meeting increased the cooperation with the DEO and BASE Bardiya have also had joint monitoring visits in the field with DEO. But although this was agreed at the BEAB to have more joint monitoring meetings this might not be possible. It is too risky for the DEO to enter in the field these days.
BASE Central in action
BASE Bardiya has experienced a recently intensive coordination and planning with BASE Central as BASE Central now seems to be a lot more careful and concerned about the organisations development during the conflict. 3 days meeting were held in Kanchanpur district for all BASE staff members. Everyone shows satisfaction about the meeting, because BASE Central in practice try to set up a better coordination among the districts, developing common policies and understandings of the different programmes, and having an overall security policy including accidents assurance for staffs.
In the coming 3 days BASE will be having their General Assembly in Nepalgunj. 5000 participants from Bardiy' are expected to join. BASE Bardiya has organised a large rally for all tomorrow morning arriving on bicycles from Maina Pokhar.
