“Empowering marginalized communities”

Namaste!

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An Enchanting Land

Landlocked between China and India

Landscape rises from the lowland plains of the Terai up to the peak of Everest in the Himalayas

Population of 28.3 million

100 different ethnic groups, languages, and religions

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Nepal is a beautiful country that is both geographically and ethnically diverse.

Source: HDR 2009, WaterAid Nepal website.

In Need of Support

55.1% under the international poverty line of US$1.25 per day 30.9% under the national poverty line Reliance on agriculture (employs 80% of the workforce) and vulnerability to climate change

not helping

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It is also one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world, with a Human Development Index (HDI) rank of 144 (out of 182) and widespread discrimination and inequality.

Widespread Poverty

Adult illiteracy 56.4% female, 29.7% male 40% of teachers do not have formal teacher training Over 18% of children are lacking education

Lack of Education

Sanitation coverage only 27% 11% without access to an improved water source Diarrhea based diseases kill 9,000 children each year Hand washing with water 37%, and 12% with soap at critical times

Poor Health, Hygiene & Sanitation

Patriarchal society: Gender-biased practices, related primarily to access and control over resources have lead to greater poverty and diminished capabilities among Nepalese women

Caste system: In most castes and ethnic groups, Nepalese women have both lower status and heavier workloads than men

Gender & Social Discrimination

Source: HDR 2009, UNDP website, WaterAid Nepal website.

The decade long Maoist insurgency left 13,000 dead and 100,000 misplaced A Federal Democratic Republic since 2008 but with ongoing political instability as the new

multi-party Parliament attempts to draft a new Constitution and the Maoists continue to cause disruptions

Political Instability

VIN – Improving Lives

Mission: to empower marginalised communities, with a focus on women and children, through enhanced educational programs and community training to promote equality, economic well-being and basic human rights.

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VIN is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organisation founded in 2005 by a diverse group of development workers, specialists in education, social activists and other professionals to improve the lives of the Nepalese people.

Where We Work

Jitpurphedi is a rural community 11km from the capital on the outskirts of the Kathmandu Valley

The community consists of 9 Wards, being home to approx. 950 households, with a total population of around 5,000 people

8 schools 9 Early Childhood

Development centres

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Since 2007 VIN has been working in the Jitpurphedi VDC, piloting its integrated approach to community development.

Our Approach

To empower women to improve their quality of life by:– Supplying them with economic tools– Educating them on their rights– Developing their life skills

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VIN uses an integrated community-based approach with four programs, each focusing on a marginalized group and with clearly defined objectives.

Women’s Empowerment

To empower youth by:– Educating them on their rights– Developing their life skills– Creating career development opportunities– Stimulating community volunteering

Youth Empowerment

To protect the rights of all children by:– Providing them with access to basic

education– Developing their life skills

Child Development

To significantly improve the basic health conditions of all by:– Improving access to health services– Providing sanitation facilities– Increasing awareness of health & hygiene

Community Health

Establish a microcredit (savings and credit ) cooperative

Ensure 80% of families have year-round income Ensure 95% of women have attended literacy

training

Establish a Youth Club that all youths aged 16 to 30 are able to attend

Raise awareness amongst the youths about their human rights

Encourage community volunteering

Ensure every child 3-5yrs has access to ECD Improve teaching methods in schools Improve graduation from primary school to 100%

Establish a Health Post, permanently staffed by a medical doctor and nurses

Ensure every family has access to a toilet, waste removal system, and clean drinking water

Raise awareness of health, hygiene and sanitation

Program Goal Objectives

Our People

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VIN consists of an experienced local staff, backed up by an advisory board, executive committee, and volunteers.

Board of Advisers

Board of Directors

Executive Director Bhupendra Ghimire

Program Manager

Babita Shrestha

Office Assistant

Yeshoda Gautam

Volunteer Coordinator

Dinesh Maharjan

Program Officer

Om Shrestha

Income Generation

Program Officer

Pramila Dhakal

Community Health Program Officer

Dr Laxmi Prasad Ghimire

Program Assistant

Shyam Koirala

ECD Teachers

Sarita Aryal

Bimala Ghimire

Our Achievements So Far

Provided technical support for government-run literacy campaign in Jitpurphedi Facilitated orientation and supported education facilitators who gave classes to 230 women 22 women’s savings and credit groups established and set up a government registered

cooperative to provide financial solutions for the community Training in agri and non-agri income generation ideas delivered to 19 women’s groups

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Over the past few years, VIN has had significant success in the Jitpurphedi community, establishing social groups and delivering training programs.

Women’s Empowerment

Program

Youth Club formed and management training delivered Leadership and goal-setting, computer technology and English language training provided Community volunteering encouraged (community clean up, cultural event, assistance with health

survey)

Youth Empowerment

Program

8 Children’s Clubs (CCs) and a United Children’s Club established and events organized Child Rights and Responsibilities training delivered to CC’s representatives and students 44 children received sponsorship to enable them to attend school ECD teacher training conducted, improved 4 ECD centres and ECD curriculum draft started Primary and ECD English Teacher training provided 1 school compound and toilets constructed to provide a safe learning env. for 500 children

Child Development

Program

Oral Health Care training sessions for VDC-level health workers Health and sanitation orientation for members of women’s groups and their children Health Post facilities improved Medical doctor appointed to Health Post Toilet construction pilot project - 26 toilets constructed

Community Health Program

2010 – A Year of Consolidation

Formally register Women’s Savings and Credit Cooperative, finalise Policy Manual and start loan cycles

Deliver training to women’s groups in improved agricultural techniques and non-agricultural business ideas

Continue delivering women’s literacy training

Help fund the improvement of 4 ECD centres

Provide hygiene awareness training to women’s, children’s and youth groups

Construct 70 toilets Design and implement a waste

management solution Commence construction of a

Community Learning Centre (CLC)

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VIN has a full schedule of training programs for 2010, combined with a number of much needed infrastructure projects, resulting in a larger than usual fundraising task.

2010 Objectives 2010 Budget

Funding Gap

£155,800

Volunteers

Sponsorship

How You Can Help

By volunteering your time and skills you can help to improve the lives of the people in the Jitpurphedi community

Part of your fee will go towards facilitating VIN’s community projects

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Want to help VIN achieve its mission? Here are a few ideas:

Volunteer

By raising funds, e.g. within your local community, you will enable VIN to continue it’s work and achieve its objectivesFundraise

Monetary donations of any size are much appreciated and enable VIN to continue implementing its community programsDonate

Sponsor a child to help VIN achieve it’s goal of every child attending school $230 can send a child to school with supplies for an entire year

Sponsor

Promote VIN amongst your friends and community to raise awareness of the issues in Nepal and the work that VIN is doing to improve the lives of Nepalese peoplePromote

Intern with VIN and receive credits for your university course Programs can be tailored to suit your course and your personal skills

Intern

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Volunteering with VIN

Help run microcredit cooperative Train women in new income generation ideas Organise literacy and life skills training Work with 3-5yr olds as an ECD teacher’s assistant Teach English in primary schools Run teacher training to encourage use of creative teaching

methods Help out at an orphanage Work as a qualified doctor or nurse at the Health Post Organise health and hygiene awareness training for the community Help with toilet construction and school renovation Develop a waste management system Work as a volunteer coordinator Help with fundraising and grant writing Work for the environment and agroforestry

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VIN offers a number of meaningful, affordable, fun and safe volunteering opportunities in and around Kathmandu.

Placements are for 1 week to 10 months and start on the 1st and 15th of each month

3 day induction program to learn about VIN and Nepalese culture and language included

Stay with a host family to experience Nepalese home life and culture

VIN prides itself on keeping its volunteer programs affordable

For example: A 4-week stay costs around 430 euros

Within the community Logistics

External programs

Teach English in a monastery or nunnery Intern as a journalist at a Nepalese magazine or other publications Teach at a school for the deaf

Fee breakdown

Intern with VIN

Why intern with VIN as part of a university or college course?– Apply your learning with a hands-on, direct learning experience– Hone your field of interest– Enhance your career potential– Receive course credits and work experience– Contribute to VIN’s existing development work and make a difference in our community

What can you do?– Community health and education– Environment and conservation– Health and medicine– Journalism– Women’s empowerment– Send us an email to discuss tailoring an internship program suit you

How do we help?– Weekly support sessions and programme guidance– Counselling and feedback– Field support from local staff and volunteers– A final report for the university

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Why not consider interning with VIN as part of your university or college course?

Have the time of your life while receiving course credits, boosting your CV and making a difference.

Fundraise for VIN

Organising a fundraising event– a craft fair or bric-a-brac sale in the local community or school– an auction or a dinner event with proceeds going to charity– a contest fundraiser - encourage people to take photos, paint, make crafts,

design clothes for a fashion show with proceeds going to charity– a bingo event– a sport event or a fun run - seek sponsors or charge a fee for entry– a charity car wash or local community work - ask for small donations for work

Sending letters to local businesses– to see if they want to donate money or goods and receive a mention in the

newsletter and on the website

Placing donation boxes in public spaces (with permission)

Developing a campaign– for example a ‘summer campaign’ including events or sponsored summer

activities– add a small charge onto your event entry fees (such as the end of year party)

to donate to our community projects

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Currently our only funding comes from volunteer fees.

We urgently need extra funds to run our programmes.

You can help by:

Donate or Sponsor

£180 could fund a training session in jewellery making for 20 local women to develop a new source of income

£235 could construct a toilet for a household

£30 could facilitate hygiene awareness training for 20 women and children

£180 could help make an ECD centre child friendly

Donate by PayPal

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On your own, as a family, as a class or as a group of friends, why not make a donation or commit to small regular payments to enable a child to attend school?

We have nearly 200 children in need of a sponsor to enable them to go to school

$230 p.a. full sponsorship Sponsorship pays for their fees, uniform,

course books and stationery Encourage students and their friends/

families to sponsor a child Sponsor a child on behalf of a class and

watch their progress/chart their development/write letters to them as part of a cultural learning programme

Run a sponsorship campaign in your institution or community; chart how many sponsors each person can find as an incentive

Donate Sponsor a Child

Promote VIN

Write an article in a local paper

Twin your school or college with a Nepalese community school– Share information and pictures to learn about each other– Encourage pen-pal relationships between students

Set up a stall at a local fair or university event

If a friend is thinking of taking a gap year or volunteering – suggest VIN

Give a presentation to your local Rotary Club, school class, book club, church or community club

– We can help you coordinate this

Put our leaflet on your school or community notice board or hand it out at your workplace

– The VIN leaflet is available on the website to download and print

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Help to spread the word about the issues in Nepal, what VIN’s doing to help, and how the international community can support the development.

What Next?

Any questions?

Check out our website at www.volunteeringnepal.org for more detail on our programs and testimonials from previous volunteers

Send us an email at info@volunteeringnepal.org

Start thinking about and discussing what you can do to help educate and empower marginalised communities

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