1. Assist the organization’s various social welfare missions that especially include education, health and awareness programs directly or indirectly by sharing knowledge, ideas, information exchange and donating time and labor as well when necessary.
2. Contribute the economical activities of the organization by participating or sharing innovative ideas in fund raising programs conducted by Abhiyan Nepal, deployable in the target community through program concept, funding, linkage and coordination.

The meeting held today, Oct 8 of 2011, of Abhiyan Nepal Volunteers’ Network, under the coordination of Mr. Laxmi Aley Magar has decided to help out the “Books Drive Campaign to Community Schools of Nepal” in the following ways:

1. Taking responsibility of receiving books dispatched from the USA upon arrival.

2. Managing proper transportation of the books to the office of Abhiyan Nepal in Jhapa.
3. Communicate and co-ordinate with resources in Nepal and abroad for the collection of books in the future. Committed to assist Abhiyan Nepals’ educational campaign nation-wide.
4. The above mentioned responsibilities will be carried out in the active participation of the coordinator and the members as well.

Participants

Participants of First Volunteers' Meet in Kathmandu

1. Laxmi Aley Magar – coordinator
2. Parbat Giri – member
3. Rijendra Thapa – member
4. Trishna Acharya – member
5. Laxmi Gautam – member
6. Saroj Sitaula – member
7. Chudamuni Dahal – member
8. Sanjaya Bhattarai – member
9. Bhanu Khawas – member
10. Shyam Gole – member

Women groups have supported different programs like Pass on the gift, Animal Health Camp, Human Health Camp and other festival like Teej voluntarily. Youths have started to mobilize the loan and saving of group and they are supportive to different training.

Homeless couple, Kamala and Prem Darji has been staying in their own house after they got the support from Dalkhabasti Women Group in coordination with other organizations and cooperatives. Dalkhabasti women group have built a house worth of 50000 for Kamala and Prem Darji. After participating in the Corner Stone (Adharshila Talim) training, PSRP and observational tour more than 233 members of groups have reported that they have improved in their social and family relationship towards more positive ways and felt the increased social responsibilities as well. Discrimination like, rich and poor, high caste and low caste, male and female have been abandoned from the society and spirit of “ we are for all “ has been developed among the community people.

Different organizations have started inviting women groups in their programs. They also provide position and time for expressing their opinion on the given subject matters. Women groups have played indispensible role in VDC, community forest user committee, school, religious and cultural ceremonies as well as they are very supportive to any disastrous situations

Community People have made the waste-bin with bamboo materials at home

Harka Maya, Kumari Rai and Chitra Fago of Dakhal Basti used to have alcohol thinking that it was granted to them by caste but after participating in the Corner Stone Training and PSRP of Heifer International Nepal, organized by Abhiyan Nepal, they have completely avoided.

Family members of project affiliated groups have practiced some of the useful healthy tips in their daily life. They talk about HIV AIDs, reproductive health openly. They also have practices of improved dish wash place, drying utensil on sun, use of chlorine, water guard, and sodius method for purified drinking water.

Project affiliated women groups now share information about vaccination for pregnant women, newly born baby and polio drops, vitamin capsule and other useful knowledge to their mate. 131 households have started green and alternative energy as cooking fuel instead of firewood. They use rice-cooker, energy saving stove, bio-gas and cylinder gas. 26 bio-gas plants have been setup within 6 months. Sayapatri, Dakhalbasti, Laligurans, Samjhana, Pragati, Trebeni and srijansil women groups have started to keep earthworms for improved organic fertilizer.

Bed Maya Adhikari and Bisnu Maya of Trebini Women Group and Makahali women group have cultivated different grass plant in their field and they were successful to earn 16400 from selling the seeds of grass. Most of the women have cultivated different grass plant around their land.

Women groups have assigned hygienic practice in their action plans after they discuss in the meeting. Uses of iodized salt, natural cooking oil, clean drinking water and care of personal hygiene have been improved among the groups.

Pragati and Trebeni Groups have maintained damaged road. Santidip and Dipjyoti groups have cleaned the public places. Laligurans and Srijanshil have started to collect polythne bags.

Animals are the main sources of Income in the Community

6original groups of Abhiyan Community Development Project have passed on the gift to the sister group. 6 groups have distributed 11 buffalos, 13 goats, 800 poultry to their respective sister groups and 20 thousands cash for small shops within six months. They have also gifted seeds of grass, medicine for animals, bucket, thread, fodder and rope for keeping animals.

Out of 326 households affiliated in the project from origional group, Pass on the gift groups first and pass on the group second , 288 houeholds have increased their annual income by 20 thousands from big animals and 12 thousands from small animal in average.

Bhagiratha Ghimire, chairperson of Laligurans Mahila Samuha, has earned NRs 20160 by selling morning milk. Similarly 10300 from curd and ghee and now she has one baby buffalo worth of 8000 with her buffalo. Prativa Poudyal of Tribeni Mahila Samuha has borrowed one milk giving buffalo from the project and now she has been selling 16 ltrs milk per day which is enough to send her two children in Private Boarding School and support for all expenses of her households.

195 houeholds are independent due to fruits and vegetable cultivation and production after they received kitchen gardening training. Kamala Kattel of Milijuli Mahila Samuha has earned NRs 16000 from selling her vegetables; tomato, cucumber, long beans, rye and potatoes in a single season. 6 main groups of the project have given the gift for a single woman, Mana Maya Century, who is economically poor, non-affiliated in the project, was handed over one heifer worth of 3000.

60 Kg turmeric plants have been planted by Samjhana Mahila Samuha with their saving. Laligurans Mahila Samuha has cultivated communal farming in about 4 hectre and earned 8900. Bhorleni Mahila Samuha also has earned 8000 from pig keeping.

225 households are aware about nutritional diet. They have started to use Dal, fish, meat, green vegetables and other healthy foods as their daily habits.

Women Group Cultivating Bamboo Plants in Khudunabari -8

Bamboo takes historical, religious and cultural values as it is widely used building materials in the context of Nepal. Frankly speaking bamboo is used everywhere. In every religious ceremony Bamboo is used for different purpose. From brth to death bamboo is used for various rituals of Hindu, Kirant, Buddhist and other religion. It has nothing that is unusable for human being. Generally it is used to make fence to protect crops, vegetable gardens that get destroyed from animals. For other purpose bamboo is used to make furniture, mat, paper, handicrafts, stationery and so on. Shoots of Bamboo have taken place of most favored food for people. It is also useful for animal food; both for domestic and wild like panda. But with growing population and high demand of bamboo as building materials from village to city. Bamboos are being cut down without planting their supplementary. After projection of future scarcity of Bamboo and to protect the changing adverse environment, Abhiyan Nepal is continuously planting Bamboos in different landscape of its working area with the partnership of Habitat for Humanity International Nepal. Abhiyan Nepal has already stated that it has been working for the recognition of its working in the region as a capital of Grassland and inputs have been commenced. Bamboo cultivation has reached to more than 100 hectares and around 30000 bamboo plants. Other grasses are growing in either sides of roads, streets, channel, bare and waste lands, where lablab, Ipil-Ipil, Mandola (Name of grass plants), are seen. People say that this is the area of Abhiyan Nepal and which is true in fact. Khudunabari and Arjundhra VDCs of Jhapa district are surrounded by the most disaster prompt rivers of Jhapa district; Tangting and Biring. These rivers used to kill the sleep of people in the area of Khudunabari ward no 2 and Arjundhara ward no 3 during the rainy season. Abhiyan Nepal has started bio-engineering technology for environment conservation. Disaster risks have been reduced where green belts have been built in the riversides.

Visiting Members in the Area of Arjundhara VDC Ward No 3

Recently, we have visited three clusters of Bamboo Cultivation by different community based user groups in the initiation of Abhiyan Nepal and financial support of Habitat for Humanity International Nepal. Area of 14 hectors of Arjundhara VDC ward no 3 have been planted new bamboos where other plants have been growing. This place was quite disastrous due to the flood on Tangting River before 3 years ago and people of this area used to live in fearful situation during summer. After conserving the area by Tangting Watershed Conservation and Tangting river control committee a green belt has been built. The growing plant of Sisau are not permanent they no longer remain after they are affected by a kind of plant disease. Thinking that, women group and Tangting river control committee were agreed to have the cultivation of bamboo plants for sustainable green belt. After growing bamboos they not only protect the flood but also will be good resources for grass of domestic animals and other various bamboo materials as well as sustainable income source.

Click to view slideshow.Chandra Maya Magarati

Chandra Maya Magarati, 40, mother of three siblings, one daughter and two sons, having less than one acre land with small hut made of straw and bamboo fence, is permanent resident of Khudunabari 6 Jhoda Tole. She had joined in Tribeni Mahila Samuha that was formed in 2064 Ashad 25 B.S in the initiation of Abhiyan Nepal. She was normal and living with her family sharing sorrow and happiness. But after the death of her young son at the age of 16 by poisonous snake bite, she was badly hurt by the unexpected incident in her life. She could not bear the fallen sky on her head. She was caught up by depression, stress and worry. Gradually psychosomatic syndromes, such as less apatite, weight loss, hyper acidity and other many physical complications appeared on her.

Chandra Maya in the bed of B.P. Memorial Cancer Hospital, Bharatpur

Members of Tribeni Mahila Samuha (Women Group) found that Chandra Maya was in critical condition due to the small intestine contraction. They immediately called for the meeting and gathered ideas about what the members of the group could do for her treatment. Everybody agreed for fundraising for her treatment. The initiation was aroused by themselves and the amount was 23 hundreds rupees was collected within one hour. Everybody felt that it was their responsibility to support on Chandra Maya’s treatment. Although all members of Trebini Women Group were not in the condition of paying 100 rupees for the sake of others in normal state but a member of group has relationship of heart and mind. In the first meeting after collecting fund from the individual members they decided to run a campaign of fundraising to cure Chandra Maya. They knock the door of VDC, Community Forest User Committee, Individual and vendors of Aaitabare Bazaar from where they could collect Rs 12000/-

Uma Koirala: Coordinator PMC

What is your role and responsibility? Mainly my role is to assist on the project by actively participating in different meetings called by groups and the committee itself. I have my position only but everyone has equal responsibility to contribute and taking responsibility for completing the project successfully. Basically I chair the meeting and coordinate the groups for different activities.

Members of Women Groups Dancing in Teej Festival

It makes me happy that women having narrow boundary in the society have changed their scope not only outside home but also other districts of Nepal and even in the international level. Such empowerment has not only impressed women but also male. Our male dominated community has realized that women are also powerful in building community and they can also be the building blocks of the nation. Women who involved in the group and affiliated to the Abhiyan’s project are respected everywhere because they have known to respect other and don’t hesitate to speak with other people as well. They have learned many things from training who can teach other about self help, sanitation, nutrition, ecological aspects and caring the animals. A culture of ownership among the members of groups has been initiated in our village.

Dilli Maya Ghatani

Dilli Maya Ghathani, 40, resident of Khudunabari 8, jhapa, mother of two children, from Dalit ethnicity, had not thought that she would have a life with happy family, saving for future, enough food, good health, school going children and good social life before she got into the women group. Because there was no land for farming, no good shelter to live and other sources of income. She used to go to jungle for collecting firewood but it was not easy job. It was hazardous itself for a woman to tackle with the wild beasts and other complexities. The other problem was jungle wardens who might take her weapon and firewood collected with day long labor. She used to sell that firewood in 80 rupees only which was very minor with the hiking prices of food, clothes and other household materials. She has a bitter story of the day when she returned home with her empty hands losing her small homemade weapon (Khurpa), the only iron property at her home. The Khurpa was taken away by the forest warden and restricted her firewood from taking to her house. She returned with fear and weeping. Remembering the very bad day she says “My husband scolded me. I bowed down and wept all the day and could not speak out.” Life became more adverse after she gave birth to two children. There was nothing to feed them. Just after one month of her delivery she was out for work. There was no enough food and warm shelter for them. There was no difference of any changing seasons. Spring could not be compared with the summer and autumn. The whole year used to pass in shortage of money, food and everything at home.

Dill Maya Ghatani and Family Members with her grass plant

Time passed with creeping and crawling sorrow and trouble in the every steps of life. She knew about the women groups and Abhiyan Nepal. Some of the women were trying to formulate a women group named Pathivara Women Group in her locality. Her uncle in law, Netra Bahadur Ghatani, became the milestone to encourage her participating in the group. For the first time, she entered a training hall where she found many friends having curiosity and enthusiasism to learn something. She had never been to school in life. She remembered her parents and spoke out “My parents could not send me school to read and write but in this age I have known to write my name and I can do signature”. This was possible after she participated in Self-help Group Management Training organized by Abhiyan Nepal. She started to learn reading and writing in the group. She also learned how to behave with others and family members and importance of working in the team.

Dilly Maya with her Healthy Buffalo

Initially she had hesitations working in the group as she was from Dalit ethnicity but she found that everybody respected her as other elite group. “I was surprised with the lessons that they (members of the group) have already learned from movements of Abhiyan Nepal.” Changes started to occur gradually. She borrowed a buffalo from the project worth of fifty five thousand Nepalese Rupees in August of 2010. She could earn monthly 5000 from selling milk of morning. With the dung of buffalo she started to plant vegetables that gave her good benefits. Earning from milk and vegetable selling she has sustained expenditures for her children’s education, medicine, clothes and other household’s materials. Remembering the past days she says “If I was not involved in the group and joint in the program, my children would have no chance to go for school. Now my daughter is studying at grade 9 and son at grade 6.” They are healthy enough because of nutrition and enough food that she has managed for entire family. She could have saved 46 thousands in a year after all household expenses. Now she has one buffalo, worth of 60 thousands which is going to have a delivery in coming month, a baby buffalo with worth of 10 thousands and grass plants in about 1 acre land. She wants to give credits for all positive changes to Abhiyan Nepal, Heifer International Nepal and its team from where she could learn the things that she had not imagined before. After Corner Stone (Adharshila) training, she found herself many improvements in her life. Positive attitude towards the society, respecting animals and caring them as we do for human beings, improved relationship in the family, sharing ideas and experiences to other, knowledge of nutrition, health and sanitation and caring the environment of surroundings are the valuable things that she has learned from the training.

Chandra Kala Adhikari

Generally, we know that Jhapa is accessible district of Nepal from different perspectives like socio-economic, living style, education, physical infrastructure development and so on. But we may not say that all locations and VDCs can be viewed equally with other VDCs they are on site of the east-west highway. Khudunbari is one of the VDCs geographically in the hazardous location, in comparison with other VDCs of Jhapa district. Many rivers flow through this VDCs and it is 11 KM in the north west from the main city Birtamod. The distance is not so long but during the rainy season, it is really hard to travel for different tasks and purposes which are related with the city. Normally people have to go Birtamod and Bhadrapur for medicine, grocery, building materials, school and college and other government official works respectively. The situation of Khudunabari has changed rapidly within 5 years from one perspective, that is empowerment of community people. Especially women who were used to be the victim of domestic violence and deprived from economic resources have changed their life dramatically. They had to sell firewood, banana and work in the low paid daily wage for surviving. They were not aware about the good health, sanitation and nutritional food and used to consume many contaminated foods directly purchased from the market. Discriminations between son and daughter were widely practiced in the community and they were not known the area of their own village because of less mobility and bounded by all household jobs. Comparing the life women of Khudunabari of the previous 5 years, we can see that they have got the new life.

Women Group on Study Excursion

Now every woman in the group has different thought than that she had before. They have felt that their world is not only their house and their yard but they have the responsibility of serving this community, this country and save the earth. Now most of the youths have migrated to abroad for employment but they have earned only for themselves and it can be measured only on monetary value. But earning by women have been started to be measured from different perspective. They not only buy things with the money they have earned through different income generating activities but also use for community where they have found sick people, damaged roads, cannel, taps and public places. They have built the roads, cultivated plants, controlled floods, managed waste and respected the visitors. Now they are economically independent and socially inter-dependent. Women who used to wait her husband to buy kitchen’s spices, cooking oil and for her clothes, have started saving for future. They are able to plan for the community development through organic agriculture, communal grocery, group farming and educating children. They have developed different saving schemes like, monthly saving, happy saving, children saving, clinch saving etc. that many commercial banks have still to be done. Women have organized different programs in the VDC to make the stakeholders like VDC, Community Forest User Committee to be more accountable, responsible, and transparent in the services giving. They had fears and hesitation in speaking their own name. We have observed different VDC level programs conducted by women who used to be shame in the mass. They can express their own opinion and argue what is wrong and rights. They are happy, energetic and goal oriented personality. This all is happening when Abhiyan Nepal and Heifer International Nepal was entered in the village with the projects and started the university of development where all women, children are learning for the positive change for themselves and for their future generation.

Chandra Kala Adhikari

Community Facilitator

Abhiyan Nepal

Logo for Volunteers

We are inspired by the people who live for others and we want to share the ideas who have similar interest and knowledge as well as spirit of volunteer services to the needy ones. As a non-profit making organization, Abhiyan Nepal was initially established with volunteering spirit in its members. It has been expanding its programs, activities and principles to the reach of other people of the community where integrated development modality suits for overall growth of human beings. It aims to develop the volunteers’ network that ultimately contributes the society and organization through the potentiality they possess. Recently, we haved moved to build social network of Volunteers who want to contribute this organization as well as community with ideas and outreach they possess. Abhiyan Nepal acknowledges participation of volunteers in network to contribute in the sector of socio-economic, health, environment, capacity building and integrated development of the needy community and the organization itself. We have prepared the policy and system for mobilizing for volunteer and we are planning to develop a good communication system so that all volunteer can contribute the organization with their ideas, knowledge and the resources. For more detail visit our website www.abhiyannepal.org.np