School and Community Health Promotion Project, 2023-2028

Summary of the Project

1.0 Background:

Kids at School in Nepal (KASIN), is a Charity organisation working in Nepal since 2004, with the vision that all children have the right to a decent education. It is helping children from disadvantaged communities in rural Nepal to realise their full potential. KASIN has successfully completed a two year’s Tamangkharka Health Promotion (THP) project that focuses in community health promotion, teacher training and strengthening teaching-learning activities. Global pandemic of Covid-19 also affected in the project sites and focus had to paid in combating Corona Crisis. In Nepal, the project was led by Green Tara Nepal (GTN), a national NGO based in Kathmandu, Nepal in coordination and collobaration with Tamangkharka Secondary School Dhading and Tamangkharka Student Alumni. The project focused in Tamangkharka secondary school and its feeder primary schools, with the aim of enhancing teaching methods and English language instruction.

GTN in partnership KASIN and coordination with Jangajamuna rural municipality are implementing a five-year’s school and community health project in Dhading. The main objective of the project is to improve the quality of education, health and well-being among children in the targeted area and to make them capable at access these. Our aim is that all children will have the right and opportunity to learn in a healthy and stimulating environment

The project is based on the evaluation of the Tamangkharka Health Promotion (THP) project and needs assessment were conducted for upcoming School and Community Health Promotion (SCHP). The first phase of the project was found to be effective and relavant to address the local needs. It has potential impact on SDG goal 3 and 4, contributing to improve local behaviours.

With recommendations of the previous phase, the Project was the additional the scope of work in Gangajamuna Rural Municipality focusing towards one to five wards. The major communities are the Tamang, Gurung, Ghale, Dalit and Chhetribahun while learning English is the third language and learning Nepali as the 2nd language for Tamang, Gurung and Ghale.

2.0 Project rationale

Poor health and environment at the schools and communities compromise the children in receiving quality education. For promoting education, health and wellbeing of the children, several interventions at the individual, family and community (IFC) are required. In Nepal, teaching tends to be overly textbook-dependent and lecture orientated. It needs to be strengthened to foster creative thinking and develop core skills. Teacher professional development and management is a key agenda that is yet to be achieved. Teachers urgently need capacity building and learning resources which are relevant to their community. Low quality education and unfavorable experiences of the students in school hinder their academic performance. Additionally, they face barriers at the household level. The parents do not give much importance to health and education due to various traditional practices and taboos, and the socio-economic burden. Poor school settings and teaching learning environments in the schools further drive the children towards poor education. In this context, KASIN works with GTN and Ganga Jamuna Rural municipality, Dhading for improving education, health and wellbeing of the children.

3.0 Objectives

The main objective of the project is to improve the educational quality of schoolchildren in the targeted area and to make them capable at least to complete the basic level of education. Our aim is that all children will have the right and opportunity to learn in a healthy and stimulating environment through;

• • Promoting individual, family and community (IFC) approach to foster child-friendly education system safeguarding their rights.
• • Supporting the teachers in promoting child-focused padagological teaching methods and creating an enablining environment for the students.
• • Engaging parents to support their children in improving learning achievements.
• • Organise health promotion activities at the family and community level.

4.0 Expected Outcomes

The following targets are expected to achieve;

• • Teachers who teach well and encourage students to continue in school: Positive learning experiences such as teachers who encourage pupil-centred learning, provide creative lessons and initiate group learning inspire to stay in school, allied with gender sensitive learning resources.
• • Students with an interest in education and strong aspirations to stay in school: The students are encouraged to stay in school are more likely to complete a full cycle of education, access higher education and escape caste into better careers. Enrolling and keeping students in school is not sufficient for quality learning. Schools need to provide a welcoming and creative environment, and offer good quality teaching
• • Opportunities in school to develop talents outside academic subjects: Facilities such as sports and clubs improve student’s experience of school, has a positive effect on learning outcomes, and provides opportunities to overcome barriers.
• • Schools providing a safe, welcoming and attractive environment: Access to safe classrooms, clean drinking water and separate toilets overcomes barriers especially for adolescent girls.
• • Family support and create an enabling environment at home: Family support from parents ensure students stay.
• • Health of the children is restored. Children will have healthy practices.
• • Improved coordination and collaboration: with Ganga Jamuna RM, ward, schools, health facilities and communities aiming improve good governance and to sustain the project activities at the local level

5.0 Key Activities

• • School health promotion
  • o Child club mobilisation
  • o Extra-curricular activities for promoting engagement of students including bi-annual physical screening of students
  • o Meeting with teachers of the Feeder schools
  • o Meeting with teachers of the Feeder schools and advocacy on health and education
• • Community health promotion
  • o Social mapping of health and education resources
  • o Household level assessment of health and education related behaviours of the children
  • o Field observation, interpersonal counselling (IPC) and mass small group meetings
  • o Household visits and follow-up for health and educational counselling
• • Monitoring, evaluation and Formative research
  • o Evaluation of past project and situation analysis for health and education promotion activities
  • o Baseline and final evaluation
  • o Periodic household/family surveys
  • o Monitoring of the project management and implementation activities
• • Coordination and collaboration with RM
  • o Briefing and advocacy at Rural Municipality
  • o Coordination and communication with ward, RM, local schools and Health Posts

Contact:

• • Mr. Ram Chandra Silwal, Country Director Green Tara Nepal (GTN) Kathmandu Metropolish-4, Lamtangin Marg, Baluwatar, Kathmandu 977-1-4432698, email: info@greentara.org.np Web: www.greentara.org.np
• • Kids at School in Neapl (KASIN), Mr Patrick Wherity, Charity Secretary, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom, Tel :+44 (0)1729 830528, Email: info@kasin.org.uk
• • Prof. Padam Prasad Simkhada, Associate Dean, University of Huddersfield, UK. Alumni member, Tamangkharka Student Society, e-mail: P.P.Simkhada@hud.ac.uk