Pax Earth organised the final educational materials distribution of Nepali Academic Year 2069 (2012/13) at Shree Kalika Primary School and Shree Raktakali Primary School of Kavrepalanchok, Nepal on Friday March 8, 2013. More than 120 poor and underprivileged children of these two schools benefited with this distribution. In the same visit, Pax Earth organised a project cycle management (PCM) workshop with the stakeholders at Shree Raktakali Primary School, Kot Timal. The PCM workshop helped to identify the key problems of the Kot Timal village. A fifteen member Pax Earth team visited these two schools and carried out both the distribution and the workshop. A full report is provided below.
Full report
At 7:00am, Pax Earth members assembled at the Pax Earth Nepal (PEN) Secretariat, Pashupati, Kathmandu. After having a cup of tea, a fifteen member Pax Earth team led by PEN President Sujan Koirala along with Secretary Binod P. Mainali, Treasurer Bal Gopal Shrestha, Executive Member Laxman B. Pahari, Executive Member Harihar Sapkota, Executive Member Kamala Basnet, Members: Dev Raj Karki, Ram Sharan Paudel, Anita Subedi, Kapil Deuja (joined at Nalinchok), Journalist and Honorary Member Kapil Koirala (joined at Banepa), Pax Earth Japan (PEJ) Member Takahiro Yazaki, Journalist Ashok Poudel, well-wishers: Sital Mainali and Sumit Shrestha left for Kanpur VDC of Kavrepalanchok in a micro-van to distribute educational materials to the poor and underprivileged students of Shree Kalika Primary School and Shree Raktakali Primary School and to organise a PCM workshop with the stakeholders at Shree Raktakali Primary School, Kot Timal. At 9:30am, the team stopped at Dhulikhel Guest House, Dhulikhel to have a lunch. Enjoying an adventurous travel offered by the driving team Harindra Shrestha and Arjun Pathak, the team arrived at Shree Kalika Primary School at 11:30am.
Principal Ram Lal Shrestha welcomed each Pax Earth team member at the school premises. The coordinator of educational materials distribution management committee Binod P. Mainali coordinated with the teachers and set up a layout for a short and sweet distribution program. Then, the program entered into a formal distribution ceremony. On behalf of the school, teacher Sujata Mainali honoured each member of Pax Earth team with a garland and a khadda.
Teacher Sujata Mainali, then, in her welcoming address cordially welcomed the Chief Guest of the distribution program President Sujan Koirala, board, general and honorary members of Pax Earth, journalists and well wishers respectively. Similarly, she welcomed parents, teachers and the students in the distribution program. She highly praised Pax Earth’s contribution in the education, health and hygiene of the children that has been continued for nearly three years. She stated, “We are quite fortunate to have the support for our poor and deprived students from Pax Earth.” She shared how the students’ absenteeism and the performance transformed since the Pax Earth began to support in their students’ education. She added, “Whenever we meet any parents of the students, they always expressed their happiness on their children receiving the educational materials support from Pax Earth.” She expected the support would continue in future too. She also wished for the progress and prosperity of Pax Earth.
After the welcoming speech, the Pax Earth team involved in distributing education materials to the students. Nearly 30 students were present at the distribution and each student received a few notebooks, a few pencils, an eraser and a sharpener. The notebooks were sponsored by Kokuyo Stationery Japan. The students could also enjoy some toffees from Pax Earth members. The team also handed a diary and a few ball point pens to each teacher. As one teacher Ful Maya Lama had recently left her job, only two teachers (Principal Ram Lal Shrestha and Teacher Sujata Mainali) were present at the distribution. On behalf of Pax Earth, Treasurer Bal Gopal Shrestha handed a token of love to journalist Ashok Poudel. A few students from neighbouring schools who were observing the program were also handed a notebook and a pencil.
The Chief Guest President Koirala shared his happiness to see the happy and smiling face of the students. He said, “For the past three years, we have been putting our sincere efforts to help in the education of these needy students. We are happy that we are able to bring some smiles in the face of poor and innocent children as well as their parents by reducing their economic burden to some extent.” He was overwhelmed to observe the proper utilisation of the given materials. He humbly thanked the school authority for giving special attention to the proper utilisation of the given materials and expected the similar cooperation in the days ahead. He tried to assure for the further support by saying, “We will try our best to continue extending our support even in future.” Indicating towards the young Pax Earth member, he raised an inspiring point, “From other perspective, this platform has created an opportunity for young Pax Earth members in injecting a spirit of service in them which is considered as a good learning curve for these young members.” He also thanked PEJ member Takahiro Yazaki for managing his time to join in this distribution. During his speech, he could interact with the students basically on the utilisation of the given materials.
Principal Ram Lal Shrestha extended a vote of thanks at the end of the formal ceremony. He wholeheartedly thanked Pax Earth family for supporting the students in their education, health and hygiene by providing educational, hygienic and sports materials for the past three years. He uttered, “Everybody in this village has appreciated the support of Pax Earth.” “The poor parents, especially from Dalit community, are indebted to your organisation for reducing their economic burden of buying stationery and other educational materials to a greater extent”, he added. He revealed that the community people are more than happy to see the highly encouraged students as a result of this support. He wished for the continuity of the supports in future too.
The distribution in-charge Binod P. Mainali flawlessly coordinated the distribution program while Master of Ceremony Sital Mainali smoothly ran the distribution program. After the formal program, the Pax Earth team took few pictures with the teachers, students and community people. Completing the task, the Pax Earth team headed to Shree Raktakali Primary School, Kot Timal at 12:30pm.
The team arrived at Shree Raktakali Primary School, Kot Timal at 1:00pm. Principal Hira Kaji Tamang welcomed each Pax Earth member at the school premises. In this school too, Secretary Mainali coordinated with the teachers and arranged a distribution layout for the distribution. The Pax Earth team had a very less time for the distribution. Hence, with the support of the school authority, they managed to distribute the stationery to the students from two separate sides quickly. Approx 90 students were present on the occasion and each student received a few notebooks, a few pencils, a few ball point pens, an eraser and a sharpener. The Pax Earth team utilised the notebooks and ball point pens sponsored by Kokuyo Stationery Japan in the distribution. The Pax Earth team also distributed a diary and a few ball point pens to each teacher. No formal addressing was observed during the distribution. After the distribution, the Pax Earth team could take a few group photos with the students, teachers and community people. The students left for their homes while the Pax team and the stakeholders assembled for the next big task of the day, that is, PCM workshop.
At 2:00pm, the Pax Earth team started the PCM workshop with the stakeholders at a classroom of Shree Raktakali Primary School, Kot Timal. Just before the formal beginning, the principal Hira Kaji Tamang honoured each Pax Earth member with a khadda. The workshop was attended by thirty eight stakeholders (six teachers, ten parents, four students, two former ward representatives, two school management committee members, two parents/teachers association members, three social workers, five community people, one journalist and three Pax Earth members. However, only twenty stakeholders could manage to actively participate throughout the three hours long workshop. The workshop analysed the key stakeholders, analysed the problems, analysed the purposes and also discussed on the selection of possible projects and generated sufficient materials for preparing a project design matrix (PDM) table. The workshop identified three key problems in the village. They are: (i) a scarcity of water, (ii) a lack of educational supportive environment at home, and (iii) a poor education system; all these are leading to a poor educational environment in the village.
The workshop was coordinated by PEN President cum workshop moderator Sujan Koirala and he was well assisted by PEJ Member cum joint moderator Takahiro Yazaki and other Pax Earth members. The school offered a cup of teas and biscuits to each participant during the workshop. Teacher Hira Kaji Lama extended a vote of thanks to all the participants of the workshop and expressed gratitude to Pax Earth for organising the workshop. He was happy that the school could offer a fruitful environment for the workshop and hoped that the workshop will bring good outcomes for the school and the village in the days to come. On behalf of Pax Earth, PEN President Sujan Koirala heartily thanked each participant for their active participation and the valuable inputs. He also thanked the school authority for the cooperation in conducting the workshop effectively and last but not the least, thanked the Pax Earth team members for their hard work in holding the workshop smoothly.
At 5:00pm, the Pax Earth team departed from the school receiving farewell from the workshop participants. All the Pax Earth members were again offered a cup of tea and biscuits at a local café located at Bhanjyang by the school authority. The tired Pax Earth members wished to relax a bit in a hill point called Duyee Pokhari completely filled with natural beauty: a cool breeze, a green forest, a beautiful landscape, a panoramic view of a beautiful mountain range and a fascinating moment created by Pax Earth members. They were quite fortunate to observe a sunset from this hill point as well. After enjoying every bit of natural offerings, the team headed for Dhulikhel at 6:00pm. The team could manage to stop at the house of Secretary Binod P. Mainali where they could enjoy the teas and the snacks (yogurt, beaten rice and curry). At 6:45pm, the team headed for Dhulikhel and arrived at 7:40pm. The team had the dinner at the Dhulikhel Guest House and left for Kathmandu at 8:50pm. Accomplishing the mission of the day (educational materials distribution and project cycle management workshop), the Pax Earth team arrived at Kathmandu at 9:45pm.
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Pax Earth would like to specially thank the principals and the teachers of Shree Raktakali Primary School and Shree Kalika Primary School for their cooperation in conducting the educational materials distribution and the PCM workshop. Pax Earth is indebted to all the participants for their active participation and the valuable inputs at the PCM workshop. Pax Earth is also thankful to President Sujan Koirala for successfully coordinating the workshop and to Secretary Binod P. Mainali for successfully coordinating the educational materials distribution. Pax Earth is grateful to member Takahiro Yazaki for his knowledge and experience in conducting the workshop. Thanks to the efforts of journalists Kapil Koirala and Ashok Poudel, news of this event was published in a few national and local newspapers including Arthik Abhiyan National Daily, Hamro Indrawati Weekly and Sanjivanipatra Weekly. Each and every member of the Pax Earth team deserves a special thank for successfully carrying out the mission of the day. Pax Earth is equally thankful to the driving team: Harindra Shrestha and Arjun Pathak for offering a comfortable travel to the team members despite the poor condition of the road.
Reported by PEN Secretariat!!!
