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Azad Secondary School is located at Banepa, Kavre in which 10 students from Sanjeevani School for Deaf and Dumb reside at a small room which is partitioned into four sections consisting kitchen with a small dining table and 3 rooms, cramped with beds and boxes of the students in which they barely had space to stay and study properly. A new hostel with larger room and studying area was built by NJSI.

On 14^th of December 2018, an official handover ceremony of the hostel in the presence of the beneficiary students, their parents, Azad school students, and govt. officials and teaching staff was conducted. The event continued with speeches from the chairperson of the program, SMC chairperson, Mayor, Fr. Roy, Fr. Arul, the Principal and a guardian. One of the student also expressed vote of thanks using sign language which was pretty impressive. At last the mayor cut the ribbon and NJSI handed over the keys to the school management committee. The best part of the event was two deaf children dancing on an audible song. They learnt the dance step using sign language.

The Students were very happy to have a new hostel and so were the teachers. In their previous hostel, they did not have a good place. They barely had space to move around. But now, after getting a new huge space to live and perform their daily activities, they promised that they will take care of it. Even all the guests who visited the hostel shared their appreciative words towards NJSI.

A batch of 24 people from Tipling, Dhading gathered in Kathmandu on 10^th and 11^th December 2018 for agricultural training on composting, greenhouse making and improve cooking stove construction. Enhancing the livelihood of people by improving agriculture techniques was the motive of NJSI. The event took place at Knowledge Park at Godavari, Lalitpur with two resource persons from ICIMOD.

On the first day, two methods of making compost: Enclosed composting and Pit Composting were taught. On the second, the participants learnt to make improved cooking stove. They were showed how a stove is made from the bottom level. The stove is claimed to have 60% reduction on fuel consumption and 26% increased efficiency. Participants also assisted in making it. On the visit to Knowledge Park, they saw different adaptable projects like: Spotted Mushroom Farming, Private Hydropower, 3D Farming, Basket Farming, Solar Heating and Cooking method and Terrace Farming. They showed team work while making the compost and participated enthusiastically in every activities. The program ended with certificate distribution.

The participants responded positively and they were responsive throughout the training. They were making promises that they will start using the learnt technique soon after they reach the village. Happiness was seen in their faces as they get to learn new things for improving their lifestyle.

NJSI has been organizing Personal Development Camp in different schools to help the students identify their potential and encourage them to be mindful of self and community through promotion of critical thinking and also to establish Eco-club with the student representatives of the school. On 3^rd and 4^th December, the sixth PDC of 2018 was conducted in Shree Bachchhaladevi Secondary School. This government school is situated at Satyadevi, Dhading with majority of students belonging to Tamang community. A total of 80 students participated in the program who were further divided into 10 groups.

Students of Grade 8 gathered for two days long Personal Development Camp (PDC) with an aim to be aware of their strengths, weaknesses and gain information on education system in Nepal and scholarships available for various studies both nationally and internationally. The presentation and group activities attracted the interest of the students. The eco-club formation was followed with School Cleaning Competition where groups were asked to collect maximum amount of waste around the school compound. The motivation of students in the program as well as to attend school regularly impressed the team. Despite of space constraint, students were active during critical thinking session as well as eco- club formation. The program ended with certificate, gifts and prize distribution.

The students were not shy to interact. We also had support of the school administration and teachers. The teachers were motivated to teach and also joined some of the programs for different sessions. The students’ responses were positive in terms of their views and understanding of their aspirations in life and the scholarships available. They were happy to acquire knowledge on these important topics which are not in their course books.

NJSI team traveled their way to Tallo Dhansari, Sindhuli on 22^nd November, 2018 to organize an orientation program and form an eco-club in Shree Tulasi Primary School. Tallo Dhansari is a small village near the border of Sindhuli, only 10 minutes away from Dhanusha. The residents of the village majorly belong to Chettri community with some ethnic minorities.

The program was on the next day and started with session on environmental degradation and our responsibility to protect and preserve it and also establish Eco-club with the student representatives of the school. 30 students participated from Class 2, 3, 4 and 5. Video presentation along with presentation slides were used to grab the attraction of the students. A small drawing competition was also held in between to help students portray their understanding of good and bad environment. The very same day parent’s orientation program was also held. A total of 47 parents and grandparents gathered in the premises of school. They were also presented with PowerPoint slide presentation along with some relatable videos and few fun activities which not only made the program fun but also indirectly explained contents of the presentation.

Participants were very quick in grasping the information provided. The school planned to organize cleaning campaign the next day of the staff’s departure and the parents were positive towards the program. They expressed that they will incorporate the content of the orientation in their daily life with their children.

 

To inaugurate and handover the newly built women center NJSI team went to Haibung-3, Sindhupalchowk on 22^nd of November, 2018. The agenda behind building women center is to provide women with a safe shelter where they can come together to hold meetings and organize programs for themselves as well as center can be used for upliftment of the entire community. In presence of 36 local participants, the key was handed over to the chairperson of Majuwa Swabalamban women group.

The program started with the national anthem and lighting of the lamp. Then it was followed by speeches from appointed chairperson of women center, chairman of the village and NJSI guest Lucia. The women group also performed dance. To end the program, mats were distributed and finally handing over of the center was performed. The program was well organized and was not much time consuming. Every one participated and helped each other.

The gratitude of the beneficiary women were exhibited in the warm welcome they provided to the team. Mr. Ram Kumar Gurung, was strength of the village because of his continuous support whether it be in terms of providing the land or supervising the construction with deepest wishes for the development of his village. Chairman of the village, Mr. Basanta Gurung also took the opportunity to express his thankfulness towards NJSI and assured to help the women in empowering them and to make good use of the center.

Mahadevdanda, Godawari- 2, approximately 10 minutes driveway from Godawari bus stop is a small community of people inhabited majorly by people of Silwal community, was the next destination for conducting paralegal program in NJSI’s newly built women center which addresses the need of almost 300 members.

On 15^th and 16^th November, 2018 the paralegal program was organized and as per the plan, the first day of the training was to make participants aware of their Fundamental Rights as Nepali citizens mentioned in the Constitution of Nepal. It was followed up by participants’ role playing skits in different situation for explaining hegemony in the society. The following day, the staffs discussed with the participants to understand and explain Gender based violence and Nepal’s legal provisions for it.  To mark the end of the program, certificate was distributed to participants who had attended the program on both days.

The participant group of Godawari were different to that of other places where the same program had been conducted. The residential area in itself looked better and so did the people. They were not shy to put forth their experiences and to speak their mind. The participants took the opportunity to share and discuss cases of their lives as well as those of others. The group consisted of health assistants, considered leaders of the area, laborers and housewives. Most of them seemed to have ideas about the subject matter that the two days program had to offer. The participants themselves participated in the skit and experienced and learned the meaning of it. Many of them backed up the content with their own share of knowledge that they learned in their real life practices and experiences in dealing with them themselves. Participants expressed verbally towards the end of the program that the two days program had been beneficial for them. They were thankful towards NJSI for the program as well as extended their gratitude for building the Women Center for them.