SAMRIDDHI FOUNDATION: Gari Khana Deu campaign

REPUBLICA

KATHMANDU, March 6: Samriddhi Foundation has been working on promoting “Gari Khana Deu”, a campaign which initiates a movement that carries the message of a “Livable Nepal”- a condition where people are able to earn a living by pursuing a profession or an economic opportunity.

“This campaign focuses on three core values, namely rule of law, professional freedom and security of life and property,” said Deependra Chamlagain, program manager of Samriddhi Foundation.

“It’s good to see that people in Nepal are politically aware but we need to emphasize on these values for prosperity and national growth,” Chamlagain said, adding, “We also raise voices against strikes, bandhas and vandalism through this campaign.”

On February 21, four young volunteers registered 130 members for the campaign through a stall at New Baneshwor.

They also provided information about the campaign and distributed promotional materials to the public.

Samriddhi Foundation also publicized the campaign in Old Banewhwor on February 25.

It also promoted the campaign at Palpa in coordination with Creative Entrepreneurs Club of Palpa on the same day.

Similarly, a campaign entitled “Democracy is…” was launched on February 18.

The campaign aims to raise public awareness on the fundamentals of democracy.

“We aim to aware people about the five fundamentals of democracy: Rule of law, pluralism, free, fair and regular election, freedom of speech and right to private property through this campaign,” said Chamlagain, adding, “Everyone talks about democracy but people at grassroots level don”t know what it actually is.”
Leaders, he said, talk about democracy but the people don’t understand the core concepts of democracy for such talks are mere rhetoric.

Samriddhi is organizing a five-day workshop to promote the spirit and skills of entrepreneurship among young people and has called for application from the 12th batch of students at Arthalaya.

The objective of the workshop is to introduce young people the concepts of “economic freedom” and “policy regime”. The Arthalaya will be organized from March 23 to 28.

Youth aged between 18 and 26 who are currently enrolled in undergraduate or post graduate level can apply by March 12.

For more details about Arthalaya, log on to www.samriddhi.org

Youth Peer Education Network (Y-PEER) Nepal

Y-PEER Nepal, as a part of global Y-PEER network initiated by UNFPA, will be organizing a training of trainers (ToTs) program at a national level for peer educators, people who are same age or slightly older than the group with whom they are working.

It will also provide these trainings to working youth or those volunteering in different NGOs, youth clubs and community based organizations from May to July.

“The trainings will focus on how to develop skills and what methods are to be used while teaching sexual rights, and issues related to third gender and commercial sex workers,” said Shubha Kayastha, national coordinator of Y-PEER Nepal.

“Youth below 25, who have been already trained before, will provide trainings to the trainees,” Kayastha said.

“Peer educators may not know proper methodology, so the messages they are trying to convey won’t be conveyed properly,” Kayastha said, adding, “We will train them basically on teaching methodologies that are entertaining and interactive.”

Y-PEER, through these trainings, intends to advocate for sexual rights of young people and also for incorporating comprehensive sexual education in the curriculum.

With the objective of promoting safe and responsible sexual behavior among young people, the network is conducting different edutainment - education and entertainment - based activities such as safe sex campaign through the use of social networking sites like Facebook.

The network will be announcing a call for application for project grants where young people themselves will propose for their own projects after June.

Association of Youth Organizations in Nepal (AYON)

On February 24 and 25, Association of Youth Organizations in Nepal (AYON) distributed certificates to 300 youth from Morang who were provided training on British Council’s Active Citizens, an experiential learning program that provides youth the skills and motivation to know themselves, engage in dialogue with others and carry out insightful social action projects in their own community.

AYON has trained 1,000 youth from Dhading, Dang, Morang and Bhaktapur thus far.

Among the proposed projects, five best social action projects were awarded with £100.

Ten more projects will be awarded with the same amount shortly. British Council sponsored the award amount.

According to Bijay Raj Poudel, treasurer of AYON, they will utilize the awardamount as a seed fund to implement their project.

AYON also distributed certificates to 100 trainees in Bhaktapur on March 1.

On March 3, AYON organized a stakeholders’ meeting where representatives from various INGOs, UN Agencies
and Ministry of Youth and Sports participated.

“The discussion mainly centered on designing and implementing youth-oriented programs by stakeholders,’ said Poudel, adding, ‘We also emphasized on how donor agencies can invest in youth-oriented programs.”

AYON is all set to organize a forum in April.