RURAL EDUCATION AND LIVELIHOOD IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (RELIP)

FOS started to implement CDSM in Fatakshila (Sindhupalchok district) since 2003 in partnership with Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO) Germany and local governments and later extended to other adjoining VDCs of Deopur, Bhimtar and Bansbari. At first, the project term was three years (2003-2006) but it was extended to 2009 as per the need of the local people. The vision of the project is to empower community targeting at women, children and backward group in the community through the formation of sustainable local institutions. Approach of project implementation is very much participatory as well as gender and environment friendly. The objective of this project is to enhance and sustain the socio-economic well-being of the rural people through their own grassroots level institutions.   The project has six major components:

1. Institutional and capacity building development
2. Income generation activities
3. Informal and formal education programs
4. Health and education
5. Infrastructure development and Water Management Program and
6. Project management and Implementation

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MOBILIZATION PROJECT (CDSM)

FOS started to implement CDSM in Fatakshila (Sindhupalchok district) since 2003 in partnership with Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO) Germany and local governments and later extended to other adjoining VDCs of Deopur, Bhimtar and Bansbari. At first, the project term was three years (2003-2006) but it was extended to 2009 as per the need of the local people.

The vision of the project is to empower community targeting at women, children and backward group in the community through the formation of sustainable local institutions. Approach of project implementation is very much participatory as well as gender and environment friendly. The objective of this project is to enhance and sustain the socio-economic well-being of the rural people through their own grassroots level institutions.

The project has six major components:

i) Institutional and capacity building development

ii) Income generation activities

iii) Informal and formal education programs

iv) Health and education

v) Infrastructure development and Water Management Program and

vi) Project management and Implementation

Institutional and Capacity Development

Institutional development includes three major tasks. First, the core task consists of establishing women's saving and credit groups. Generally, each women group includes 15 to 25 members. Women groups consist of one chairperson, one manager, and general members. Women groups are formed after FOS Motivators sensitize the local community. FOS works as a facilitator and the local people forms the groups. Accordingly, once Woman groups are formed and its apex body is established at the VDC level. Later, the Apex body is converted as Women's Cooperatives and they have been registered.

Secondly, in order to make woman groups self-reliant, FOS offers different training courses to woman group representatives, namely, chairpersons and managers and general members. These training courses include leadership development, book-keeping, record-keeping, exposure visits, and so on. Thirdly, institutional development includes interaction with local and district level Governmental Organizations (GOs) and NGOs. FOS encourages local communities to form alliances and then cooperation with these alliances so that resources are pooled, duplication of work can be minimized, and potential conflicts of interest can be avoided.

Income Generation Activities

Woman groups are involved in regular savings and credit activities. Mobilization of savings and credit activity is carried out through income generation activities such as vegetable farming, improved livestock and small business. FOS offers varieties of training courses to the local community to support its income generation activities. In addition, it provides technical as well as material support such as agricultural technicians and improved seeds distribution.

Informal and Formal Education and Awareness Program

FOS encourages and supports three types of educational activities. First, FOS carries out non-formal education (NFE) for those who do not have basic literacy skills. This includes women literacy classes. To further encourage women for literacy, programs such as woman group competitions are held at the VDC level. Second, FOS supports formal education programs. Activities such as educational material support programs, prize distribution, primary level school competition, and inter VDC level girl student competitions are held under formal education programs. Third, FOS supports local schools by providing office and library furniture and improvement of classrooms. Woman groups actively manage these activities.

Health and Environment

FOS has implemented programs directly related to health and environment. The activities include awareness related activities such as health awareness workshops and campaigns. To improve household and community environment, FOS supports and encourages use of smokeless stoves, pit toilets, and school and public toilets. Further, FOS carries out health camps and first aid training courses, first aid kit box distribution and it encourages community plantation.

Infrastructure Development and Water Management Program

The CDSM project actively supports community infrastructure development such as small irrigation and canal management, school building construction and repair, and drinking water systems. Woman groups and the local community play key roles in identifying and implementing such activitie

Project Management and Implementation

FOS puts project management and the implementation at a high priority. Field offices and staff are the backbones of the CDSM project. Accordingly, in addition to routine tasks such as regular meetings, FOS offers training courses to its staff. These training courses include micro finance training, Training of Trainers (TOT) refreshment, report writing, impact monitoring and exposure visits.