Education Support for 200+ Child Laborers in Nepal

Introduction

Backward Society Education (BASE) has been working for child rights and advocacy since the organization established in mid and far west regions of Nepal. BASE has been carrying out several interventions to address the issues and needs of child labours. There is yet more to be done to support the children those are deprived from education and opportunities to freedom. Many children are involved as domestic servants, labourers in brick factories, hotels and restaurants as well as other sectors because of the poor economic conditions of the families. BASE with financial support from various institution/donors/individuals through GlobalGiving has been implementing the project called Education support for child labourers in Nepal. The project is targeted to 200+ child laborers in dang and Bardiya district. The major aim of the program is to stop child labor, reduce drop out and out of school children by accessing them to education. At the same time making parents responsible through vocational support with skill development training which will contribute in eliminating child labor from community. This is the first report of "education support for child labourers in Nepal" since we have received the fund.

Major activities carried out
The following are the activities initiated and carried out by BASE in the project proposed districts.

a) Program orientation meeting
BASE has formed a team to carry out the activities related to this project. The two board members have assigned for this task and they will get technical support from one staff of BASE. The orientation meeting was held on 20, 2017 at central project office Tulsipur Dang for a full day. The orientation to the staffs and board members attended at the meeting. The objective of the meeting was to make common understanding and program implementation modality. The executive director of BASE Mr. Churna Bahadur Chaudhari and project leader Mr. Mahabir Chaudhari facilitated the meeting. The meeting has craft the plan including first priority to make small survey to identify child laborers who are worst form or out of school. The data gathering from survey will help to keep the record of child labor and will also help to start support them for education and vocational support for their parents.

b) Coordination and linkages
In order to maximize the collaborative action especially for the rescue of child labor BASE has been making coordination and linkages with other state and non state actors in project districts. To make rescue of the children from his/her work place it is risky and owner may not release the child easily. So, considering the situation BASE has continue making coordination with local government authorities, law enforcement authorities, journalist, human rights and civil society networks members. We will coordination meeting to make clear objectives of the project initiatives that will be implemented in upcoming days.

c) Educational support for children and vocational support for parents
BASE has planned to provide educational support to those children who are child labor in the project districts. To provide educational support in systematic way, first BASE has creating data base of those children who are working as child labor. Before providing educational support it will be organized coordination meeting with their parents and government school administration. Each child will receive copies, pens, bags and uniforms. The scholarship will be distributed during special ceremony in presence of local level government and village traditional leaders. The parents will receive vocational support for income generation (IGA) so that parents can earn money and uplift their livelihood and continue invest for their children's' education in future. The data base system will be created to keep the record of those parents who will receive support.

Challenges Faced during reporting period
BASE has faced some difficulties and challenges to start the activities of this project that we proposed in our proposal. We would like to share to our supporters and donors through this report that we faced those challenges which are explained below;
The torrential rain from 12-14, August 2017 created massive floods and several landslides in 26 districts throughout the country. According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology record water level is high in Koshi, Narayani, Karnali, Babai and west Rapti Rivers is increased above warning level. As per government data, the flood caused 126 deaths, 50 missing and many people got severe injuries and lost property. In west Nepal, Dang, Banke, Bardiya and Kailali district is heavily affected by flood, flash flood and land slide. It is estimated that 12733 households are displaced as a result of the flood. The largest observable impact of the disaster was on housing, with 12733 houses damaged (3531 fully damaged and 9202 partially damaged) and 127187 people affected. Due to flood the displaced households are currently staying in temporary shelter in roadside camps, public buildings and host families. People living in temporary shelters, particularly pregnant and lactating mothers, children and people with chronic and severe illnesses, are vulnerable as they are more exposed to unsafe conditions (e.g., poor diet, poor toilets and safe drinking water, protection issues). The heavy rain fall also affected to our Education Support for Child Laborers in Nepal.

Bardiya District: In Bardiya district flood affected Basgadhi Municipality, Thakurbaba Municipality, Badhaiya Taal Rural Municipality and Barbardiya Municipality. As official data of 14 August 2017 by NRCS and DEOC 2173 household fully damaged and 8962 HHs is partially damage. One person is missing out. Danger Flow of Flood (6.1) has been crossed and it was up to 7.56. On 13 August 2017 Gulariya Municipality's Gulariya market was covered by flood.
Dang District: The flood affects Tulsipur Sub Metropolitan city ward no. 5, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and18, Dangisaran rural Municiplaity, Babai rural municipality, Rajpur Municipality and Lamahi Municipality of Dang district by Babai River and Rapti river. As official data of police office and NRCS, Dang more than 75 families are severely affected (21 fully damage and 54 are partially damage). The total 375 people affected and one person died due to flood entering into BASE, Bardiya Branch office flood affected village in Dang district flood. According to the District Agriculture Development Office (DADO) of the respective districts, standing crops (especially paddy, maize and vegetables) have been damaged in 13,756 ha, which directly affects 22,352 households in Bardiya and Dang district. Due to the above situation BASE was unable to put forward to the project initiatives including collection of child labor data. BASE has involved providing relief response (food item and non food items) to the flood affected families. So, the situation creates barriers to collect child labor data and other information before starting the project activities in both district (Dang and Bardiya). So, by nest couple of months we will implement the activities and report to our supporters through GlobalGiving. 

Appreciation:
We would like to thanks to all our donors, institutions, individuals and well wishers those who have contributed a lot to make child labor free society and create society with dignity. As our record there are around 90 supporters for this initiatives/project. So, we would like to give heartfelt thanks to our entire supporter.
Thanks.