Volunteers Initiative Nepal

Volunteers Initiative Nepal(VIN)
• VIN is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization which was founded in 2005 by a diverse group drawn from development workers, educationalists, social activists and other professionals. VIN’s mission is to empower marginalised communities, with a focus on women and children, through enhanced educational programs and community training to promote equality, economic well-being and basic human rights through mobilizing local and international volunteers. VIN’s main community-based pilot project is located at Jitpur rural community surrounded by woods, hills and fields. It lies 11 kilometers from the capital on the outskirts of the Kathmandu Valley.

PARTNERSHIP:-
1) International partnerships: International universities (On Youth Hands project), Community Based Alternative Schooling Project (CASP/JICA, Japan), Reach out to Asia (ROTA) etc.

2) Local partnerships:
- Jitpur phedi VDC (village development committee)
- National Non-formal Education center (NNN)
- District Education Office – Kathmandu
- Livestock Office, Agriculture Office
- 11 monasteries & 4 orphanage centers
- 10 schools and 9 ECD centers
•
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS:-
1) Women’s empowerment program:-
• VIN’s overall objective is the empowerment of marginalized, rural communities, with a focus on women. To achieve this objective we run Education, Rights and Life Skills, Microcredit Cooperative Support, Income Generation & Marketing, and Women’s Trafficking Prevention projects under women empowerment program. The Women Empowerment Program seeks to improve the quality of life of women living in underprivileged, rural communities by providing them with economic tools, a basic education, improved health and a life without violence.
2) Children’s development program:-
Our Children’s Development Program is one of the major activities in our integrated community approach, supported by our full time staff and volunteers. The aim of the program is to protect the rights of all children in the community by: providing access to a basic, quality education; developing their life skills; and providing access to health services (through our Community Health Program).We perceived that today children are the future of tomorrow so that for overall child development of marginalized groups we run Child Care Orphanage Home, Child Care Early Childhood Education, Children’s Life Skills Facilitation, and Working for Street Children projects under children’s development program.


3) Youth development program:-
We need volunteers and interns to join VIN’s Youth Empowerment Program to inspire and encourage Nepal’s youth. Engage them in community development or give them vital social and professional skills; you will help to bring positive change to their lives and to that of their community by participating in youth volunteer program
Different activities for the local youth are organized and facilitated through the youth club of the Jitpur community that VIN has set up. Career development training / workshops / counseling English language improvement, Volunteering in the community, International exchange programs (“On youth hands”)



4) Community health program:-

Whether you are a health professional, student, animal lover or a willing volunteer, VIN’s Public Health Program will provide you with the right opportunity to make a positive difference in developing Nepal by allowing you to participate in any of these volunteering projects as per your interest and skill. To sustainably and significantly improve the basic health conditions for the Jitpur community by improving:

- Access to health services
- Hygiene facilities
- Awareness of health & hygiene issues


Access to Health Services:

Improvement of the health post:
- Clinical infrastructure (doctor/nurse)
- Medical supplies

Hygiene Facilities:
• Toilet construction
• Waste removal system
Clean water facilities


Health & Hygiene awareness:

• Education of the entire community on:
- Basic health & hygiene and
maintaining a clean environment
- Women’s & children’s health issues
- Other common health issues (STDs, vaccinations,…)



COMMUNITIES where we work:-
1) Jitpur area:- Jitpurphedi VDC is situated north western part of Kathmandu District, Bagmati Zone. Jitpurphedi is an important site from a touristic and historical view. This VDC also has good geography and a pleasant environment. The term ‘Jitpur’ in Nepali means Win. When we go back to history, King Prithivi Narayan Shah (the First King of Mordan Nepal) won his battle to make country unite from this VDC. Along with this, we can see a great view of Lalitpur, Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Nuwakot and Dhading from this VDC. This VDC is 9 KM far from VIN’s main office and it takes approximately 45 minutes in a local bus. There are different ethnic groups living together but Brahman and Kshetri are the majority group and minorities are the Rai’s and Limbu and Balami.
The Jitpurphedi and around community is chosen as a pilot project for its geographic location, lack of other development organizations and need for development. VIN’s objective is that these all the development programs run independently from VIN within the Jitpur community by 2014, so VIN can focus on other rural and marginalized communities in Nepal. From its established date, VIN has been working for children’s development, women’s empowerment, community health and youth empowerment in this community. Around 1033 households with 6000 people and 10 villages are over there. Our main aim is to establish women to be independent, provide quality education and rights to the children, and help youth to get employed by providing career development trainings and skill development projects. Taking care of all the aspects of Jitpurphedi VDC, VIN has been implementing its projects in all the wards and schools for its catchments.
VIN motivated all the women’s groups to participate in income generation marketing trainings and provided information on agriculture and non-agriculture to make them self-reliant. VIN provided different trainings on livestock rearing candle-making, incense- making, sewing& cutting, handicrafts, organic farming etc. In the VDC, VIN has established 68 women’s group by the end of 2013 and allowing all these women for savings. VIN has also established microcredit cooperative system to allow women to have saving and credit services available.
VIN has also been working with children from its initial phase by setting up Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centers. From the starting date to present, the ECD centre in Ward no 4, Panchmane has benefited hundreds of children and provided trainings on Montessori based early childhood education for all the teachers from different school based ECD centers. VIN also supports destitute children from poor families to go to school from its child sponsorship project. We have sponsored over 180 children’s education thus far and also set up school based children’s club with an aim to enhance their creative skills by doing different types of extra-curriculum activities.
The health status of Jitpurphedi is not good even though half of its population is educated. The majority of people give their first priority to witch doctors when they fall sick. This VDC used to have only one sub-Health post where there is limited access to medicines and treatments for the patients. To combat this problem, VIN has undertaken a project for public health and medical care. From 2010, three times in a week, VIN has supported a doctor in this health post. Along with this, VIN has been providing health education and training to different schools, children, women and teachers. Till this date, VIN has provided health and hygiene training and first aid training to each school. Also VIN has trained most of the women for women’s health, health and hygiene and First aid. VIN has also been constructing toilets for the families who are poor and cannot afford to make a toilet. VIN aims to install hygiene facilities to stop open defecation in this VDC. Our construction and manual volunteer project has been instrumental for this campaign.
Youth empowerment project was also developed by VIN. In the initial phase, youth were given different types of trainings like English and career development handicraft, first aid and cook training in order to motivate them and create opportunity for employment.

2) Okhaldhunga:- Okhaldhunga is one of the 75 districts of Nepal. It is located in Sagarmatha zone on North-East part of Nepal. Okhaldhunga District consists of 56 Village Development Communities (VDC). It has Dudh koshi river, Khotang on its east, Likhu, Ramechhap on the west, Solukhumbu on the north and Sunkoshi, Udhayapur and Sindhuli on the South. The total area is 1075 sq. k.m. The district has 390 m. (Jortighat, Thakle) to 33627 m. (Lamje danda, Patle) high land from the sea level. The district head quarter is Okhahdhunga which is in the height of 1849 m. form the sea level.
Volunteers Initiative Nepal (VIN) has planned to work in Talauwa, Bhadaure and Thula Chhap VDC. Taluwa VDC covers around 18.88 square hector area. It has total population of 2206 with 1008 female and 1199 male. Bhadure has 20.16 squares hector area and the total population of 3030 with 1439 male and 1531 female. Similarly, Thula Chhap covers about 12.07 square hector area. It has total population of 3482 with 1659 male and 1825 female. Bhadure and Thula Chhap have around 10% dalits (so called low cast) and 40% Janajaatis and Indigenous Communities.
VIN has been working for children’s development, women’s empowerment, community health and youth empowerment in this community too. Villages are mainly occupied by the socially marginalized and economically deprived communities. Considerable numbers of people are illiterate .So, provided different trainings and provided information on agriculture and non-agriculture. VIN also encouraged women to focus on savings and credit. VIN organized income generation program for women to make them able to earn their living by themselves.
Sponsorship project for the poor children because otherwise, school aged children need to support their families in the fields just because their parents are unable to pay for their school fees. VIN has also been giving different trainings on child rights and health & hygiene to the children.
In closing, VIN has initiated many different programs with their main focus on children, women, youth and health in this VDC. This has brought positive changes in the lives of the residents. VIN has motivated empowered all community stakeholders. There is still much to achieve in the field of sustainable community development.