Youth Interaction: Hong Kong Red Cross and Paschim Paaila Youth Volunteers

-Ms. Anita Bhuju, Network Coordinator, Paschim Paaila

Paschim Paaila (PP) in collaboration with ENPHO and in support of Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC) organized two day youth interaction program organizing WASH program at Shree Dedhethumka Higher Secondary School, Interaction program at ENPHO hall and team building activities among volunteers of HKRC and Paschim Paaila on 17 and 18 July, 2019. In two day program, a WASH program was organized at Shree Dedhethumka Higher Secondary School, Kuntabesi, Kavre. On first day of program, HKRC volunteers, PP volunteers and school students were engaged in wall painting delivering messages on water purification methods at household level and handwashing steps and bio-sand filter installation. Also, Paschim Paaila team facilitated school students and HKRC team for training on making of homemade sanitary pad. On first half of July 18, 2019, HKRC team facilitated to aware school children on WASH including WASH behavior of students and difference of the daily process of HKRC team and school children, water filtration process and process of handwashing through innovative games. More than 500 students and teachers will be benefitted with installation of bio-sand filter and wall painting whereas 20 students are directly benefitted participating on awareness program and making of homemade sanitary pad.
Similarly, an interaction program was held among the youth volunteers of Paschim Paaila team and HKRC team at ENPHO Hall on second half of July 18, 2019. In the half day program, a volunteer from Paschim Paaila and a volunteer from HKRC was paired for introduction session which was followed by presentation on brief introduction of ENPHO by Ms. Sabuna Gamal, Assistant WASH Training Officer at Training Centre of ENPHO and of Paschim Paaila by Ms. Anita Bhuju,  Network Coordinator of Paschim Paaila. Similarly, Ms. Jasmine from Hong Kong Red Cross presented about Hong Kong Red Cross and International Humanitarian Service Leadership Program (ISLP) of HKRC. Ms. Stephanie and Ms. Grace, Youth Volunteers of HKRC shared experience of Nepal Service visit and Ms. Cherry Chau, Staff Officer of HKRC, expressed gratitude to ENPHO and Paschim Paaila team and said to look forward for future collaboration with ENPHO and Paschim Paaila team. Mr. Buddha Bajracharya, President of Paschim Paaila provided token of love to Ms. Cherry Chau on behalf of PP and HKRC team gifted souvenir to PP team. The program ended sharing messages among participants as interaction activity. Altogether, 15 PP team and 13 HKRC team participated in the program. Under the International Humanitarian Service Leadership Program of Hong Kong Red Cross, 12 HKRC youth volunteers visited Nepal as “Nepani” (Nepal + Pani) program.

10th Anniversary of Paschim Paaila

With continuous service in environmental health and most importantly in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) since July 17, 2009 Paschim Paaila completed 10^th Anniversary on July 17, 2019. The journey of 10 years of Paschim Paaila (PP) from an informal youth network to a youth-led network completed by organizing and participating in more than 50 campaigns, more than 100 advocacy events, more than 100 research and surveys, more than 50 training and workshops, and networking among national and international youth groups, clubs and organizations. Paschim Paaila has also been active through social media to advocate on WASH for making Nepal ‘Epidemic Free Nepal’.


Marking the completion of the 10 years’ journey, Paschim Paaila celebrated 10^th Anniversary organizing a regular event of candle lighting to pray for departed soul in epidemic and disasters at Dhulikhel, Kavre in July 17, 2019. The event was organized in presence of active paailas, first batch of PP, executive member of PP and Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC) team. The co-event was organized at Shree Dedhethumka Higher Secondary School, Kuntabesi, Kavre in support of HKRC and in collaboration with ENPHO to support school children for improving WASH status of school children through wall painting, bio-sand filter installation and training on making of homemade sanitary pad.
More than 40 people participated, directly and indirectly, including Paschim Paaila team, HKRC team and school students in 10^th Anniversary Celebration of Paschim Paaila.

-Ms. Anita Bhuju

WASH FORUM Reloaded:Exchanging Waste to Money: Visit to Doko Recycler’s MRF

Solid Waste Management is one among major problem of Kathmandu Valley but as youth it can be viewed as an opportunity which has been tapped by youth led- start up “Doko Recyclers” as entrepreneurship opportunity. WASH Forum Reloaded (WFR) being a youth led advocacy level program to generate ideas and platform to create opportunities for economic growth has been organizing interaction program through field visits.

As a continuation of previous series on “Exchanging Waste to Money: Opportunities and Challenges”, Paschim Paaila and Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO) jointly organized second series of WFR on “Exchanging Waste to Money: Visit to Doko Recycler’s Materials Recovery Facility (MRF)” on 7^th July 2019 at Doko Recyclers, Sanothimi, Bhaktapur with an objective to share on solid waste management as entrepreneurship opportunities with an exposure visit at MRF of Doko Recyclers’.

Ms. Stuti Sharma, Communication and Advocacy Coordinator of Doko Recyclers facilitated participants for a guided tour to MFR and shared on issue of solid waste management and input of Doko Recyclers’ for better management. The presentation also highlighted on youth advocacy for appropriate policy for solid waste management business and up-cycling waste to valuable products as small scale start up business as opportunity.  As shared during visit, Doko Recyclers’ have been segregating collected wastes as reusable and recyclable with separation of paper, plastics, hard plastics, metals and e-wastes. Recyclable wastes are sold to respective industries, reusable materials are up-cycled and e-wastes that cannot be used are dismantled as mentioned by Ms. Sharma. Altogether 9 participants attained the program.
-Mr. Aashish Maharjan