Youth WASH Concern Workshop-XV Series

Mr. Buddha Bajracharya, President of Paschim Paaila as Resource Person

Youth WASH Concern Workshop (YWCW) is regular program of Paschim Paaila in collaboration with ENPHO to enhance capacity of youths in the WASH sector. This two days 15th “Youth WASH Concern Workshop - XV Series” was organized in the Thames International College, Old Baneshowr on 9 and 10 March, 2019. The main objective of the workshop was to capacitate youths as WASH ambassadors empowering with WASH knowledge and to take initiatives to sensitize community to become environmentally healthy. 

Participants of YWCW-XV Series

The workshop incorporated group activities and presentations from resource persons to improve knowledge and skills of participants to advocate to improve WASH status. The workshop integrated the components of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), Fecal Sludge Management (FSM), Behavior Change Communication (BCC) and Emergency including basics of WASH such as status of WASH, drinking water treatment options, sanitation status and  policy and hygiene promotion.

Participants were provided with motivational session on Youth Leadership in WASH. At the end, participants also shared group-wise plans of actions as their initiatives as a WASH leader to promote the knowledge on WASH to the people of selected community/slum and students of school/college.

Altogether 19 active students of public health, environmental science, social work, development studies and civil engineering faculties attended the program.

Young steps for epidemic free Nepal Marking 4th Anniversary of Paschim Paaila

Young steps for epidemic free Nepal Marking 4th Anniversary of Paschim Paaila

Paailas for Epedimic Free Nepal

“The journey that started to control diarrhea epidemic at Jajarkot and western part of Nepal in 2009 has continued for four years and will continue till we achieve epidemic free Nepal,” committed Buddha Bajracharya, Campaign coordinator at Paschim Paaila in “Diyo Lightning Program” at Swayambhunath on 17th July organized to celebrate 4th Anniversary of Paschim Paaila marking Peace of all departed soul due to Epidemic and Disaster in Nepal.

                                                                        “When we started our journey we did not do big things, we just distributed Piyush and Jeevan jal. It looks simple but this helped in overcoming the epidemic,” shared Giri Khatri, Immediate past president of Paschim Paaila. He also urged all the participants to join hands for achieving the goal of epidemic free Nepal. “We youths need to identify where we are needed the most, is it these less vulnerable urban areas or those vulnerable rural areas?” he motivated all.

 Bhusan Sir joining Paailas

Paailas (volunteers of Paschim Paaila) from different area and time period along with wannabe paailas and other supporters of Paschim Paaila team gathered at Swayabhunath and wished for its successful completion of four years and prayed peace to all the departed soul due to epidemic and disasters in Nepal on different time periods.

Environmentalists Bhusan Tuladhar and Shriju Pradhan along with employees of Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO) joined the program to motivate all the Paailas to continue their good work. Congratulating Paschim Paaila for their four years completion, Kamal Tara Bajracharya, Youth Focal Person from Family Planning Association Nepal (FPAN) expressed that FPAN is willing to work in coordination with youths. Merina Shakya, Network coordinator of Paschim Paaila thanked all supporters and well-wishers and expected to get continuous help from all. Bhintuna Shrestha from Resource Centre Network Nepal (RCNN) praised all the activities of Paschim Paaila and wished for further development of team and epidemic free Nepal.

All the participants expressed their commitment to contribute for the epidemic free Nepal and light diyo to pray peace to the departed souls caused by epidemic.

The program ended with a group photograph with the slogan “Epidemic free Nepal: Let’s not face another epidemic in Nepal.”

By: Pratap Maharjan and Buddha Bajracharya

Youth WASH Concern Workshop VI series

Youth WASH Concern Workshop VI series

Participants of Youth WASH Concern Workshop VI series

WASH Concern workshop is an interactive attempt of Paschim Paaila to incorporate youth in WASH. Here youth from different colleges were gathered to share their views and to boost up their knowledge in WASH. The VI series of WASH concern Workshop was conducted on 6^th July 2013 at Thames College with total of 24 participants.

Mr. Ash Kumar Khaitu from ENPHO, Mr. Phurba Sange Moktan from UN-HABITAT and Mr. Sarbagya Shrestha from Water Aid Nepal were the key speaker of the Workshop.

Youths during the sessions

The program began with warm welcome from Event Coordinator Mr. Buddha Bajracharya who introduced Paschim Paaila , its vision, objectives, past activities, recent activities, upcoming plan and goal.. Mr. Ash Kumar Khaitu from ENPHO started the session of "Water and hygiene including youth" where he discussed about Open defecation free (ODF), quality maintenance of water, some facts and figures about coverage of water in public and water pollution.

The second session which was of personal hygiene and health was facilitated by Mr. Phurba Sange Moktan from UN-HABITAT who started the session with the comparison of human mind with the glass. Then description on personal hygiene was discussed. The session had lots of group works.

In the session mode of transmission of feaces and what and where can be the barrier to stop the transmission, critical condition of hand washing and hand washing technique were discussed. Different energizer games were played to entertain the participants.

Engagement in Games and Group work

The third session was of sanitation and waste management including role of youth which was facilitated by Mr. Sarbagya Shrestha from Water Aid Nepal. The session was started with the experience sharing from participants on open defecation. Mr. Shrestha then defined sanitation and its types; Improved sanitation, on site sanitation, Food sanitation, Environmental sanitation and Ecological sanitation.

Some facts about sanitation of our country were revealed during the session i.e. 62% of rural school has at least one toilet. 29% of total waste generated is generated by Kathmandu valley only. And only 45 % of total waste generated is collected. He also shared some triggering method in order to make people aware about need and importance of sanitation. Some live examples of proper utilization of waste were also discussed during the session.

Active Involvements of youths

He concluded youth as key for social change, most energetic and proactive age of life, critical mass for action and present leaders. The session was ended with the individual commitment of the participants and feedback collection. Participants rated the workshop as interactive, fun filled and informative.

WASH Forum(May Series) on " ODF movement in Nepal and National Target"

                             Know about ODF on Forum

   With the mutual effort of Paschim Paaila and Environment and Public health organization(ENPHO), WASH Forum share a common platform for knowledge sharing and advocacy regarding water, sanitation and hygiene and disaster/epidemics. In this forum, basically current issue and it even tries to address the voice of diversified youth, communities and others.

   With an objective to provide an opportunity for social interaction and knowledge in WASH and its role on development and to critically analyze Youth's role in development, May series of WASH forum entitled "ODF Movement in Nepal and National Target" was successfully conducted on 24^th May 2013.

   Mr. Guna Raj Shrestha, Executive Director of Community Development Forum was the key speaker in which there were total 21 participants. Mr. Shrestha during his sharing program highlighted the importance of ODF in all the levels. He motivated the youths to spread awareness of ODF as it is the most challenging issues in the present scenario in our country.

    During that session, Mr. Shrestha shared his long personal experience, motivational examples which really address the problem of Nepal. “Triggering tools, pressuring, reward/recognition will be the most effective to aware the people and to pass the message of WASH” he said.

   On a question raised, “How is ODF sustained where it is already declared? What about ODF in Kathmandu?” he replied, we can't change peoples’ thinking until and unless they are self aware, it is hard in Kathmandu but not impossible, as there should implement the government policy, we have to think and act seriously. Overall the program was facilitated by Mr. Roshan Chaulagain and the program was ended with group photo and interaction with participants.

Experts View: Sanitation in Nepal on WASH FORUM

Experts View: Sanitation in Nepal on WASH FORUM 

 By: Dibit Aryal

Focusing the present scenario of sanitation an interaction series on the topic “Sanitation in Nepal: Past, Present & Future” views of expert and the perspectives of youths was discussed and shared in a program conducted on 30^th August, 2012 as a part of WASH FORUM, August discussion series.

                             

Mr. Kamal Adhikari, sanitation expert from UN- Habitat shared his experience regarding the sanitation issues in Nepal which is also one of the neglected topics among people. He expressed his feelings towards sanitation process in Nepal and as well as the reason behind to write his book “Sanitation in Nepal: Past, Present & Future”.  He discussed about the triggering methods and problems regarding the implementation phase of development projects about health and sanitation. Mr. Adhikari thoroughly explained his book briefly in the series of Past, Present and Future of sanitation. Beside that he also discussed the scenario of local and international NGO’s who comes with different ideas and fund but cannot achieve the goal as per the people’s requirement of sanitation process.

Following the session, Ms. Kamala K.C. Coordinator of WASH Resource Centre, Pokhara, expressed her views regarding the book written by Mr. Adhikari. She said, “If we want to change the situation we first had to change ourselves and to change ourselves effectively, we first have to change our perception”. Participants form 15 different institutions were the part of the sharing and discussion program.

At last the certificates were distributed among the participant of the debate program which was organized by Paschim Paaila on International Youth Day, 12^th August, 2012

Untangling the Knot regarding Water, Sanitation and Food Security on WASH FORUM

By: Merina Shakya

March, considered as the month of water, being celebrated World Water Day on 22^nd of March. The theme for this year was “Water and Food Security”. Focusing on the issue the topic entitled “Water Sanitation and Food Security: Untangling the Knot” was conducted on 30^th March 2012 as a part of WASH FORUM, March discussion series.

                             

Mr. Madan Kumar Chapagain, Department of Food Technology and Quality Control shared key notes on “Water Sanitation and Food Security: Interlinking three factors relating water sanitation and food security”. He focused on perspectives of water and food security, some facts, present scenarios and challenges on the issues. He also highlighted on the governmental efforts.

Following the session, Dr. Saroj Kumar Chapagain, Centre of Research for Environment, Energy and Water (CREEW) shared the outcomes of Nepal National Water Week-12 with linking the issues of water, sanitation and food security. He said, “All the efforts made in between has definitely supported to untangle the knots and shown the direction to the solution.” All participant form different institutions actively participated on the forum to untangle the knot relating the water sanitation and food security through the open discussion with resource persons.

युवाहरुबाट सरसफाइका लागि भैली सम्पन्न

फुर्बा सांगे मोक्तान/ २९ कार्तिक, २०११

भैलो आफैमा एउटा उत्साहजनक शब्द हो, जसमा सान्स्कृतिक एबम मनोरन्जनात्मक तादाम्यता रहदै आएको छ। प्रत्येक बर्ष दिपावलिको पावन अवसरमा खेलिदै आएको भैलो कार्यक्रम यसपटक "पस्चिम पाइला" को युवा साथीहरुमाझ पनि बिशेष शैलीमा प्रस्तुत भयो । सान्स्कृतिक, मनोरन्जनात्मक उध्येश्यका साथसाथै सामाजिक उध्येश्यका साथ खेलिएको भैलो कार्यक्रम यो बर्ष बिभिन्न सामाजिक संघसंस्थाहरु लक्षित गर्दै करीब ३० जना युवाहरुको जमातले लक्ष्मीपुजाको अघिल्लो २ दिन, कार्तिक ७ र ८ गतेलाई उल्लसपूर्ण ढंगले मनाएका थिए। 

नुवाकोटको थाङ्सिङ गा. बि. स. को लामागाउ प्रा. बि. मा खानेपानी तथा सरसफाइको सहज पहुच पुर्याउने उध्येश्यका साथ ५ सन्स्थामा खेलिएको यस भैलो कार्यक्रमबाट तेइसहजार पचास रुपैया सन्कलन गर्न सकिएको थियो। "भैलोबाट अपेक्ष्या अनुरुप आर्थिक सन्कलन हुन नसके पनि यसले हाम्रो समुहको टिमवर्क, अपनत्व र उध्येश्यलाई अझ मजबुत बनाएको छ। त्यसैले, हामीहरुले यसलाई सफल सुरुवातको रुपमा लिएका छौ। र अवस्यै पनि यस सामाजिक उध्येश्य प्राप्तिको लागि थप पहलकदमी पाइलाहरु अगाडि बढाउदै लैजानेछौ।" भन्दै थिए, भैलो कार्यक्रम सम्योजक, बुद्ध बज्रचार्य। भैलो कार्यक्रमबाट करीब १ लाख रुपैया सहयोग संकलन गर्ने उद्येश्य राखिएको थियो, जसका लागि थप फन्ड रेसिंग (fund raising) गतिविधिहरु पनि तय हुदै गैरहेको जानकारी पनि गराउदै थिए बुद्ध बज्राचार्य।

त्यसैगरी, भैलो कार्यक्रम सम्पन्न भएपछी सबै युवा साथीहरु एक ठाउँमा बसेर पृष्‍ठपोसण गरेका थिए भने लामागाउ नै गएर पनी थप छलफल चलाएका थिए। भैलो कार्यक्रम सम्पन्न हुनुभन्दा पनि युवाहरुमा परिवर्तनका लागि आएको जागर वास्तवमा उत्क्रिस्ट रहेको कुरा उल्लेख गर्दै थिए, "पश्चिम पाइला" का संजाल संयोजक फुर्बा साङगे मोक्तान।