Quarterly Progress Report
(January - March 2003)
Mitigating the Impact of the Maoist Conflict on Children and Youth in Nepal
Submitted to:
USAID Nepal
Rabibhawan
Kathmandu
Nepal
Submitted by:
Save the Children US
Himalayan Field Office
Kathmandu
Nepal
Date: 8 May 2003
Table of Contents
I. Executive Summary…………………………………………………….. 1
II. Administrative/Management Achievements………………… 2
III. Program Achievements…………………………………………….. 3
A. Overview of Goals and Objectives……………………………… 3
B. Achievements against Objectives and Indicators…………… 3
1.0 Advocacy……………………………………………………………. 4
2.0 Restore and Increase Access to Quality Education………………. 5
3.0 Mitigate the Psychosocial Impact of Fear
and Violence on Children………………………………………….. 5
4.0 Improved Psychosocial and Economic Support
to At-Risk Children………………………………………………… 6
5.0 Contribute to Partners' Capacity, Program Learning
And Policy Development through Research……………………… 7
IV. Lessons Learned………………………………………………………. 7
V. Plans for the Next Quarter ………………………………………… 8
VI. Budget Expenditures ……………………………………………… 8
Annexes: Case Studies …………………………………………………... 10
List of Acronyms
BASE Backward Society Education
CiC Children in Conflict/Crisis
CWIN Child Workers in Nepal
DDC District Development Committee
DEO District Education Office
DCWC District Child Welfare Committee
DIP Detailed Implementation Plan
DPHO District Public Health Office
DWO Dalit Welfare Organization
ME Monitoring and Evaluation
MHP Mental Health Project of the Institute of Medicine
NGO Non-Governmental Organization
NRCS Nepal Red Cross Society
PNGO Partner Non-Governmental Organization
PHC Primary Health Care
SAFE Social Awareness for Education
SC/US Save the Children Federation, Inc., US
TOT Training of Trainers
USAID United States Agency for International Development
VDC Village Development Committee
I. Executive Summary
The Children in Crisis/Conflict (CiC) program is designed to mitigate the negative impact the
current Maoist crisis has had on children and adolescents, with Save the Children US building from
its existing educational, child and adolescent development programs to reach this specific, highly
vulnerable, target group. This quarterly report covers the period between January – March 2003.
During this period Save the Children US, together with its partners, accomplished the following
activities.
The significant achievements during this period are:
Program Officers and grassroots level implementation staff hired.
CiC Detailed Implementation Plan reviewed and finalized with PNGOs.
CIC Program Orientation conducted for staff and board members of PNGOs.
District level orientation conducted to stakeholders.
School based assessment conducted.
Master Training of Trainers on psychosocial counseling conducted.
District level Training of Trainers on psychosocial counseling conducted.
Three-hundred and three directly affected children identified, with intermediate support
provided to 59 children.
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II. Administrative/ Management Achievements
A. Hiring Staff for CiC project
During the reporting period, Save the Children US (SC/US) recruited for two key program
positions: the Program Officers for Kailali and for Kathmandu. In February, Mr. Surendra
Chaudhary was hired for the Kailali position. Recruitment for the Kathmandu position continued
throughout this program period. (Although beyond the time period covered by this report, SC/US
is happy to report that Ms. Anjalee Thakali-Sakya filled this position in mid-April).
Project partners also engaged in major recruitment this quarter. With assistance from SC/US,
project partners developed hiring criteria and conducted interviews, primarily for the position of
Social Mobilizer. Altogether 13 males and 11 females were hired to fill open positions. Fifty-four
percent of the staffs hired are from the Dalit community and six percent from the Tharu
community.
B. DIP and M&E Plan Finalized
The Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP) and Monitoring & Evaluation plans, which had been
preliminarily completed during the previous quarter, were finalized and agreed to by all partners
during a workshop held from January 8 to 10 in Nepalgunj. In addition to ensuring all partners
clearly understand the DIP and project indicators and means of verification, this workshop was also
a forum for all CiC Program partners to get together and share their experiences and expertise, and
to seek technical assistance where and when necessary.
C. Program Orientation to PNGO Board Members and Staff
A two-day orientation program was organized at the SC/US office in Kailali on 3-4 February for
staff members and board members of CiC Program partners. The purpose of this program was to
orient participants to the program’s objectives and implementing mechanism, and to clarify the
roles and responsibilities of staff members versus board members. Participants represented BASE,
NRCS, DWO and SAFE (See table 1)
Table 1. Participants on Program Orientation to PNGO Board members and staff
PNGOs Staff Board Member Total
Male Female Male Female
NRCS 3 3 1 7
BASE 2 3 2 7
DWO 4 3 1 8
SAFE 6 2 2 10
Total 15 11 6 32
D. District Level Orientation to Stakeholders
Considering that the CiC Program is new and will be engaged in sensitive work, SC/US and its
partners believed it was important to ensure clear understanding about the program by all
stakeholders who may be directly or indirectly involved, including government line agencies, non-
governmental organizations, human rights activist, representatives of bar association, and social
workers. Accordingly, stakeholder orientation programs were held in Kailali (5 Feb 2003), Bardia
(5 March 2003) and Banke (16 March 2003). The main objective of the orientations was to
familiarize participants with the program goal, strategic objectives and the process to support
activities.
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Table 2. Participants on Program Orientation for District Level Stakeholders
District Date Participants Total
Male Female
Kailali 05.02.03 54 9 63
Bardia 05.03.03 38 19 57
Banke 16.03.03 35 7 42
In addition to introducing these stakeholders to the CiC Program, this orientation also played a
general advocacy role, raising the issue of children in conflict to members of government and civil
society.
III. Program Achievements
A. Overview of Goals and Objectives
Below we restate the program goals and objectives for USAID’s easy reference.
GOAL
To improve the care and protection of children and adolescents affected by the current conflict in
Nepal.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
1.0 Initiate advocacy efforts to protect the rights and neutrality of children and adolescents in the
conflict
2.0 Restore and/or increase children’s and adolescents’ access to quality education and health
services in SC/US impact areas
3.0 Mitigate the psychosocial impact of fear and violence on children and adolescents
4.0 Improve the psychosocial and economic support systems for at-risk children and adolescents
affected by the conflict
5.0 Contribute to partners' capacity, program learning, and policy development through research
into the impact of conflict on children and adolescents.
SC/US’s proposed program response support the achievement of results in four areas:
Advocacy
Support for children and adolescents generally affected by the conflict
Programming for at-risk children and adolescents
Program learning
B. Achievement against Objectives and Indicators
As will be seen by the below reported activities, good progress was made this quarter, both in
continuing to lay the foundation for the program and in initiating some core program activities.
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1.0 Advocacy
General Advocacy
All of the above-reported orientation meetings played important advocacy roles, as well as program
management roles, involving stakeholders in the program and encouraging them to focus on the
issue of children in conflict.
In addition, a series of meetings were held with government and civil society leaders from the
grassroots level all the way to the national level. Our partner NGOs (PNGOs) introduced the
program and discussed CiC issues in general with various District and VDC-level stakeholders,
such as District Child Welfare Committees (DCWC), District Education Offices, District Public
Health Offices, District Development Offices, District Administration offices, local teachers, social
workers, local community organizations. The SC/US Regional Office in Nepalgunj has also
formed strong links with district level line agencies, and on a national level, SC/US has participated
in meetings with the Central Child Welfare Board (CCWB) to ensure cooperation and coordination.
All of these meetings served to ensure that this issue of children in conflict remains very much on
the minds and in the hearts of community, district and national leaders.
Advocacy for Schools as Zones of Peace
In January 2003, one of our PNGOs, CWIN, led discussions with our other PNGOs on a paper
regarding the necessity of establishing schools as peace zones, as well as sharing a code of conduct
for all staff working with the children in the affected areas. CWIN gathered feedback from this
discussion with participants regarding this “schools as zone of peace” paper, and more recently,
gathered additional input from the members of the newly-established Children in Conflict
Coordination Committee in Kathmandu.
Advocacy with Children's Groups
Two new Child Clubs (Shiv Shakti in Jamuni VDC and Jyoti in Sorahawa VDC) were formed by
the Dalit Welfare Organization (DWO) in Bardiya during this reporting period. Members of these
two new clubs, as well as 48 pre-existing Child Clubs (CC) and 15 Junior Red Cross (JRC)
chapters received orientation on child protection and development from our PNGOs. These Child
Clubs & Junior Red Cross chapters will be mobilized for community awareness-raising campaigns
on children's protection and development in the future.
Table 3. Child Protection and Advocacy Groups
PNGOs # of Child Clubs # of Junior Red Cross
BASE 46
DWO 4
NRCS 15
TOTAL 50 15
Progress toward Indicator 1.1: Document Drafted Establishing Schools as Peace Zones &
Respecting Children’s Rights to Neutrality and Protection
As noted above, significant progress was made in the preparation of this document, which now
exists in draft form.
Progress toward Indicator 1.2: Child Protection and Advocacy Groups Established at National,
District and Local level
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At the national level, the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare has formed the Children
in Conflict Coordination Committee (CICCC), convened by the Executive Director of the Central
Child Welfare Board (CCWB). The CCWB is mainly responsible for establishing effective
coordination and linkages among the organizations working and planning to work in the field of
Children in Conflict. While no formal district and local committees were established during this
program period, the series of advocacy meetings held forms a strong foundation on which to build
these groups in the coming months.
Progress toward Indicator 1.3: General Amnesty for Children/Adolescents
No major progress was made toward this indicator this quarter.
2.0 Restore and Increase Access to Quality Education
During this quarter, a school-based assessment was carried out in all CiC Program VDCs, with an
aim of learning about the existing situation of schools, specifically identifying basic requirements
for quality education and exploring the types of sanitation and health facilities available at the local
level. It took extensive time to collect the necessary data for this due to a lack of updated
information. The analysis of the gathered data currently is under compilation. Once the analysis is
complete, appropriate strategies will be developed together with representatives of the District
Education Office (DEO), School Management Committee (SMC), teachers, parents and other
concerned stakeholders to restore and/ or increase children’s and adolescent's access to quality
education.
Progress Toward Indicator 2.1: Implementation of Solutions to Relieve Overcrowding
The final results of the school-based assessment conducted this quarter will allow for the
development of appropriate strategies to address overcrowding in schools.
Progress Toward Indicator 2.2: Increased School Retention Among 10-16 year-olds
Similarly, the school-based assessment final results will allow for the development of appropriate
strategies to increase school retention of children aged 10 to 16.
Progress Toward Indicator 2.3: Community Awareness Campaigns by Community Groups
Advocacy orientations carried out this quarter with 65 different Child Clubs and chapters of the
Junior Red Cross set the groundwork for the development of awareness campaigns by these local
groups in the future.
3.0 Mitigate the Psychosocial Impact of Fear and Violence on Children
Master Training of Trainers (TOT) on Communication Facilitation
To mitigate the psychosocial impact of fear and violence on children and adolescents, a 15-day
Master TOT on Communication Facilitation with children affected by the conflict was organized by
the Mental Health Project (MHP) of the Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu
from 9 - 23 Feb, 2003. The participants came from Kailali, Banke and Bardiya, and included CiC
Program Project Coordinators, Board Members or our PNGOs and Primary Health Care (PHC)
workers from the District Primary Health Offices. (PHC workers were included to build support
from government health networks at the district level.)
Table 4. Master TOT for Communication Facilitation with Children affected by the conflict
Venue Date Participants Total
Male Female
Kathmandu 09-23 Feb, 2003 14 1 15
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The general objective of the TOT was to develop and improve the knowledge and skill of the
trainees involved regarding communication facilitation with children affected by conflict. It
provided them both knowledge and skills to work as a facilitator in future.
District level TOT in psycho-social counseling
Two 10-day district level TOTs in psychosocial counseling for children affected by the conflict
were organized this quarter: one from 9 - 18 March 2003 in Nepalgunj and from 23 March - 1 April
2003 in Dhangadhi. The participants include all CiC Program Social Mobilizers, representatives of
Health Posts from targeted VDCs, teachers and social workers. The TOT was conducted by
representatives from the MHP. Additionally, Master TOT trainees also facilitated during the
training to further hone their skills.
Table 5. Participants of Psychosocial TOT (District Level)
Venue Date Participants Total
Male Female
Nepalgunj 9-18 March 2003 12 3 15
Kailali 23 March- 1 April 2003 11 10 21
Participants from both the Master TOT and District level TOT will conduct a basic five-day
training at VDC level for social workers and teachers, with one selected from each ward of all
working VDCs.
Effective Parenting in Conflict Training Prepared
During this quarter, the MHP worked to develop a manual for training parents in effective
parenting in conflict. As soon as it is finalized, a TOT will be conducted and program implemented .
Similarly, SC is in regular contact with Boston University to assist the MHP and CiC Program
partners to identify and train Master Trainers for psychosocial counseling and community
participation for such programming. A series of meetings were held with the MHP for coordination
with district partners to implement psychosocial training.
Progress Toward Indicator 3.1: Community Organizations Received Training in Community-
based Psychosocial Support
The Master and District Level TOTs that took place this quarter set the stage for the training of
local organizations in this area.
Progress Toward Indicator 3.2: Parents Trained in "Effective Parenting in Conflict"
The MHP currently is working to develop and appropriate training manual for training trainers in
"Effective Parenting in Conflict."
4.0 Improved Psychosocial and Economic Support for At-Risk Children
Altogether, PNGOs identified 303 children who had been directly impacted by the crisis during this
reporting period. A total of 59 of these children received some initial support from partners. In the
future, a feasibility study will be conducted to identify appropriate income generation-related
activities for children and female-headed households.
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Table 6: Number of At-Risk Children Receiving Direct Support
PNGO/ Support provided (School uniform/
District stationery/ fee/ toys/ medical)
BASE, 16 (School uniform-14, medical support-1, toys
Kailali support-1)
NRCS, 36 (School uniform-14, stationery- 3, food
Kailali stuff-19)
SAFE, 1 (School fee support)
Banke
DWO, 6 (school uniform)
Bardiya
Total 59
Progress toward Indicator 4.1: CiC Units Established to Identify, Support and Monitor At-risk
Children
While some at-risk children were identified by PNGOs this quarter, no CiC committees have yet
been established at the local level.
Progress toward Indicator 4.2: At-risk Children Referred by CiC Units
Referrals will begin only after local CiC committees have been formed.
5.0 Contribute to Partner's Capacity, Program Learning and Policy Development Through
Research
While no research was conducted during this quarter, as already noted above, PNGO staff members
participated in CiC program orientations that laid the foundation for their delivery of programs to
mitigate the impact of the conflict and promote the rights and neutrality of children in conflict.
Progress toward Indicator 5.1: PNGOs trained in designing and delivering programming for
children in conflict
All PNGOs received an orientation in the program design, laying the groundwork for more
comprehensive training in the future.
Progress toward Indicator 5.2: Established CiC Committees at district and village level
monitoring and reporting on child protection.
CiC committees not yet established at the local level.
Progress toward Indicator 5.3: Nepal Program Learning Group established.
Not yet established.
Progress toward Indicator 5.4: Program Impact Study Initiated.
Initial school-based assessment conducted this quarter.
IV. Lessons Learned
Program implementation is dramatically assisted by taking the time to develop good working
relationships, and by building trust within the local community.
PNGOs have extensive local networks that should be mobilized to increase program efficacy.
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The involvement of media/ journalists needs to be initiated as a part of the advocacy, from the
national level to the local level.
V. Plans for the Next Quarter
Formation and training of District Level CiC committees in Kailali and Banke, with support
from CWIN.
Finalization of roles and responsibilities of District level CiC committee with CWIN.
CiC program orientation and formation of CiC committee at the VDC level.
Regular meetings with CiC committees.
Additional Child Club formation to mobilize advocacy for child protection and development.
CiC program orientation and street drama training for members of Child Clubs and Junior Red
Cross chapters.
Feasibility assessment of income generation activity for female & child-headed families
affected by the conflict.
Interaction with DEO, District Education Committee and line agencies to minimize
overcrowding in schools.
Interactions with VDC level stakeholders such as School Management Committee, Parents,
teachers and social workers to relieve overcrowding in needy schools.
Psychosocial counseling and effective parenting training at community level.
Further Identification of children and families affected by the conflict
Immediate support to children at risk and support to the generally affected school children.
VI. Budget Expenditure
As evident from the attached spreadsheet, the budget is slightly underspent for the January to
March 2003 time period. This underspending is primarily due to delays in starting major program
implementation strategies due to the time taken to negotiate with partners, finalize the DIP and
other preparations. It is expected that budget expenditures will increase markedly during the next
quarter.
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Save the Children
Mitigating the Impact of the Maoist Conflict on Children and Youth in Nepal-AID
Financial Report
Grant # 367-G-00-02-00216-00
C.C. Budget Head LOP Budget Yr 1 Budget Total Total Total Yr 1 Annual
$ $ Expenses Expenses Expenses Budget Budget
Thru Jan- through 31 Spent % Balance
Dec.'02 March'03 March '03 $
$
1 Salaries 101,188 48,773 9,603 10,754 20,357 42% 28,416
2 Fringe Benefit and Allowance 35,415 16,933 4,551 2,361 6,912 41% 10,021
3 Travel & Per Diem 30,960 15,344 9,196 2,097 11,293 74% 4,051
4 Supplies & Equipment 3,897 3,898 463 2,849 3,312 85% 586
5 Contractual STTA 24,159 11,660 - 2,857 2,857 25% 8,803
6 Other Direct Costs 129,163 66,274 3,149 4,407 7,555 11% 58,719
7 Subagreement 294,600 191,490 - 42,975 42,975 22% 148,515
Sub-total Direct 619,382 354,372 26,962 68,299 95,261 27% 259,111
Indirect Cost Recovery (ICR) 80,618 53,127 4,861 12,314 17,176 32% 35,951
Total Program 700,000 407,499 31,823 80,614 112,437 28% 295,062
Note: The above total does not include HO charges of March 2003
Fund Status $
a) Total Receipt 127,000
b) Total to-date expenditure 112,437
Balance due to/from (a-d) 14,563
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ANNEX-1
Case Studies
I can't believe he's dead…
"I can't believe he's dead," says Mrs. Devi Chaudhary, weeping. Her husband, Khushi Ram
Chaudhary, had joined the Maoist party and dreamt of a future in which the state was in their favor,
the poor would have good opportunities, society would be free from exploitation, and there would
be no more discrimination. But, Devi says, he left nothing, he did not achieve his dream, and he left
her alone without any support.
Her husband was studying at Kailali Multiple Campus and living in a small house nearby. One
day, police went to his house to trap him, but he escaped and went into hiding. On several
occasions the police and army came to Devi's house searching for her husband but he was not ther e.
It was then the family that suffered. The police beat both Devi and her sons. They threatened to
shoot the whole family if Khushi Ram could not be found.
One night the police entered the house at 10 p.m. Devi told her two sons, aged 10 and 8, to run
away, and her younger son Rajiv hid himself under a bed. The police found him and kicked him
around like a football. "They hit me and dragged me towards the road," Devi says. The police put
guns to the heads of Devi and her sons and demanded to know where they were hiding Khushi
Ram.
Police arrested Khushi Ram's elder brother, Sita Ram, ordering that he find Khushi Ram within ten
days or be shot. While Sita Ram tried his best to find his brother, he could not. The police tortured
him several times and he finally committed suicide on Magh 3, 2056 BS. The family found his
body hanging on a tree in the jungle near their village.
After the death of Sita Ram, the police did not stop harassing the family. Crushed by sorrow and
torture, Khushi Ram's father died on 11th Magh 2057 BS. Mr. Khushi Ram was ultimately killed
by security forces on Magh 2058.
Devi lives in Sade Pani VDC Ward No. 2 Jurpani, Kailali with her two sons, along with her
widowed sister-in-law and her five children. As a household of nine people with no husbands to
support them, they are barely managing to pay for food and the children's schooling. Devi does not
know how much land they have, as the certificate is in the bank. She has to repay a Rs. 60,000 loan
and their debt is increasing rapidly.
Devi says that she never walks about her village or visits her neighbors because of shame and
sorrow. When walking through the village, her eyes cannot focus and she feels as though her legs
are becoming heavy and the earth is reeling beneath her.
Ram Chandra, Devi's older son, said that he would be a "Thulo Manche” (big man) if his father
were alive, but now he is not sure that his mother can support his education. Devi longs simply see
her husband's body one last time. If she could perform the last rites according to her culture, then
her soul would be satisfied.
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We could't Save his life
Mr. Ram Prasad Chaudhary, 24, had been in the Nepal Army for four years when he returned to his
village from Rolpa district to celebrate Maghi, Tharu New Year, in January 2003. His young
widow, Mrs. Ashi Devi Chaudhary, 20, describes the day: "We had lunch together as a family.
Nobody felt the tension of daily work; everybody was enjoying various kinds of festival activities.
The young boys and girls were dancing in the yard; adults were drinking homebrewed beer. It was
a wonderful day."
Ram Prasad came home around 10 PM and the family had just gone to bed when a large group of
Maoists came and abruptly turned their happiness into sorrow. "Some people came to our home
and broke down the door. They entered our room and asked, 'Where is Ram Prasad?' Then they
started beating him. I begged them to spare my husband; I fell down at their feet pleading with
them not to take my husband. My mother in-law also begged them to forgive her son and not take
him away.'' For more than half an hour, Ashi Devi clung to Ram Prasad, desperately trying to save
him as the crowd tried to drag him away. ''They threatened us by touching a gun to our head. They
showed us the lightning knives and threatened to cut us if we told anyone."
Ram Prasad's mother, Mrs. Dashani Chaudhary, 45, added that they wept and asked them to deliver
the punishment inside the house but not take him outside. "We showed them his two children, and
requested them to release him for the sake of the children but they did not listen us." Ashi Devi
tearfully recounts how the people separated her from her husband. She tried her best to save him
but could not. "They took him outside, closed the door and forced us not to tell anybody. They
circled our house after they took him outside and then left after a few minutes. Afterwards, we
spent the whole night in shock, weeping and praying to god to save him. We informed our
neighbors and they tried to find Mr. Ram Prasad, but there was no way."
The next day the villagers discovered his body on the ground near the village. He was found
bound, gagged, and decapitated. Sixteen-year-old Saitu Ram, Ram Prasad's brother, said that the
village people had no answers for the tragedy. He added that the villagers informed the police and
military, who came and took away the dead body.
Ram Prasad left behind a family of six--his wife, daughter Sangita and son Sunil, a younger brother
and sister, and his mother. Sangita, 5 is in Kindergarten in the village school. Saitu Ram has
dropped out of school and is working to support the family. The family has a very small amount of
land that is not enough to feed them for the whole year, which is why they has sent Ram Prasad to
work in the Nepal Army. His mother now says, "Mero dunga dubayo (my boat has sunk). How
will we survive?"
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