Opportunities for communities  

In partnership with Sunshine Social Development Organisation (SSDO)

Our aim: to give families and communities the opportunity to lift themselves out of poverty

Who are we helping?

We are supporting children and families in 3 of the most deprived areas in Kapilvastu.  Most parents in these areas are bonded labourers, working 14 to 18 hours a day for a wage which barely covers the cost of feeding their families.  Only 4 out of 10 people are literate, and the majority speak an ethnic language rather than Nepali.  Over half of school age children are not in school, and 1 in 10 of those attending school will drop out before finishing primary school.  The children are malnourished and vulnerable to common illnesses and diseases such as worms, which are easily spread in an area where there is poor community health and sanitation.  Child marriage is at a staggeringly high 6.8%, compared to less than 3% in the rest of the region.

What are we doing to help?

We are working in partnership with SSDO, a Nepalese organisation, which works at grass roots level to involve communities in the design, planning, implementation and management of programs.  Together with SSDO, we are supporting 9 communities in each of the 3 areas.  We want to improve education levels amongst children, by providing quality early years education classes, and encouraging children aged 8-15 to attend school and complete their education through awareness raising and campaigns.  To increase levels of adult literacy and numeracy, we are giving parents a rare opportunity to gain new skills, through a non formal education course in their local ethnic language.  We are then offering parents the chance to be self sufficient, and earn enough to support their children, through vocational training and support to set up their own business.  To improve children's wellbeing, we are educating parents about how to keep the whole family safe and healthy, giving children a voice to raise and resolve issues in the community through children's clubs, and investigating and raising awareness of the effects of child marriage.