Namlo Final Report to VWCF on the Dhuskun Community Center

VIRGINA WELLINGTON CABOT FOUNDATION
Final Report
September 6th 2014
Date:
Name of the organization: Namlo Nepal/Namlo International
Program Name:
Dhuskun Community Center
Contact person and title:
Address:
Keith Frausto, Executive Director
5032 W. 36th Ave.,
Denver, CO 80212
Phone: 303-399-3649
kfrausto@namlo.org
Grant Amount:
$16,338.00
For Project Support
x
Project Support
Challenge Grant
Capital/Endowment
Period of this report covers from the January 1st 2014 to August 30th 2014 (8 months)
1. Please describe how the Virginia Wellington Cabot Foundation grant money was spent,
and enclose a copy of your most recent financial statements (audited preferred)
The Virginia Wellington Cabot Foundation grant money was used to construct a two-story, four
room community building in Dhuskun, Nepal, that will be used to support activities of the
Chhema Devi Income-Generating Women’s Group, and serve as a community center to host
adult education, community programs, as well as act as a cooperative business office.
Other objectives of this project are:
1) to provide permanent space for education and income-generating activities; Coffee
Processing and Ginger Progressing to run and expand their business smoothly.
2) to provide place for rural business activities such as Cooperatives and saving credit.
3) to create opportunity for local youth become self-employed by providing short-term
training programs.
4) to establish an institution where men and women can work together
Namlo International began its involvement in Dhuskun with the construction of an elementary and
Middle school for 450 children. Dhuskun includes 9 wards and a total of about 700 households. The
community center was built in Ward 1, where there are about 60 households. The project has a
specific focus on the women who were participants in Namlo’s adult literacy and incomegeneration programs. As part of prior programs (the Western Union grant for adult literacy &
income generation program), a cooperative of over thirty three women was formed to become
owners of this center. The Shree Chhema Devi Income Generating Women Group, is now a
legally registered women group at Sindhuhapalchwok district.
Note: Please find then attached financial report with this report.
2. To what extent have your stated goals been met?
We have received $16,338.00 from Virginia Wellington Cabot Foundation for this project, and
completed the construction of the school in August of 2014. Before construction of this building
the women’s group used to conduct meetings, educational classes and business activities at open
place and deteriorated old building. They requested to Namlo and other organization to work
with them for construction of women building for four years. Namlo community workers visited
the place and found their meeting place’s condition was deteriorated and risky as well. In the
four years of time working with them and series of meetings with the community, Namlo decided
to help them women to build community center. Just as important as the construction of the
building, the process used with the women’s group was collaborative, with the Community
Building Construction Management Group, comprised of eleven members of the women’s
cooperative coordinated all aspects of implementation.
Namlo organized the project to be a form of capacity building and leadership development for
the women’s group. From the beginning of the project, the women group actively the lead the
management of the project, as well as being directly involved in its construction. They were
involved in collecting price rates, buying materials, transporting materials to and financial report
ing as well.
Background:
Namlo International & Namlo Nepal signed on MOU on 1/22/2014 for 1 year duration, up to
December 30th, 2014. Mr.Robert McGough President of Namlo International and Mr. Gopal
Gurung, Secretary of Namlo Nepal signed on Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU). Ms.
Magda King from Namlo International and Ms. Aruna Thapa from Namlo Nepal also signed on
MOU as witness.
After the MOU was signed, Namlo Nepal prepared an agreement letter with Shree Chhema Devi
Income Generation Women Group, and signed an agreement on 14/01/2014 Mr. Dipendra Joshi,
Project Coordinator of Namlo Nepal and Ms. Krishna Kumari Rijal, President of Shree Chhema
Devi Income Generating Women Group signed on MOU. Ms. Sangmu Sherpa from Namlo
Nepal and Ms. Radha Dhungana, Treasurer of women groups signed as witness. Mr. Khika
Prasad Timilsena, Dhuksun VDC Secretary also signed an agreement as witness.
Implementation Procedures:
1. Namlo facilitated the women group to establish 11 members Community Building
Construction Committee.
2.
After signed an agreement, women group deposited $821.05 (which is 3% of project cost)
as a Maintenance Fund at bank by opening separate account for this building project.
3.
Construction committee prepared a work plan to construct the building and submitted it to
Namlo Nepal.
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4.
Before the start the construction, the Namlo team provided an orientation class about
working methodologies and financial aspects.
5.
Namlo facilitated the women group to select qualified and experienced skilled labor.
6.
To transport the construction materials at time, women group improved road side and made
space to store sand, aggregate, stone and block. This was also done by community members
by utilizing local resources.
7.
Leveled the land for building the structure.
8.
Transported construction materials.
9.
The community building construction committee conducted monthly meetings and shared
ongoing progress including financial status among Shree Chhema Devi Income Generating
Women Group and construction committee.
10. They have completed all the construction related activities including doors, windows,
furniture and painting by the mid of August, 2014.
Project Outcomes:
!
A new four room two story building, built with reinforced concrete was completed at ward
no. 1, Dhuksun VDC and has been already started to use. About 100 women will benefit
from this new building from coming year. Over 300 women and men from surrounding
VDCs will receive indirect benefits from community center in coming days by getting safe a
and suitable place for training.
!
Dhuskun Village Development Committee(VDC) also donated $716.00 to Women Group to
support the Community Center.
!
This project utilized high level of local contribution and the final building is of extremely
high quality and durability. This factor not only reduced the overall cost of the project but
builds local ownership in the project outcome and long-term maintenance. Please see the
attached financial report for further details on local contribution amounts and expenses.
!
The women group is working with the Dhuskun VDC to expand the members and
entrepreneurship opportunities. They are planning to start education and training workshops
in the coming days for women, men and youth.
Opportunity for the community - additional outcomes:
! During the time of construction, about five women and ten community members were
employed as skilled labor which directly benefited local economy.
!
During the time of construction five women, Ms. Kamala Neupane, Ms. Sabitri Rijal, Ms.
Gita Karki, Ms.Tara Nepali, and Ms. Bhagwoti Neupane became involved as masons. This
directly increases the women labor charge being a skilled mason and also serves as a good
role model for other women to learn skills.
!
Community members, especially the women’s group, had an opportunity to be directly
involved by participating in the construction work, collecting funds directly to the project
and donating their labor. The experience enabled women group members to increase their
leadership and experience working in a collaborative nature.
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Impact/Results
!
Based upon the Community Center 25 years from now (which we believe to be a very
low estimate) over 1500 community members will benefit from this community center
by being involve in education and business activities.
!
Crowding and the safety risk of the old building and open ground have been eliminated
via the construction of new building, benefiting over 100 women annually from
surrounding VDCs.
!
The construction of the new building created a great deal of excitement across the whole
VDC towards education and business to a significant amount of local investment and
participation.
!
This project has been an excellent learning and capacity building experience for Namlo
Nepal, the women group and Community Members. The challenges and success
experienced with the project have helped Namlo refine its best practices and working
methodology.
!
Local community members worked as non skilled labor to contribute the project
equivalent of $3,132.00 and $2,172.00 as in-kind goods. The VDC donated $716.00 for
this project. This high level of local contribution ensures that the local community has a
strong sense of ownership in the project outcome and in the long term-maintenance of
the building and school.
Challenges Faced:
Since Namlo works in remote areas, and building itself is in remote site, there were
frequent problems to transport the construction materials from market. Hardware
suppliers’ strike also delayed the project for two a week, since transportation was shut
down across the country.
Still in Nepalese society, the male dominating culture and discriminating social stigma
are prevalent. Our women’s group also went through such culture and stigma frequently
during the construction period, with some people believing that women are not physically
and mentally fit to do masonry work.
Next Steps:
Monitoring and Evaluation: Namlo Nepal will continue to follow up with the women’s
group and community members to determine the true impacts and effectiveness of this
initiative.
Tracking women’s activities: Namlo will follow the keep and publish the data on student
enrollment, pass/fail and repetition rates to determine if the new school building and our
other education programs have had a positive impact on these indicators.
Frequent follow up by Namlo team will determine how well the women’s group and
community members are maintaining the community center, and to collect information
on the impact of the project.
Community Follow up: As we believe strongly in community participation, there is
always a great need for continued assistance to garner support from the community. The
women group has secured $821.05 as a maintenance fund for this building.
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Conclusion:
Despite several challenges, in our view, this project became a great success. The support
provided for this project from donors has changed the women’s capacity and leadership
and thus, the lives of women in this extremely remote area. The need for further
education and support in Dhsukun and the surrounding communities is still great, and we
do look forward to the possibility of skilled-based other initiatives in the future.
As part of its broad-based community-building initiatives over the years, Namlo has
constructed Vocational Center in Sabhung VDC, four schools and one water system and
other aspects of infrastructure. In its efforts to build sustainable communities, Namlo has
also engaged in market-oriented activities that include agriculture, business development,
women’s cooperatives and other entrepreneurial activities.
The Community Center construction has a direct, immediate and positive impact on the
local community, and provides educational and business opportunities for women where,
at times, none existed before. On the other hand, increased leadership performance is not
pre-ordained, and is requires more of an investment than just a “bricks and mortar”
approach. In an effort to strengthen leadership performance, Namlo is now planning to
expand educational, skilled-based training and business activities in future.
3. What steps are being taken to ensure the sustainability of the program or organization
beyond the period of the Virginia Wellington Cabot Foundation grant?
Key approach to sustainability lies underneath the feeling of ownership. If the community
people own and feel that the project is theirs and all benefits are for them, then they all feel
responsible to protect and manage it in a sustainable manner. To encourage the community
people feel and own the project, Namlo Nepal encouraged the women in lead role of planning,
implementation and monitoring the activities of the project. The project has been implemented
fully on participatory approach, including women and excluded groups so that they have
feeling of ownership.
Shree Chhema Devi Income Generating Women Group is key components in sustaining the
project. Hence, from the establishment of Shree Chhema Devi Women Group, Namlo formally
and legally institutionalized the group by registering at the office of central district office,
Sindhupalchwok. To complete the project successfully, Shree Chhema Devi Income Generating
Women Group established Community Building Construction Management Group which
consisted 11 members. Out of 11 members there are 8 women and 4 men which were selected
by irrespective of sex, caste, class, religion.
Shree Chhema Devi Income Generating Women Group also opened a bank account focusing on
operation and maintenance of Community Center. This Maintenance and Operation Fund which
also ensure the sustainability of the project after the completion of the project. The Group
Members also maintained all the expenses report and receipts during the construction period.
The group has collected $821.05 is deposited at this account which is self-initiation raised for a
maintenance and operation. This fund will be used to operate and maintain the community
center.
Besides this, a separate women’s group fund was established to initiate and continue the
commercial agriculture activities. Members of the group deposit $0.52 each month. The
objective of this fund is to provide small amounts of credit to needy members. Both these funds
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have created opportunities for the women members to participate in the development activities
and raise their socio-economic standard. Increased access and control over the resourcea among
the community is vital to the sustainability of the project.
This project has also adopted the conservation effort and thus will ensure environmental
sustainability. The Shree Chhema Devi Income Generating Women Group members themselves
are member of Shree Seti Devi Forest Group and coordinated with Shree Seti Devi Forest
Group for maintaining the safe environment. Since forest users groups are nationally
recognized and work for the sustainability of forestry, the coordination effort of women’s group
and forest users group will definitely play effective role in the environment sustainability as
well as the sustainability of the project.
As part of efforts to build sustainable communities, both Namlo and the community envision
the center to become a central hub or “incubator” for local entrepreneurship activities. For this
reason, the next important step is to analyze local markets, identify gaps and opportunities
around which to build future businesses. Namlo and the community have already identified the
first set of activities, including a livestock program, horticultural production and ginger
production.
!!
DHUSKUN COMMUNITY CENTER FINANCIAL REPORT
Expenses
Approved Budget
Actual
Building Walls
$1,944
$1,923
Rof
$4,663
$4,552
Pillars
$1,441
$1,178
PCC Work
$2,129
$1,749
Plastering
$1,371
$937
$255
$412
Wood
$1,816
$1,444
Toilet
$1,261
$1,477
Fence and Gate
$1,706
$$1,711
Furniture
$1,220
$1,149
Skilled Labor Costs
$5,871
$6,844
Contingency Costs (15%)
$3,552
$3,522
Oversight & Administrative
(20%)
$4,446
$5,446
Total Cost of the project
$32,675
$32,374
Paint
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The VWCF contribution to the total project was $16,338. Namlo has paid only for purchased
materials for building construction and cost for skilled labor. Other locally available materials
and non-skilled labor contributed by community members. The value of their contribution was
as follows:
LOCAL CONTRIBUTIONS (In-kind & cash)
ITEM
AMOUNT
FROM
Non-skilled labor
$3,132Womenʼs group & local
community members
In-kind (materials)
$2,172Womenʼs group & local
community members
General contribution
$716Village Development
Committee
Maintenance fund
$821Womenʼs group
Total
$6,841
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ANNEX
Shree Chhema Devi Income Generating Women Group
Established on 2011
S.N
Name
Designation
1
President
Krishna K. Risal
2
Vice President
Patali Nepal
3
Treasurer
Radha Dhungana
4
Secretary
Sita Neupane
5
Member
Sanu Maya Karki
6
Member
Sabitri Risal
7
Member
Januka karki
8
Member
Maiya Neupane
9
Member
Nanda K. Karki
10 Gita Nepali
Member
11 Swasthani Timilsina
Member
12 Goma Khdka
Member
13 Dil K. Neupane
Member
14 Bhagwati Neupane
Member
15 Bhagwati Timilsina
Member
16 Tara Nepali
Member
17 Deuti Karki
Member
18 Runa Neupane
Member
19 Radha Karki
Member
20 Kamala Neupane -b
Member
21 Gita Karki
Member
22 Kamala Neupane -a
Member
23 Krishna k.Neupane
Member
24 Juna Timilsina
Member
25 Maiya Timilsina
Member
26 Nani maiya Risal
Member
27 Top K. Karki
Member
28 Radhika Khadka
Member
29 Namita Neupane
Member
30 Laxmi Budathoki
Member
31 Laxmi Neupane
Member
32 Bimala Risal
Member
33 Purna Maya Timilsena
Member
8
Dhuskun Community Center Construction Committee Name List
Established on 30 November 2013
Facilitated by Sangmu Sherpa
S.N
Name
Designation
Gender
1
Ramesh Neupane
President
Male
2
Samvu Neupane
Vice President
Male
3
Januka Karki
Treasurer
Female
4
Radha Dhungana
Secretary
Female
5
Patali Nepal
Member
Female
6
Gita Karki
Member
Female
7
Laxmi Karki
Member
Female
8
Tara Nepali
Member
Female
9
Krishna Kuamri Risal
Member
Female
10 Thari Prasad Tmilsena
Advisor
Male
11 Bhakta Narayan Risal
Advisor
Male
Members of the Dhuskun Women’s Cooperative tying rebar to construct their Center
9
Women of the Cooperative Provided Labor for the Center’s Construction
10
Building the Center, and the Finished Building Below
11
The Shree Chhema Devi Income Generation Women’s Group in their new Center – August,
2014
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