ICA Nepal complete renovation work at Changunarayan Learning Center

For us at ICA Nepal, the last month of 2016 started with the ICA Asia Pacific Regional Meeting, held in Talegaon, Pune. At the same time, the renovation work at Changunarayan Learning Center went on at full speed.

The ICA Asia Pacific regional meeting was held from 4-9th December by ICA India in Talegaon, Pune where ICA Nepal along with ICAs and its associates from Asia Pacific region gathered and spent a very productive and entertaining 5 days. The meeting focused on discussing various issues related to the operation of ICAs and sustainability for achieving its vision. There were 7 representatives from ICA Nepal at the meeting where we shared about our current activities and approach in community development and our future visions for social entrepreneurship development. ICA Nepal also performed on a local Nepali song during the event. The meeting was a great experience of learning for all the team members. ICA Nepal has also expressed its interest in hosting/organizing the next year’s regional gathering.

A lot of work progressed in the ICA Nepal Learning Center at Changunarayan this month. A series of children and elderly citizen activities, along with the start of sanitary napkin production was conducted. The indoor and outdoor play areas have been installed and equipped for the children, whereas a variety of musical instruments and select pieces of furniture have been kept for senior citizens.

Programs for senior citizens, for coping with disasters, were held on 23rd December and 31st December, 2016. On 23rd December, senior citizens were given winter shawls, and a General Health Questionnaire, (GHQ) was conducted to measure their stress. On 31st December, a Senior Citizens Club was formed, with the objective of ensuring the sustainability of senior citizens programs, and to ensure proper utilization of the Learning Center, for the social development of elderly citizens in Changunarayan.

Similarly, on 31st December, the Changunarayan Children’s Club was also formed, with 11 members comprising the committee. The committee will be formally registered with: the Ministry of Women, and, Children and Social Welfare, too. The playground construction has been completed and almost 60 children appeared on Saturday. As noted earlier, a committee was formed to look after the play equipment and maintain an organized environment in the Learning Center. The children’s club will be empowered to conduct various child development programs in the community in upcoming days.

The production of sanitary napkins has also been formally started with 5 women producing 200 napkins every day. The marketing of the napkins will be started soon. The renovation of the Learning Center is now in hand and ICA Nepal, along with ICA Japan, are preparing for the final ceremony of handing over the Learning Center to the community in January.

This post was written for ICAI’s monthly bulletin the Global Buzz, January 2017.