Livelihood Fellow: Pradip Khatiwada

               For the last couple of months, Women Development Advocacy Center (WDAC) along with Tata Institute of Social Sciences Mumbai (TISS) have been working together on a project named "Post graduate Diploma in Disaster and Livelihood Recovery''. The program aimed to support energetic youths who have eagerness to learn, implement and give something back to the society. Seeing youthful hands involved in the earthquake recovery was enough to persuade WDAC to provide the platform for them to explore. And this has surely encouraged many youths to join the program.

               There were six contestant who applied for this fellowship and they are currently at TISS in Mumbai, India for studies. Recently, we have been in contact with the participants to get a brief on their experiences whilst at TISS.        

           Pradip Khatiwada is one of the participants of disaster management course. Pradip, has always believed in power of the youth in the service of the country. He has been engaging in various programs to connect with hundreds of volunteers and youths. He influences those around him to join the nation-building efforts. Multi-talented personality has made him succeed as a Program Host, Founder President of his own NGO, Producer, and Writer.
           
           Pradip took sometime from his busy schedule for a Q&A session. The questions basically compiles on their process of knowing about the course and their implementation afterwards. Here's the brief about the Q&A session.

What are the different occupations practiced by different groups in your community?

                In my community, the occupations of different groups of people are mostly dominated by the traditional means of agriculture and tourism. Many youths are in abroad for work and few are in the service sector but the ratio is very less.

      

      How has the earthquake affected the livelihood of different individuals, groups, communities?

               The main occupation of people in my community is agriculture and due to the relief materials that they received after the earthquake has affected their livelihood and made them more dependent. Due to the lack of seeds, water, etc. and some communities being displaced, they couldn’t plant crops, esp rice last season. So due to which, there can be a shortage of food in most areas this year. I had also visited places where most of the people were not engaged in agriculture and they are dependent towards relief materials.

               Tourism has suffered another big loss as the rate of tourists visiting after the earthquake has drastically reduced. The livelihood of hilly and mountain region people is more linked with the income they receive from internal as well as external tourists but the earthquake has created a huge loss. 

               More than 90% of the houses of my community have been destroyed; most of them even lost their cattle’s and their savings. It’s hard for them to imagine on recovering from that loss without any external help.

               The debris of the destroyed houses has yet not been cleared due to lack the of manpower. They haven’t even thought of rebuilding their new house as they haven't received clear guidelines from the Government. When I had conversations with the people it seems like they have lost everything in their life and are hopeless on getting back to their feet. 

How severe is the impact?

              Village life is always full of new challenges. Being based on traditional means of agriculture and not so competitive with the formal means of education system, the communities are already far behind in terms of means of technology. The earthquake has pushed them further backward physically and mentally.

             Due to the decline of numerous tourists, mostly the mountainous people are having to suffer just to continue with their basic needs. People are shifted from one place to another for their safety purpose but they are forced to live inside the tents even a year after the earthquake and are disconnected from all their normal activities. The basic needs of the people are in jeopardy and people are increasingly losing hope due to the slow response from the Government.

According to you which livelihood sector (agriculture, livestock, service, tourism etc) needs urgent attention for disaster recovery and why?

         

        Looking at the condition of my community, I think agriculture and tourism sectors need an urgent recovery. In order to fulfill basic needs of the people, first and foremost thing is to secure their food which can only be possible when they start continuing their agricultural activities.

        

        The tourism is another sector which was badly affected after the devastating earthquake. The ratio of foreign tourists in Nepal has greatly reduced. It's really an urgent need to recover life of people who mostly live in mountain and hilly region. This way they can get back and contribute to the tourism sector where most of their hope lies.

What are your ideas/plans for facilitating livelihood recovery among earthquake affected communities?

         

          My ideas/plan for facilitating livelihood recovery among earthquake affected communities would be, Providing an urgent support like the agriculture seeds, tools and technical support to the farmers. By Giving priority on recovery of irrigation canals and making it more participatory will make more people engaged. To support the economy of people, the products produced by the people living in earthquake affected areas can be branded as a cause and can be sold out in national as well as international market. The National Volunteering Program that I am leading, can be a perfect network to do this.

           

          For the recovery of Tourism, my ideas would be to put forward the concept of ‘Resilient Home-stay’ and promoting it into national and international stages. After the earthquake, the whole concern of the world is towards rebuilding Nepal and if we became able to spread that Nepal is safe for tourists then they will have less fear to visit here. This would really help the communities who are solely dependent upon tourism. Under the National Volunteering Program, we have already built more than 500 resilient homes. Now, our plan is to build such homes in the tourism dependent areas by promoting and publicizing the earthquake resilient homes. They will be available as ‘safe’ home-stays for the tourists, and the entire money spent goes to the earthquake affected communities directly. So, the tourism can be revived in those areas.


Prajwol Wagle - football fanatic, Blogger, Music enthusiasts, Studying Bachelors in Business Administration  

Disaster and Livelihood Recovery Fellowship: Interview with Samasty Sakya

About a while back WDAC, Kathmandu along with TISS, Mumbai lunched a program for young youths interested in social work for disaster and livelihood management. Samasty Shakya  , one of the students who was selected for the program, is currently with her colleagues in TISS, Mumbai. She was one of the student selected for the course. She completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science focusing on Community Development Work from Diaconia University of Applied Sciences, Finland. She has worked with organizations like CWIN- Nepal, Sang-Sangai, Bal Kendra and Antilan Koulu, Finland. Her work with Society for Empowerment (STEP-Nepal) and Nicehearts Ry, Finland provided her knowledge about women empowerment. Her work with Society for Empowerment (STEP-Nepal) and Nicehearts Ry, Finland provided her knowledge about women empowerment.

In a personal interview she shared with us some of her experience and gratitude. On a mail, she writes " Schedule for 2 weeks has been given to us. The classes are going well, we are doing assignments and learning new every day. We are very thankful to Mr. Nanda Kishor Mandal sir for providing us this initiation".


The students of livelihood recovery program are currently in Mumbai, learning their fill. On a busy schedule with assignments and works Samasty made her time to talk to us. On the interview I did with her, we talked about what she is doing there and how she ended up taking this course. Here are the Q&As of the interview:



How did you come to participate in the PG Disaster and Livelihood Recovery Program?


While I worked as an Emergency Food Security and Vulnerable Livelihood Officer for 6 months. I see my community and I lack something. We have expertise form abroad but we lack knowledge and understanding on recovery. Now as a year has passed we are still focusing on relief and affected people are waiting for relief. I would like to see a just community where we will move form relief to recovery and gradually settle down to normal life. Livelihood recovery is one of the key components to go back to the things as they used to be before earthquake.



How did the earthquake effect you and what was your immediate action for the devastation from the earthquake?


When the devastating earthquake shook my home all I was worried about was my family, I did not cared a lot about others but only family’s safety. But as we went out in the community to be safe, people were crying, panicking, shouting. The first thing I did was, assisting people to open ground, and along with my family and neighbors I sat quietly in open space as well. One by one bad news continued, Dharahara went down, Khasthamandap, Basantapur Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square and many people lost their family members.

    After that, me along with my few friends, we started hygiene campaign in Bhaktapur. We engaged few of the community youths in our campaign and handed over further cleaning program to locals. We went to Tudikhel and other effected areas accompanied by volunteers from other forums. On the side we were creating awareness to parents in the temporary camps about safety and security of their children as during rush, children may be displaced.



You are well aware about the huge donations Nepal Government received from all around the world. Do you think It has been put to good use? What do you have to say about that?


Yes, Nepal did receive a lot of funds from around the world for helping the people who suffered. However, as far as i know i cant say they have been absolutely fair putting them into actual use. lot of people are homeless, don't have food and face other infrastructural problems. and I doubt that economic blockade we faced couple of months before has made it any easier. Instead we see actors like Sita Ram Kattel generously contribute their share of help to the society.

How did you think earthquake effected Nepal?

No doubt, earthquake has devastated so many lives (physically, emotionally and spiritually) we are still in trauma. Even today when my chair or bed moves my mind goes in alert mode. Earthquake 2015 has taught us a lesson. It has somehow created harmony in the community, communities sharing roof (temporary shelter) and sharing kitchen during emergency phase if one good and basic example. People learned to help each other in spite of caste or religious differences.

How prepared do you think Nepal was or you were for the earthquake?


Yes, ironically I was asked the same question in a youth forums i worked with during the earthquake. On the interview the question buzzed my mind. I thought for a while and the answer was, ZERO percent, we have been hearing news from around the world about earthquake, we knew, we are in earthquake prone zone, and we hear in radios the preventive measures. But somehow we were negligence and not prepared. I thought it then, if there were any training or study program on disaster it would have been great opportunity to attend.



What are your ideas, plans for facilitating livelihood recover among earthquake affected communities?


I think a great way to start would be to start from the root, involve the peoples from the effected community. Youths like myself should be involved in training campaigns. I believe that we need aware yet experienced and capable persons to handle the crisis time like that. And it involves not just earthquake but other similar disasters that may befall us.

Since the earthquake many lost their jobs, many homeless. In cases like this we can lunch free training programs of occupations like handicrafts and other household occupations that can help them sustain their lives. similarly in hilly areas peoples may loose their lands and crops because of earthquake. we can provide them tools and machines that can help them get right back in their feet.

In crisis times like this government has the power and should utilize the willing youths who want to work for Nepal Government. Government can open job opportunities for the youths and capables from the effected community. 



Bnay Shrestha, music enthusiast, blogger, Studying Bachelors in Business management

Daayitwa encouraged young entrepreneur Dipaka Thapa to scale up

समुदायको प्रेरणाको स्रोत बनिन् दिपिका 

मेहनत तथा लगनशिल भएर फुर्सदको समयलाई सदुपयोग गर्न जानिएमा राम्रो प्रगती पनि गर्न सकिन्छ अनि त्यही कामबाट  राम्रो आम्दानी पनि गर्न सकिन्छ भन्ने कुराको ज्वलन्त उदाहरणको रुपमा  दिपिका थापालाई लिन सकिन्छ ।

रुरु गा.वि.स. वार्ड नं. ६ ,गुल्मीमा बसोबास गर्दै आईरहनु भएकी २० वर्षिया दिपिका थापा आफ्नो पढाईको समय तथा घरायसी अन्य समयको सदुपयोग गर्दै बिगत एक वर्ष देखि नियमित रुपमा परालको चप्पल बनाउने तथा बिक्रिबितरण गर्दै आईरहनु भएको छ । निम्नमध्यम परिवारकी सदस्य दिपिका परिवारकी कान्छी छोरी हुनुहन्छ । परालको चप्पलको बिक्रीबाट प्राप्त भएको रकमले आवश्यकता अनुसार घरखर्चको लागि परिवारलाई समेत दिपिकाले समय समयमा सहयोग गर्दै आउनु भएको  दिपिकाकी आमा शान्ती थापाले बताउनु भयो ।

वँहा अगाडी आफ्नो भनाई यसरी थप्नुहुन्छ ,“पहिला पहिला मलाई मेरो श्रिमान्को नामले चिनिन्थ्यो तर अचेल मलाई दिपीकाकी आमा भनेर चिनिन्छु ।  जे होस् मेरी छोरी पुरै गाँउको लागि उदाहरण भएकीछिन् । छोरीको नामबाट चिनिन पाउदा खुशी लागेको छ । उनीलाई चप्पल बनाउन आवश्यक पराल चाहि गाँउमा गएर मैले नै ल्याईदिने गरेकीछु । ”

चप्पल बनाउने आधुनिक उपकरण नहँुदा हातले नै बनाउनु पर्दा यो काम अलि कठिन हुने हँुदा कहिले काहि त हातबाट रगत नै निक्लिने गरेको भन्दै दिपिका आफ्नो भनाई यसरी अगाडी थप्नुभयो , “चप्पलको सम्पूर्ण कामहरु हातले नै गर्नुपर्दछ , जसले गर्दा हातको धेरै प्रयोग गर्नु गर्दछ , यसरी नियमित हातको प्रयोग गर्नु परेकोले हातमा धेरै गाह्रो हुन्छ । कहिले काँहि त हातबाट रगत पनि आउछ । तर चप्पल तयार भएपछि चप्पल बनाउँदाको सबै कष्ट भुलिन्छ । ” परालको चप्पलको कारोबारबाट बार्षिक ५० हजार भन्दा माथिको आम्दानी गर्दै आउनु भएकी दिपिकाको  पढाई पनि राम्रो भएको वहाँको परिवारले जनाएकोछ । वहाँ स्थानिय रिडी बहुमुखी क्याम्पसमा बि.बि.एस. दोस्रो वर्षमा अध्ययन गर्दै हुनुहुन्छ ।

 

कृषि तथा कृषिमा आधारित भएर राम्रो आम्दानी गर्न सकिन्छ भन्ने शन्देश दिने उद्देश्यले दायित्व संस्थाले छ महिना

अगाडी गुल्मी जिल्लाममा आयोजना गरेको दायित्व इन्टर प्राइज च्यालेञ्जमा २३१ जना उद्यमीहरुले फारम भरेका थिए । २३१ ज्ना मध्येबाट उत्कृष्ट ४०  उद्यमीको छनौट गरिएको थियो । छनौटमा परेका  उत्कृट ४० उद्यमी मध्ये दिपीका पनि एक उद्यमी हुनुहन्थ्यो  । अर्को रोचक कुरा के छ भने, उत्कृट ४० उद्यमी मध्ये वहाँ सबैभन्दा कान्छी उद्यमी हुनुहन्थो । आफ्नो समुदायमा मात्र सिमित भएको ब्यवसाय दायित्व संस्थाले महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका खेलेको भन्दै दिपिका  मुसुक्क हास्दै यस्तो भन्नुहुन्छ , “ दायित्व संस्थाले आयोजना गरेका दायित्व इन्टर प्राइज च्यालेञ्जमा मैले पनि त्यसको फारम भरेकी थिए , त्यसको निर्णायक समुहको मुल्यांकन गर्दा म पनि उत्कृष्ट ४० जनामा परेकी थिए । त्यसपछि मलाई मेरो गा.बि.स.मा मात्र नभएर आसपासको अन्य गा.बि.स.मा पनि मेरो ब्यवसायको बारेमा प्रचार प्रसार भयो । मेरो आफ्नै क्षेत्रमा सिमित भएको मेरो ब्यवसायको ब्यापक प्रचार प्रसार हुनुमा दायित्व संस्थाको ठूलो भमिका रहेको छ । अचेल पाल्पा ,तम्घास तथा बुटवल आदी स्थान देखि पनि चप्पलको माग आउन थालेको छ । ” यसैगरि अहिले चलिरहेको महिला हिंसा बिरुद्धको १६ दिने अभियानमा आधारित भएर दिपिका आफ्नो विचार यसरी राख्नुहुन्छ , “हाम्रो देशको महिलाहरुले पुरुष सरह शिक्षा तथा आवश्यक अवसर पाउनुहन्न । त्यसैले पनि  हाम्रो समाजमा पुरुषको तुलनामा महिलाहरु पछाडी पर्नुभएको जस्ताो लाग्छ । महिलाहरु शिक्षित तथा आर्थिक रुपले सक्षम  भएमा पुरुषले हेप्न पाउदैनन् , तथा उनीहरुलाई समाजमा हेर्ने दृष्टिकोण नै फरक पर्दछ । साथै यदि हामीलाई कँहीकतैबाट हिंसा भईरहेको छ अथवा हामी अन्यायमा परेको छौ भने त्यसको बिरोध चाहि गर्नु पर्दछ । अन्याय गर्नु र सहनु दुबै अपराध हो । यसको लागि हामी सबैजना सचेत हुन आवश्यक छ ।  ”

दिपिकाले बनाउनु भएको परालको चप्पलको बारेमा छिमेकी गा.वि.स. हर्दिनेटाका नरेश कुमार पन्त आफनो भनाईहरु यसरी राख्नुहुन्छ , “दिपीका बहिनीले यसरी बनाउनु भएको चप्पल मैले पनि प्रयोग गरेको छु , मेरो बुबाको मृत्यृ भएको बेला क्रिया बसेको समयमा अन्य जुत्ता ,चप्पल प्रयोग गर्न नमिल्ने तर पराललाई शुद्ध मानिने भएकोले त्यस बेला परालबाट तयार पारिएको चप्पल प्रयोग गरेको थिए । मेरो घरमा परालको चप्पल अहिले भान्छा कोठामा प्रयोग हुने गरेको छ । ” यसैक्रममा दिपिकाले गर्नु भएको काम देखेर आफूलाई साह्रै खुशी लागेको भन्दै स्थानिय बिमला परियार अगाडी यस्तो भन्नु हुन्छ , “दिपिका साह्रै मेहनती बहिनी हुन् । आफ्ना उमेर समुहका अन्य साथीहरुको तुलनामा यसरी काम गर्दै पढ्ने यीनी मात्र हुन् म अघिल्लो हप्ता काम विशषले पाल्पा जाँदा त्यहाको ब्यक्तिहरुले पनि ले गर्दैे आएको ब्यवसायको बारेमा थाहा पाएर उनको कामको बारेमा मसँग जिज्ञासा राख्नु भएको थियो । उनले गर्दा पनि हाम्रो ठाँउको बारेमा प्रचार प्रसार भएको छ ।”

लगनशिल तथा मेहनती दिपिका आफूले सञ्चालन गर्दै गरेको यस परालको चप्पल बनाउने तथा बिक्रीबितरण ब्यवसायलाई अझै ब्यवस्थित बनाउदै निरन्तरता दिएर गाँउ,समाजको लागि आफ्नो तर्फबाट पनि केही योगदान पुयाउन सकियोस् भन्ने लक्ष्य राख्नु भएको छ । दिपिकाको लक्ष्य चाडैं पुरा भएको देख्न पाईयोस् वँहालाई हाम्रो पनि धेरै धेरै शुभकामना छ ।

+Daayitwa