Simple School Rebuild project (SSRP), Okheldhunga

The 2015 earthquakes damaged many schools in central and eastern part of Nepal. Okhaldhunga district falls under category defined by the government of Nepal. Some schools were completely destroyed and some sustained partial damage. The emergency response phase included initial site visits, damage assessment, initial design work and planning Simple school rebuild project (SSRP) is designed as a recovery phase. The SSRP was planned with a total construction, across One school (including Toilet) one year’s program, to construct new buildings make safer selected existing buildings.
Financial Support from Stuart rotary club of Alice springs Dist. 9500 Australia we have now signed the agreement with Madhyapur Rotatory club a commitment to the Himalayan region has committed to rebuild damaged or destroyed schools to contribute to the Short-term recovery efforts in Okhaldhunga region.

PREAMBLE.

Quality control has been taken as an important component of project activities since REED Nepal has implemented rural infrastructures such as Bhumesthan Basic School Molung Rural municipality # 7Patle Okheldhunga District. In order to ensure the quality of built infrastructures, regular monitoring and supervision are very essential and are regular activities of the project.

IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES.

In this context, We were visited some project sites to observe construction activities in Okheldhunga district Bhumesthan Basic School “Simple School Rebuild Project”. Field visit plan was done together with ward member team. The observed points which were very important from quality control point of view were discussed on site and corresponding feedbacks were provided immediately. Minor but very important technical faults were pointed and suggested to the responsible Skilled and UC on site. Only very important aspects of the observation are mentioned in this report.
The observation is based on the monitoring indicator that was developed before move to so that each indicator wise observation could suggest for each project (infrastructure type). In fact, the purpose of visit was not only monitoring the construction activities but also the supervision of the project activities. All planned School building projects are being implemented as plan to meet annual target and the overall work progress is on a Satisfactory level. In Okhaldhunga District.

BACKGROUND

Community Assessment

In 2016, after the 2015 earthquake in Nepal Dr Joanne Richardson led a team conducting a dental health camp in Patle 2 village. The camp was operating out of the temporary learning centre and it was obvious that this was the most inadequate schooling situation for the children.

On February 27 2017, Dr. Joanne Richardson (SRC) met in Kathmandu with Ujjwal Amatya from RN and Chhepal Sherpa from Patle 2 village to discuss the possibility of rebuilding the school. On March 9 2017, this possibility of building Patle 2 school was further discussed with Surendra Prajapati (MRC), who took the idea back to his own MRC. Dr Joanne Richardson had previously discussed the building concept with her club SRC in 2016 and again in 2017. Both Dr Joanne and Surrenda pursued the idea to activate a global grant with SRC as the International Sponsor and MRC as the Host club.

It was then arranged by MRC to have Ujjwal conduct a site visit and a village meeting to discuss the matter with the local people and to look at the feasibility of the rebuild. This happened within a few days as Ujjwal was already in the Okhaldhungaarea. Ujjwal visited Patle 2 for the purpose of the community assessment and conducted this using the Rotary guidelines as outlined by MRC.

On March 29 2017, the community meeting was held at the Shree Bhumesthan Basic School in Patle 2. Present were members of the school management committee, including the treasurer and secretary, as well as about thirty other adults and many children. The teachers and other community leaders were also present.

Simple School Rebuild project (SSRP), Okheldhunga

Chhepal Sherpa was also present. Chhepalgrew up in the village and his father is a community leader and a member of the school committee.

The community consultation took the form of a focus group and the community was very engaged in the discussion, even to the extent of one man offering to donate land to the rebuilding of the school. Ujjwal has led these community discussion groups many times as RN has been involved in many school rebuilds since the massive earthquake in Nepal in April 2015.

This is a quote from a recent email from Ujjwal about the meeting

Yes, we meet Cheepal’s father. There is a School Management Committee. We meet chairperson and other members of committee. We meet head master, teachers, parents, local leaders and children. All the people want to build the school. One of the member committed to donate his own personal land to school, if there will be new building. I am getting frequent call from community. This shows that they have greater interest on it.

And in another email from Ujjwal after the meeting

Ujjwal meets chairperson and other members of school management committee like secretary, treasure and other members.
We are following here the guidelines from the Rotary International community needs assessment form.

Simple School Rebuild project (SSRP), Okheldhunga

These are some of the names of members of the community present at the meeting

1 Ongda Sherpa(Chairman of the school committee)
2 ManBahadur Magar
3 MangalBahadur Magar (school committee member)
4 YangjeeSherpa
5 Qunja Bahadur Sunuwar
6 Thali Maya Karki
7 SunitaTamang
8 PhurbaGyalzen Sherpa
9 NgimaSherpa
10 PabitraMagar
11 Kami Sherpa
12 Nuri Sherpa
13 Pemba Sherpa
14 Kanuri Sherpa (school committee member)
15 Kamala Tamang (school committee member)
16 Santa Tamang (school committee member)
17 Mangala Magar (school committee member)

and teachers

Dipak Sunawar (headteacher and secretary of the school committee)
Lal Bahadur Magar (teacher and assistant secretary of school committee)
Hem Maya Magar (teacher)
Yangjum Sherpa (teacher assistant)

There were other community members present apart from those named above.

In summary after consultation with the community and teachers of Patle 2 they asked unanimously for a new school to be built. They understand that the school rebuild is subject to approval by Rotary International.

(Dr) Joanne Richardson
Alice Springs, Australia
August 2017