Four projects in Nepal with support from the UMC

The United Methodist Church is supporting projects in four of UMN's technical areas: Education, Health, PeaceBuilding and Sustainabile Livelihoods. All of these areas contribute to UMN's vision of Community Transformation that moves people from a life of poverty to fullness of life with the assistance of inputs from UMN in the form of influencing (advocacy), learning & sharing together, capacity building of key change agents, and resources for the community to implement changes.

Child & Adolescent Led Community Transformation

UMN and partner Christian Society Development Campaign are working with youth, their parents, schools amd churches in the village of Shyalakhadi, Rukum District to build the capacity of youth as change agents. Youth Peer Educators take the lead in stimulating discussion about key social issues identified by the community including child marriage, hygiene and environmental sanitation, school attendance and rural economic development. Parents are also engaged to provide a healthy and stimulating environment for under-fives and engage older children as individuals with rights of emotional expression and self-determination.

Maternal & Child Health

Building on the success of Imagine No Malaria, the UMC is expanding our work in Global Health. UMN has received a grant from these funds to promote child health. In Nepal we've see a dramatic reduction in child mortality over the last 20 years, yet neonatal mortality remains high.

To combat this, UMN is mobilizing Female Community Health Volunteers to educate and accompany mothers on their four recommended anti-natal care visits; we are upgrading the training of auxiliary nurse midwives to the level of skilled birth attendants; and we are providing the material support necessary to provide a safe birthing environment in 10 extremely remote Health Posts in Doti and Bajhang districts in far-western Nepal.

Personal Energy Transportation

Volunteers with USA-based Mobility Worldwide have been constructing ruged 3-wheeled "personal energy transportation" wheelchairs and a shipping container full have just arrived in Nepal thanks to donations through The Advance 3021568 for transportation, needs assessment and training in use and maintenance.

Working with the Nepal Chelebeti Disable Women Society and other groups throughout Nepal, UMN supports activities to raise awareness of rights and reduce stigma and discrimination for persons living with disability. The gift of mobility is one step in supporting self-determination for persons who were previously limited to their room or house. These PET Carts will be distributed primarily in Rupandehi and Sunsari and surrounding districts.

Food Security

A grant from UMCOR is supporting UMN and our partner Dalit Welfare Organization to build a micro-irrigation system and reservoir tank in the village of Purtimkanda, Rukum District. Training in on/off season vegetable farming, poly-house usage and drip irrigation are also contributing to allow additional farmers to start growing vegetables. Additional training in marketing of agricultural products is aimed to increase availability of these fresh produce for consumers throughout Rukum district.

Awareness raising on nutrition, hygiene and conservation management of natural resources (climate change) are contributing to reduced hunger and increased food security in the district.