THE SMALL EARTH NEPAL

20 January 2011

The Small Earth Nepal (SEN) organized two days program jointly with Baguwa (Gorkha) Health and Development Society, the local organization at the Baguwa VDC, one of the remote villages of Gorkha District on 17 and 18 January 2011. The goal of the program was to formulate a long term strategy and action plan to develop the village as a ‘Model Village’ in terms of sustainable development. The program was held at the program Hall of Ram Chandra Primary School under the Chairmanship Mrs. Malati Bhatta, principal of the Shree Shanti Higher Secondary School. The program was formally inaugurated by the Chief Guest Mr. Jit Bhadur Shrestha, the foremost forest caretaker of Baguwa Community Forest.

After the formal inauguration on the first day, a program was organized to form a Green Club (Harit Club) of school students. The club was formed to motivate students to conserve environment. Training cum interaction session was conducted to the students to capacitate them on solid waste management, water, sanitation and health aspects. A nine member committee of the students was formed to initiate the club activities.

A participatory interaction and discussion program was organized on the second day, 18 January 2011, with the community people, local political leaders, representative from local CBOs and other local stakeholders to identify environmental problems in the village. The discussion was organized under five categories: Forest and forests products, Water sources and solid waste management, Land use management, Tourism, Indigenous technology. Different resources of the village were mapped by the participants before the interaction. A walk over survey was carried out around Khanchok, Putali bazaar, Dhamghadi, Taple of the village to identify the existing resources.

The formal closing of the program was done under the chairpersonship of Mrs. Durga Pokharel, member of Baguwa (Gorkha) Health and Development Society with farewell to SEN members.