NEPAL: Community Youth Empowerment Programme
Nepal is facing a concentrated HIV and AIDS epidemic within groups that practice high-risk behaviours. Nepal's poverty and gender inequality, combined with low levels of education and literacy, present challenges in tackling this epidemic. However, SPW is mobilizing young volunteers to encourage rural young people to take action to safeguard their own health, as well as their communities’ well being and environmental resources.
SPW Volunteer Peer Educators (VPEs) are placed in groups of 3 volunteers (2 national and 1 international) in rural communities within 10-34 miles of the closest SPW office. All volunteers live with Nepali families or in local hostels in and around Dhading district.
The main office in Kathmandu monitors volunteers’ welfare. All placements are visited by a District Coordinator every 1-3 weeks.
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Click here for more information about SPW Nepal.
As an SPW Volunteer Peer Educator you may:
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Teach formal and non-formal timetabled lessons in schools (Health / English)
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Form or strengthening a youth group (Green Club) and establish or improve a school library
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Conduct extra-curricular activities involving non-formal education techniques, (e.g. games, drama and art) to explore sensitive topics with young people
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Establishing links between the youth club, the local health post and local medical personnel
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Assist youth club to organise outreach activities (e.g. street dramas, rallies, health camps) that raise awareness of HIV/AIDS, nutrition, hygiene, sanitation, adolescent sexual and reproductive health
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Link youth clubs with other community-based organisations and with local and district services
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Ensuring that activities involve girls as well as boys
Case Study
“Today we taught in a government school about nutrition. It was just a forty-minute session about food groups. It made me so happy to finally teach. They were so excited to have young people teaching! We also had Kurt-has or Punjabi suits made. They are similar to Indian saris except that they are for unmarried women. It’s so cool! They are really comfortable to wear. This programme is awesome!” ~Moriah Karlin, HEP Volunteer
Country Information
Background: From the heights of the Himalaya to the southern Terai region, Nepal is a colourful, vibrant country, whose cultural diversity blends into one bustling metropolis in its capital city, Kathmandu. Nepal is renowned for the friendliness of its people.
Language: Nepali and English.
Religion: 90% Hindu, 5% Buddhist, 3% Muslim, 2% other.
Food:
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Staple - dal, bhat and tarkari, literally meaning lentils, rice and curried vegetables
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Meat - masu is meat with spices and gravy, usually served with rice. Nepalese eat chicken, mutton, buffalo and pork. Most Nepalis do not eat beef.
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Vegetarianism - accepted easily, potatoes, lentils, rice and vegetables are plentiful
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Other - to quench your thirst a lassi is perfect, a drink made of curd and water
