OUR PROJECTS - Inclusive Education

Better Life: Educating and Keeping Children Safe in Helambu – A Community’s Journey to Quality Inclusive Education

Education is more than just about learning; it could be a stepping stone out of poverty and a pathway to a better life. This initiative, “Better Life: Educating and Keeping Children Safe in Helambu in partnership with Helambu Rural Municipality and CICED, arose from a need to strengthen community education and making life better for all children in Helambu through education and keeping them safe from social and natural vulnerabilities.

This project, locally known as “Hamro Samudaya, Hamro Vidyalaya,” aims to ensure every child in Helambu has access to quality and inclusive education in their own community.

The Heart of Our Project

At its core, this project sought to uplift local communities by integrating them into the educational process. We believe that a sustainable, safe and inspiring learning environment for all children is possible by strengthening the bonds between children, schools, families, and local duty bearers

The Better Life Approach

 

We started off with 7 areas and in the course of our project we narrowed it to 3 areas namely School Governance, Critical and Creative Pedagogy and Community Development.

Our Objectives

  1. By the end of the project, parents and community stakeholders of 34 school catchment areas are mobilized and have taken ownership of their local schools.

  2. By the end of the project, all 34 schools in Helambu know how to promote inclusive learning cultures. Teachers have acquired the necessary pedagogical tools to teach diverse classrooms.

  3. By the end of the project, all secondary schools in Helambu will have introduced the teaching of math, science, environment studies and social studies using “Information and Communication Technology”.

Who We Reached Out To:
  • Children, both those attending school and those who had dropped out.
  • Schools, including teachers, School Management Committees, and Parent Teacher Associations.
  • Children with disabilities and child-led families.
  • At-risk children vulnerable to trafficking, alcohol misuse, and violence, school dropouts.
  • Local authorities, from ward offices to community leaders.
Activities That Made a Difference

We embraced a “Total School Approach” to bring everyone on board. By Total School Approach, we mean a comprehensive strategy for school improvement that involves the collective efforts of the entire school community, including administrators, teachers, students, parents, and external partners. This approach integrates various aspects of the educational environment—such as curriculum, teaching practices, school culture, policies, and partnerships—to create a cohesive and supportive framework for student learning and well-being. The goal is to ensure that all elements of the school system work synergistically to promote academic achievement, personal development, and social-emotional growth, fostering a positive and inclusive school climate where every student can thrive. This involved the following measure:

  • School Engagement: We collaborated with 34 schools in Helambu, involving 271 teachers and 4123 children and sought to empower SMCs and PTAs.
  • Community Engagement: We reached out to local communities to mobilise and raise awareness about school governance and educational rights.
  • Support Systems: We worked towards the capacity development of SMCs, parents, local governments and advocated for child-led families, school dropouts, children with disabilities and acute and emergency cases.
Timeline

January 2021 – July 2024

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