NEPAL Peer education effective

Peer education has been effective in school level in Ilam district after the schools started class on sex and reproductive health. The students have developed their habit to speak openly in this issue. Earlier, students, especially the girls used to hesitate to talk to people on the sex related topics.




Nepal Family Planning Association (NFPA), Illam, has been running classes on sex education every end of the in the three different schools. NFPA has selected Amar Higher Second School, Barbote, Bhanubhkata Higher Secondary School, Mangalbare and Phikkal Secondary School of Phikkal for the purpose.



Students said they have learned many things about HIV- AIDS and sex related issues through the peer education. They said earlier they used to turn off the radio while advertisements of means of family planning were tuned up. They said these days they feel comfort and regard as apart of health to reproductive health as well.



Facilitator Sudip Shrestha said students take active participation in the group discussion on reproductive health and sex related issues.



Manger of NFPA Kumar Giri said the classes were started to minimize the malpractices and problems that appear due to lack of knowledge on sex and productive health.



He said they were planning to extend the programme in other schools as well after the classes were effective.



Meanwhile, the renovation of the famous religious site Ramdhuni, which became dilapidated, has started after District Development Committee of Sunsari provided Rs. 500,000 for the renovation.



According to Ramdhuni Master Development Plan, the religious pond reconstruction process had already been finished and the reconstruction of embankment and steps around the pond areas has now been underway.



The construction of a roof to protect the important and religious stone of the site, situated in the middle of Prakashpur and Singiya of Sunsari, is also taking place.



Babu Ram Karki, alocal of Prakashpur of Sunsari, said that the renovation of the famous religious place was being carried out.



Prem Prasad Bhattarai, local development officer of Sunsari, informed that the religious and historical place was going to lose its existence because of the lack of proper budget. However, after the DDC provided the budget, the renovation works were started immediately.



Bhattarai said that many devotees visited Ramdhuni so they had planned to build a house at the Ramdhuni premises to allow the visiting devotees to stay there.



In Myagdi, ‘Clinic’ programme has been effective in rural areas of Myagdi district.



As part of the programme, health workers meet villagers and enquire about their health, distribute medicines and provide consultations.



The door-to-door health campaign is kicking in at Dana, Takam, Muna, Mudi, Marang and some others VDCs. Those who couldn’t visit health institutions because of lack of awareness and tight household schedule have been greatly benefitted by the programme, said Prem Purja, Chairman of Sub-Health Post Management Committee.



"I have found many people aware of reproductive health after the programme was launched," said Bimala Purja of Dana Sub-Health Post.



Earlier, people used to feel shy and hide their health problems. "Such an attitude has changed. People openly inform health workers about their diseases," said a local teacher, Sun Bahadur Bishwokarma. He also said that many people do not seek shamanistic healing ritual now.


from http://www.ippf.org/