अमृत भण्डारी
नेपालका अधिकांश किसान पशुपालन र कृषि व्यवसायमा संलग्न छन् । जीविकोपार्जनको मुख्य पेसा कृषि भएका कारण सरकारले लामो समय यता विभिन्न किसिमका कार्यक्रममार्फत् किसानलाई सेवा तथा सहयोग पुर्याउने कोषिस गरेकोछ । सरकारीस्तरबाट पशु सेवा विभागले ग्रामीण किसानलाई पशुपालन व्यवसायमा सहयोग पुर्याउने उद्देश्यले ग्रामीण पशु स्वास्थ्य कार्यकर्ताको अवधारणा अगाडि बढाएको छ । त्यस्तै अन्य राष्ट्रिय तथा अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय सङ्घ संस्थाले पनि आ-आफ्ना कार्यक्रममार्फत् ग्रामीण पशु स्वास्थ्य कार्यकर्ताको तालिम उपलब्ध गराउदै आएका छन् ।
पैतीस दिनको ग्रामीण पशु स्वास्थ्य कार्यकर्ताको तालिम लिएका यस्ता थुप्रै युवा गाउँगाउँमा छन् । जसले पशुको प्राथमिकदेखि अन्य उपचार गर्न सक्ने क्षमता राख्छन् । सयौं युवालाई ग्रामीण पशु स्वास्थ्य कार्यकर्ताको तालिम प्रदान गरे पनि उनीहरूको सेवा गाउँस्तरमा त्यति प्रभावकारी हुन सकेको पाइँदैन । तालिमपछि अधिकांश कार्यकर्ताले दीर्घकालीन रुपमा व्यवसाय गरेको पाइँदैन् । यसको मुख्य कारण तालिमपछि उनीहरूले पशु स्वास्थ्य सेवालाई व्यावसायिक रुपमा अगाडि बढाउन नसक्नु हो ।
पशु स्वास्थ्य कार्यकर्ताको अवधारणालाई ठोस र दीर्घकालीनरुपमा सेवा प्रदान गराउने प्रणालीमा समावेश गर्ने हो भने तालिम मात्रै प्रयाप्त नहुने देखिन्छ । यसका लागि तालिमपछि यस्ता कार्यकर्तालाई एग्रोभेट सञ्चालन गर्नका लागि सुलभ ऋण प्रदान गर्ने र गाउँमै बसेर सेवा सञ्चालन गर्न सक्ने वातावरणको विकास गर्न सक्नु पर्दछ । पशुमा कुनै समस्या देखिएमा उपचारका लागि आवश्यक औषधि तथा उपकरण यस्ता कार्यकर्ताले गाउँमै उपलब्ध गराउन सके मात्रै उनीहरूको सेवा प्रभावकारी हुन सक्छ । मौखिकरुपमा दिने सल्लाह तथा सेवाले न त किसानले नै पर्याप्त मात्रामा गाउँमै सेवा पाउन सक्छन न त पशु स्वास्थ्य कार्यकर्ताको पेसाले उनीहरूको जीविकोपार्जनमा सहयोग पुर्याउन सक्छ । जसले गर्दा यस्तो तालिम लिएका केही युवा गाउँघरमा काम पाउन छाडेपछि विदेसिन थालेको अवस्था छ ।
पशु स्वास्थ्य कार्यकर्ताको तालिम लिएका युवा विदेसिने क्रम बढेमा सरकारी वा अन्य निकायबाट उनीहरूका लागि गरेको लगानीको कुनै अर्थ रहँदैन । साथै ग्रामीण किसान पनि पाउनु पर्ने सेवाबाट बञ्चित हुदै जानेछन् । कार्यकर्ताको सेवालाई प्रभावकारी बनाउनका लागि उनीहरूलाई एग्रोभेट सञ्चालन गर्नका लागि ऋण सुविधा र उपकरण उपलब्ध गराउनु पहिलो प्राथमिकता हुनु पर्ने देखिन्छ । साथै ग्रामीण पशु स्वास्थ्य कार्यकर्ताको राष्ट्रियस्तरमा सङ्घ स्थापना गरेमा उनीहरूको व्यवसायले सामाजिक पहिचान पाउन सक्छ ।
एकातर्फ ग्रामीण स्वास्थ्य कार्यकर्ताका लागि तालिम पछि दिनुपर्ने सुविधा उपलब्ध गराउनु जरुरी छ भने अर्कोतर्फ किसानलाई कृषि तथा पशुपालन व्यवसायमा आकषिर्त गर्नका लागिवित्तीय सेवामा पहुँच पुर्याउने, पशुधन सुरक्षण कार्यक्रमलाई विस्तार गर्ने, बजारको व्यवस्था गर्नका लागि निजी क्षेत्रलाई आफ्ना कार्यक्रममा समेट्ने जस्ता अनुकुल वातावरणको सिर्जना गर्नु पर्ने देखिन्छ । यथेष्ठ मात्रामा सेवा उपलब्ध भएमा र कृषि र पशुपालनबाट राम्रो आम्दानी गर्न सकिन्छ भन्ने विश्वास किसानमा जगाउन सके मात्र किसान निर्वाहमुखी व्यवसायबाट व्यावसायिकतातर्फ आकषिर्त हुन सक्छन् । ग्रामीण पशु स्वास्थ्य कार्यकर्ताले पनि गाउँमै काम पाउन सक्छन् । किसानले अपनाउने कृषि तथा पशुपालन व्यवसायमा ग्रामीण पशु स्वास्थ्य कार्यकर्ताको व्यवसाय निर्भर हुने भएकोले किसानका लागि पनि पशुपालन व्यवसाय अपनाउनका लागि आवश्यक संरचनाको निर्माण गर्नु पर्ने देखिन्छ ।
सरकारी वा गैरसरकारी संस्थाले आफ्ना कार्यक्रम तथा परियोजना सञ्चालनमा यदि ग्रामीण पशु स्वास्थ्य कार्यकर्ताको अवधारणा राखेका छन् भने यस्ता कार्यक्रम तथा परियोजना सम्पन्न हुँदा अपनाउनु पर्ने रणनीतिमा ग्रामीण पशु स्वास्थ्य कार्यकर्तालाई दीर्घकालीन रुपमा काम गर्ने क्षमताको विकास गर्नेतर्फ ध्यान दिनुपदर्छ । यसबाट किसानले भरपर्दो र आवश्यक सेवा गाउँमै पाउन सक्छन् । तालिम उपलब्ध गराउने एक किसिमको कार्यक्रम हुन सक्छ भने त्यसलाई दिगोरुप दिने अर्को पाटोलाई पनि बिर्सन हुदैन । जसले गर्दा परियोजना वा कार्यक्रम सञ्चालन गर्न चाहे सरकारी होस वा गैरसरकारी संस्था उनीहरूले गरेको कार्यक्रमको दिगो प्रभाव ग्रामीण स्तरसम्म पर्न सक्छ । साथै एउटा तालिमबाट बेरोजगार युवाले गाउँमै आफ्नो सेवा प्रदान गर्ने र आफ्नो जीविकोपार्जन सुनिश्चित गर्ने अवसर पाउन सक्छन् । दाता वा सरकारले गरेको लगानीको उचित प्रयोग र अर्थ हुन सक्छ ।
The article was published in Gorkhapatra Daily on - 30 Jan 2012
You can follow in the link below.
http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/gopa.detail.php?article_id=62867&cat_id=18
Monday, January 30, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
Perhaps my kids will only get right answers!
"Gosh! What a wild swirl, it’s so shameful and pathetic that we call this Kathmandu Valley, the capital city of Nepal," screams a passenger from the backseat of a vehicle whizzing in its Kirtipur- Ratnapark route. The micro-bus is cramped with passengers bumping against each other – toddlers to sexagenarian, school children to professionals, male and females- as if the bus is meant to transport the mass merchandise. The plights of female passengers and elderly are specifically worse to explicate; they’re so helpless just to screech. I am sitting squeezed between two obese men on the second row of 12 seater microbus, which is on the road with 18 people and more counting as the bus stops literally at every point to pick more passengers. Another stop- two more women get into the bus, one with a huge purse and the other with her backpack just to suffocate us. With defective air-conditioning system, dusty seats, broken window glasses, impoverished interiors and stinky odor, the passenger-carrying vehicle will be disqualified even to carry merchandise if real inspections are to be carried out. No sooner I try to escape the rancid smell by taking my head out of the window, huge smoke emitted by other running vehicles compels me to get lost inside and endure.
"Balkhu, Balkhu, - is there somebody to get off at Balkhu?" an impoverished kid in his early teen proud to be the driver’s help shouts at everyone. Noting that nobody appeared to be ready to descend, he meanwhile calls people up around if he can get them in. I just ponder if there’s space for a new passenger to stand up. Passengers shrugging their shoulders inside the overly crowded micro-bus beseeched “Oh bhai (brother) how many people you want to carry? The micro is already over occupied and we can’t even breathe well here. Do not call other passengers, let's move." However, the little boy was just oblivious of the plea and pang of passengers and only concerned of nickel and dimes.
Gee! To my utter surprise, a young lady with slim and sassy outfit wearing black spectacle is about to get into the overcrowded micro. Oops! Passengers started getting closer squeezing further one another in their seats. Everyone was apparently sweating buckets and gasping for air; I suddenly felt horrible pain on my toes and swung my body backward and forward in order to find my leg trodden. The young lady while trying to find an empty space inside the bus was treading on my toe, untidily turning my polished shoes into filthy and dusty ones, "Oh madam, dislodge your leg, please," I expressed in complete politeness, my voice was lost the midst of crowd. "Oh, sister! Please remove your leg," I shouted changing my salutation.
Kalimati, Kalimati, the little boy shouted in tandem with the driver, I just felt that we arrived at Kalimati as it was apparently impossible to peep outside to confirm, one commuter from the last seat vociferated "Chha, Chha" – "yes please stop, I am getting off here," I experienced a movement of the people within, some were sidelining to let the man get off, others were hurrying to take the seat he occupied. Passengers started jostling each other to swoop up the seat- while a woman was trying to take over the seat; a gentleman took no time in pouncing on the seat as if a hungry tiger attacked its prey.
The journey continues as the micro left Kalimati dropping a passenger off there and picking few more people- everyone is profusely sweating surrounded by unpleasant air, smoke and dust and restlessly hoping to get to their destination at the earliest possible. Some were heading to their offices, while others to hospitals and schools and yet others to shopping, but all were restless, tired and irked with the transportation system in the heart of Nepal, a capital city, Kathmandu.
No sooner had the bus reached to Tripureswor, it was jammed in one of those worst traffics of Kathmandu, commuting woes got even worse added by scorching heat, incredibly crowded passenger population inside the bus and adulterated air; I could no longer put up with the chaotic state of travel, physical and mentally and finally I got off from the bus even though my destination was little far from the place. I discovered strolling down the road was far better off than taking the bus. It is the everyday reality of those who travel in the Kathmandu city and it has become a fate that everybody is forced to accept. The trauma of one day commute I had to undergo few weeks ago is more than enough to exhibit a sorry state of nation. Thank god, I could get my bike serviced the next day.
My commuting saga doesn’t end here however. After getting off from the bus, I was walking towards Sundhara, in front of World Trade Center, Tripureswor just to find out potholes on the road filled with dirty water and containers of trashes scattered everywhere. To my arrant dismay, a school bus carrying school children recklessly passed through the road sprinkling the sewage water over my pantaloons, whom to curse? I sadly accepted it and on way to Sundhara, I found a hotel where asked for water and cleansed off my pantaloons.
One of my distant relatives from village had recently been to Kathmandu visit for the first time. He ironically said me," It is not like a capital city what I thought while I was in the village; it is a whole different thing in here. How do you afford to live in this gehenna?" He was arguably very right as he experienced shortage of drinking water, incessant load-shedding problem, pitiful roads with potholes filled with sewage water, hours-long traffic jams, rubbish and garbage everywhere and adulterated air with abundant supply of vehicle emitted smoke and dust. He didn’t even want to visit Singh Durbar and former royal palace, so-called major landmarks of the city.
It is unfortunate but real to recall the sweet slogans delivered by top brass of major political parties including current and former prime ministers every now and then that the city was going to transform into a Singapore-like utopian land upon their taking of the government; nothing has come to fruition regardless of who has come to power. The state of state is so analogous to the realities of microbus- dysfunctional air conditioning (load shedding traumas), broken window glasses (bogus promises), overcrowded passengers (jumbo cabinet), filthy, smoky and dusty air (moral, ethical and social wrongdoings) and impoverished interior (pathetic infrastructure). I am just mortified to be the denizen of the country where the government and its constituencies can’t even keep the city orderly, clean and comforting. To their sheer shamelessness, inaptness, absurdity and stubbornness, I can ask one more question with a pinch of hope - how can you write statute of the nation? Perhaps my kids will only get right answers.
The writer has a Master Degree in Anthropology.
"Balkhu, Balkhu, - is there somebody to get off at Balkhu?" an impoverished kid in his early teen proud to be the driver’s help shouts at everyone. Noting that nobody appeared to be ready to descend, he meanwhile calls people up around if he can get them in. I just ponder if there’s space for a new passenger to stand up. Passengers shrugging their shoulders inside the overly crowded micro-bus beseeched “Oh bhai (brother) how many people you want to carry? The micro is already over occupied and we can’t even breathe well here. Do not call other passengers, let's move." However, the little boy was just oblivious of the plea and pang of passengers and only concerned of nickel and dimes.
Gee! To my utter surprise, a young lady with slim and sassy outfit wearing black spectacle is about to get into the overcrowded micro. Oops! Passengers started getting closer squeezing further one another in their seats. Everyone was apparently sweating buckets and gasping for air; I suddenly felt horrible pain on my toes and swung my body backward and forward in order to find my leg trodden. The young lady while trying to find an empty space inside the bus was treading on my toe, untidily turning my polished shoes into filthy and dusty ones, "Oh madam, dislodge your leg, please," I expressed in complete politeness, my voice was lost the midst of crowd. "Oh, sister! Please remove your leg," I shouted changing my salutation.
Kalimati, Kalimati, the little boy shouted in tandem with the driver, I just felt that we arrived at Kalimati as it was apparently impossible to peep outside to confirm, one commuter from the last seat vociferated "Chha, Chha" – "yes please stop, I am getting off here," I experienced a movement of the people within, some were sidelining to let the man get off, others were hurrying to take the seat he occupied. Passengers started jostling each other to swoop up the seat- while a woman was trying to take over the seat; a gentleman took no time in pouncing on the seat as if a hungry tiger attacked its prey.
The journey continues as the micro left Kalimati dropping a passenger off there and picking few more people- everyone is profusely sweating surrounded by unpleasant air, smoke and dust and restlessly hoping to get to their destination at the earliest possible. Some were heading to their offices, while others to hospitals and schools and yet others to shopping, but all were restless, tired and irked with the transportation system in the heart of Nepal, a capital city, Kathmandu.
No sooner had the bus reached to Tripureswor, it was jammed in one of those worst traffics of Kathmandu, commuting woes got even worse added by scorching heat, incredibly crowded passenger population inside the bus and adulterated air; I could no longer put up with the chaotic state of travel, physical and mentally and finally I got off from the bus even though my destination was little far from the place. I discovered strolling down the road was far better off than taking the bus. It is the everyday reality of those who travel in the Kathmandu city and it has become a fate that everybody is forced to accept. The trauma of one day commute I had to undergo few weeks ago is more than enough to exhibit a sorry state of nation. Thank god, I could get my bike serviced the next day.
My commuting saga doesn’t end here however. After getting off from the bus, I was walking towards Sundhara, in front of World Trade Center, Tripureswor just to find out potholes on the road filled with dirty water and containers of trashes scattered everywhere. To my arrant dismay, a school bus carrying school children recklessly passed through the road sprinkling the sewage water over my pantaloons, whom to curse? I sadly accepted it and on way to Sundhara, I found a hotel where asked for water and cleansed off my pantaloons.
One of my distant relatives from village had recently been to Kathmandu visit for the first time. He ironically said me," It is not like a capital city what I thought while I was in the village; it is a whole different thing in here. How do you afford to live in this gehenna?" He was arguably very right as he experienced shortage of drinking water, incessant load-shedding problem, pitiful roads with potholes filled with sewage water, hours-long traffic jams, rubbish and garbage everywhere and adulterated air with abundant supply of vehicle emitted smoke and dust. He didn’t even want to visit Singh Durbar and former royal palace, so-called major landmarks of the city.
It is unfortunate but real to recall the sweet slogans delivered by top brass of major political parties including current and former prime ministers every now and then that the city was going to transform into a Singapore-like utopian land upon their taking of the government; nothing has come to fruition regardless of who has come to power. The state of state is so analogous to the realities of microbus- dysfunctional air conditioning (load shedding traumas), broken window glasses (bogus promises), overcrowded passengers (jumbo cabinet), filthy, smoky and dusty air (moral, ethical and social wrongdoings) and impoverished interior (pathetic infrastructure). I am just mortified to be the denizen of the country where the government and its constituencies can’t even keep the city orderly, clean and comforting. To their sheer shamelessness, inaptness, absurdity and stubbornness, I can ask one more question with a pinch of hope - how can you write statute of the nation? Perhaps my kids will only get right answers.
The writer has a Master Degree in Anthropology.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
बङ्लादेशका इन्फो लेडीहरू
अमृत भण्डारी
बङ्लादेशको राजधानी ढाकादेखि झण्डै तीन सय किलोमिटर उत्तरपश्चिममा पर्ने गाइबन्ध जिल्लाका पाँच ग्राम युनियन परिषद्का -नेपालमा गाविस भनेझैं त्यहाँ ग्राम युनियन परिषद् भनिदो रहेछ झण्डै ६० वटा गाउँमा ग्रामीण सूचना कार्यक्रम अन्तर्गत इन्फो लेडीको अवधारणा अघि बढाइएको छ । गत मार्च महिनामा यस पङ्क्तिकारले ढाकादेखि विभिन्न जिल्ला उपजिल्ला हुँदै सो जिल्लाको पनि भ्रमण गर्ने अवसर पाएको थियो । उक्त कार्यक्रमको प्रभावकारिता र त्यसले स्थानीय युवामा दिलाएको अवसर निकै रोचक रहेछ । डिनेट भन्ने संस्थाले सहजीकरण गरेको त्यस कार्यक्रमलाई साघाटा उपजिल्लामा रहेको उद्ययन स्वाबलम्बी संस्थाले सञ्चालनमा सहयोग पुर्याउँदै आएको छ । त्यसका लागि विभिन्न दाताले सहयोग गरेका छन् ।
त्यस उपजिल्लामा १० जना मूलत एसएससी -नेपालमा एसएलसी भनेजस्तो) पास गरेका, कोही स्नातक गर्दै गरेका त कोही भर्खर आईए अध्ययनमा लागेका युवतीलाई स्वास्थ्य, कृषि, कानुन सम्बन्धी जानकारी, सूचनाको अधिकार, पशुपालन, माछापालनलगायतका विभिन्न विषयमा तालिम दिइएको छ । कार्यक्रमले मुख्यरूपमा महिलालाई अवसर प्रदान गर्ने लक्ष्य लिएको र समुदायमा पनि बढी भन्दा बढी महिलाका समस्याको सम्बोधन होस् भन्ने चाहना अनुरूप इन्फो लेडी कार्यक्रममा युवतीलाई प्राथमिकता दिइएको डिनेट संस्थाका कार्यक्रम सहायक गोपाल कुमार डेइले बताए ।
यसरी तालिम लिएका लेडीले खासगरी युवा, बालबालिका, महिला, महिला समूह तथा किसान र अन्य पेशामा लागेका समुदायका बासिन्दाका समस्या समाधानमा सहयोग गर्दै आएका छन् । ती समस्या समाधानका लागि संस्थाले यी लेडीलाई साइकल, छाता, मिनी ल्यापटप, मोडेम, क्यामरा, पि्रन्टर, तौल नाप्ने, मधुमेह नाप्ने, रक्तचाप जाँच्ने मेसिन र मोवाइल फोन लगायतका सामग्री उपलब्ध गराइएको छ । यसरी तालिम तथा सामग्री पाएका लेडीमा ज्ञान, सीप तथा सूचनाले समुदाय परिवर्तन गर्न सकिन्छ भन्ने अटल विश्वास छ । आफूले पाएको सीप र ज्ञानलाई परिवारका अन्य सदस्यलाई समेत दिएर उनीहरूले नयाँ इन्फा म्यानपावर उत्पादन गर्नका लागि पनि सहयोग पुर्याएका छन् । ती इन्फो लेडीले विवाह तथा अन्य कारणले गाउँ छाड्न परेमा परिवारका अन्य सदस्यले समेत गाउँमा सेवा प्रदान गर्न सक्ने भएका छन् । त्यसले कार्यक्रमलाई दिगो गराउनका लागि सहयोग पुर्याएको छ ।
प्रत्येक दिन आˆनो पढाइको समय व्यवस्थापन गरेर ती लेडीहरू समुदायमा उत्पन्न समस्या समाधानका लागि आवश्यक सामग्री आफ्नो साइकलमा राखेर समुदायमा पुग्ने गर्दछन् । स्थास्थ्य सम्बन्धी विभिन्न किसिमका सीडी, अडियो भिज्युयल सामग्री बोकेर समुदायमा पुगी आफ्नो ल्यापटपबाट देखाउने गर्दछन् । खासगरी मातृशिशु, गर्भावस्थामा ध्यान पुर्याउनुपर्ने जानकारी गाउँ गाउँमा दिने गर्दछन् । रक्तचाप जाँच्ने मेसीनबाट रक्तचाप जाचेपछि एक जनाबाट पाँच टाका लिने गर्दछन् । रक्तचाप जाँचेपछि कसैको रक्तचाप अत्यधिक बढेको पाइएमा तुरुन्तै अस्पताल जानका लागि अनुरोध गर्दछन् । कहिलेकाहीँ त आफ्नो सम्पर्कमा रहेका डाक्टरलाई मोवाइल फोनबाटै कुरा गरेर बिरामीको नाम लेखाइदिने र समय मिलाउने काम समेत इन्फो लेडीले गर्दै आएका छन् । त्यसैगरी मधुमेहको जाँच गरेर कसैमा यसका लक्षण देखिएमा नजिकको अस्पताल वा डाक्टरसँग सम्पर्क गर्नका लागि सिफारिस गर्ने गरेको रिथि अक्तर, इन्फो लेडी बताउँछिन् ।
संस्थाले उपलब्ध गराएको मोडेमबाट ल्यापटपमा इन्टरनेट चलाउनसमेत सकिन्छ । यसरी इमेलबाट सम्पर्क गरी विदेशमा गएका गाउँबासीका छोराछोरीलाई समाचार पठाइदिने, स्काइपीबाट कुराकानी गराउने जस्ता सुविधा साघाटा उपजिल्लाका बासिन्दाले पाएका छन् । यस्ता सुविधा घरघरमा पुर्याउने इन्फो लेडिले न्यूनतम शूल्कमा गाउँबासीलाई सुविधा उपलब्ध गराउछन् । इन्फो लेडी सीमा अक्तर भन्छिन्-"हामीले केही निशुल्क सेवा प्रदान गर्दै आएका छौ भने केही सेवा उपलब्ध गराएवाफत् शुल्क पनि लिने गरेका छौं । जसबाट सुरुका दिनमा हामीले मासिक दुई हजार टाका कमायौ भने अहिले तीन देखि पाँच हजार टाकासम्म कमाइ हुने गरेको छ ।"
सूचना, सञ्चार र प्रविधिको क्षेत्रमा भएको विकासको विवेकपूर्ण फाइदा उठाउदै त्यहाँका इन्फो लेडीले गरिब समुदायका हजारौँको घरघरमा विभिन्न किसिमका सूचना दिँदै विश्वसँग जोडेका छन् । साथै अक्तर सम्झन्छिन्-"गाउँगाउँमा जाँदा थुप्रै मानिस विभिन्न किसिमको रोगले ग्रसित पाउँछु । उनीहरूको रक्तचाप बढेको हुन्छ । मधुमेहको लक्षणसमेत पाइन्छ, त्यस्ता मानिसलाई गाउँमा कुनै सेवा सुविधा उपलब्ध छैन । उनीहरूको सेवा गर्न र अस्पतालसम्म पुर्याई जीवन बचाउन पाउँदा खुसी लागेको छ ।" सुरुका दिनमा समाजले यी लेडीको सेवालाइ त्यति वास्ता नगरे पनि अहिले उनीहरूको सेवाबाट गाइबन्ध जिल्लाका मानिस निकै खुसी भएका छन् । त्यहाँका इन्फो लेडीहरू समाज परिवर्तन र सेवा प्रदान गर्नका लागि नेतृत्व दिन थालेका छन् । समाजले अहिले उनीहरूलाई प्रशंसा गर्न थालेको छ भने उनीहरूको सेवालाई स्वीकार पनि गरिसकेको छ ।
गाउँका घरघरमा पुग्ने त्यस्ता लेडिले मानिसको मात्र उपचार गर्दैनन्, कृषि तथा पशुपालन पेशामा हुने समस्याका बारेमा बनेका विभिन्न सिडि, भिसिडिसमेत बोकेर आफ्नो ल्यापटपमा देखाउने गर्दछन् । अक्तर भन्छिन्-"हामी गाउँगाउँमा जान्छौ, समूहमा रहेका महिला तथा पुरुषलाइ कृषि तथा पशुपालनका क्रममा भएका समस्याका बारेमा सोध्छौ । अनि हामीसँग भएको जानकारी उपलब्ध गराउछौ । हाम्रो सूचनाले समाधान नहुने भए तुरुन्त कृषि तथा पशु सेवा विज्ञसँग सम्पर्क गरी समस्याको समाधान गर्न सहयोग गर्छौं ।"
अहिले यस्ता इन्फो लेडीलाई गाउँघरमा नचिन्ने कोही छैन । उनीहरूसँग भएको मोवाइल फोनले सेवा पुर्याउन निकै सहयोग गरेको छ । कुनै समस्या पर्नेवित्तिकै गाउँलेले उनीहरूको मोवाइलमा फोन गर्दछन् । त्यसपछि आफ्नो साइकलमा आफ्ना सामग्री बोकेर इन्फो लेडी गाउँलेको सेवामा पुगिहाल्छन् । 'प्राक्टिकल एक्शन'ले पनि आफ्नो प्राविधिक ज्ञान सेवा कार्यक्रममार्फत ग्रामीण किसानको क्षमता अभिवृद्धि गर्ने उद्देश्यले विभिन्न कार्यक्रम सञ्चालन गरेको छ । जुन कार्यक्रम नेपालमा 'रिड नेपाल' र 'प्राक्टिकल एक्शन'को साझेदारीमा कैलाली, बाँके, चितवन र नवलपरासीमा सञ्चालन भैराखेको छ ।
गाइबन्ध क्षेत्रको यात्राका अवसरमा ६ जना इन्फो लेडीसँग कुरा गर्ने मौका मिलेको थियो । कुरा गर्ने क्रममा उनीहरूमा देखिएको साहस, उत्साह र सेवाले नेपालमा पनि यस्तै कार्यक्रम सञ्चालन गर्न सरकारले कुनै सक्रियता देखउला कि भन्ने कुराले मनमा तर्क वितर्क उठ्नु स्वाभाविकै हो । नेपाल र बङ्लादेशको गरिबी पनि मिल्दोजुल्दोखालको भएकाले इन्फो लेडीको अवधारणालाई नेपालले पनि अवलम्बन गर्नसक्ने हो भने दुर्गम क्षेत्रका बासिन्दाले अलि सहज महसुस गर्न पाउने थिए । बङ्लादेशको जमिन अलि बढी उत्पादन हुने खालको रहेकाले त्यहाँ सूचना मात्रले पनि निकै सहयोग गर्न सक्ने रहेछ । नेपालमा पनि दुर्गम गाउँका बासिन्दा आफूले गर्ने कृषि तथा पशुपालनबाट आवश्यक मात्र फाइदा उठाउन सकिरहेका छैनन् । महिलाले असुरक्षित रूपमा बच्चा जन्माउने गर्दछन् । भएका स्वास्थ्य चौकीमा पनि राम्रो सुविधा छैन । कहिलेकाहीँ त बच्चा जन्माउने क्रममा आमा तथा शिशु दुबैको मृत्यु हुने गरेको छ । समयमै गर्भमा रहेको बच्चाको स्वास्थ्य र आमाको स्वास्थ्यका बारेमा गाउँमै उपचार र सूचना पाएमा अकाल मृत्युबाट हजारौं महिलाले ज्यान गुमाउनु पर्दैन थियो होला । इन्फो लेडीको अवधारणालाई नेपालमा पनि अवलम्बन गर्ने हो भने यसले केही राहत दिन सक्थ्यो कि ?
The article can be read in the following link of Gorkhapatra Daily.
http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/gopa.detail.php?article_id=61383&cat_id=18
बङ्लादेशको राजधानी ढाकादेखि झण्डै तीन सय किलोमिटर उत्तरपश्चिममा पर्ने गाइबन्ध जिल्लाका पाँच ग्राम युनियन परिषद्का -नेपालमा गाविस भनेझैं त्यहाँ ग्राम युनियन परिषद् भनिदो रहेछ झण्डै ६० वटा गाउँमा ग्रामीण सूचना कार्यक्रम अन्तर्गत इन्फो लेडीको अवधारणा अघि बढाइएको छ । गत मार्च महिनामा यस पङ्क्तिकारले ढाकादेखि विभिन्न जिल्ला उपजिल्ला हुँदै सो जिल्लाको पनि भ्रमण गर्ने अवसर पाएको थियो । उक्त कार्यक्रमको प्रभावकारिता र त्यसले स्थानीय युवामा दिलाएको अवसर निकै रोचक रहेछ । डिनेट भन्ने संस्थाले सहजीकरण गरेको त्यस कार्यक्रमलाई साघाटा उपजिल्लामा रहेको उद्ययन स्वाबलम्बी संस्थाले सञ्चालनमा सहयोग पुर्याउँदै आएको छ । त्यसका लागि विभिन्न दाताले सहयोग गरेका छन् ।
त्यस उपजिल्लामा १० जना मूलत एसएससी -नेपालमा एसएलसी भनेजस्तो) पास गरेका, कोही स्नातक गर्दै गरेका त कोही भर्खर आईए अध्ययनमा लागेका युवतीलाई स्वास्थ्य, कृषि, कानुन सम्बन्धी जानकारी, सूचनाको अधिकार, पशुपालन, माछापालनलगायतका विभिन्न विषयमा तालिम दिइएको छ । कार्यक्रमले मुख्यरूपमा महिलालाई अवसर प्रदान गर्ने लक्ष्य लिएको र समुदायमा पनि बढी भन्दा बढी महिलाका समस्याको सम्बोधन होस् भन्ने चाहना अनुरूप इन्फो लेडी कार्यक्रममा युवतीलाई प्राथमिकता दिइएको डिनेट संस्थाका कार्यक्रम सहायक गोपाल कुमार डेइले बताए ।
यसरी तालिम लिएका लेडीले खासगरी युवा, बालबालिका, महिला, महिला समूह तथा किसान र अन्य पेशामा लागेका समुदायका बासिन्दाका समस्या समाधानमा सहयोग गर्दै आएका छन् । ती समस्या समाधानका लागि संस्थाले यी लेडीलाई साइकल, छाता, मिनी ल्यापटप, मोडेम, क्यामरा, पि्रन्टर, तौल नाप्ने, मधुमेह नाप्ने, रक्तचाप जाँच्ने मेसिन र मोवाइल फोन लगायतका सामग्री उपलब्ध गराइएको छ । यसरी तालिम तथा सामग्री पाएका लेडीमा ज्ञान, सीप तथा सूचनाले समुदाय परिवर्तन गर्न सकिन्छ भन्ने अटल विश्वास छ । आफूले पाएको सीप र ज्ञानलाई परिवारका अन्य सदस्यलाई समेत दिएर उनीहरूले नयाँ इन्फा म्यानपावर उत्पादन गर्नका लागि पनि सहयोग पुर्याएका छन् । ती इन्फो लेडीले विवाह तथा अन्य कारणले गाउँ छाड्न परेमा परिवारका अन्य सदस्यले समेत गाउँमा सेवा प्रदान गर्न सक्ने भएका छन् । त्यसले कार्यक्रमलाई दिगो गराउनका लागि सहयोग पुर्याएको छ ।
प्रत्येक दिन आˆनो पढाइको समय व्यवस्थापन गरेर ती लेडीहरू समुदायमा उत्पन्न समस्या समाधानका लागि आवश्यक सामग्री आफ्नो साइकलमा राखेर समुदायमा पुग्ने गर्दछन् । स्थास्थ्य सम्बन्धी विभिन्न किसिमका सीडी, अडियो भिज्युयल सामग्री बोकेर समुदायमा पुगी आफ्नो ल्यापटपबाट देखाउने गर्दछन् । खासगरी मातृशिशु, गर्भावस्थामा ध्यान पुर्याउनुपर्ने जानकारी गाउँ गाउँमा दिने गर्दछन् । रक्तचाप जाँच्ने मेसीनबाट रक्तचाप जाचेपछि एक जनाबाट पाँच टाका लिने गर्दछन् । रक्तचाप जाँचेपछि कसैको रक्तचाप अत्यधिक बढेको पाइएमा तुरुन्तै अस्पताल जानका लागि अनुरोध गर्दछन् । कहिलेकाहीँ त आफ्नो सम्पर्कमा रहेका डाक्टरलाई मोवाइल फोनबाटै कुरा गरेर बिरामीको नाम लेखाइदिने र समय मिलाउने काम समेत इन्फो लेडीले गर्दै आएका छन् । त्यसैगरी मधुमेहको जाँच गरेर कसैमा यसका लक्षण देखिएमा नजिकको अस्पताल वा डाक्टरसँग सम्पर्क गर्नका लागि सिफारिस गर्ने गरेको रिथि अक्तर, इन्फो लेडी बताउँछिन् ।
संस्थाले उपलब्ध गराएको मोडेमबाट ल्यापटपमा इन्टरनेट चलाउनसमेत सकिन्छ । यसरी इमेलबाट सम्पर्क गरी विदेशमा गएका गाउँबासीका छोराछोरीलाई समाचार पठाइदिने, स्काइपीबाट कुराकानी गराउने जस्ता सुविधा साघाटा उपजिल्लाका बासिन्दाले पाएका छन् । यस्ता सुविधा घरघरमा पुर्याउने इन्फो लेडिले न्यूनतम शूल्कमा गाउँबासीलाई सुविधा उपलब्ध गराउछन् । इन्फो लेडी सीमा अक्तर भन्छिन्-"हामीले केही निशुल्क सेवा प्रदान गर्दै आएका छौ भने केही सेवा उपलब्ध गराएवाफत् शुल्क पनि लिने गरेका छौं । जसबाट सुरुका दिनमा हामीले मासिक दुई हजार टाका कमायौ भने अहिले तीन देखि पाँच हजार टाकासम्म कमाइ हुने गरेको छ ।"
सूचना, सञ्चार र प्रविधिको क्षेत्रमा भएको विकासको विवेकपूर्ण फाइदा उठाउदै त्यहाँका इन्फो लेडीले गरिब समुदायका हजारौँको घरघरमा विभिन्न किसिमका सूचना दिँदै विश्वसँग जोडेका छन् । साथै अक्तर सम्झन्छिन्-"गाउँगाउँमा जाँदा थुप्रै मानिस विभिन्न किसिमको रोगले ग्रसित पाउँछु । उनीहरूको रक्तचाप बढेको हुन्छ । मधुमेहको लक्षणसमेत पाइन्छ, त्यस्ता मानिसलाई गाउँमा कुनै सेवा सुविधा उपलब्ध छैन । उनीहरूको सेवा गर्न र अस्पतालसम्म पुर्याई जीवन बचाउन पाउँदा खुसी लागेको छ ।" सुरुका दिनमा समाजले यी लेडीको सेवालाइ त्यति वास्ता नगरे पनि अहिले उनीहरूको सेवाबाट गाइबन्ध जिल्लाका मानिस निकै खुसी भएका छन् । त्यहाँका इन्फो लेडीहरू समाज परिवर्तन र सेवा प्रदान गर्नका लागि नेतृत्व दिन थालेका छन् । समाजले अहिले उनीहरूलाई प्रशंसा गर्न थालेको छ भने उनीहरूको सेवालाई स्वीकार पनि गरिसकेको छ ।
गाउँका घरघरमा पुग्ने त्यस्ता लेडिले मानिसको मात्र उपचार गर्दैनन्, कृषि तथा पशुपालन पेशामा हुने समस्याका बारेमा बनेका विभिन्न सिडि, भिसिडिसमेत बोकेर आफ्नो ल्यापटपमा देखाउने गर्दछन् । अक्तर भन्छिन्-"हामी गाउँगाउँमा जान्छौ, समूहमा रहेका महिला तथा पुरुषलाइ कृषि तथा पशुपालनका क्रममा भएका समस्याका बारेमा सोध्छौ । अनि हामीसँग भएको जानकारी उपलब्ध गराउछौ । हाम्रो सूचनाले समाधान नहुने भए तुरुन्त कृषि तथा पशु सेवा विज्ञसँग सम्पर्क गरी समस्याको समाधान गर्न सहयोग गर्छौं ।"
अहिले यस्ता इन्फो लेडीलाई गाउँघरमा नचिन्ने कोही छैन । उनीहरूसँग भएको मोवाइल फोनले सेवा पुर्याउन निकै सहयोग गरेको छ । कुनै समस्या पर्नेवित्तिकै गाउँलेले उनीहरूको मोवाइलमा फोन गर्दछन् । त्यसपछि आफ्नो साइकलमा आफ्ना सामग्री बोकेर इन्फो लेडी गाउँलेको सेवामा पुगिहाल्छन् । 'प्राक्टिकल एक्शन'ले पनि आफ्नो प्राविधिक ज्ञान सेवा कार्यक्रममार्फत ग्रामीण किसानको क्षमता अभिवृद्धि गर्ने उद्देश्यले विभिन्न कार्यक्रम सञ्चालन गरेको छ । जुन कार्यक्रम नेपालमा 'रिड नेपाल' र 'प्राक्टिकल एक्शन'को साझेदारीमा कैलाली, बाँके, चितवन र नवलपरासीमा सञ्चालन भैराखेको छ ।
गाइबन्ध क्षेत्रको यात्राका अवसरमा ६ जना इन्फो लेडीसँग कुरा गर्ने मौका मिलेको थियो । कुरा गर्ने क्रममा उनीहरूमा देखिएको साहस, उत्साह र सेवाले नेपालमा पनि यस्तै कार्यक्रम सञ्चालन गर्न सरकारले कुनै सक्रियता देखउला कि भन्ने कुराले मनमा तर्क वितर्क उठ्नु स्वाभाविकै हो । नेपाल र बङ्लादेशको गरिबी पनि मिल्दोजुल्दोखालको भएकाले इन्फो लेडीको अवधारणालाई नेपालले पनि अवलम्बन गर्नसक्ने हो भने दुर्गम क्षेत्रका बासिन्दाले अलि सहज महसुस गर्न पाउने थिए । बङ्लादेशको जमिन अलि बढी उत्पादन हुने खालको रहेकाले त्यहाँ सूचना मात्रले पनि निकै सहयोग गर्न सक्ने रहेछ । नेपालमा पनि दुर्गम गाउँका बासिन्दा आफूले गर्ने कृषि तथा पशुपालनबाट आवश्यक मात्र फाइदा उठाउन सकिरहेका छैनन् । महिलाले असुरक्षित रूपमा बच्चा जन्माउने गर्दछन् । भएका स्वास्थ्य चौकीमा पनि राम्रो सुविधा छैन । कहिलेकाहीँ त बच्चा जन्माउने क्रममा आमा तथा शिशु दुबैको मृत्यु हुने गरेको छ । समयमै गर्भमा रहेको बच्चाको स्वास्थ्य र आमाको स्वास्थ्यका बारेमा गाउँमै उपचार र सूचना पाएमा अकाल मृत्युबाट हजारौं महिलाले ज्यान गुमाउनु पर्दैन थियो होला । इन्फो लेडीको अवधारणालाई नेपालमा पनि अवलम्बन गर्ने हो भने यसले केही राहत दिन सक्थ्यो कि ?
The article can be read in the following link of Gorkhapatra Daily.
http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/gopa.detail.php?article_id=61383&cat_id=18
Monday, December 5, 2011
Technology Challenging Poverty
AMRIT BHANDARI
While a significant number of efforts have been expended both from government and private sectors to improve the country’s agricultural system, no such noteworthy achievements however have been experienced when it comes to automatisation and industrialization of the agriculture in the truest sense. While growing number of farmers are making it as a living, agriculture remains under exploited profession for majority of Nepalese, despite it offering tremendous potential for country’s economy and people’s financial and physical wellbeing. Lack of access to information, modest use of technology, and lack of robust infrastructure such as roads are primary obstacles in motivating farmers to become more engaged and involved in commercial agricultural farming. Modern technology has brought significant changes in the agricultural sector; nonetheless there are few cynicisms in the process of its proper and genuine application such as proportionate use of pesticides and other medicines. Notwithstanding the loopholes of technology, systematic practices around the world have proved that technology definitely contributes to the betterment of agricultural productions.
It was on last April, I afforded to visit Joshipur, a village of Kailali district where a large number of local farmers are engaged in vegetables farming, which has produced a sound return on investment for them. Upon recommendation of few famers and general public including social activists, I made my way to see Layak Ram Chaudhary, one of the most enthusiastic farmers I have ever come across with a knack for technology and innovation. Just with a small patch of land, I am overwhelmed to see him making fortunes, winning public laurels and becoming an inspiration for those around him and beyond. His contribution to the community, economically and socially is substantial, his willingness to help others goes beyond word and his friendliness is contagious. But he doesn’t’ end his journey to commercial agriculture here as they say sky is the limit. He has bigger plans and projects in offing. Listening to his ideas and lofty dreams makes me not only spellbound but fueled with vigor as if I want to be the country’s top farmer. He has craving for more in life, he wants to change his life and famers like him and others around the community. What an enthusiasm!
Layak Ram offered me to see his poly-house and off-farm cultivation and proudly explained how he has been successful in vegetable farming. "I have bought a tractor," exuberant Layak Ram showing a pile of appreciation certificates granted by various organisations says,"The land is stretched only in 2 Kattha. The paddy we cultivated here for long time would hardly feed 11 members of my family for 3 to 4 months “A lot of questions bombard into my mind, however, his finesse and spontaneous offering of how he has evolved out to become a cynosure of all eyes shut my mouth," I was compelled to work as a wage labourer for many years just to meet the ends. Sir, when I got an opportunity to participate in the vegetable cultivation training, I learned about the poly-house cultivation."
Poly-house is a small technology that has brought tremendous changes in the life of Layak Ram and many others. While he is definitely a shining example of how a small use of technology along with training and education can make paradigm shift in agriculture farming, there are hundreds of other families who have benefitted from this technology. A project financially supported by the European Union and implemented by Practical Action, when administered in Kailali district literally remade the lives of a number of farmers. Layak Ram is at the forefront of practice- he has been highly successful in learning well and applying it right. "My father originally resented the idea when I told him about the poly-house and vegetable farming in the land where we have been growing paddy conventionally for a long time," shares Layak Ram," it was very difficult to convince him as he did not believe that the poly-house and vegetables farming can turn our life towards prosperity." In spite of his father's disinclination, Layak Ram risked to give it a chance. He collected bamboo batons available locally, bought plastic and ropes in the local market and constructed a poly-house.
"I have learned various technologies during 10-day training about the vegetables farming help me do things right. During the first year, I planted cauliflowers and tomatoes in my land and earned Nrs. 10,000.00, my family’s happiness knew no bound. The earnings gave a new sight to my father and he also encouraged me to further pursue. The next year observed sharp increase in my income to Nrs. 70,000.00 just to offer me more motivation to buy a tractor in instalment payment. Since then, I have never looked back in life. I continue to raise my production levels and generate more earnings helping me to educate my children and sisters with pride" attests Layak Ram. The poly-house has now become a main source of income and it is the appropriate technology to farmers especially those who possess only a small patch of land. The story of Layak Ram is one to represent many farmers in Kailali and a model that can be replicated across the nation. It is also testament to educators, developers and policy makers alike that the relevant technology and corresponding training can pave the way hundreds of thousands in the nation who pursue agriculture as their main business for prosperity.
The construction of poly-house is an easy task. Ropes and plastic along with bamboo's batons and land are enough to construct a poly-house; however, the requirement of materials depends on the size of ploy house. The poly-house should have a clearance height, where anyone can easily enter into to look after the crops or vegetables they grow. The roof of plastic cover can offer the sun rays enter into the house. One needs to be careful while constructing the bamboo's poly house to ensure the house is strong enough to resist rain and wind. The plastic covering makes the house temperature controlled and protects produces from harsh daylight heat, incessant downpour and chilled morning dews.
Poly-houses can be made of up with locally available materials that can significantly reduce the construction cost as affordability becomes a major concern for many farmers. The most discerning benefit of the poly-house is that the farmers can grow both seasonal and off-season vegetables at the same time – off seasons vegetables fetch an attractive price. The design of poly-house requires to be based upon the sound technical principles to ensure the controlled environment for the plant growth. Though a small investment and labour is required to erect it first time, excellent earnings from off-season produces can well offset such investment," affirms Ashik Mandal, technical assistant, District Development Office, Kailali. The construction site must be a firm land and free from potholes as the bamboo's sticks may decay in the loose and moist land and house may fall apart. These houses generally last for three years.
The use of new technology and its access to the poor farmer living in the rural areas of Nepal has proved that it can be one of the important tools in the process of poverty reduction programme in Nepal. Increasing the access to information, expanding applied technologies and raising awareness, government entities and non-government organizations can truly live up to their mission of reducing poverty and developing Nepal’s villages and communities.
As I continue to study, explore and decipher the Nepal’s development landscapes and efforts made by individuals and organizations to change and enrich the lives of many around the country, I can’t help but thank to Mr Ernst Friedrich Fritz Schumacher, an economist in Britain and the author of “Small is Beautiful, 1997”- a study of economics as if people mattered is among the 100 most influential books published since world war and the man behind the Intermediate Technology Development Group, now called Practical Action. Both through his book and Practical Action, Schumacher’s vision and ideas continue to generate increasing momentum in how appropriate technology can challenge the poverty by pulling poor farmers out of grave poverty and famine. On the occasion of his 100th birthday, my wonderful wishes are due to him while I also offer congratulatory mention to our local hero, Layak Ram for his extraordinary and exemplary work.
The writer works at Practical Action Nepal Office.
abamritofficial@gmail.com
While a significant number of efforts have been expended both from government and private sectors to improve the country’s agricultural system, no such noteworthy achievements however have been experienced when it comes to automatisation and industrialization of the agriculture in the truest sense. While growing number of farmers are making it as a living, agriculture remains under exploited profession for majority of Nepalese, despite it offering tremendous potential for country’s economy and people’s financial and physical wellbeing. Lack of access to information, modest use of technology, and lack of robust infrastructure such as roads are primary obstacles in motivating farmers to become more engaged and involved in commercial agricultural farming. Modern technology has brought significant changes in the agricultural sector; nonetheless there are few cynicisms in the process of its proper and genuine application such as proportionate use of pesticides and other medicines. Notwithstanding the loopholes of technology, systematic practices around the world have proved that technology definitely contributes to the betterment of agricultural productions.
It was on last April, I afforded to visit Joshipur, a village of Kailali district where a large number of local farmers are engaged in vegetables farming, which has produced a sound return on investment for them. Upon recommendation of few famers and general public including social activists, I made my way to see Layak Ram Chaudhary, one of the most enthusiastic farmers I have ever come across with a knack for technology and innovation. Just with a small patch of land, I am overwhelmed to see him making fortunes, winning public laurels and becoming an inspiration for those around him and beyond. His contribution to the community, economically and socially is substantial, his willingness to help others goes beyond word and his friendliness is contagious. But he doesn’t’ end his journey to commercial agriculture here as they say sky is the limit. He has bigger plans and projects in offing. Listening to his ideas and lofty dreams makes me not only spellbound but fueled with vigor as if I want to be the country’s top farmer. He has craving for more in life, he wants to change his life and famers like him and others around the community. What an enthusiasm!
Layak Ram offered me to see his poly-house and off-farm cultivation and proudly explained how he has been successful in vegetable farming. "I have bought a tractor," exuberant Layak Ram showing a pile of appreciation certificates granted by various organisations says,"The land is stretched only in 2 Kattha. The paddy we cultivated here for long time would hardly feed 11 members of my family for 3 to 4 months “A lot of questions bombard into my mind, however, his finesse and spontaneous offering of how he has evolved out to become a cynosure of all eyes shut my mouth," I was compelled to work as a wage labourer for many years just to meet the ends. Sir, when I got an opportunity to participate in the vegetable cultivation training, I learned about the poly-house cultivation."
Poly-house is a small technology that has brought tremendous changes in the life of Layak Ram and many others. While he is definitely a shining example of how a small use of technology along with training and education can make paradigm shift in agriculture farming, there are hundreds of other families who have benefitted from this technology. A project financially supported by the European Union and implemented by Practical Action, when administered in Kailali district literally remade the lives of a number of farmers. Layak Ram is at the forefront of practice- he has been highly successful in learning well and applying it right. "My father originally resented the idea when I told him about the poly-house and vegetable farming in the land where we have been growing paddy conventionally for a long time," shares Layak Ram," it was very difficult to convince him as he did not believe that the poly-house and vegetables farming can turn our life towards prosperity." In spite of his father's disinclination, Layak Ram risked to give it a chance. He collected bamboo batons available locally, bought plastic and ropes in the local market and constructed a poly-house.
"I have learned various technologies during 10-day training about the vegetables farming help me do things right. During the first year, I planted cauliflowers and tomatoes in my land and earned Nrs. 10,000.00, my family’s happiness knew no bound. The earnings gave a new sight to my father and he also encouraged me to further pursue. The next year observed sharp increase in my income to Nrs. 70,000.00 just to offer me more motivation to buy a tractor in instalment payment. Since then, I have never looked back in life. I continue to raise my production levels and generate more earnings helping me to educate my children and sisters with pride" attests Layak Ram. The poly-house has now become a main source of income and it is the appropriate technology to farmers especially those who possess only a small patch of land. The story of Layak Ram is one to represent many farmers in Kailali and a model that can be replicated across the nation. It is also testament to educators, developers and policy makers alike that the relevant technology and corresponding training can pave the way hundreds of thousands in the nation who pursue agriculture as their main business for prosperity.
The construction of poly-house is an easy task. Ropes and plastic along with bamboo's batons and land are enough to construct a poly-house; however, the requirement of materials depends on the size of ploy house. The poly-house should have a clearance height, where anyone can easily enter into to look after the crops or vegetables they grow. The roof of plastic cover can offer the sun rays enter into the house. One needs to be careful while constructing the bamboo's poly house to ensure the house is strong enough to resist rain and wind. The plastic covering makes the house temperature controlled and protects produces from harsh daylight heat, incessant downpour and chilled morning dews.
Poly-houses can be made of up with locally available materials that can significantly reduce the construction cost as affordability becomes a major concern for many farmers. The most discerning benefit of the poly-house is that the farmers can grow both seasonal and off-season vegetables at the same time – off seasons vegetables fetch an attractive price. The design of poly-house requires to be based upon the sound technical principles to ensure the controlled environment for the plant growth. Though a small investment and labour is required to erect it first time, excellent earnings from off-season produces can well offset such investment," affirms Ashik Mandal, technical assistant, District Development Office, Kailali. The construction site must be a firm land and free from potholes as the bamboo's sticks may decay in the loose and moist land and house may fall apart. These houses generally last for three years.
The use of new technology and its access to the poor farmer living in the rural areas of Nepal has proved that it can be one of the important tools in the process of poverty reduction programme in Nepal. Increasing the access to information, expanding applied technologies and raising awareness, government entities and non-government organizations can truly live up to their mission of reducing poverty and developing Nepal’s villages and communities.
As I continue to study, explore and decipher the Nepal’s development landscapes and efforts made by individuals and organizations to change and enrich the lives of many around the country, I can’t help but thank to Mr Ernst Friedrich Fritz Schumacher, an economist in Britain and the author of “Small is Beautiful, 1997”- a study of economics as if people mattered is among the 100 most influential books published since world war and the man behind the Intermediate Technology Development Group, now called Practical Action. Both through his book and Practical Action, Schumacher’s vision and ideas continue to generate increasing momentum in how appropriate technology can challenge the poverty by pulling poor farmers out of grave poverty and famine. On the occasion of his 100th birthday, my wonderful wishes are due to him while I also offer congratulatory mention to our local hero, Layak Ram for his extraordinary and exemplary work.
The writer works at Practical Action Nepal Office.
abamritofficial@gmail.com
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
डाक्टर आफैं संक्रमित - कान्तिपुर दैनिक
काठमाडौ, आश्विन १६ -
नेपालमा अधिकांश अस्पतालले सरसफाइलाई मानव स्वास्थ्यसँग जोडेर हेरेको पाइँदैन । अस्पतालमा अवलम्बन गर्नुपर्ने न्यूनतम सरसफाइको समेत ख्याल गरेको पाइँदैन । अस्पतालमा यत्रतत्र फोहोर फालेको पाइन्छ । बिरामीका आफन्तदेखि चिकित्सकसम्मले सरसफाइमा ध्यान नदिनाले बिरामीमा संक्रमण बढेर रोग निको हुन पनि निकै समय लागेको पाइन्छ । अस्पतालमा न्यूनतम रूपमा चिकित्सकबाट हुनुपर्ने सावधानी अपनाएको पाइँदैन । जस्तो कि काठमाडौंकै अधिकांश अस्पतालमा काम गर्ने चिकित्सकले आफूले बिरामी उपचार गर्ने समयमा लगाउने एप्रोन लगाएर बाहिर धुलो उडिरहेको सडकमा आउने तथा रेस्टुरेन्टमा खाजा तथा खाना खान जानाले झन् संक्रमण बढाउँछ भन्ने बुझेको पाइँदैन । डाक्टरहरू एप्रोन लगाएर क्यान्टिनमा आउँछन् । अस्पतालको हाताभित्र त अलि कम संक्रमण होला । तर टिचिङ अस्पताल महाराजगन्ज वरपरका रेस्टुरेन्ट तथा होटलमा जाँदा अधिकांश डाक्टर एप्रोन लगाएर त्यहाँ आएका हुन्छन् । अस्पतालबाहिर सडकमा पानी जमेको हुन्छ । वषर्ाको समयमा पानीले संक्रमण बढाएको हुन्छ भने पानी पर्न छाडेपछि गाडी हिँड्दा निकै धुलो उडेको हुन्छ । यस्ता सडकमा बाहिर आउँदा डाक्टरले लगाउने एप्रोनमा कति संक्रमण हुने गर्छ । अझ अस्पतालको बाहिरपट्ट िफोहोरको थुप्रो देखिन्छ । त्यसले संक्रमण बढाउनका लागि झन् ठूलो योगदान पुर्याउँछ ।
एप्रोनमा टाँसिएका जीवाणुबाट बिरामी पर्न सक्ने असरका बारेमा चिकित्सक आफैं अनविज्ञ हुनु लाजमर्दो अवस्था हो । होटल, रेस्टुरेन्ट, सडकमा आवतजावत गर्दा हुने संक्रमणसहित एक डाक्टर बिरामी जाँच गर्न अस्पतालमा पस्दा हुने बिरामीको क्षतिका लागि कसले जिम्मेवारी लिने ? शिक्षण अस्पतालमा कार्यरत डाक्टर, नर्स तथा विद्यार्थीले नै यतिसम्म ख्याल गर्दैनन् भने ग्रामीण भेगका अस्पतालको हविगत कस्तो होला । अस्पतालमा डाक्टरले गर्नुपर्ने सामान्य किसिमको पनि सरसफाइ गरेको पाइँदैन । आईसीयूजस्तो बिरामीलाई अति सुरक्षा र संक्रमणविहीन अवस्थामा राख्नुपर्ने स्थानमा बिरामीका नातेदार वा कुरुवा जुत्ता लगाएर भित्र जाने गरेको पाइन्छ । अस्पतालको चर्पी हेर्ने हो भने उस्तै दुर्दशा छ ।
डाक्टरले घरबाट लगाएर आउने कपडामा समेत संक्रमण हुन सक्छ । त्यसका लागि अस्पताल प्रशासनले डाक्टरले अस्पतालमा लगाउने कपडामा समेत निगरानी राख्नुपर्ने हुन्छ । कपडालाई निसंक्रमित राख्नका लागि गर्नुपर्ने सावधानीका बारेमा चिकित्सकलाई अभिमुखीकरण तालिम दिँदा पनि उपयुक्त हुन सक्छ । जुनसुकै पेसा भए तापनि मानिसका लागि उत्ति नै महत्त्वपूर्ण हुने गर्छ । आफूलाई ठूलो, राम्रो पेसामा लागेको प्रतिष्ठा देखाउनका लागि एप्रोन लगाएर अस्पतालबाहिर आउँदा हुने क्षतिका बारेमा चिकित्सक आफैं सावधान हुनुपर्ने हो । शिक्षण अस्पताल महाराजगन्ज त एउटा उदाहरण मात्रै हो । चाहे सरकारी होस् वा निजी रूपमा सञ्चालन भएका अस्पताल होऊन्, चिकित्सक एप्रोनसँगै होटल, रेस्टुरेन्ट वा सडकमा आएको पाइन्छ । यसका लागि स्वास्थ्य विभाग वा स्वास्थ्य मन्त्रालयले पनि कुनै किसिमको आचारसंहिता बनाएर यस कार्यलाई तुरुन्तै नियन्त्रण गर्नुपर्ने देखिन्छ । साथसाथै अस्पताल प्रशासनले पनि यस्ता कार्यलाई निरुत्साह गर्नका लागि चिकित्सकलाई सावधान बनाउनुपर्ने अवस्था छ । अस्पतालमा बिरामी कुरुवादेखि डाक्टरबाट हुने लापरबाहीका कारण कुनै पनि बिरामीले जीवनभर सास्ती बेहोर्नु नपरोस् भन्नका लागि तुरुन्तै सम्बन्धित निकायले कुनै किसिमको पाइला चाल्न सकेमा यसबाट भविष्यमा हुने खतरा टार्न सकिन्छ ।
प्रकाशित मिति: २०६८ आश्विन १७ ०८:४६
http://www.ekantipur.com/kantipur/news/news-detail.php?news_id=253712
नेपालमा अधिकांश अस्पतालले सरसफाइलाई मानव स्वास्थ्यसँग जोडेर हेरेको पाइँदैन । अस्पतालमा अवलम्बन गर्नुपर्ने न्यूनतम सरसफाइको समेत ख्याल गरेको पाइँदैन । अस्पतालमा यत्रतत्र फोहोर फालेको पाइन्छ । बिरामीका आफन्तदेखि चिकित्सकसम्मले सरसफाइमा ध्यान नदिनाले बिरामीमा संक्रमण बढेर रोग निको हुन पनि निकै समय लागेको पाइन्छ । अस्पतालमा न्यूनतम रूपमा चिकित्सकबाट हुनुपर्ने सावधानी अपनाएको पाइँदैन । जस्तो कि काठमाडौंकै अधिकांश अस्पतालमा काम गर्ने चिकित्सकले आफूले बिरामी उपचार गर्ने समयमा लगाउने एप्रोन लगाएर बाहिर धुलो उडिरहेको सडकमा आउने तथा रेस्टुरेन्टमा खाजा तथा खाना खान जानाले झन् संक्रमण बढाउँछ भन्ने बुझेको पाइँदैन । डाक्टरहरू एप्रोन लगाएर क्यान्टिनमा आउँछन् । अस्पतालको हाताभित्र त अलि कम संक्रमण होला । तर टिचिङ अस्पताल महाराजगन्ज वरपरका रेस्टुरेन्ट तथा होटलमा जाँदा अधिकांश डाक्टर एप्रोन लगाएर त्यहाँ आएका हुन्छन् । अस्पतालबाहिर सडकमा पानी जमेको हुन्छ । वषर्ाको समयमा पानीले संक्रमण बढाएको हुन्छ भने पानी पर्न छाडेपछि गाडी हिँड्दा निकै धुलो उडेको हुन्छ । यस्ता सडकमा बाहिर आउँदा डाक्टरले लगाउने एप्रोनमा कति संक्रमण हुने गर्छ । अझ अस्पतालको बाहिरपट्ट िफोहोरको थुप्रो देखिन्छ । त्यसले संक्रमण बढाउनका लागि झन् ठूलो योगदान पुर्याउँछ ।
एप्रोनमा टाँसिएका जीवाणुबाट बिरामी पर्न सक्ने असरका बारेमा चिकित्सक आफैं अनविज्ञ हुनु लाजमर्दो अवस्था हो । होटल, रेस्टुरेन्ट, सडकमा आवतजावत गर्दा हुने संक्रमणसहित एक डाक्टर बिरामी जाँच गर्न अस्पतालमा पस्दा हुने बिरामीको क्षतिका लागि कसले जिम्मेवारी लिने ? शिक्षण अस्पतालमा कार्यरत डाक्टर, नर्स तथा विद्यार्थीले नै यतिसम्म ख्याल गर्दैनन् भने ग्रामीण भेगका अस्पतालको हविगत कस्तो होला । अस्पतालमा डाक्टरले गर्नुपर्ने सामान्य किसिमको पनि सरसफाइ गरेको पाइँदैन । आईसीयूजस्तो बिरामीलाई अति सुरक्षा र संक्रमणविहीन अवस्थामा राख्नुपर्ने स्थानमा बिरामीका नातेदार वा कुरुवा जुत्ता लगाएर भित्र जाने गरेको पाइन्छ । अस्पतालको चर्पी हेर्ने हो भने उस्तै दुर्दशा छ ।
डाक्टरले घरबाट लगाएर आउने कपडामा समेत संक्रमण हुन सक्छ । त्यसका लागि अस्पताल प्रशासनले डाक्टरले अस्पतालमा लगाउने कपडामा समेत निगरानी राख्नुपर्ने हुन्छ । कपडालाई निसंक्रमित राख्नका लागि गर्नुपर्ने सावधानीका बारेमा चिकित्सकलाई अभिमुखीकरण तालिम दिँदा पनि उपयुक्त हुन सक्छ । जुनसुकै पेसा भए तापनि मानिसका लागि उत्ति नै महत्त्वपूर्ण हुने गर्छ । आफूलाई ठूलो, राम्रो पेसामा लागेको प्रतिष्ठा देखाउनका लागि एप्रोन लगाएर अस्पतालबाहिर आउँदा हुने क्षतिका बारेमा चिकित्सक आफैं सावधान हुनुपर्ने हो । शिक्षण अस्पताल महाराजगन्ज त एउटा उदाहरण मात्रै हो । चाहे सरकारी होस् वा निजी रूपमा सञ्चालन भएका अस्पताल होऊन्, चिकित्सक एप्रोनसँगै होटल, रेस्टुरेन्ट वा सडकमा आएको पाइन्छ । यसका लागि स्वास्थ्य विभाग वा स्वास्थ्य मन्त्रालयले पनि कुनै किसिमको आचारसंहिता बनाएर यस कार्यलाई तुरुन्तै नियन्त्रण गर्नुपर्ने देखिन्छ । साथसाथै अस्पताल प्रशासनले पनि यस्ता कार्यलाई निरुत्साह गर्नका लागि चिकित्सकलाई सावधान बनाउनुपर्ने अवस्था छ । अस्पतालमा बिरामी कुरुवादेखि डाक्टरबाट हुने लापरबाहीका कारण कुनै पनि बिरामीले जीवनभर सास्ती बेहोर्नु नपरोस् भन्नका लागि तुरुन्तै सम्बन्धित निकायले कुनै किसिमको पाइला चाल्न सकेमा यसबाट भविष्यमा हुने खतरा टार्न सकिन्छ ।
प्रकाशित मिति: २०६८ आश्विन १७ ०८:४६
http://www.ekantipur.com/kantipur/news/news-detail.php?news_id=253712
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Every Drop Counts
Published in Kathmandu Post
Date - 21 September 2011
http://www.ekantipur.com/2011/09/21/oped/every-drop-counts/341139.html
When we talk about food security, the requirement of an effective plan to promote the agricultural system cannot be ignored. Food insecurity till now has been limited to a few districts. But if the disinclination of Nepali youths to pursue farming as a profession continues, the exodus of young people to foreign countries lured by lucrative jobs does not stop, and no immediate innovative and modern measures are applied to promote the agricultural system, food insecurity will definitely spread to other districts in the days to come.
There are other factors that need to be taken into consideration. Climate change will further worsen the production level of crops and make people dependent on imported food. A number of innovations and technologies have been put into practice to promote the agriculture sector. Unfortunately, farmers in Nepal’s remote villages either have no access to information or are not confident that engaging in farming will bring good returns to improve their living standards.
The political stalemate has become a setback in making the agriculture sector a government priority. Political leaders enthusiastically discuss national development, but they are yet to treat agriculture as being of paramount importance in leading the country towards prosperity. Amid the growing frustration, however, there are many farmers who have been learning new technology and applying it in their farms that has truly changed their living standards. One such appropriate and cost-effective technology even in the steep land of Nepal is drip irrigation.
Research shows that two-thirds of the land in Nepal consists of steep slopes. Except for three months during the rainy season, the rest of the year is marked by a shortage of even drinking water. In such a situation, who can hope for irrigation for farming? However, the drip irrigation technology has provided relief to farmers. Drip irrigation allows them to deliver water to the roots of plants through a network of pipes. The benefits of this technology are that it saves time and no water is wasted. Farmers don’t need to spray water over their fields holding a hose in their hands. Drip irrigation waters the roots of the plants directly; therefore, farmers do not need to spread water all over resulting in wastage through evaporation.
Drip irrigation is very simple and effective from the point of view of both technical skill and cost. A properly installed drip irrigation technology prevents water loss through overflow, deep filtration and evaporation. Supplements of agriculture chemicals can be applied efficiently together with water through drip irrigation. It can be applied even in the odd-shaped land and uneven topography. This technology can be more useful where other irrigation systems are not available. What farmers need to install are a plastic tank, polythene pipe and valves to connect the pipe.
Drip irrigation is a technology which significantly saves water intake by letting water to drip to the roots of plants either on the soil surface or directly to the root region through a network of valves, pipes and tubing. It is applied with the support of narrow tubes which supplies water directly to the base of the plant. No extra expenses are needed once the drip irrigation technology has been installed as it lasts two to three years. A tank with a capacity of 50 to 200 litres is required. A 50-litre tank can water 80 plants. The technology not only delivers water to plants, chemical supplements and fertilisers are also supplied along with the water. Fertilisers diluted in the water can reach the roots of plants directly and there is no waste. Vegetable production increases with a proportional use of water, fertilisers and medicines.
Chitra Bahadur Regmi of Jagat Bhanjyan village is the first person in Syanga district to use drip irrigation in the area. He has been benefiting by using drip irrigation to grow vegetables on his farm which formerly produced 50 kg of millet. “We have already produced 10 quintals of bitter gourds, bottle gourds and other vegetables and earned Rs 50,000,” Chitra Bahadur said.
He had once gone abroad in search of work. However, he didn’t find a good job as he had expected, and returned home with the determination to engage in vegetable farming. But the problem was water for irrigation, as there wasn’t enough in his village even for drinking. He knew about drip irrigation, and installed the technology in his land. He has diversified his vegetable output by planting bottle gourd, cucumber, bitter gourd, pumpkin and bean, tomato and has been making good money. Thanks to the new method, drip irrigation.
Chitra Bahadur plans to get a bigger water tank and call his son back from abroad where he works involve him in vegetable farming too. He is no doubt a model farmer in the area. However, there are many other enthusiastic farmers in the village who have adopted drip irrigation and taken up vegetable farming. There increased earnings have inspired would-be migrant workers to give up their foreign plans and engage in vegetable farming in their own land.
Dalendra Gurung from the same village said that he earned Rs 25,000 by growing vegetables. Agni Prashad Regmi of the same village said, “We don’t need to irrigate the whole land as drip irrigation offers a good system to drip water to the roots of plants. It also saves the time of farmers and frees them to perform other tasks.”
The government must plan to promote drip irrigation to motivate farmers to get involved in the agriculture sector. Small and intermediate technology can make true differences in the lives of the poor in the country, and that can play an important role in strengthening the country’s economy.
The writer has a Master degree in Anthropology.
Date - 21 September 2011
http://www.ekantipur.com/2011/09/21/oped/every-drop-counts/341139.html
When we talk about food security, the requirement of an effective plan to promote the agricultural system cannot be ignored. Food insecurity till now has been limited to a few districts. But if the disinclination of Nepali youths to pursue farming as a profession continues, the exodus of young people to foreign countries lured by lucrative jobs does not stop, and no immediate innovative and modern measures are applied to promote the agricultural system, food insecurity will definitely spread to other districts in the days to come.
There are other factors that need to be taken into consideration. Climate change will further worsen the production level of crops and make people dependent on imported food. A number of innovations and technologies have been put into practice to promote the agriculture sector. Unfortunately, farmers in Nepal’s remote villages either have no access to information or are not confident that engaging in farming will bring good returns to improve their living standards.
The political stalemate has become a setback in making the agriculture sector a government priority. Political leaders enthusiastically discuss national development, but they are yet to treat agriculture as being of paramount importance in leading the country towards prosperity. Amid the growing frustration, however, there are many farmers who have been learning new technology and applying it in their farms that has truly changed their living standards. One such appropriate and cost-effective technology even in the steep land of Nepal is drip irrigation.
Research shows that two-thirds of the land in Nepal consists of steep slopes. Except for three months during the rainy season, the rest of the year is marked by a shortage of even drinking water. In such a situation, who can hope for irrigation for farming? However, the drip irrigation technology has provided relief to farmers. Drip irrigation allows them to deliver water to the roots of plants through a network of pipes. The benefits of this technology are that it saves time and no water is wasted. Farmers don’t need to spray water over their fields holding a hose in their hands. Drip irrigation waters the roots of the plants directly; therefore, farmers do not need to spread water all over resulting in wastage through evaporation.
Drip irrigation is very simple and effective from the point of view of both technical skill and cost. A properly installed drip irrigation technology prevents water loss through overflow, deep filtration and evaporation. Supplements of agriculture chemicals can be applied efficiently together with water through drip irrigation. It can be applied even in the odd-shaped land and uneven topography. This technology can be more useful where other irrigation systems are not available. What farmers need to install are a plastic tank, polythene pipe and valves to connect the pipe.
Drip irrigation is a technology which significantly saves water intake by letting water to drip to the roots of plants either on the soil surface or directly to the root region through a network of valves, pipes and tubing. It is applied with the support of narrow tubes which supplies water directly to the base of the plant. No extra expenses are needed once the drip irrigation technology has been installed as it lasts two to three years. A tank with a capacity of 50 to 200 litres is required. A 50-litre tank can water 80 plants. The technology not only delivers water to plants, chemical supplements and fertilisers are also supplied along with the water. Fertilisers diluted in the water can reach the roots of plants directly and there is no waste. Vegetable production increases with a proportional use of water, fertilisers and medicines.
Chitra Bahadur Regmi of Jagat Bhanjyan village is the first person in Syanga district to use drip irrigation in the area. He has been benefiting by using drip irrigation to grow vegetables on his farm which formerly produced 50 kg of millet. “We have already produced 10 quintals of bitter gourds, bottle gourds and other vegetables and earned Rs 50,000,” Chitra Bahadur said.
He had once gone abroad in search of work. However, he didn’t find a good job as he had expected, and returned home with the determination to engage in vegetable farming. But the problem was water for irrigation, as there wasn’t enough in his village even for drinking. He knew about drip irrigation, and installed the technology in his land. He has diversified his vegetable output by planting bottle gourd, cucumber, bitter gourd, pumpkin and bean, tomato and has been making good money. Thanks to the new method, drip irrigation.
Chitra Bahadur plans to get a bigger water tank and call his son back from abroad where he works involve him in vegetable farming too. He is no doubt a model farmer in the area. However, there are many other enthusiastic farmers in the village who have adopted drip irrigation and taken up vegetable farming. There increased earnings have inspired would-be migrant workers to give up their foreign plans and engage in vegetable farming in their own land.
Dalendra Gurung from the same village said that he earned Rs 25,000 by growing vegetables. Agni Prashad Regmi of the same village said, “We don’t need to irrigate the whole land as drip irrigation offers a good system to drip water to the roots of plants. It also saves the time of farmers and frees them to perform other tasks.”
The government must plan to promote drip irrigation to motivate farmers to get involved in the agriculture sector. Small and intermediate technology can make true differences in the lives of the poor in the country, and that can play an important role in strengthening the country’s economy.
The writer has a Master degree in Anthropology.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Menstruation Paradox- Published in Kathmandu Post
In Brahmin and Chhetri culture, women’s menstrual period is looked upon as sinful and physically squalid. Especially the first three days of the period, women are said to be contaminated and they are kept away from their ordinary routine as if they’re untouchable. They’re not allowed to enter the kitchen and touch food, are not permitted to prepare and fix meals; or worship god at a temple. What makes things even worse is when they’re shun even from doing personal chores such as combing their hair or using a beauty kit if they desire to attend any external function.
Research in Dangerous Wives and Sacred Sisters, Social and Symbolic Roles of High-caste Women in Nepal, carried out by Lynn Bennett on 1983 delves into traditional practices and their impact. Her research paper further explains that village women have no knowledge on ovulation and its connection with their period of fertility. Instead, they associate the fertile period directly with menstrual blood.
It has been almost three decades since the research was carried out and Nepal’s developmental landscape has made significant improvements over the years, the aforementioned predicament of rural women, however, continue to plague the society in general, and women in particular. When a woman has to live separately from other family members with a designated bed, utensils and few clothing for a period of three days, where people follow dismal sanitation and hygiene practices with no access to electricity, safe water and medical care, one can only imagine how hazardous her health can be. Further, the irony is that such practices are said to be exercised so as to avoid from committing sin and to please god.
A lass in her mid-teens from a remote village of Arghakhanchi shares her melancholic experiences during her first menstruation period. With limited utensils, clothes and toiletries at her disposal, she was given fixed meals two times a day delivered to the cowshed by another female member of the family. She was barred from seeing male members of the household for 10 straight days with a dogma that she would transmit evils to them. Much has been talked about and done over the years—proclaimed to be women empowerment— but hers is an example of denial and rejection that speaks volumes of what we do in practice in inhibiting the development and growth of women in all walks of life.
The research work done by Bennett is a sophisticated read and of course, an extensively studied topic of paramount importance especially in Nepali culture. Researchers, academics and anthropologists have historically used the emic or etic approach to understand the real meaning of culture. Any ongoing research and study, however, should be directed towards addressing the problem rather than just to embrace the work of humanities and social sciences. Efforts, any and all, should continue to bring positive changes to society without hurting and humiliating cultural cohesion.
As I flip through Bennett’s book, I grow restless just to notice the vast chasm between rural villages and urban cities. Here in these thousands of villages, innocent women have been suffering from age-old evil practices like discrimination at the time of menstruation when they need family support, love and good care.
Funds and policies aimed at addressing the problems are solely focused on urban women in the name of grandeur receptions, sophisticated workshops and lavish conferences. What policies!
When I visit villages in various districts in course of my official work, I find it deplorable talking about the menstruation period—still, women are termed as ‘polluted’ during this time, living three days each month away from the care and comfort of family. In contrary, when I go to the municipalities and Kathmandu, the menstruation period is no more taboo even to those who have temporarily moved to these cities for study or work. But, the menstruation time actually bears cardinal importance in terms of health, hygiene and sanitation of women, no matter where they live. Urbanites may not even believe that a woman living in the village still has to live separately in a cowshed during the menstruation period.
I asked a young single lady who hails from a small village of western Nepal and has been living in Kathmandu for the last five years about how she manages to live during her menstruation period. she quickly replied, saying that she strongly follows the cultural practice when she home in the village, but when in Kathmandu, she has rooted out such practice to oblivion. The paradox here shows that the evil practices that endanger the health of human being are followed only in the villages and can only be attributed to lack of education, awareness and information.
Democracy has given rights to the people, irrespective of location. Since the dawn of democracy and multiparty system in the nation, we have witnessed several and substantial changes, not only in national development, but also in cultural dynamics. Analysis of culture, from other countries enriches the knowledge on imbalance of rights, power and the decision making process among a wide range of issues in Nepal. Nonetheless, the very minimal has been accomplished when it comes to education and empowerment of rural women. A broadened interpretation of culture, meticulous analysis of what is right and what is wrong, with the sincere effort to empower Nepali women in different walks of life has to be our priority—both at the government and non-government levels.
As women in the villages continue to live an arduous life during menstruation and are seen as despicable, while their urban counterparts live a regular life, it brings to question where our developments efforts are directed to. It is lucid and clear for the readers to decipher what the reason is, that makes the same culture so different in two places. It is obvious, where and why the workshops, education, training and interactions need to be concentrated.
Bhandari has a Masters degree in Anthropology
Posted on: 2011-08-07 09:13
Kathmandu Post link-
http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2011/08/06/oped/menstruation-paradox/224891.html
Research in Dangerous Wives and Sacred Sisters, Social and Symbolic Roles of High-caste Women in Nepal, carried out by Lynn Bennett on 1983 delves into traditional practices and their impact. Her research paper further explains that village women have no knowledge on ovulation and its connection with their period of fertility. Instead, they associate the fertile period directly with menstrual blood.
It has been almost three decades since the research was carried out and Nepal’s developmental landscape has made significant improvements over the years, the aforementioned predicament of rural women, however, continue to plague the society in general, and women in particular. When a woman has to live separately from other family members with a designated bed, utensils and few clothing for a period of three days, where people follow dismal sanitation and hygiene practices with no access to electricity, safe water and medical care, one can only imagine how hazardous her health can be. Further, the irony is that such practices are said to be exercised so as to avoid from committing sin and to please god.
A lass in her mid-teens from a remote village of Arghakhanchi shares her melancholic experiences during her first menstruation period. With limited utensils, clothes and toiletries at her disposal, she was given fixed meals two times a day delivered to the cowshed by another female member of the family. She was barred from seeing male members of the household for 10 straight days with a dogma that she would transmit evils to them. Much has been talked about and done over the years—proclaimed to be women empowerment— but hers is an example of denial and rejection that speaks volumes of what we do in practice in inhibiting the development and growth of women in all walks of life.
The research work done by Bennett is a sophisticated read and of course, an extensively studied topic of paramount importance especially in Nepali culture. Researchers, academics and anthropologists have historically used the emic or etic approach to understand the real meaning of culture. Any ongoing research and study, however, should be directed towards addressing the problem rather than just to embrace the work of humanities and social sciences. Efforts, any and all, should continue to bring positive changes to society without hurting and humiliating cultural cohesion.
As I flip through Bennett’s book, I grow restless just to notice the vast chasm between rural villages and urban cities. Here in these thousands of villages, innocent women have been suffering from age-old evil practices like discrimination at the time of menstruation when they need family support, love and good care.
Funds and policies aimed at addressing the problems are solely focused on urban women in the name of grandeur receptions, sophisticated workshops and lavish conferences. What policies!
When I visit villages in various districts in course of my official work, I find it deplorable talking about the menstruation period—still, women are termed as ‘polluted’ during this time, living three days each month away from the care and comfort of family. In contrary, when I go to the municipalities and Kathmandu, the menstruation period is no more taboo even to those who have temporarily moved to these cities for study or work. But, the menstruation time actually bears cardinal importance in terms of health, hygiene and sanitation of women, no matter where they live. Urbanites may not even believe that a woman living in the village still has to live separately in a cowshed during the menstruation period.
I asked a young single lady who hails from a small village of western Nepal and has been living in Kathmandu for the last five years about how she manages to live during her menstruation period. she quickly replied, saying that she strongly follows the cultural practice when she home in the village, but when in Kathmandu, she has rooted out such practice to oblivion. The paradox here shows that the evil practices that endanger the health of human being are followed only in the villages and can only be attributed to lack of education, awareness and information.
Democracy has given rights to the people, irrespective of location. Since the dawn of democracy and multiparty system in the nation, we have witnessed several and substantial changes, not only in national development, but also in cultural dynamics. Analysis of culture, from other countries enriches the knowledge on imbalance of rights, power and the decision making process among a wide range of issues in Nepal. Nonetheless, the very minimal has been accomplished when it comes to education and empowerment of rural women. A broadened interpretation of culture, meticulous analysis of what is right and what is wrong, with the sincere effort to empower Nepali women in different walks of life has to be our priority—both at the government and non-government levels.
As women in the villages continue to live an arduous life during menstruation and are seen as despicable, while their urban counterparts live a regular life, it brings to question where our developments efforts are directed to. It is lucid and clear for the readers to decipher what the reason is, that makes the same culture so different in two places. It is obvious, where and why the workshops, education, training and interactions need to be concentrated.
Bhandari has a Masters degree in Anthropology
Posted on: 2011-08-07 09:13
Kathmandu Post link-
http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2011/08/06/oped/menstruation-paradox/224891.html
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