Children’s Clubs

"A platform for children for using their creativity, empowering them with using their innate potentiality".
Nira Sakya, Deputy Director at the Department of Education

Rationale
Objectives
Outputs
Programme Details
Testimonies
Working Area
Current Status

Rationale

Having been established only as recently in 1990, the notions of democracy, human rights and individual empowerment has still yet to permeate through to many communities in Nepal. Pre-existing inequalities which have been instigated through caste and social discrimination for generations are still common, and these can sometimes be re-enforced through the education system. GAN works with schools and communities in developing initiatives that create opportunities for children to benefit as fully as possible from their education and become active citizens.

Objectives

The overall objectives of our children's clubs are as follows:

• To develop children's leadership and life skills
• To create opportunities for children to explore their talents
• To raise children's awareness of their rights
• To create a forum for children to discuss the issues that are important to them

Outputs

As each children's club is an autonomous unit and decides its own agenda and the areas where it wishes to focus, there are no set 'outputs'. However, many children's clubs follow similar agendas, and meet regularly to share and swap ideas. The following list indicates the typical activities that children's clubs have instigated in their own schools and communities:

• School library development and management
• Inter-school competitions
• Quizzes
• Debates
• Waste management
• The regular production of school newsletter by children and staff
• Street drama

For many clubs, street drama is the touchstone of the entire project, with children from as young as eight years old writing, directing and performing their own pieces of drama that address many of the key questions in their society as they see it, including alcoholism, the caste system and the role of women in society. Sanu Maiya, who observed the work of the Saibu drama group, said that, "The drama is excellent, showing the real-life situation of families and communities. Such street drama should be performed time and again."

Programme Details

GAN has established 58 children's clubs to date, one in each of our partner schools. Their activities are regularly monitored by our field staff and volunteers, and support and guidance is offered as necessary.

Testimonies

Whilst many teachers and headmasters have been actively involved in the children's clubs, the dynamism behind the most successful has come very much from the children's side.

For Sushila Khadka, aged 11, a committee member in Budhanilkantha, the club has "given me lots of experience and knowledge, especially providing us with an opportunity to be aware of our rights and responsibilities." However, headmasters and teachers have also expressed their interest and support of this innovation in schools. Bhim Sapkota, a secondary headmaster in Lalitpur district, has noted that since the establishment of the children's club in his school, Adarsha Secondary, "students have become more responsible, creative and productive, and have helped each other in their studies."

The implementation of the scheme has been observed closely by the department of education. According to Nira Sakya, Deputy Director at the Department of Education, "children's clubs are a platform for children for using their creativity, empowering them with using their innate potentiality."

Working Area

Children's clubs have been established in our partners schools in Kathmandu, Kaski and Lalitpur.

Current Status

GAN is currently funding the majority of the children's clubs itself, but is actively seeking sponsorship for them. Funding each club costs just £10 per month, but the benefits are enormous. If you are interested in supporting one of our children's clubs, please contact us. In return, you will receive regular updates and photos as to the activities your club is up to.

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