Nutrition and early learning are key to helping vulnerable children two years after Nepal earthquakes

Nepal国产视频檚 youngest, most vulnerable children were devastated by the earthquake聽of 2015聽– and the effect is still rippling two years on.

Malnutrition among the country国产视频檚 poorest children is still the biggest challenge. That is why charities like the聽Nepal Youth Foundation聽believe feeding children as part of their early childhood development programmes is essential.

A major earthquake聽struck the country two years ago today, killing almost 9000 people.

It also聽damaged about 14,000 early childhood development (ECD) centres –聽 5000 of them聽completely destroyed –聽leaving more than a quarter of a million children with no access to early learning programmes.

Nepal Youth Foundation国产视频檚 President, Som Paneru, took time out to speak to 国产视频 about the many challenges ahead for the young children of Nepal.聽

He called for more global help to save children from the effects of聽malnutrition.聽

Paneru said: 国产视频淭he areas requiring urgent intervention for young children in Nepal is saving them from death and disability due to malnutrition.聽And intervening in children国产视频檚 early education to improve the low level of learning achievement and improve children国产视频檚 overall future prospects.

国产视频淓CD has been affected badly by聽the 2015 earthquake. The ECD centres were damaged and children couldn国产视频檛 return due to the threat of another quake. Many educational materials were buried and school premises were very risky.

国产视频淵oung children were disturbed psychologically. Things were in chaos both at home and at school and the children lacked a routine life.聽

“Around 280,000 were affected by the earthquake. More than a million children had been attending an ECD programme at that time.国产视频�

Early childhood development supports children国产视频檚 development from birth to age five. 国产视频’s #5for5 campaign is urging leaders to invest more in聽programmes and services that support聽nurturing care, including health, nutrition, play, learning and protection.

During and聽after emergencies, such as a natural disaster, safe spaces聽help children overcome the physical, emotional and psychological trauma.

The very youngest – those whose brains and bodies聽are developing the most rapidly – face additional聽challenges.聽

The physical deprivation, psychological聽trauma, toxic stress and inadequate cognitive and聽emotional development can have long-lasting聽impacts on their ability to learn, grow and recover.聽

Nepal Youth Foundation is working to improve聽the quality of the Nepalese government’s聽ECD programmes.聽

Paneru said: 国产视频淐urrently we are working with 50 ECD centres in Lalitpur, Chitwan, Sindhupalchowk and Kavre districts –聽mostly catering to children from disadvantaged communities.聽

国产视频淚n view of the prevalence of malnutrition in the country, and the critical need of good nutrition for child国产视频檚 development, we run a successful midday meal programme for the children at the ECDs聽and also train parents on good nutritional practices.

国产视频淲e work on upgrading the infrastructure and improving the capacity of teachers and facilitators. We also impart awareness to parents to improve early childhood development at home.国产视频�

After the earthquake, the government and social organisations jointly established temporary learning centres (TLCs.) in the severely affected areas.聽

Paneru explained: 国产视频淭wo years on after the earthquake, the children are in temporary shelters. The reconstruction efforts are delayed and inadequate. The National Reconstruction Authority reports that only a third of the required budget for overall reconstruction after the quake has been ensured.国产视频�

A total of 1049 ECD centres are reported to have been built so far聽and another 2018 are under construction, according to the聽Department of Education.

Nepal国产视频檚 education sector has included some mention of ECD in national development plans since the 1970s.聽

But it was not until 2000 that ECD took a formal place in national policy when the government adopted the goals and strategies of the global movement聽Education for All (EFA).聽

There are more than 33,000 ECD centres and pre-primary classes (PPCs) in Nepal offering services to children aged three to five.

国产视频淒espite all the development and provision in policy, quality and access to the ECD is a big challenge,国产视频� Paneru said.

国产视频淎ccess to ECD services for disadvantaged groups such as Dalit and Janajati groups is limited compared to other groups. The quality of ECD centres is also very poor, owing to a lack of adequate infrastructure and facilities, high child-teacher ratios, and under-qualified and under-paid teachers or facilitators.国产视频�

In the wake of the earthquakes,聽Nepal Youth Foundation reached out by operating 17 day care and learning centres in Kathmandu valley and Dolakha –聽helping 1200 children.

Young girls and boys receive聽nutritious midday meals, psychological counseling聽and other learning activities at the centres. 聽

Paneru said: 国产视频淣YF counsellors also trained 300 teachers, staff and volunteers on psychological first aid, to help the children and adults recover from the trauma.”

For further information about the charity’s work,聽contact Hannah Coppersmith, CEO, Nepal Youth Foundation UK.

• Two years on: schools continue to be rebuilt
• Two years: Blog by 国产视频聽Global Youth Ambassador from Nepal