General Meeting on 3 and 4 October 2020 in Brousse (63)
General information on Nepal and Rapcha
Due to the health crisis, the trips scheduled for 2020 have been cancelled. This has deprived the association of elements of observation, understanding or verification of this field mission that could have informed our decisions.
There is a climate of uncertainty in Nepal, which has repercussions on development and sponsorship policies. Economic and social life is very disrupted. The political situation is currently stable.
The pandemic has revealed Nepal’s dependence on India, particularly in terms of agriculture. There is a growing desire to revitalise local agriculture.
–Climate crisis: very heavy monsoon, resulting in landslides and crop damage.
–Improving life in Rapcha: A sports ground has been built, financed by the government. Tracks have been opened to the hamlets (Bodu). Drinking water project in Anderi. Construction of a boarding school for girls by a German association. Closed fireplaces for cooking, inside the houses, continue to be installed. These fireplaces have become a matter of course for them now (no more smoke inside the house and therefore prevention of associated pathologies).
Orientations of ANUVAM’s actions
The last 2 earthquake-proof houses, with the support of CDC Développement solidaire (Caisse des Dépôts et Consignation), will be built this winter 2020-2021, if the health crisis allows.
The association is now turning its attention to supporting other projects that our local correspondents have told us about. The new direction for the village is to regain food self-sufficiency and develop organic farming. This dynamic is reflected in the demand for new buildings such as hen houses and water mills, which make use of the technical expertise of the team of building craftsmen and demonstrate a revival and confidence in their future:
– Building a henhouse
The people of Rapcha eat chicken. With the number of small family farms dwindling, they felt it was necessary to build a poultry house. The quality will be better and the costs lower than for the current meat (often frozen chickens from Kathmandu).
– Building a water mill
The aim is to encourage the production and consumption of local cereals (maize, barley, millet) rather than bringing rice to the village. A water mill will make it possible to obtain flour in all seasons, without being dependent on electricity, which is always unpredictable.
We are also going to support them in their application to fund the salary of a teacher at the Thulodunga school (Shree Chandrodaya Basic School), as well as continuing to support the dispensary, particularly for the purchase of medicines.
The association’s trip to Nepal in 2021
The trip planned for 2020 has been postponed until 2021, probably in the autumn…
It will include :
– a sufficiently long stay in the village (as we won’t have had any contact with the villagers for a long time),
– a short trek,
– a cultural visit to Kathmandu and its valley,
all of which can be adapted to suit members who have never been to Nepal and those who have.
It will be possible to plan different lengths of stay in Nepal for participants.
Would you like to take part in this trip? Please do not hesitate to contact us.
The President, Gisèle Bonnet
La présidente, Gisèle Bonnet
