A Short Update on Chepang Self-help Project Pre-Implementation Visit 25-27 November

Dear All,

Greetings!  As informed you earlier, I took a planned pre-project implementation visit to Self-help Repair and Maintenance Shelter Initiative from 24 November to 26 November.  On early morning (7:00 am) of 25 November, together with my school friend Uttam KC and Ujjwal, a Sai Youth Coordinator from Narayan Ghat who had volunteered to help me, we departed. After some two and half hour of drive from the base in Nawalpur, where I had put myself, to Bhandara, it took us some another three and half hour to drive a distance of 28 km to meeting site to Ramirang Danda where all the heads / representatives of  beneficiary families were gathered for meeting.

It goes without stating that the intended goal of the project to provide roof-over the  head of these families, especially, to protect women and children from heat, cold and rain is a great humanitarian work that FIPMO is undertaking.  Invaluable contributions made towards this initiative by every single one of you will provide hope to these families much remembered by the people of this village realizing that they are not alone and left out alone.

Day one:

• Driving from Kathmandu to Nannapur Tharu Village Resort (typically local) in Nawalpur.

Day two:

• A meeting with heads / representatives of beneficiary families was held:

•  village and local situation observed closely;
•  all details of implementation were explained and discussed;
• every single beneficiary family were verified;
• driving some three and half hours to drive to cover a distance of 28 km only from Bhandara (one way only) to the place where the meeting with beneficiaries was scheduled where most of the beneficiary who had walked down for 2 to 3 hours from their home up-hills clearly indicates the extreme remoteness of areas where these marginalized community reside;
• except for two – three households who intend to build a complete new structures, all others opting for repair and maintenance with have the roofs over their houses in three to four weeks from the day of receipt of assistance. Those coming up with new structure are expected to complete their houses in two months.
• few pictures of the day (although most of you must have already seen as posted by me on my FB) will speak a 1000 words by itself;
• date of distribution of roofing materials agreed upon for 11 Poush or December 26 (Saturday as convenient to project beneficiaries);
• Much fulfilling outcome and much relaxed when back to our base late in the evening.

Day Three: 

• Market research by visiting few vendors for supply of needed roofing materials for the project. Identified and negotiated with the vendor a lowest whole sale price. Since the vendor is not delivering the procured items from Narayan Ghat to distribution site, the same where we had held meeting with the beneficiaries, would be covered from the project budget. Distribution package will consists of RED color (to be distinctly identified that they were distributed by FIPMO) galvalised corrugated sheet of 40 gage (thickest), nails and washers, plain sheets to put on the top of the roof to cover the joint and hammers.
• Return to Kathmandu (reached late in the evening 21:50).

Field Trip for Implementation:

FYI, as agreed upon with the beneficiaries date of distribution / implementation of construction materials is 11 Pouch 2077 or 26 December 2020 (Saturday). I am travelling to the field on 25 December at around 10:00 from Kathmandu.  Participation of all those who have contributed towards the project and EC members, if you all could, would have been great, so that you could witness by yourself and also distribute the assistance to individual beneficiary families.  By means of this mail Invitation is kindly extended.  However, the problem would be , I can accommodate only three people in my car therefore the rest who would like to join the trip would need to volunteer to drive by themselves.  I would like to receive your confirmation.

I will have anyways prepared a short distribution report for your update and a full report will be there on completion of the project that may take a little time until the houses are completely repaired and maintained by the beneficiaries. Further, you can always visit the beneficiaries on a later date or even during the Second Phase of the Project.