Building a community hub
Samunnat Nepal has been steadily building its presence in the local community. It is well-known as a place that women can go to for help and support. The community microfinance organisation, Jalkanya Krishi Cooperative, has helped to embed Samunnat in this role.
Now, Samunnat is developing its presence even further. Some of the money from the recent online sale in the USA is helping to finance an exciting development on the vacant land opposite Samunnat’s building. The board had intended to build a children’s play area. It held a consultation meeting with representatives from all of the local communities. This meeting showed that the area could be so much more. The plans now envision a community hub where children can play and exercise safely, groups can come for meetings and events., and farmers and makers can have a weekly market. You can see from the photo, below, that the road in front of the building is being sealed and guttered. So, what was a bumpy dirt track will now carry bikes and cars at some speed. And the land that was once paddy fields has been almost completely occupied with new houses. Green space for the community needs to be preserved now more than ever.
Housing construction in 2014
Over the last 10-20 years the green space surrounding Samunnat’s building has been steadliy occupied by new houses.
The space in front of Samunnat’s building, also showing the guttered road under construction
Samunnat will use this community meeting place to promote and talk about its programs. One of the programs that it is aiming for is called ‘Transformation’ (रूपान्तरण). Samunnat has met with an organisation in Kathmandu that developed a life-skills training package for teenage girls in schools. They are talking with a trainer who can deliver the course to local women, including those directly associated with Samunnat. The goal is to develop local trainers who can work with schools and the community. The course covers a wide range of topics including finance, health, relationships, child marriage, bullying, cyber safety, and others. Samunnat had hoped to help develop local mental health support but, unfortunately, it looks like a very long-term plan. This course would be a very practical and achievable way of working on issues that are huge contributors to mental health problems.