Bara Programme Unit
Area: 1,190 sq. km
Population: 559,135
Communitiess: 98
Sponsored children: Around 5,300
Plan started working in Bara, in the southern part of Kathmandu, in 1996. The majority of the population consists of indigenous/Madhesi communities, and socio-economically excluded people called Dalits (so-called untouchables).
Programme highlights
Keeping children and communities healthy
Plan is focusing on immunisation, community-based management of childhood illness, neonatal care and reproductive health. We have trained 1,200 female community health volunteers so they can confidently treat children, women and families.
We have also formed 430 pregnant women’s groups to discuss safe pregnancy and delivery practices and continue to support the construction of sub-health posts.
Plan supported the cost of treating an 11-year-old girl who was referred to hospital with leukaemia after visiting one of the sub-health posts. Her condition greatly improved and she has been able to return to school.
"Perhaps I would not have been alive today if Plan had not supported my treatment,” she said. “Now I can study, play and work like my friends so I am very happy."
Creating an environment for learning
Plan is supporting the construction of 59 schools, providing education materials and training teachers to create a child-friendly environment for learning. We are also providing scholarships to more than 7,000 children so they can continue their studies and nearly 10,000 school-aged children have enrolled in school after attending alternative classes. Plan has also started a Learn Without Fear campaign to end violence in schools.
Helping communities create opportunities
Plan is helping families increase their income so they can meet their basic needs. We have supported local producer groups who have trained farmers in vegetable farming, animal rearing and vocational training. We have also helped people lease land and supported microfinance loans for people to establish small businesses.
Abolishing discrimination
Around 5,000 children are engaged in Plan-supported child clubs where we conduct life skills classes for boys and girls to prepare them for a brighter future.
We have organised anti-trafficking and anti-child-marriage awareness training and helped register the births of 50,000 children who now have an identity and a birth certificate so they can access their rights to services such as health and education.
Plan also supports children who have been orphaned, displaced or affected by conflict with rehabilitation and resettlement into their communities.
