Makwanpur Programme Unit
Area: 2,426 sq. km
Population: 392,604
Districts and communities: 1 municipality, 43 village development committees
Sponsored children: Around 8,770
Plan Nepal’s Makwanpur Programme Unit is located in Hetauda, the district headquarters of Makwanpur. More than 15 tribes including ethnic groups live with their own languages and cultures. 90% of the population depends on agriculture.
Plan has been working with children, their families and communities in the district since 1996 to increase awareness of children's rights and ensure they receive the best possible care.
Programme highlights
Early childhood care and development
To ensure children receive the best start to life, Plan Nepal introduced a home-based early childhood care and development scheme in 36 communities of Makwanpur.
Under the parent to child early stimulation scheme, 4,574 fathers, mothers and care givers received knowledge and skills in child rearing, childcare and early childhood development activities. A total of 3,478 children aged under 3 have benefited from this programme.
Children playing a role in their future
Plan Nepal is empowering children in Makwanpur to become key decision-makers in matters that affect their future. For example, when working children were presented with a project that provided them with goats, they were consulted as to whether it would be beneficial or increase their workload and interrupt their education.
Some children help their parents maintain household accounts and they participate in awareness raising activities such as environment-protection rallies and information-dissemination activities.
Community health initiatives
Plan Nepal is strengthening maternal and child health, and the care services of health workers.. We also conduct healthy baby competitions and nutritious food demonstrations in the district.
Major initiatives address adolescent sexual and reproductive health through peer educators, a community-based HIV prevention programme and promoting the rights of children with disabilities. Five Pregnant Women’s Groups are providing support for safe and healthy newborn delivery.
Empowering women
More than 24,338 women have become active members of women cooperatives initiated by Plan Nepal’s women empowerment project. The members receive loans from the cooperative fund to set up small businesses – including animal rearing, vegetable farming and small shops.
To date they have generated profits amounting to around US$585,493. Now women have easy access to money, which in the past, they only dreamed about.
Plan Nepal also conducted 36 women literacy classes, targeting 743 illiterate women. With newfound pride, literacy and status in the community, these women are now actively starting discussions on violence against women, human trafficking, reproductive health and child rights.
