"The Ministry of Health, UN-HABITAT Water for Asian Cities Programme and Environment Conservation Camp (ECCA) have selected 10 schools of the Kathmandu Valley for piloting the Human Value-Based Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Education (HVWSHE) programme. Based on the outcome of the pilot testing, the government will gradually adopt the education in the school curriculum."
The importance of this announcement cannot be underestimated, and since it was made in late December 2008 we have been communicating with the UN-HABITAT office in Kathmandu to try and get our five schools included in the pilot programme.
However, they have refused on the basis of budget and costs of implementation in the five extra schools. So, we asked them to provide us with a cost projection and breakdown to train 2 teachers in each of our schools and to provide them with the appropriate materials. Once we know this we can consider whether we have the funds to provide this addition to the curriculum ourselves without waiting for the Nepalese Government to act.
Unfortunately we have NOT been replied to with these costs. (Wheels move very slowly in Nepal). However through our team and contacts we have the UN Director in Kathmandu who is chasing on our behalf.
We hope in the near future to be able to arrange funding for this work so that all the children in our five schools can receive some basic education in the importance of clean water and sanitation principles.
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