Heifer International Nepal 1. Heifer International NEpal Annual report

Transcription

1 Heifer International Nepal 1 Heifer International NEpal Annual report fiscal year 2010 july june 2010

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3 Heifer International Nepal 3 Table of Contents Country Director s Message 4 History 5 Key Priority Issues 6 Program Achievements for Fiscal Year Training Activities 8 Current Projects 9 List of Project Partners 10 Funding Partners 11 Budget Analysis 12 Program Map 13 Success Stories 14 Significant Events 16 Top Priorities for the coming fiscal year 18

4 Heifer International Nepal 4 Country Director s Message Dear Friends Heifer works towards alleviating poverty and hunger through livestock, agriculture and social transformation of people and then communities. Widening the sphere of giving, this year Heifer reached out to 8414 new families. Promoting gender equality and empowering women by putting them in the position to learn skills and placing physical assets into their care and supervision, perhaps for the first time in the lives of many, is what Heifer does to battle poverty. The Values Based Holistic Community Development (VBHCD) Approach has lasting impacts as seen here in Nepal in the past 13 years of Heifer International Nepal s work. Along with other partners in development, we have taken significant strides, contributing towards many aspects of the Millennium Development Goals. While our work primarily focuses on ending poverty and hunger, the holistic approaches also influences other goals - from achieving universal primary education, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health and ensuring environmental sustainability. I believe that we can achieve the Millennium Development Goals through forging partnerships and working with like-minded organizations, sharing expertise and resources in building a world free of hunger and poverty while caring for the earth. Yours Sincerely Dr. Shubh N. Mahato Country Director

5 Heifer International Nepal 5 History Heifer International Heifer International is a non-profit, humanitarian organization dedicated to ending world hunger and saving the earth by providing livestock, trees, training and other resources to help poor families around the globe become self-reliant. Since it began in 1944, Heifer has worked directly with 13 million families in more than 126 countries and in 38 U.S. states. Animals from Heifer International provide milk, eggs, plowing power and other benefits that for families across the planet can mean improved nutrition, education for children, health care, improved housing and literally a new way of life. What makes Heifer unique is the practice known as passing on the gift. Families receiving animals agree to pass on the first offspring or an appropriate equivalent to another family in need, starting a chain of giving that often touches thousands of lives. But Heifer International s most striking qualities are its simplicity and effectiveness. In short, Heifer s common-sense approach to sustainable development works one family at a time. Heifer Vision Statement A world of communities living together in peace and equitably sharing the resources of a healthy planet. Animals being transported to Kathmandu in Heifer Mission Statement To work with communities to end hunger and poverty and to care for the earth. Heifer International Nepal Heifer s history in Nepal can be traced back to 1957 and 58 when Heifer International sent a shipment of ten Brown Swiss cattle, five Hampshire pigs and 57 sheep of Dorset Horn, Romney and Rambouillet breeds and another shipment of four Corriedale ram and two Jersey bulls including parent stock of poultry like Black Minorca, Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire Red and White Leghorn at the government s request in order to introduce high-yielding livestock into the native animal population. In 1993 the Baruwa Goat Raising Project for a group of 25 women in the Gitanagar Village Development Committee of Chitwan District was initiated as Heifer s first project in Nepal. Heifer International Nepal began its official operation as a country office on September 1997 by signing the first formal agreement with the Social Welfare Council. Using livestock and technical trainings as tools for poverty alleviation, the Values- Based Holistic Community Development (VBHCD) approach allows Heifer to reach a community and form a relationship, after which Heifer can work as a catalyst for holistic transformation, according to the community s vision for itself.

6 Heifer International Nepal 6 Key Priority Issues of Heifer International Nepal s Strategic Plan for FY10-FY14 I. Shared Leadership A collaborative culture that fosters team spirit and increases efficiency and effectiveness, has proven to be effective in maintaining high levels of transparency. To strengthen shared leadership at all levels, co- mentoring and co-learning, Participatory Self Review and Planning (PSRP), Employee Performance and Monitoring Systems etc will be emphasized throughout the organization. II. Networking and Collaboration This emphasizes on advocating with government, media and other development organizations to share the impacts of VBHCD with the objective of increasing support of small-scale farmers through education, exposure visits, and participation in forums and coalitions. III. Resource Development and Diversification With the plans for program expansion, Heifer Nepal also needs to address the need for resources. Apart from the resources generated from Heifer headquarters, it will also, with the support of the Marketing and Resource Development (MRD) team, explore ways to generate funding from non-heifer sources. This will involve a strong partnership with MRD and regional program division for sharing of information, impacts and expertise. IV. Strengthening Country Program Management Systems To be fully efficient and effective in the wake of a growing program, Heifer Nepal realizes the need for a thorough review and assessment of management systems and capacity. Building transparent system for creating, reviewing and updating policies and procedures and a clear internal communications channel will assist in planning, implementation and evaluation of projects. V. Program Expansion and Scaling Up Heifer Nepal will strategize on involving empowered NGO s and project participants to support wide scale holistic program expansion. Maintaining the quality of work in such scales will require strengthening technical aspects through coordination with governmental line agencies and by establishment of resource villages of livestock and fodder and forage in strategic areas to increase efficiency, effectiveness, and consistency.

7 Heifer International Nepal 7 Program Achievements for FY2010 (July 2009-June 2010) Families Assisted Animals Project Self-Help Original Pass-on Total Distributed Partners Groups Families Families Families Goats 47 Sheep 1257 Swine Buffalo Cattle 44 Oxen 3191 Poultry In FY2010, Heifer Nepal supported 8414 new families through gifts of livestock, agricultural inputs and trainings. Heifer works by placing livestock and other agricultural assets with families the outputs from which help families make better life choices out of the total 8414 new families served in FY2010 were given livestock, other support and trainings by previous recipients through Heifer s signature methodology of Passing on the Gift. This fiscal year Heifer continued its work of strengthening the technical aspects of livestock and farming components of its projects. In FY2010 five more cooperatives were formed and are operating various enterprises that will help those involved take their skills and products to a higher scale and a wider market. Seven cooperatives formed last year have all reported a profitable first year. A total of 2640 women learned to read and write for the first time in their lives with Heifer s Valued Based Literacy Program this year and are using their newly acquired skill to read, write and do basic mathematics in daily life and business. Workshops and project visits were held with individuals from project partners, government line agencies and other development organizations. Such sharing in the past has now resulted in organizations like South Asia Partnership Nepal and International Council of Friends for Nepal in implementing projects with components of Heifer s model.

8 Heifer International Nepal 8 Training Activities Getting maximum outputs from the resources placed requires assuring that the people are equipped with the knowledge and skill to reap the maximum benefits. Combining indigenous knowledge with modern skills and helping people learn and implement these skills entrails investing time and resources in training them. Heifer s project consists of a sizable training and capacity building component along with physical input. Heifer s project participants are given a set of trainings that ranges from organization development, gender and family issues to livestock health and enterprise development. According to Heifer s signature methodology of Passing on the Gift, these trainings are also passed-on to newer families by those receiving the training. The cycle being trained and later becoming the trainer instills a deep sense of fulfillment and confidence that has ripple effects in allaround development. In FY10 the following trainings were given to project participants, NGO staff and other individuals. Training Category Training Name Total Number Total Number of of Participants Participants from from SHGs 1 PPs 2 and Others Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS Training (1 day) Improved Cooking Stove Making Training (2 days) Gender Justice Training (3 days) Gender and Gender Justice Facilitation Training (7 days) Family Issues Values Based Literacy Program Training (2 hours/day for 9 months) Values Based Literacy Program Facilitation Training Module 1 and 2 (7 days each) Heifer Cornerstones Training (4 days) Heifer Cornerstones Facilitation Training (7 days) Organizational Self Help Group Management Training Module 1 and 2 (3 and 2 days) Strengthening Self Help Group Management Facilitation Training Module 1 and 2 (7 days each) Pre-Cooperative Development Training ( 3 days) Basic Cooperative Management Training (7days) Cooperative Account Keeping Training (3 days) Improved Animal Management Training ( 3 days) Livestock Health Improved Animal Management Facilitation Training (7 days) Community Animal Health Worker Training (35 days) Fodder/forage Production Training (3 days) Agro ecology Vegetable Farming / Fruit farming / Floriculture Training (3 days) Enterprise Micro Enterprise Development Training (3 days) 2770 Development Project participants and project partner staff receive multiple trainings covering a holistic range of topics, and they are counted as a participant for each training they attend. In addition, country programs are increasingly requested to provide trainings to other stakeholders (such as government agencies, other NGOs or INGOs, etc.) These participants are also counted in the trainings. 1 Self Help Groups 2 Project Partners

9 Heifer International Nepal 9 Current Projects Activity Number Project Name Project Period Project Partners Involved in Implementation Itahari Women's Livestock Raising Project Rural Livelihood Goat Raising Project for Hills of Nepal Livestock for Sustainable Farming and Income Generation Program for hill and mountain regions of Nepal Integration of Youth In Community Development Project Red Cross Goat Raising Project Dovan Goat Raising Project Lamjung Goat Raising and Ginger Promotion Project Pokhara Goat Raising and Ginger Promotion Project Pipaltar Goat Raising Project Jaagaran Local Capacity Building for Poverty Alleviation Program Livestock for Poverty Alleviation in Hills Region Livestock for Poverty Alleviation in Terai Region Dairy goat project Capacity Building For Poverty Alleviation Values-Based Community Livestock Development Project Livestock Development for Community Empowerment Project Sustainable Community Development Project for Chitwan, Nawalparasi and Palpa Sustainable Community Development Project for Hills of Nepal Sustainable Community Development Project for Morang, Sunsari and Rautahat Sustainable Community Development Project for Parbat and Baglung Building communities for Holistic Development in the Western Region Building Communities for Holistic Development in the Central Region Building communities for Holistic Development in the Eastern Region Values Based Cooperative Promotion Pilot project Collective Action Against Hunger and Poverty in Central Region Collective Action Against Hunger and Poverty in the Eastern Region

10 Heifer International Nepal 10 List of Project Partners 1 Abhiyan Nepal, Jhapa 2 Agency for Community Development and Change Nepal (ACDC), Dhankuta 3 Agriculture and Environment Preservation Forum (AEPF), Chitwan 4 Animal Health and Training Consultancy Services (AHTCS), Kaski 5 Bagmati Welfare Society Nepal (BWSN), Sarlahi 6 Baji Pokhari Integrated Cooperation for Rural Development Nepal (BIRD,Nepal), Kaski 7 Bheri Environmental Excellence Group (BEE Group), Banke 8 Bhimpokhara Youth Club (BYC), Baglung 9 Bikalpa Nepal (BN), Siraha 10 Center for Integrated Rural Development (CIRD), Mahottari 11 Center of Agriculture Reform and Environment Development (CARED) SEWA, Sunsari 12 Chautarfi Development Resource Forum (CDRF), Parbat 13 Child Heath Environment Save Society Nepal (CHESS), Kaski 14 Child Heath Environment Save Society Nepal (CHESS), Lamjung 15 Community and Rural Development Society Nepal (CARDSN), Nuwakot 16 Community Development Coordination Committee (CDCC), Bara 17 Community Development Organization (CDO), Bardiya 18 Community Development Organization (CDO), Rolpa 19 Community Family Welfare Association (CFWA), Dhanusa 20 Community Welfare Program (COWEP), Rupandehi 21 CommunityV Development and Research Center (CDRC), Rolpa 22 Concern centre for Social Change Nepal (Change Nepal), Nawalparasi 23 Deepjyoti Youth Club (DYC), Baglung 24 Delta Centre, Makwanpur 25 Diyalo Pariwar, Chitwan 26 Environment and Economic Development Center (CEED ), Lamjung 27 Environment Culture Agriculture Research & Development Society in Nepal (ECARDS Nepal), Bara 28 Environmental Preservation Services for Development (ENPRED), Parbat 29 Ex-Pakhribas Agricultural Centre Forum (Ex-pac Forum), Kathmandu 30 Forum for Agricultural Improvement and Technical Help (FAITH), Morang 31 Forum for Community Upliftment System-Nepal (FOCUS), Dhading 32 Forum for Dhading Development (FFDD), Dhading 33 Fulbari Integrated Rural Development Organization (FIRDO), Pyuthan 34 Ghasikuwa Youth Club (GYC), Tanahu 35 Hamro Abhiyan, Bhaktapur 36 Help Society Nepal, Dang 37 Helping Hands for Rural Development (HRD), Palpa 38 Himalayan Community Development Forum (HICODEF), Nawalparasi 39 Himawanti, Nawalparasi 40 Human Development and Empowement Center (HUDEC), Bara 41 Human and National Developmet Society (HANDS), Sindhuli 42 Indreni Rural Development Centre (IRDC) Nepal, Rupandehi 43 Jaagaran, Sankhuwasabha 44 Jaleshwor Swabhalamban Samaj (JSS), Jhapa 45 Jan Sewa Sangh (JSS), Surkhet 46 Janachetana Bikas Kendra (JBK), Syangja 47 Janajagaran Mahila Sangh (JMS), Bardiya 48 Lumbini Youth Rural Development Society Nepal (LYRDS), Rupandehi 49 Madan Bhandari Memorial Academy Nepal (MBMAN), Morang 50 Mahila Upakar Manch (MUM), Banke 51 Malla Rani Rural Development Concern Center ( MRDCC), Bardiya 52 Midwest Youth Union Center (MYUC), Salyan 53 Mount Everest Social Development Organization (MESDO), Kapilvastu 54 Multiple Service Center (MSC), Banke 55 Namuna Jagriti Dalit Coordination Committee (NJDCC), Syangja 56 Nari Kallyan Samiti, Bardiya 57 Natural Resource Conservation Society (NARCS), Surkhet 58 Nepal Redcross Society Nepal, Palpa 59 Nepal Rural Self-Reliance Campaign (NRUSEC), Chitwan 60 Nepal Welfare Society (NEWS), Sarlahi 61 Nepal Women Community Service Center (NWCSC), Dang 62 Oppressed Community Development Center (OCDC), Banke 63 Paribartansheel Mahila Swayamsewak Samiti (PMSS), Tanahu 64 Pragatsheel Samaj (PS), Dhanusa 65 Prann, Rautahat 66 Prayash Nepal, Sindhuli 67 Rastriya Rojgar Prawardhan Kendra (RRPK), Sarlahi 68 Research and Development Association Nepal (READ Nepal), Rautahat 69 Resource Identification and Management Society Nepal (RIMS-Nepal), Dhading 70 Rural Development Organization (RDO), Salyan 71 Rural Economic Development Association(REDA), Palpa 72 Rural Empowerment Society (RESTDN), Tanahun 73 Rural Self Reliance Development Movement (RSDM), Rupandehi 74 Rural Women Development Center ( RWDC), Dang 75 Sahayata Samajik Sanstha (SSS), Nuwakot 76 Samaj Utthan Yuwa Kendra (SUYUK), Dhanusa 77 School for Environment and Energy Development (SEED), Parbat 78 Self Reliant Society Service Centre (SERSOC), Lamjung 79 Shanti Nepal, Salyan 80 Sindhuli Integrated Development Society (SIDS Nepal), Sindhuli 81 Social Resource Development Center (SRDC), Palpa 82 South Asia Partnership Nepal (SAP Nepal), Sarlahi 83 Sthaniya Swarojgar Kendra (SSK), Chitwan 84 Sundar Nepal Sanstha (SNS), Surkhet 85 Surya Kiran Yuwa Samaj (SKY Samaj), Palpa 86 Sushila Koirala Memorial Trust (SKMT), Sunsari 87 Sustainable Resource Allocation and Management (SRAM), Chitwan 88 Tharu Mahila Utthan Kendra, Bardiya 89 The Child First, Gorkha 90 Ujjwal Bhavishya, Rautahat 91 Utthan Nepal, Sapatri 92 Women Association for Marginalized Women (WAM), Surkhet 93 Women Awareness Forum (WAF), Surkhet 94 Women Cooperative Forum (WCF), Pyuthan 95 Women Culture Development Center (WCDC), Mahottari 96 Women Feeling Unity Forum (WFUF), Nawalparasi 97 Women For Change (WFC), Nuwakot 98 Women for Women Forum (WFWF), Bardiya 99 Women for Women Forum (WFWF), Kathmandu 100 Women Group Coordination Committee (WGCC), Chitwan

11 Heifer International Nepal 11 Funding Partners Heifer Project International Headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas is the main source of funding for Heifer International Nepal. Heifer International Nepal has also received additional funding from donors like Bóthar. Bóthar had its origins in 1989 in the city of Limerick on the Shannon Estuary in Ireland. It began as an enterprise with the aim of sending as many dairy cows to Africa in the year 1991.Bóthar enables families and communies worldwide to overcome hunger and poverty and to restore the environment in a sustainable way. Bóthar looks to the future with hope and confidence that what they are enabled to do through there many generous supporters will connue to make a difference in our world

12 Heifer International Nepal 12 Budget Analysis Statement of Financial Position As on 30th June Particulars Amount in NPR ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents 32,707, Accounts and interest receivable 33,869, Property and equipment, Net of accumulated depreciation 9,331, Grant reimbursements receivable - Prepaid expenses and other - Total Assets 75,907, LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS Liabilities Accounts payable 2,363, Accrued expenses - Refundable advances - Long-term debt - Total Liabilities 2,363, Net Assets Unrestricted 73,543, Temporarily restricted - Permanently restricted - Total Net Assets 73,543, Total Liabilities and Net Assets 75,907, Statement of Activities For the period from 1st July 2009 to 30th June 2010 Particulars Amount in NPR Revenues, Gains and Other Support Contribution from headquarters 259,312, Other contributions 1,631, Exchange rate difference-gain - Total Revenues, Gains and Other Support 260,944, Operation Expenses - Administrative Overhead Expenses (A) 25,454, Other Expenses (Program Support Expenses) (B) 21,410, Project expenses (C) 249,117, Total Expenses and Losses 295,982, Change in Net Assets (35,037,891.55) Net Assets Beginning of Year 108,581, Last year adjustment in Net Asset - Net Asssets, End of Year 73,543,937.94

13 Heifer International Nepal 13 Expenses Based on Functional Allocation Total Administration Expense (A) 8.6% 25,454, Total Programatic Expenses (B+C) 91.4% 270,528, Total Expense 295,982, Program Map

14 Heifer International Nepal 14 Success Stories She wiped the tears with the end of her pallu, a headcover worn mandatorily by all women of her race, the madhesi s and smiled at us but hope grew from the sands and we are fine now, she said. Hope grows from the sand A little over two years ago, Kaushalya would have been perched on her doorsill, nervously waiting for her husband to come home from a hard day s work, hopefully, with enough supplies to feed their family of seven. After all their land was washed away by a flood in the Duduwa Nala, Kaushily s family and many others in the village consorted to labor in the nearest city Nepalgunj. Today her evening is busy feeding her animals and checking up on the vegetables. Things turned for the better when the 2 goats she received from Heifer bore kids. She also bought a pig. The group of women she had participated in the Heifer project with also decided to grow vegetables in what remained of their land. They had used their land for growing rice but never vegetables. Once fertile and yielding enough rice for the family, the flood had turned the soil into sand. But with the fertil- izers from their animals and training on vegetable farming, their hard work bore fruit. Chilies, tomatoes, gourd, bitter-gourd, beans all grew in abundance. Soon Kaushalya found that her husband, who was a rickshaw driver, was spending most of his time transporting and selling the vegetables in the city. They admitted their only daughter, Sabita, to school; something they never considered doing. We had heard messages in the radio and billboards on the highway that said girls should also be sent to school, says Kaushalya Its easier said than done. We have no money. It s not just me. Rekha, Laxmi and everyone else made a good income from vegetables, Kaushalya points around her showing us her friends vegetables, inseparable to our eyes from hers. We walk along the riverbanks to see another patch of land with green shoots sprouting from amongst moist sand. This was land newly bought from the proceeds of vegetables. Back outside her thatched house sitting in a khaitya alongside drying chilies, Kaushalya tells us of the harsh times. Her stories of days when there was no food and of days when their children lay outside the hospital awaiting the money to admit them, still brought fresh tears. She wiped the tears with the end of her pallu, a headcover worn mandatorily by all women of her race, the madhesi s and smiled at us but hope grew from the sands and we are fine now, she said. As the sun sets and the children walk home from school, books in hand and smiles on the face, Ram Sahaya, Kaushlya s husband hurries to settle some vegetable business with his neighbor, a wad of rupees in his hand. Kaushlya noticing us eying the money covers her shy smile with her pallu again. Her eyes shining her testimony of content and hope for the future.

15 Heifer International Nepal 15 Heifer s pursuit for sustainability: In Nepal, Heifer s pursuit for sustainability for the communities it works with has many branches all moving towards making the community more sustainable. At the core of this is Heifer s signature approach of Passing on the Gift. Through this practice Heifer enables its recipient families to benefit from the animals and resources placed and also help another needy family do the same. This creates a ripple effect, multiplying the resources placed so that more families can benefit from them. Passing on the Gift assures that development continues even after the project and the allocated money is over itching a path of sustainable giving and development families were supported through passing on the gift this year. Another indicator of sustainability is the high level of empowerment of the people in Heifer s project areas. One of the major objectives of a Heifer project is to bring the community together and encourage them to take leadership for their all round development. Along with this Heifer also encourages the communities to identify their needs and the ways of fulfilling them. Building relationships with local agencies and leveraging resources is a trend that is seen in all communities at various levels. In FY10, around 45,000,000/- rupees was leveraged from various sources by communities that heifer works in to invest in various projects like building roads, schools, community buildings to funding for vocational trainings and seed money for enterprises etc. Passing on the Gift to other partners in development: One of the Heifer s cornerstones is sharing and caring is practiced as sharing of our approach towards development with other partners in development. Advocating Heifer s models and its component will result in more and more families benefiting from its simple means to battle poverty. Heifer s implementing partners have been the key in advocating Heifer s work in the development. Heifer s project understands and explores the strengths within the community it works in. It uses simple ideas and local materials. But it brings people together and instills a sense of togetherness and ownership and the small things they do have bigger impacts, says Prisma Chaudhary, the president of Tharu Mahila Utth an Kendra, Bardiya explaining the reasons as to why her NGO recommended Heifer s model for an European Union funded project.

16 Heifer International Nepal 16 Significant Events Executive Vice President of Marketing awards Golden Talent and Women in Livestock Development Awards: The Executive Vice President (EVP) of Marketing, Steve Sterling, visited projects in Nawalparasi and Kaski. Attending the 12th anniversary celebrations in Pokhara on 26 September 2009, Sterling also handed out the Golden Talent Awards and the Women in Livestock Development awards to its winners. Winners of the Golden Talent Award Laxmi Thapa, Sudhamiya Paswan and Ganga Khanal each received 1000 US Dollars each. So did the winner of the Women in Livestock Development Award Basanti Lama. Passing on the Gift Month: Passing on the Gift is a signature component of Heifer which consists of enabling and capacitating the families it works with to not only take positive steps towards overcoming poverty for themselves but also help other families do the same by passing-on an offspring or equivalent and skill and knowledge. Heifer s initiative to celebrate this, called Passing on the Gift Month, in April was celebrated with around 1703 families by giving the gift of animals to new families. Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Asia South Pacific Programs meet the President of Nepal: Heifer International s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Steve Denne and Vice President of Asia South Pacific Programs Mahendra Lohani, met with Honorable President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav on 13 April During the meeting the COO reiterated Heifer s commitment to helping Nepal and its people. In the project visits in Shaktikhor and Vijaynagar in Chitwan they interacted with project participants and visited their homes. They also talked to the implementing partners about their experiences and challenges in working with Heifer in Nepal. EVP( left ) awards Golden Talent Award winner

17 Heifer International Nepal 17 Left to Right: Steve Denne (COO), Hon. President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav, Dr. Shubh N Mahato (Country Director) and Mahendra N. Lohani (VP of AS/P) Meeting with the Prime Minister: On 28 June 2010 Heifer Nepal s Country Director Dr. Shubh N. Mahato paid a visit to the Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal on his request. In the meeting the Prime Minister enquired about Heifer s area and scope work. He also commented that many high level politicians had good reviews of Heifer and its work in Nepal. The possibilities and challenges of scaling-up of Heifer s approach at a national level were also discussed. The Prime Minister curious to know more about Heifer after reading several media reports favoring Heifer s work in various parts of Nepal. Also bearing witness to this were the various local and national level politicians who had spoken to him about the social transformation Heifer s projects had facilitated in the various backward and marginalized communities of the country. Exposure Visit for Partners from Different Nations: Heifer Nepal believes that experience and knowledge does a greater good when shared and is a frequent host to many visitors from all over the world. Heifer project partners Jagorani Chakra Foundation, Wave Foundation and Polly Vikas Kendra from Bangladesh and Savia Development Foundation form Sri-Lanka visited project areas of Nepal from January They met with project participants of Nuwakot, Tanahu and Chitwan. Sharing meetings were also held with project partners CARDSN and BIRD- Nepal. The impacts of Heifer projects in Nepal and the experience of the project partners created the ideal learning grounds for the new partners of Bangladesh and Sri-Lanaka. The NGO directors, program coordinators and community facilitators had a fruitful dialogue with their respective counterparts from Nepal. International Delegates visit Heifer Projects: The Animal Production and Health Commission for Asia and Pacific (APH- CA) held its executive committee meeting and general assembly at Pokhara in Nepal from October delegates from 22 countries including its 17 member nations attended the 3 day workshop. As a part of the workshop, the delegates visited Kalika Multipurpose Cooperative at Hemja, Kaski, a cooperative formed and managed by five Heifer s project groups. The cooperative operates as a milk and vegetable cooperative and is the recipient of 100,000 Nepalese rupees Divisional District Cooperative Office Grant.

18 Heifer International Nepal 18 Top priorities for the coming fiscal year Program expansion to more needy communities through new projects and by encouraging Passing on the Gift as a means of reaching out to more families Revising and redesigning projects to improve nutrition in communities through education and awareness. Focusing on improving practices and to better acquaint people with high nutritional content local food choices to change the behavior of families, especially children, which will contribute to their mental and physical development. Emphasize the importance of education and facilitate access to education for more children by enabling their families with better farming skills and extensions to reap better benefits from their livestock and agriculture. Emphasize the importance of healthy behavior and practices and facilitate access to health information and facilities for families primarily through the consumption of nutritious food and secondarily by enhancing their access to health services through raising awareness and the power to purchase available services. Build a programmatic and administrative structure and instill procedures that will support program expansion while maintaining the highest levels of accountability and transparency. Strengthen the monitoring aspects of programs by devising ways for efficient and effective monitoring in grassroots, implementation and decision making levels. Continue the tradition of sharing with those inside and outside the Heifer community through exposure visits and dialogue. Continue to explore opportunities to forge partnerships with like-minded organizations and individuals to join resources, experiences and expertise to build a world free of poverty and hunger and a better cared for earth.

19 Heifer s Cornerstones Passing on the Gift Accountability Sharing and Caring Sustainability and Self-Reliance Improved Animal Management Nutrition and Income Gender and Family Focus Genuine Need and Justice Improving the Environment Full Participation Training and Education and Communication Spirituality

20 Hattiban, Lalitpur - 15 Post: GPO Box 6043, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: / Fax: info@hpinepal.org.np