IM Baseline study: Construction of Wahaki Community College Nepal

Published by:

Swedish Organization for Individual Relief (SOIR/IM) June 2007

Introduction

Establishing a Community College at Wahaki in Nepal became a dream of the people in Wahaki and adjoining VDCs during mid 90s, when the community began pre-university course 1997.

The first dream of the community became successful after the pre-university program was approved by the government, yet a bigger problem was ahead, because the community was not able to provide university level education to dalits, females and economically weaker families at the local level.   

Such a situation forced the people “step ahead and think for establishing a college”, which has now been successful as the community came in touch with SOIR-IM. Let us hope that this project will help meet the goal of the college and inspire the community for development, to promote democracy and sustainable social transformation addressing inequality and social injustices.

In this respect, this baseline survey is conducted so as to compare socio-demographic difference at the moment and after 5years. The difference will be evaluated and will be linked with the project to make an evaluation of the impact and contribution of the project. In this sense, this is a sort of “basic research” SOIR-IM has conducted to find out different aspects of possibilities for future collaboration.

SOIR-IM plans to work at least for 5 years in the community to make a good contribution for social transformation and development on the basis of democratic process and norms that includes all irrespective of caste, class and gender.

Last but not least, I would like to thank Helena Lundstedt from Tomelille Peoples College in Sweden, for her time to conduct interviews despite of her tight schedule during her own field study.

Also I would like to thank the students of Wahaki Higher Secondary School, the individual/s and families who cooperated for data collection and contributed with their time and knowledge for the survey.