UMN staff have had a whole week to learn from each other and to finalize plans for the coming year. There was sharing of good practice ranging from families infected by Aids; income-generating activities; community effort regarding peace building; rehabilitation for children with disabilities; and strengthening of work with government local agencies regarding communities.
It is encouraging to see the Government collecting statistics of children affected by armed conflict and providing community based reintegration programme. According to the National Human Rights Commission more than 500 children lost their lives, 40,000 displaced and more than 8,000 orphaned or separated from their families in the course of armed conflict since 1996.
In Nepal everyone is looking forward to Holi, a festival for colour. It is a sacred spring festival celebrated by Hindu people. Celebrations include people throwing colored powder and colored water at each other. Bonfires are lit in memory of the miraculous escape of young Prahlad when the demon Holika, sister of Hiranyakashipu, carried him into the fire. Holi is clebrated with family, friends and neighbors.
- Pray that the Government will curb organized crime as the bill is yet to be introduced in the cabinet meeting.
- Pray for my 6-day visit starting this week to far western Nepal for assessment on Migration and HIV in Doti
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| UMN women celebrated Women’s day with a song ‘we shall overcome some day when we shall work hand in hand!” |
