On 8 December 2011, SAD won the ‘UNICEF Sport for Education Award’ with its project Move 4 New Horizons (M4NH) at the Beyond Sport Summit in Cape Town.  

SAD and the Nepalese grassroots organisation DWO are implementing an educational programme for disadvantaged out-of-school children in the Mid-Western region of the country. By teaching them basic reading, writing and mathematic skills in a non-formal way and offering them well-guided sport and play activities, the project is taking on a holistic approach to education. The aim is not only to facilitate children's access to public schools, but at the same time to support these children, who have experienced discrimination and conflict in the past, in their psychosocial development.

Nepal, one of the poorest countries in the world, has experienced great political turmoil and repeatedly been subject to social and economic crises. Half of Nepal's total population of 26 million are children under 18 years of age. Due to the compounded effects of poverty, armed conflict and social exclusion, many of these children, particularly those living in rural areas, are systematically deprived of their basic rights, including education. Many poor families are not in a position to meet the costs of educating their children. Girls and Dalit children are more likely than other groups to be out of school.

The ‘Move 4 New Horizons' project addresses this problem by establishing non-formal education (NFE)-classes and child clubs in 10 communities in Dang district in the Mid-Western region of Nepal with the aim of integrating disadvantaged out-of-school children into the formal school system at primary school level.

By taking on a holistic approach towards education, the project is adapted to meet the needs for both: efforts to support the psychosocial development of children who have experienced discrimination and armed conflict in the past on the one hand and the provision of better future perspectives through educational opportunities on the other. This rests on the conviction that children can only fully develop their true potential if they have the necessary self-confidence, inner strength and motivation to overcome the multiple obstacles they face, to learn and to advance in life. The integration of sport & play activities serves to strengthen these factors in a way that is non-intrusive and fun but nevertheless effective.

Project objectives

• Integration of disadvantaged out of school children into the formal school system;
• Increased life skills, self-esteem, and resilience of disadvantaged and conflict affected children;
• Capacity building and empowerment of disadvantaged children by strengthening their leadership and organisational capacity;
• Increased awareness of peers, teachers, communities and authorities of discriminatory practices;
• Scientific assessment of the project's effectiveness in facilitating disadvantaged children's access to primary school and knowledge transfer to other relevant actors.

Project structure and activities

As a main project activity, 15 non formal education (NFE)-classes per year are held in different villages. NFE-classes last for 9 months and are led by facilitators that are recruited out of the young village population. They will teach the participating children in basic reading, writing and mathematic skills and offer them well-guided sport & play activities. After nine months, these children are integrated into the public school system.

Former participants of NFE-classes, together with other children of the community, are encouraged and supported to form child clubs. These serve as a platform for them to continue meeting each other, learn and play together and exchange and realise their own ideas.

By including measures that address parents and teachers as a secondary target group, the project also recognizes their important role for the educational success of the children.

Target Groups

Dalit Welfare Organisation (DWO)

Publications

Playful Teaching Manual; V.Kunz, C. Schwager, Daya Ram Sunar, Biel 2011, English/Nepali pdf 3.2MB

Move 4 New Horizons - sport and play manual for facilitators; Biel 2008; english / nepali, pdf 1.2MB

Interim Evaluation Report
A holistic educational programme for disadvantaged children in Nepal
Valeria Kunz, Biel 2010; pdf 2.8MB

Links

Photo gallery

Video  

Map

Project description on sportanddev.org

Valeria Kunz
Project Manager
+41 (0)32 344 49 66
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