China aid provides educational materials to students in Sarlahi

By TRN Online, Kathmandu, May 9: School students in Sarlahi has been provided with educational material and kits under the "Support for Schools and Communities in Remote Areas Pandemic Prevention and Green Recovery Project" of the government of China.

A ceremony for handing over the materials to the student was held on Thursday in Sarlahi.

The ceremony was attended by Chen Song, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Nepal, Saroj Kumar Yadav, Minister of Physical Infrastructure Development of Madhesh Province, Xie Yu, Counsellor of the Economic and Commercial Office of the People's Republic of China in Nepal, Kalpana Kumari Katuwal, Mayor of Barahathawa Municipality, Zhu Qian Jun, Chairman of Chinese Enterprises Association in Nepal, Komal Prasad Dhamala, Chief District Officer of Sarlahi District, Wu Peng, Director of International Development Department of China Foundation for Rural Development, Zou Zhiqiang, Country Director of China Foundation for Rural Development Nepal Office, Helen Sherpa, Country Director of World Education, Nanda Kishor Mahato, Ward Chairperson of Barahathawa Municipality-3,  including school management committee, principals, children, community people and media representatives, according to a press release by the China Foundation for Rural Development (CFRD).

On June 24, 2022, President Xi Jinping presided over the High-level Dialogue on Global Development and delivered an important speech, announcing that China would increase its investment in global development cooperation, integrate and upgrade the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund into the "Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund", and increase its capital by US$1 billion on top of US$3 billion. China is the first pragmatic measure to implement the Global Development Initiative. On September 20, 2022, State Counselor Wang Yi presided over the ministerial meeting of the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative (GDI) in New York, and announced the first batch of projects as a result of the meeting, including projects to provide health, epidemic prevention, environmental protection and basic daily necessities for schools and communities in remote areas of Nepal, and promote post-pandemic resilience and recovery, which is another support of the Chinese government for Nepal's medical waste treatment station project during the epidemic in 2021, and its support for Nepal's recovery from the impact of the epidemic and the promotion of community development. The project will contribute to the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the common development of the people of Nepal, with the aim of creating a safe and healthy learning environment for students and communities to cope with extreme weather events, disasters and external shocks, read the CFRD press release.

On November 29, 2022, Tang Wenhong, Deputy Director General of the China International Development Cooperation Agency, and Bai Yating, UNDP Representative in China, signed the cooperation agreement. Support for the implementation of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Nepal, with the assistance of the China Foundation for Rural Development Nepal Office and World Education. By supporting school classroom furniture and sanitation facilities, improved community schools will be better able to cope with difficulties such as the pandemic and continue to provide a quality learning environment. Providing health kits and school supplies to students in the region will help them study with peace of mind, thereby helping to reduce dropout rates affected by the pandemic. At the same time, families will receive necessities, including food packs, blankets, mosquito nets, and improved stoves, which will facilitate the region's recovery from the losses caused by the pandemic; protect children from health diseases and indoor pollution; and practice green and affordable energy. The project will provide schools with health protection equipment, waste management kits and necessary furniture to upgrade separate toilets for boys and girls, distribute learning tools and health kits to students, and provide basic family kits to selected target families to support post-pandemic recovery.

Coordinated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and jointly researched by World Education and the China Foundation for Rural Development, the project has been identified for implementation in 25 community schools, 15,000 school children and 7,500 families in the Sarlahi and Rautahat districts of Madhesh Province.

At the same time, as the World Education, and China Foundation for Rural Development, with the support of the China Aid South-South Cooperation and Development Fund, and under the coordination of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nepal Office, cooperated with local government and communities at all levels to demonstrate the transformative potential of China's assistance to promote joint action among various partnerships in host countries to promote sustainable development, according to the statement.