Government of Nepal

Ministry of Finance

AID MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR NEPAL

R1.1: Assessment of existing youth led organizations and gaps in life skills.

R1.2: Form/activate child clubs, and youth clubs.

R1.3: Training of Trainers on life skills.

R1.4: Provide orientations on life-skill (emotional management, problem solving and decision making) to children and youths.

R1.5: Training of Trainers on financial skills.

R1.6: Provide orientation on financial skills and promote saving habits.

R2.1: Conduct CEMIS survey to identify target (out of school and likely drop out) children.

R2.2: Form / activate School Management Committee (SMC), Parents’ Teachers’ Association (PTA), Village Education Committee (VEC).

R2.3: Provide bursary support (through endowment fund) and educational materials to selected children for school enrolment and continuity.

R2.4: Conduct school attendance audit.

R2.5: Sensitise parents and facilitate parental visit to school to enhance student retention in school.

R2.6: Organise campaigns for bringing and retaining out of school children in schools.

R2.7: Conduct Extra-Curricular Activities (ECA) and Co-Curricular Activities (CCA).

R2.8: Provide mentoring and motivational counselling to children/youth, parents/community members.

R2.9: Provide remedial support to under-performing children.

R2.10: Equip schools with teaching learning resources (library, information centre, SMS alert and messaging) and train staff to use them.

R2.11: Develop capacity of school head teachers to lead child retention and student dropout prevention activities.

R2.12: Prepare Child Centric Disaster Risk Reduction (CCDRR) plan for each school.

R2.13: Provide awards/recognize best school, students and parents.

R2.14: Provide vocational training for youths.

R2.15: Analyse, update and adapt training package for micro-enterprise development.

R2.16: Provide Training of Trainers on Micro Enterprise Development.

R2.17: Provide training on Micro enterprise development for young entrepreneurs.

R2.18: Support for training facilities to technical schools/vocational education providers.

R2.19: Rehabilitation and equipment support to Youth Centres and Youth Exchange Forum (YEF)

R3.1: Formation/strengthen cooperatives for management of revolving fund to support establishment of micro-enterprises.

R3.2: Provide start up fund to cooperatives.

R3.3: Link young entrepreneurs to YSEF.

R3.4: Establish linkage of young entrepreneurs with financial institutes and government subsidies.

R3.5: Provide support for job placement and self-employment.

R3.6: Provide on the spot business/career counselling.

R3.7: Facilitate mobilization of savings for investment.

R3.8: Provide awards/recognize best entrepreneur.

R3.9: Facilitate organisation of National Conference of Young Entrepreneurs.

R3.10: Facilitate youth entrepreneurs’ participation in Annual Micro Entrepreneurs Festival,

R3.11: Coordinate organisation of ‘Made in Nepal Competition’ for showcasing products of micro-enterprises.

R3.12: Promote utilisation of social networks (Facebook, Twitters) by youth entrepreneurs for their products.

R3.13: Establish toll free line for market information.

R3.14: Conduct annual assessment to track income invested on child well-being.

R3.15: Coordination and collaboration with private sector

§  Conduct baseline survey.

§  Kick offs, review meetings.

§  Market assessment for vocational training and micro-enterprises.

§  Conduct mid line and end line evaluation surveys.

§  Advocacy activities for transparency (Social Audit) and dissemination (Media Partnership).

§  Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) implementations.

§  Field visit by Bulgari team.

§  TA support from SC Italy.

§  Capacity building for SC and partner staff.

§  Coordination and collaboration with Government line agencies and service providers.

§  Visibility materials (bags, T-shirts, caps, stationeries etc.) production.

§  Facilitate participation of selected students’ in national conference of young entrepreneurs.

§  Organise exchange/exposure visits to enhance shared learning of children/youths and young entrepreneurs.

§  Program Learning Group Meeting.

§  Produce Bulletin to highlight success and lessons learned.

§  Operational research

Personal development:

Youth are aware of their strengths and are able to take responsible decision about their lives.

Education and training:

Children (drop-out and likely school drop-outs) and youths have gained academic and technical skills to succeed.

Economic empowerment:

Children and families of target youths improve livelihood and wellbeing through enhanced employability/self-employment.

To augment inclusive and sustainable society by enhancing life success of children and youths of Nepal

• The youth employment and micro-entrepreneurship engagement has increased to 85.85% after receiving VT and ME training from the project, compared to the baseline (15.02%). The engaged youths are earning NPR 97,380 (EURO 749) annually in an average and are investing 33% of their earning for their children’s education, health and nutrition annually.
• The project’s technical support to develop education related policies to the local government, education support to schools and vulnerable beneficiaries has supported to increase the secondary level education completion rate from 23.16% to 93.36% in the project areas. The secondary school completion rate of girls is 94.22% and boys is 93.66%.
• The life skills and financial skill orientations helped youths to acquire different knowledge necessary for their daily life which increased the number of people with personal development, particularly emotional management, problem solving and decision making from 2.358% to 92.29% within five years of the project. There were 11 contents under life skills such as emotional management, problem solving, decision making, etc. and 3 contents under financial skill such as business management.
• Youths may find it difficult to choose a suitable career in absence of proper counselling on time. During the baseline, it was found that only 12.04% of youths had positive mentoring and counselling. The annual indicator survey 2020 showed that this percentage increased to 94.11% after engaging youths in positive counselling sessions. Messenger group, social media and cell phone were used to provide counselling to youths during the COVID-19 situation.
• Bursary support to vulnerable children is key to enrol out of school children in school and support the likely to drop out children continue education in school. The project provided bursary support to 1550 children which has helped them to continue school and achieve formal education. In addition, 149 children received bursary support from the financial institutions, local government and private sector. 98.94% (N: 1681, D: 1699) of children have continued school after receiving bursary support from the project. The project was successful to establish bursary fund in 22 schools and one municipality in collaboration with local government which will sustain the project intervention after the completion of the project. 
• The bursary support is key to enrol drop out children in school and continue likely to drop out of school children. 97.29% (N: 215, D: 221) bursary supported to most deprived out of school children around project areas enrolled and continuing their school.
• After receiving an orientation on education policy, act, School Improvement Plan (SIP) framework, national curriculum framework 2075, model school concept and attendance audit, 100% (N: 55, D: 55) head teachers have an increased capacity to keep adolescent at school and prevent drop out of those adolescents.
• 91.68% (N: 584, D: 637) of most deprived youths who received vocational training on different trades like hair cutting, auto mobile mechanics, auto rickshaw operation, beauty parlour, bike repairing, building electrician, cement brick production, computer operator, dalmot (snacks) making, fruit processing, furniture making, shoe making, sweet and snacks, tailoring/ dress making, tile and marvel fitting, hosiery, mason, mobile repairing, plumbing, poultry feed production and welding have started their own business or are employed by others. They are earning NPR 1,15,193 (EURO 8686.1) annually in an average and investing 32% annually for betterment of their children.
• 80.59% (N: 569, D: 706) of most deprived youths who received 5 days micro-enterprise training with business skills and developed business plan of the trade of their interest have established micro-enterprises and are earning NPR 1,09,479 (EURO 842.1) annually in an average and investing 34% for betterment of their children.
• 99.22% (N: 637: D: 642) adolescents and youths enrolled in vocational training (VT) have successfully completed the training and are earning daily income. In addition to this, 49 VT graduates who received level 1 training enrolled and completed level II training.
• The project enrolled 1343 youth (Female: 691, Male: 652) in vocational training (VT) and micro enterprise training. Out of them, 1153 (85.85%) are employed and earning around NPR 1,12,346 (EURO 864.2) annually. 73.81% youths are regularly earning more than NPR 72,000 (EURO 553.8) per year from their job, business, enterprise etc. The percentage of youths who are earning at least NPR 72,000 is lower than the target due to COVID-19 situation. 
• Out of 925 youths, 535 (57.84%) employed/ self-employed youths are investing at least 30% of their additional income on their children and families for the betterment of their children education, health and nutrition. 
• The project was able to create 712 new enterprise throughout the project period. 1343 youths who received micro-enterprise and vocational training were engaged in this enterprise.
• A total of 894 children (Girl: 477, Boy: 417) in the project areas received additional support of total amount NPR 1,993,096 (EURO 15,331.5) as an emergency support for food, medical, education materials, clothing etc. from the Child Endowment Fund (CEF) established in 18 cooperatives.
• The project has technically and financially supported local governments to develop and print many policies, act, directory etc. for the betterment of education and livelihood status of project areas. Few are mentioned below:

i.                     Education policy in 8 local government (Municipality/Rural Municipality (M/RM) in project working districts.

ii.                   Education Act, Education Procedure in Banke Sub Metropolitan City.

iii.                  Five year’s (2075-2080) micro enterprise development strategic plan in Chaurpati Rural Municipality, Achham.

iv.                  COVID-19 food security, livelihood plan in Chaurpati RM, Achham and Gurans RM, Dailekh

v.                    COVID-19 preparedness and response plan of education in Achham and Banke

vi.                  Five-year Livelihood strategy Plan in Badimalika Municipality, Bajura

vii.                Youth Policy in all 3-local government (Municipality / Rural Municipality) in Bajura and Kalikot district and Youth Profile in Kalikot district.

viii.               Organize employment fair at Gurans RM Dailekh and Chaurpati RM Achham

• The budget allocation by municipality/rural municipality in income generation for youth increased from the range of 0-1% to 8% after the advocacy, collaboration, policy formation and partnership with local government of project areas for the effective implementation of policy developed by the technical support of the project. The local governments of the project areas allocated 8%, i.e. NPR 1,436,516,658 (EURO 11,050,128) for youth employment and spent 87.77% of allocated budget. Likewise, the local government provided 1.24% (NPR 17,844,403/ EURO 137,264.6) as match for youth employment and NPR 9,514,000 (EURO 73,184.6) for education activities. The partnership module helped to sustain project activities and increase ownership of the local government. They are increasing their investment on education and income generation activities.
• The project’s strong advocacy, facilitation and good coordination with local government has helped to ensure proper utilization of revolving fund in cooperative. Vulnerable youths had an opportunity to access loan from the 18 cooperatives. Youths mobilized NPR 16,507,400 (EURO 1,26,980) as loan to start and improve their business. The loan recovery rate is also good (95.38%). 
• A conditional cash/ kind transfer support was provided to 337 (Female 187, Male 150) Vocational Trainee and Micro enterprises beneficiaries in 2020 to establish new business, re-open closed business or expand business which were affected due to COVID-19.

·         The project supported 11 Youth Information Centers (YIC) were engaged in raising awareness about COVID-19 and disseminated information about directives of the government, disseminated posters and held public announcements using loudspeakers. The YIC received NPR. 1,489,000 (EURO 11,453) support from the rural/ municipality and Malika Bikash organization (NGO) for management of Youth Information Centers. As part of sustainability, YICs were linked with municipalities for further support and fund.

• Schools around project areas have adapted attendance audit and applied in all grade. Schools are encouraging students, teachers, guardians and mother’s group by providing appreciation letter for high attendance and discipline of students, responsible guardian, best mother group, best teacher etc. 
• The project reached 57,487 (Girl: 30,227, Boy: 27,260) children and 58,387 (Female: 23,792, Male: 34,595) adults directly in entire project period. Similarly, 87,543 (Girl: 43525, Boy: 44018) children and 85,024 (Female: 36,636, Male: 48388) adults were indirectly.

·         The project carried out sustainability assessment in five working districts based on sustainability assessment guideline developed by the Tufts University of key intervention provided to organization/ institution and individuals (Vocational Trainee/ Micro Entrepreneur (VT/ME), Youth information Center (YIC) and bursary supported children. The findings of the assessment were shared with program and local government team to improve the initiative and prepare action plan to support the needy respondents. The following findings were observed in the organization and individual against four categories ‘Sustain Resources, Capacity, Motivation and Linkages’ to determine whether they were in good, average or poor condition:

Ø  82% ME/VT were in “Good" status followed by 17% in “Average" and 1% in “poor”.

Ø  91% bursary supported children were in “Good” status followed by 9% in “Average”. No children were in poor category.

Ø  91% YIC were in “Good” status followed by 9% in “Average”. No centers were in poor category.

Based on the results of the sustainability assessment, needy ME/VT, bursary supported children and YIC were further supported in the costed extension period. Those individuals and organization were linked with government so they could receive subsidy and other support, which contributed to sustainability of the supports.

·         A study on “Understanding and practice about child marriage among youth who participated life skill" was carried out in May 2021 to observe the understanding and practice about child marriage among youth who received life skill and financial skill training. The study showed that the intervention played a vital role to reduce child marriage in project working community.

·         The final evaluation recommended to expand the Youth Information Centres and furnish them with adolescent friendly resource materials. Thus, five new YICs were established in five project districts in collaboration with the municipality, Nepal Jaycees, youth club, youth network and schools. The main purpose was to provide necessary youth related information for the youths in the project area. The project provided desktop computer, book rack, printer, furniture, solar panel, and stationary materials to strengthen the centre. Municipality office of respective district have committed to support the YIC for staffing, space, internet, electricity, and furniture which contributes to the sustainability of YICs. All youth information centres are now affiliated to the municipalities so they will be eligible to receive available subsidies from the municipality.

·         As part of the sustainability strategy, the project was successful to establish bursary fund of amount NPR. 4,101,000.00 (EURO: 31,546.2) in 36 schools and two municipalities in collaboration with school, ward offices, and the local government. The Project contributed NPR. 1,800,000.00 (EURO: 13,846.2) (44%), school contributed NPR. 1,206,000.00 (EURO: 9,276.92) (29%), the municipality contributed NPR. 985,000.00 (EURO: 7,576.92) (24%) and a head teacher from Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan city of Banke and Triveni Rural Municipality of Bajura contributed NPR. 110,000.00 (EURO: 846.15) (3%) respectively to the bursary fund.

·         As part of the sustainability strategy, a total of 66 (Female: 49 and Male: 17) vocational trainees received skill boost training on tailoring, poultry farming, beauty parlour, vegetable farming and building electrician. The upgraded skill will support them to start or improve their business and enhance income.

·         With the technical support and facilitation of the YEB project, Bannigadhi Jayagadh Rural Municipality of Achham prepared a ten-year Village Education Plan. This plan incorporates many educational activities of the YEB project like bursary support, remedial support, attendance of children, etc. Badimalika Municipality of Bajura and Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City have also reviewed and updated their Education policy and Livelihood strategy Plan.

·         Chaurpati Rural Municipality and Bannigadhi Jayagadh Rural Municipality of Achham collaborated with the project and mobilized NPR. 1,274,000.00 (EURO: 9800) for effective implementation of education and income generation related activities in 2021. In the same way, Naraharinath YIC of Kalikot received Rs. 250,000.00 (EURO: 1923.07) from Naraharinath Municipality to conduct basic computer training for marginalized and unemployed youths.

·         As a part of the costed extension strategy, the YEB project supported cash or kind support of NPR. 10,000.00-15,000.00 (EURO: 76.92-115.38) to 98 Micro Entrepreneurs (Female: 55 and Male: 43), 109 Vocational Trainee (Female: 43 and Male: 66) and 75 parents (Female: 54 and Male: 21) of bursary supported children who were impacted by COVID-19. The support aimed to help them continue or expand their business so that they could invest their earnings for the wellbeing of their children.

·         As a part of the sustainability strategy, a 11-member (Female: 4 and Male: 7) Youth Parliament was formed in Chaurpati Rural Municipality of Achham. The main objective was to establish a strong network of youth at RM level. Likewise, model youth parliament was practiced at Youth Parliament of Bannigadhi Jayagdh Rural Municipality, Achham in March 2021.

·         As a part of the sustainability strategy, 45 (Female: 25 and Male: 20) youths’ entrepreneurs have registered their business in municipality/ Cottage and Small Industry Development Committee (CSIDC). Out of 45, 11 (Female: 4 and Male: 7) youth entrepreneurs have also insured their business. Likewise, 20 (Female: 17, Male :3) youths/ business (ME/VT) of Achham and Bajura received subsidy from the municipality and CSIDC. They received subsidies for tailoring, poultry farm, goat farming, fresh house, poultry feed factory and bakery factory expansion.

·         To capacitate and sustain the service of cooperatives, the YEB project organized cooperative training and review meeting on 3-5th March 2021 for 18 cooperatives of five project districts who are mobilizing the child endowment fund and revolving fund. Before the training, the project hired a cooperative expert to review the function of child endowment fund, revolving fund and overall management of the cooperatives. The expert shared the findings, issues, challenges, and best practices of four sampled cooperative during the meeting. All the 18 cooperatives developed an action plan as per findings and learnings for long term sustainability of the fund.

·         As a part of sustainability and recommendation of final evaluation, the YEB project developed 92 life skill and financial skill trainer (Female: 50 and Male: 42). The trained human resources were mobilized to facilitate school level and community level life skill and financial skill training, including for the participants from YICs, youth club, youth network and cooperative. These human resources will help to sustain the intervention when the project ends as they can be mobilized as resource persons for trainings in the future by other organizations.

·         As a part of the sustainability strategy, the YEB project provided training of trainers on Micro Enterprise development in February 2021 to 43 participants (Female: 23 and Male: 20) from the cooperative, YICs, youth network and youth clubs from all YEBP districts. It is expected that these participants will be able to provide regular training and counselling to other youths in the community after project ends, which will ultimately contribute to sustainability of the project intervention.

·         The project organized a five-day digital skill training to the head teachers in March 2021. 54 headteachers (Female: 4, Male: 50) of the project area participated in the training which aimed to help them conduct teaching-learning activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The training covered contents like Google tools and drive, managing virtual classrooms/ online teaching learning, digital library, E-portfolio and assessment including safeguarding risks and mitigation strategy.

·         As per the recommendation of final evaluation to increase child club and youth club led initiatives for awareness raising, a total of 59 child club with 975 children (Girl: 487, Boys: 488) and 55 youth club with 642 youth (Female: 261 Male: 381) received an orientation on the role and responsibility of the child/ youth clubs. They received sport and stationary material to conduct ECA/CCA activities at community and school level. After the orientation and support, the child clubs and youth clubs organized awareness raising activities on COVID-19 prevention and advocated with municipality on their issue and continuing teaching learning activities in the time of pandemic.

A messenger group was created among youth entrepreneurs, municipality, and project team. Regular exchange sharing meeting was organized in all five project working districts to discuss on challenges, best business strategies and government provisions/ subsidies in the time of pandemic. Youths learned about marketing strategy and received counseling and motivation to improve their business and income.