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Nepal�鶹APP�s youngest, most vulnerable children were devastated by the earthquake of 2015 – and the effect is still rippling two years on.

Malnutrition among the country�鶹APP�s poorest children is still the biggest challenge. That is why charities like the  believe feeding children as part of their early childhood development programmes is essential.

A major earthquake struck the country two years ago today, killing almost 9000 people.

It also damaged about 14,000 early childhood development (ECD) centres –  5000 of them completely destroyed – leaving more than a quarter of a million children with no access to early learning programmes.

Nepal Youth Foundation�鶹APP�s President, Som Paneru, took time out to speak to �鶹APP about the many challenges ahead for the young children of Nepal. 

He called for more global help to save children from the effects of malnutrition. 

Paneru said: �鶹APP�The areas requiring urgent intervention for young children in Nepal is saving them from death and disability due to malnutrition. And intervening in children�鶹APP�s early education to improve the low level of learning achievement and improve children�鶹APP�s overall future prospects.

�鶹APP�ECD has been affected badly by the 2015 earthquake. The ECD centres were damaged and children couldn�鶹APP�t return due to the threat of another quake. Many educational materials were buried and school premises were very risky.

�鶹APP�Young children were disturbed psychologically. Things were in chaos both at home and at school and the children lacked a routine life. 

“Around 280,000 were affected by the earthquake. More than a million children had been attending an ECD programme at that time.�鶹APP�

Early childhood development supports children�鶹APP�s development from birth to age five. �鶹APP’s #5for5 campaign is urging leaders to invest more in programmes and services that support nurturing care, including health, nutrition, play, learning and protection.

During and after emergencies, such as a natural disaster, safe spaces help children overcome the physical, emotional and psychological trauma.

The very youngest – those whose brains and bodies are developing the most rapidly – face additional challenges. 

The physical deprivation, psychological trauma, toxic stress and inadequate cognitive and emotional development can have long-lasting impacts on their ability to learn, grow and recover. 

Nepal Youth Foundation is working to improve the quality of the Nepalese government’s ECD programmes. 

Paneru said: �鶹APP�Currently we are working with 50 ECD centres in Lalitpur, Chitwan, Sindhupalchowk and Kavre districts – mostly catering to children from disadvantaged communities. 

�鶹APP�In view of the prevalence of malnutrition in the country, and the critical need of good nutrition for child�鶹APP�s development, we run a successful midday meal programme for the children at the ECDs and also train parents on good nutritional practices.

�鶹APP�We work on upgrading the infrastructure and improving the capacity of teachers and facilitators. We also impart awareness to parents to improve early childhood development at home.�鶹APP�

After the earthquake, the government and social organisations jointly established temporary learning centres (TLCs.) in the severely affected areas. 

Paneru explained: �鶹APP�Two years on after the earthquake, the children are in temporary shelters. The reconstruction efforts are delayed and inadequate. The National Reconstruction Authority reports that only a third of the required budget for overall reconstruction after the quake has been ensured.�鶹APP�

A total of 1049 ECD centres are reported to have been built so far and another 2018 are under construction, according to the Department of Education.

Nepal�鶹APP�s education sector has included some mention of ECD in national development plans since the 1970s. 

But it was not until 2000 that ECD took a formal place in national policy when the government adopted the goals and strategies of the global movement Education for All (EFA). 

There are more than 33,000 ECD centres and pre-primary classes (PPCs) in Nepal offering services to children aged three to five.

�鶹APP�Despite all the development and provision in policy, quality and access to the ECD is a big challenge,�鶹APP� Paneru said.

�鶹APP�Access to ECD services for disadvantaged groups such as Dalit and Janajati groups is limited compared to other groups. The quality of ECD centres is also very poor, owing to a lack of adequate infrastructure and facilities, high child-teacher ratios, and under-qualified and under-paid teachers or facilitators.�鶹APP�

In the wake of the earthquakes, Nepal Youth Foundation reached out by operating 17 day care and learning centres in Kathmandu valley and Dolakha – helping 1200 children.

Young girls and boys receive nutritious midday meals, psychological counseling and other learning activities at the centres.  

Paneru said: �鶹APP�NYF counsellors also trained 300 teachers, staff and volunteers on psychological first aid, to help the children and adults recover from the trauma.”

For further information about the charity’s work, .