GLOSSARY OF ABBREVIATIONS

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PMP: Program Monitoring Plan PVSE: Poor, vulnerable and socially excluded RBA: Rights Based Approach RUWDUC: Rural Women 9s Development and Unity Center SAFE: Social Awareness for Education SC: Save the Children Federation, Inc. SMC: School Management Committee SM: Social Mobilizers SSA: Sub Sector Analysis SP: Strategic Partner TAF: The Asia Foundation TWUC: Tharu Women Upliftment Center UC: User Committees USAID: United States Agency for International Development VDC: Village Development Committee VCPC: Village Child Protection Committee VOC: Victims of Conflict VOT: Victims of Torture WDO: Women 9s Development Office WI: Winrock International UJYALO Effective Practices Study (June 2007) 4 Author: Peter Bauman conducted the study and report of UJYALO's effective practices in Feb/March 2007 with the support of Firoz Siddiqi, Narendra Singh, and Barsha Thapa, of INGO Partners, and of district Strategic Partner NGOs. Peter acknowledges: Acknowledgement: Gathering the information and writing this report would have been impossible without the support and participation of many people. First, I would not be in Nepal unless the Collaborative for Development Action Inc. had not sent me to assess the application of 8Do No Harm 9 in Nepal. So thanks to Marshall Wallace and Mary Anderson for getting me to Nepal. Thanks to Roger and Indu for finding, trusting, and supporting me. Save the Children USA initiated this evaluation and provided the financial support without which this assessment would not have been undertaken or completed. The logistical / field support of the other INGO partners was outstanding and essential. All of the local partners provided excellent input and incredible logistical support in the field. Barsha managed this impact assessment, coordinated the staff in the field, and sometimes played the difficult role of translator. Her quiet leadership and competence are greatly appreciated. My two dear friends, Narendra Kumar Singh and Firoz Siddiqui, accompanied me throughout the trip, provided impeccable translation, organized local partners, fine-tuned interview schedules, listened to my critical assessments, and kept me laughing and smiling most of the time. Perhaps the most important, are the people of Nepal and the villages, schools, and committees who greeted me with big smiles and fresh flowers. Their resilience, optimism, and generosity in the face of such hardship inspires me and keeps me engaged in the intertwined fields of development and conflict. DISCLAIMER: cThis publication was made possible through support provided by USAID/Nepal, U.S. Agency for International Development, under the terms of Award No. 367-A-00-04-00171-00. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Agency for International Development. d Front of cover page: Honoring single women in Kailali UJYALO Effective Practices Study (June 2007) 5 Table of Contents Abbreviations Map&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&7 Executive ...............................................................................................................7 Overview of Report................................................................................................10 1. Effective Practices 1.1 Vision and Program Design.........................................................................10 " Enhance Opportunities for Sustainable Incomes " Increase Use of Key Support Services by VOCs " Strengthened Community Capacity for Peace 1.2 Approach.......................................................................................................12 " Staff-buy in and community ownership " Intercommunity Harmony " Role Modeling Democracy and Social Inclusion " Creativity " Empowerment " Replacing Organization Competition with Cooperation " United Front 1.3 Building Human Capital...............................................................................14 1. INGO & NGO Staff Development II. Social Mobilizer III. Psychosocial Interventions A. Sanjeevani B. Community Psychosocial Worker & Community Counselors C. Peace Educators D. Peacebuilders & Mediators E. Lawyers IV. Physical/Tangible Interventions A. Income Generation Activities B. Vocational Training C. Technical Training 3 Fisheries & Agricultural Development 1.4 Building Social Capital.................................................................................39 A. Child Protection Committee B. Child Protection at School Committee C. School Roof Construction Committee D. School Management Committee E. Child Clubs F. Junior Red Cross G. CFUG and Women's Committee H. Marketing Committee I. Culvert Construction Committee 1.5 Synergy..........................................................................................................53 UJYALO Effective Practices Study (June 2007) 6 2. Lessons Learned..................................................................................................55 A. Volume & Scope B. Micro vs. Macro Impact C. Resource Distribution D. Limited Time & Resources E. Transference 3 spillover and multiplier effects F. Synergy vs. Non-Synergy 3. Sustainability........................................................................................................58 4. Supporting Peace & Post-Conflict Reconciliation............................................59 I. Increase aid as a peace dividend 2. Mobilize and activate the UJYALO network 3. Adapt UJYALO interventions to the current context 4. Build the capacity of the local government 5. Include potential spoilers in the committees 6. Filling the development vacuum 7. Continue providing space for individual, group, and community reconciliation 8. Increase the provision of legal services to VOCs and VOTs 9. Reintegration of Ex-combatants 10. Democracy, CA Elections, and Constitution Construction 5. Do No Harm.........................................................................................................63 6. Conclusion.............................................................................................................63 7. Theoretical Analysis.............................................................................................64 8. Bibliography / Recommended Reading..............................................................69 UJYALO Effective Practices Study (June 2007) 7 Map of Nepal UJYALO Working Districts (shaded) Executive Summary UJYALO, literally meaning " From dark to light ", is a partnership of five INGOs and multiple NGOs, CBOs, and members of civil society. For nearly three years, with the financial support of USAID, UJYALO has been implemented in thirteen districts in western Nepal. With less than six months left in the life of UJYALO the Implementing Partners (IPs) thought it would be useful to complete a qualitative study in order to capture some of the effective practices and lessons learned. Effective practices are defined in this context as practices which have resulted in positive outcomes for project beneficiaries and stakeholders, and have contributed towards the promotion of peace at the community level. A twenty-one day study in Dadeldhura, Kailali, and Banke districts was conducted, interviewing multiple stakeholders and beneficiaries. Five major effective practices were identified: UJYALO 9s Vision; Approach; Building Human Capital; Building Social Capital and Networks of Effective Action; and Synergy. One of UJYALO 9s greatest achievements is the vision itself. The concept of partnering five INGOs in order to capitalize on each organization's expertise and network, and the idea of building a united front with a common goal of implementing holistic interventions that serve individual and community psychosocial and structural needs follows contemporary development and peacebuilding theory. Sanjeevani, Psychosocial session UJYALO Effective Practices Study (June 2007) 8 The UJYAlO program design and approach are process focused, community based, context specific, and holistic. The process of determining who, what, when, where, and why is highly participatory, decentralized, experiential, and creative. This results in staff-buy in and community ownership and it reduces the likelihood of 8Doing Harm 9. This process also increases connectors and decreases dividers in villages and communities creating a united front that can more effectively address social issues like discrimination, poverty, and conflict. The social inclusiveness of the committees and activities role models democratic behavior and good governance. The context specific, experiential approach allows individuals and groups to apply specific trainings to community issues reinforcing the learning and helping to turn awareness into practical action. By consulting individuals, communities, committees, and institutions and providing them with the necessary skills and resources for success, the beneficiaries are empowered and feel a sense of ownership of the process. This, in turn, helps reduce dependency and ensure quality and sustainability. None of this would be possible without the development of both human and social capital. UJYALO has done an excellent job of choosing the right people to serve, to provide, to teach, to mediate, and to promote peace at the community level. It has also developed a variety of committees that serve multiple functions, which together provide the groundwork for transforming conflict and building peace at the community level. Perhaps the most significant characteristic of UJYALO is not the separate parts but rather the synergy of the parts working together to create the whole. As a senior staff at Save the Children US stated, dUJYALO is a complete package and a united front that has enabled us to work in and on conflict and development in complex and often volatile conditions d. Also, by working with pre- existing structures and coordinating multiple actors UJYALO has avoided duplication, substitution, and organizational competition, and other typical pitfalls in development and conflict work. The UJYALO processes and support mechanisms promote the necessary self-confidence for organizations, individuals, communities, and committees to brainstorm creative ways of changing the negative behaviors and attitudes that inhibit human rights, productivity, and peace in Nepal. To better understand how UJYALO has promoted peace, the conflict in Nepal could be divided in two conflicts, one political and the other social. While these are closely interrelated, the current peace process offers evidence of the substantial distance between on the one hand the political conflict, between the Maoists and the Government, and on the other the issues of poverty and discrimination that haunt most of Nepal. In many ways the signing of formal peace processes is just the beginning. If the majority of people are correct and the route causes of Nepal 9s conflict are poverty, social exclusion, discrimination and lack of good governance, then transforming the conflict and building peace could take years if not generations. Too often not enough attention is given to conflict prevention and post-conflict interventions that support formal agreements. This can create further distrust, animosity, and intractability and is partly why intra-state conflicts relapse into war. The Community Relations Council in Northern Ireland and the National Peace Accord in South Africa are great examples of programs that built social networks in multiple sectors that supported formal peace processes by strengthening communities, reducing and containing levels of violence, and working on the structural and psychosocial root causes of war. UJYALO Effective Practices Study (June 2007) 9 UJYALO could be a good model for Nepal to follow in order to support and sustain the very fragile peace. Until the government structures are fully functional and the staff and facilities have the will and capacity to serve the people, UJYALO plays a crucial role in providing access to social services, building trust, providing opportunities for employment and education, and building the necessary human and social capital at the grassroots level which cpowerfully affect the performance of representative government d (Putnam) and support the formal peace process. In many ways UJYALO is a pilot project of a model for combining development, human rights, and conflict resolution into one intervention. While there is always some room for improvement, particularly regarding coordination, communication, and cooperation between the implementing partners (IPs), their local partners, and others outside the UJYALO network, most of the lessons learned have less to do with the model and more to do with limitations in time, human and financial resources. Based on the number of districts and type of activities involved in UJYALO, the time frame and financial resources are not enough to cover every VDC in each district (43% of VDCs have been covered). The majority of the interventions, committees, and groups created by UJYALO are only two years old and ideally they need more capacity building, monitoring, and follow-up to become more sustainable. As a result, the majority of the behaviors, skills, service providers and institutions are on the way to being sustainable, but need further support. The theory and logic argue against ending such an effective and large program in the middle of a very fragile peace process. If UJYALO ends some people will become unemployed and some children will have to leave school. Those who have been waiting to receive counseling and other support services from UJYALO will have to find other sources. If these expectations are not met, people will be disappointed. In a time of fragile peace building, it is not advisable to curtail ongoing support at the community level. Furthermore, UJYALO is already providing many of the interventions associated with post-conflict activities. It would be relatively easy to activate the network and adapt the interventions to the current context. In conclusion, the UJYALO model, tested against theories in development and conflict resolution is solid and should be transferred (with adaptations based on context) to other regions in and outside of Nepal. UJYALO Effective Practices Study (June 2007) 10 Overview of Report UJYALO, literally meaning " From dark to light ", is a partnership of five INGOs and multiple NGOs, CBOs, and members of civil society. For nearly three years, with the financial support of USAID, UJYALO has been implemented in thirteen districts in western Nepal. With under six months left in the life of UJYALO the Implementing Partners (IPs) thought it would be useful to complete a qualitative study in order to capture some of the effective practices and lessons learned. Effective practices are defined in this context as practices which have resulted in positive outcomes for project beneficiaries and stakeholders, and have contributed towards the promotion of peace at the community level. A twenty-one day study in Dadeldhura, Kailali, and Banke districts was conducted, interviewing multiple stakeholders and beneficiaries. Five major effective practices were identified: UJYALO 9s Vision; Approach; Building Human Capital; Building Social Capital and Networks of Effective Action; and Synergy. Section (1) of the report discusses and provides examples supporting the effective practices applied in the UJYALO Project. Section (1.1) discusses the UJYALO vision, program design, process, and approach. Section (1.2) discusses how UJYALO selected and built the necessary human capital to implement UJYALO effectively. Section (1.3) builds on the previous two sections by exploring examples of how UJYALO has led to the development of social capital and networks. Section (1.4) ties all of these examples together with specific cases of synergy. Just as an individual 9s greatest strength can also be their greatest weakness, many best practices have downsides. For example, one of UJYALO 9s greatest strengths is the process from program design to implementation. It is highly context specific, experiential, representative, participative, and holistic. The downside to this process is that it takes more time, resources, communication, and coordination than an intervention that involves one INGO, focusing on a single sector, seeking immediate outputs. Thus, while reviewing the effective practices, try to imagine all of the parts creating a whole. If one piece of the puzzle is missing the entire picture loses some of its focus and clarity. To discuss some of these challenges Section (2) highlights some of the lessons learned. Since there is a strong possibility that UJYALO will end in six months, section (3) discusses sustainability; section (4) provides a very brief discussion on Do No Harm; and section (5) concludes the report with a short theoretical analysis. 1. Effective Practices 1.1 Vision and Program Design UJYALO vision and program design are sound, comprehensive and based on solid theory. By utilizing the diverse skills and networks of the five INGOs, UJYALO was designed to promote peace through the improvement of individual and community physical, economic, and psychological conditions while also raising awareness of human rights and providing skills in mediation and peace building. To work towards this objective the implementing partners combined their strengths in four major areas. UJYALO Effective Practices Study (June 2007) 11 Fisheries support in Banke Enhanced Opportunities for Sustainable Incomes in Conflict Affected Areas through: business services and training in agriculture and irrigation for farmers in conflict affected communities (WI and IDE); intensive vocational training for Dalits and youth from marginalized households (CARE); matching funds from community forest user groups for poorer members to start enterprises (CARE); and micro- enterprise starter funds and business training for victims of conflict (SC). To accomplish this WI and IDE, the two INGOs specializing in technical agricultural interventions, led farmer related activities including sub-sector analysis, productive group formation and strengthening, provision of micro-irrigation inputs and supply chain analysis, market development, training and extension services. While CARE and SC focused on vocational training, and small-scale income generation programs respectively. Increased Use of Key Support Services by Victims of Conflict by increasing access to services, by improving the quality of (psychosocial, medical, legal and economic) services, and by raising the awareness of the availability of services for victims of conflict (VOCs). In order to achieve this SC led activities to: form and strengthen Child Protection Committees (CPCs); improve access and quality of services for VOCs via psychosocial, educational, economic, legal and medical referral support; improve child protection structures at the community level, child protection in schools, local advocacy through child clubs and Junior Red Cross (JRC), and national advocacy through Children as Zone of Peace (CZOP) network; and tracking lost children. Strengthened Community Capacity for Peace through increased community participation in planning and management of key decentralized services and infrastructure and enhanced peace- building and dispute resolution skills in communities. In order to achieve this CARE led the formation of socially inclusive community development project (CDP) groups; small-scale infrastructure projects (culverts, drinking water systems, school drinking water, toilets, roofing, and furniture); and enhanced peace building and dispute resolution skills in communities (peace building training, rights based approach (RBA), advocacy events, media). CARE and TAF both worked on conflict management and peace building training, peace initiatives, and development of conflict negotiation, meditation and management skills (mediation training for leaders, dialogues). SC supported peace building activities in schools (training for teachers, classes on peace education), including peace education classes. All three organizations have been working on education about constituent assemblies and constitution making (materials, workshops in district and community). Public/social auditing has been applied project wide, led by CARE. UJYALO Effective Practices Study (June 2007) 12 The final and strategic element of the program design is Synergy . The objectives of this synergetic effort include: (1) coordination among partners in planning and implementation resulting in healthy relationships, joint programs, and less duplication; (2) capacity building among partner NGO staff and community people on peace building; (3) use of minimum resources for maximum output; (4) increase in number of community people advocating for peace; (5) improve economic self sufficiency due to joint support activities; (6) increase market and school access through increased CDPs (culvert, drinking water, school support); (7) provide mediators to resolve individual disputes within communities; (8) increase access to resources through activities that helped to raise awareness of human rights and responsibility; and (9) increase social inclusion through peace building initiatives. Too often visions of such magnitude fall short of their objective because the approach and process of implementation are inappropriate. The design of UJYALO recognizes the great and intertwined needs of Nepal and seeks to overcome typical shortcomings of development and conflict related interventions. The following section highlights the UJYALO approach. 1.2 Approach Due to ten years of violent conflict, compounded by fifty years of inconsistent development and weak and corrupt government institutions, individuals, organizations, and communities are skeptical of outside intervention and therefore lack the necessary trust and will to implement a multi-sector, and holistic intervention like UJYALO. UJYALO 9s unique approach helped to develop the necessary staff buy-in and community ownership for success. The design, planning, and implementation of UJYALO are process focused, decentralized, participatory, representative, and context specific. The interventions are experiential and creative so that the people and organizations involved 8learn by doing 9 and are given the opportunity to think out of the box when designing appropriate and effective interventions. This approach fostered the excitement and commitment necessary to make such a comprehensive, resource intensive and complex intervention successful. This is 8 The Spirit of UJYALO 9 . To help ensure that the interventions in the above four areas were context specific, appropriate, and sustainable; the beneficiaries were included in selection, planning, design, and implementation of the multiple interventions in their villages, communities, and districts. Before implementing interventions, community meetings were held by the local NGOs to provide an orientation to UJYALO. The communities then selected a representative committee based on skills, leadership, and diversity who would support the project from activity selection through implementation. Next, individuals were provided with specific training and skills that they could utilize throughout the implementation process. Often, multiple committees were combined to visualize, design, and implement multiple projects in one community. To avoid duplication and competition UJYALO engaged and built on pre-existing institutions (i.e. Child Protection Committee (CPC), Community Forest User Group (CFUG), Farmers' Groups, and the School Management Committees (SMC)). By following the above procedures several outcomes were mentioned and observed by the field staff and beneficiaries. UJYALO Effective Practices Study (June 2007) 13 Training in Salyan Staff-buy in and community ownership - Too often INGOs are seen as the 8provider 9 and the beneficiary, the 8receiver 9. This can lead to duplication, inappropriate interventions, dependency and unequal distribution of aid. The success of UJYALO largely depends on the staff and people 9s participation. Because it is matching hard (technical) with soft (psychosocial) support, people need to understand the purpose of UJYALO and invest in the cause. In every interview the staff and beneficiaries understood the concept and felt a sense of ownership and investment in UJYALO. The high level of participation led to transparency in terms of why and how decisions were made concerning people and program selection. No intervention can directly serve everyone and therefore conflicts over unequal distribution are often created. The UJYALO committees were able to manage these disputes through individual or group discussions. Once a community member understood the concept of UJYALO they supported it whether or not they were receiving direct assistance. Intercommunity Harmony - The act of providing orientations and training at the community level brought people together and increased trust - cTwenty people are selected by the community for training...they sit together for five days. After the training people from different caste, ethnicity, religion, and sectors know and respect each other. d - Interviewee Role Modeling Democracy and Social Inclusion - The process for selecting committees is highly participatory and models democratic methods. The result is crosscutting relationships through the inclusion of people from different sectors, castes, classes, age, and gender. This process role models positive and progressive attitude, behavior, and structural changes in the community. Creativity - Often aid comes in the form of a package and occasionally UJYALO also appeared to be a package. But in the case of UJYALO the package was in the form of a structure, which because of the participatory approach and the formation of committees, the beneficiaries were able to mold and shape the package to suit their needs. Empowerment - The participatory and experiential approach led to empowerment for many individuals involved in both vocational training and committees. The opportunity for a Dalit, woman, victim of conflict and/or torture, or a traumatized child to be in a leadership position on a committee was frequently life changing. Replacing Organization Competition with Cooperation 3 For a variety of reasons many donors, INGOs, NGOs, and even beneficiaries compete for funding, services, and contracts. The combination of five implementing partners promoted inter-organization coordination and cooperation. These and other factors, in turn, lessened competition between beneficiaries. UJYALO Effective Practices Study (June 2007) 14 United Front 3 When UJYALO began it was very difficult to implement interventions in many rural districts of Nepal. By partnering five INGOs and multiple local partners, the organizations successfully bypassed many of the obstacles and this facilitated working in and on conflict. 1.3 Building Human Capital UJYALO provides a solid framework for working on the multitude of physical, social, economic, and political conundrums in Nepal. Regardless of how well the concept and approach is designed, appropriate and effective human capital is essential for success. One of the greatest assets of UJYALO is the multiplicity of actors and their diverse skill sets. The staff and participants selected and trained from the INGOs, local NGOs, CBOs, members of committees, and beneficiaries are what make UJYALO work. By building human capital the individual 9s ability to serve themselves, each other, their organizations, committees, and communities is enhanced. Bill Ury, the author of 8Getting to Yes 9 and co-founder of the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School published 8 The Third Side 9 (2000) . In this book Ury suggests ten roles that third parties can take to better transform conflict. He suggests that c[e]ach of the third-side roles is like a single safety net. If one fails to catch destructive conflict, another stands ready. The key is to line up all the safety nets in advance d(190). Below is a diagram 1 that illustrates each of Ury 9s third side roles and how they work in relation to each other. WHY CONFLICT ESCALATES WAYS TO TRANSFORM CONFLICT PREVENT Frustrated needs 1. The Provider Poor Skills 2. The Teacher Weak Relationships 3. The Bridge-builder RESOLVE Conflicting Interests 4. The Mediator Disputed rights 5. The Arbiter Unequal power 6. The Equalizer Injured Relationships 7. The Healer CONTAIN No attention 8. The Witness No limitation 9. The Referee No protection 10. The Peacekeeper 1 Ury 3The Third Side (190) UJYALO Effective Practices Study (June 2007) 15 Using Ury 9s model as a template for comparison, one can see that UJYALO has done an outstanding job of determining what positions were needed and who could serve them most effectively. The selected individuals were provided the necessary training, support, and experience to help prevent, resolve, and contain destructive conflict. Through observations and interviews it was obvious that the hard and soft skills acquired by those involved in UJYALO would be transferred to other individuals and future endeavors. This section highlights the different UJYALO actors, their roles, and examples of the services they have provided to the community. It is important to note that the roles and services of each of these actors are intertwined and overlapping creating a web of psycho-social and technical support, and leadership, at the community level. I. INGO & NGO Staff Development During his time in the field Peter Bauman was impressed with the combination of technical (hard) and interpersonal (soft) skills of the staff working for the INGOs and NGOs. As a result they were able to build solid relations with the beneficiaries and gain their respect through competency. This combination of rapport and skill helped to develop ownership and trust at the community level. For most of the staff UJYALO provided a unique opportunity to work in multiple sectors with a variety of organizations and thus enhance their awareness, skill sets and networks. Staff working UJYALO Effective Practices Study (June 2007) 16 for organizations focused on technical areas like agricultural economic opportunities, like WI and IDE, received training in human rights, do no harm, and peace building. Those working for Save the Children, CARE, and TAF were exposed to agriculture development, irrigation systems, construction and other technical interventions. Now UJYALO staff possesses a holistic model that combines psychosocial and physical activities. Also, organizations often compete at the expense of the beneficiary. This creates turf battles, leads to duplication, and is poor role modeling. Now, UJYALO staff has an example of cooperation between multiple actors; and has witnessed the strength of teamwork, and the challenges of coordination. When UJYALO ends these staff will be able to transfer the knowledge, experience, and network links to their next endeavor. Finally, burnout leading to complacency in this field can be high. Through conversations with and observations of field staff it appeared that being a part of a team with a common vision of promoting peace at the community level enhanced their commitment and energy level. Everyone was proud of being a part of UJYALO. As a result of the community based participatory approach the INGOs in UJYALO rely heavily on the NGOs who are typically the liaison between them and the communities, committees, and beneficiaries. Also, the NGOs are responsible for selecting and implementing most of the physical and psychosocial interventions. To accomplish this, they must have the proper skills and capacity. The commitment and competency of all of the local NGOs and CBOs was impressive. This reflects on the UJYALO 9s selection and training of local staff and partners. In order for UJYALO to work not only do the staff need to know their micro skill sets, they must also understand the macro vision of UJYALO and the process of moving towards this goal. A senior staff at SC in Nepalgunj suggested that one of the greatest strengths of UJYALO was the development of the local NGOs. Much of what he stated was similar to the development of the INGOs. Their network has been expanded; and they have experience working on a model intervention that includes both physical and psychosocial interventions. Their individual hard and soft skills have been enhanced through training and both their vertical and horizontal capacities are exponentially greater than before. Vertically they have greater marketability to work in multiple sectors with multiple INGOs. Horizontally they can provide better services to the individuals and communities they serve. As a result of the development of the staff working for the NGOs and CBOs and the shared vision of a common goal, they were extremely enthusiastic about and committed to UJYALO. II. Social Mobilizer In order for UJYALO to work there had to be a connector, someone who could bridge the gap between the NGOs, CBOs, civil society and the communities, committees, and individuals. UJYALO selected leaders in the communities to play the role of Social Mobilizer, whose primary task was to liaison and coordinate the multiplicity of activities. The following excerpts are from an interview with Jyoti Rasaily, a social mobilizer working for NRCS in Kailali; illustrate the process, responsibilities and activities. UJYALO Effective Practices Study (June 2007) 17 Experience of a Social Mobilzer cWhen NRCS announced the vacancy for the position of Social Mobilizer, I applied and was selected. My job is to conduct training in peace building, CPC, CAAFAG, Child rights, UXO, JRC, and other activities. I am responsible for 2 VDCs. In order to do this I received training on, among other programs and activities: Sanjeevani (10 days), psychosocial (10 days), UXO (1 day), CAAFAG (4 days), and CPC (5 days). I am also responsible for providing supervision to different committees and clubs, supporting and monitoring programs, coordinating NGOs, schools, teachers, children, child clubs, and facilitating monthly CPC meetings. d Jyoti Rasaily continued: cA five year old child lost his father due to the war leaving the mother all alone. The father 9s family did not accept the wife and child because they blamed her for their son 9s death. The child had a feeling of revenge. He would say, 8The Maoists killed my father so when I am bigger I will join the army and kill all of the Maoists. 9 The mother and child were displaced from Pathayriya to Baliya (within Kailali district). At this time I was identifying VOCs and I met with the mother and child. When I suggested UJYALO to the woman she was suspicious that I was not from the Red Cross. I could have been from the Maoists and killed her and her son. So I showed her an ID card and told the woman to ask others in the community to ensure my identity. The next day the woman believed that I was the social mobilizer for the NRCS. She shared her story with me. After this I discussed the case with the CPC members and brought them to meet the woman and child. We determined that they were both IDPs and VOCs. The CPC recommended that the NRCS support the family. The NRCS provided educational support for the child (stationary, tuition, uniform); Sanjeevani classes; and income generation support for the woman (2 pigs 4,000 Rs) including training in pig rearing, protection, and income generation. Since then the woman sold the pigs for 10,000 Rps. Once she started to earn money her husband 9s family accepted her and the child. Now she is earning money through pig rearing, the child is in school and no longer has the feeling of revenge, and they are living with the father 9s family again. According to Jyoti the strength of UJYALO is the support provided to the VOCs. "If we are not able to support them the kids would not even go to school. Also, because several organizations are working towards the same goal it is helping to bring peace to the community. For example, the CPC made a hoarding board for children 9s rights and messages for peace stating that 8Children are a zone of peace 9. Also our activities support people to engage in their work so they don 9t have to think about joining the Maoists or leaving for work in India. We are also able to bring a message of peace to the community". UJYALO Effective Practices Study (June 2007) 18 In terms of capacity and sustainability, all of the social mobilizers echoed the following thought of one of their number: cI get paid by NRCS and if UJYALO ends I will have to find a new job. I enjoy providing services to the community but one person is not enough. It would take one person for one VDC. I provide supervision, support for monitoring programs, coordinate NGOs, schools, teachers, children, child clubs, and I organize monthly meetings with the CPC. d 3 Social Mobilizer III. Psychosocial Interventions: c Before UJYALO the widows would always sit alone. Some were attempting suicide. Thanks to UJYALO the widows are independent and they can afford to send their kids to school and get health care. Now that they are busy their trauma is going away. They also feel empowered. Their inferiority complex has decreased and the suicide rate has gone down. d 3 Member of CPC Very often war, poverty, and discrimination leave people displaced, alienated, and desolate. Unable to take care of themselves they become depressed and fall into the trap of dependency. War widows struggle to satisfy the basic needs of themselves and their families, kids are forced to drop out of school and begin working and/or begging. IDPs are left landless and dependent on outside aid. Victims of conflict and torture live in constant fear. They lose their homes, family members, and their will to live. Women are disempowered and other discriminated groups are ostracized, left struggling to survive. Social Audit of UJYALO Program in Kailali UJYALO Effective Practices Study (June 2007) 19 UJYALO has developed several approaches to build individual capacity. It is important to note in the following examples how each intervention is holistic serving both the psychosocial and structural needs of the individual and community. For example, if a child receives counseling for post-traumatic stress but the parents do not have enough money to send the child to school or the knowledge on how to raise a child, counseling alone could be meaningless. Thus, any program meant to relieve this suffering must be comprehensive, context specific, and linked with multiple psychosocial and structural interventions. A. Sanjeevani cBefore Sanjeevani over half of the children who victims of conflict quit going to school. After Sanjeevani almost all of them have returned d 3 Sanjeevani participant in Jogbuddha, Dadeldhura. The Sanjeevani facilitators explained what they do. First they consult the CPC to know where the most affected children are. Then they go to the villages with the highest number of affected children and arrange meetings with the parents and teachers and give a pre-test for potential students. The answers to five questions determine who should attend and who should not. Once they select the participants they tell them the course is fifteen days long and they have to come regularly for two hours each session. The facilitators work through five chapters including: three days each on trust, on safety, on personal narratives, on cooperative games, and on future planning. The excerpts below from interviews with the Sanjeevani facilitators and participants illustrate typical problems encountered, how they deal with them, and the outcomes: Facilitators' Experience of Sanjeevani "Many of the children have witnessed killings and dead bodies. Before the conflict the children were not familiar with guns and bombs, but during the conflict the kids saw guns, heads being chopped off heads, and dead people. So many of them are traumatized. Before Sanjeevani most of the children sat alone and did not share their feelings. "After they participated in Sanjeevani they became more social and they began to share their feelings. The big change is that they have hope for their future. They also behave more normally in their homes. They have returned to school and begun improving their grades. Now the parents believe in the facilitators because they have changed the behavior of their children. Before Sanjeevani it was very difficult to give them help. "When we were selected by NRCS for training (five days) we realized how many traumatized children there were in the community. During the training we learned that we have medicine for them. So we went back to the community and started selecting the traumatized children with the teachers. The ones we selected had to take a pre-test. Then, we selected the children and met with their parents. The parents said that their children would just sit alone. They were scared. Sanjeevani, Psychosocial session UJYALO Effective Practices Study (June 2007) 20 "We asked the parents to send their children to the Sanjeevani classes. We started off putting twenty kids in one class for fifteen days. During the training they told us to play games but the kids always wanted to play war. They also liked to play with fake guns. Even the very small kids were making small bombs out of matchboxes. After Sanjeevani this behavior stopped. After five days we could see progress. After fifteen days most of the children had changed their behavior. The children have the feeling to do creative work. They realized Sanjeevani works. Before the children felt very alone. They had lost their parents. They didn 9t have anyone for support. But, when they came to the group they realized that there are many children like them. Before Sanjeevani the children were not interested in going to school. But, afterwards they started to go to school regularly. Before children did not have future planning. But afterwards the kids started to think about their future. The kids started saying they wanted to be something in the future. d 3 Sanjeevani facilitator in Jagbuddha, Dadeldhura The interview process for this study would often begin with discussions with the instructors, teachers, and providers and then crosschecks of their descriptions and attributions by interviews with the beneficiaries. The quotations below are from participating students and illustrate beneficiaries 9 perceptions of Sanjeevani : Participants' Experience of Sanjeevani c Sanjeevani means 8A New Life 9 3 now we are able to read and concentrate on our studies. We can work normally. We used to feel afraid and couldn 9t speak to our elders. Now we can speak to our elders in the right way. d cIt helped to reduce the fear of getting caught in crossfire and bombs on the way to school. It helped me to mix with friends and share my feelings. d cI immediately came to realize that I was not alone and that others had similar problems. d cBefore the classes I didn 9t want to go to school, talk to anyone, and others teased me and made me cry. My brother was in the police and was killed by the Maoists. I was always troubled and afraid. Now I can convince my family that they should not worry. When my parents get worried I tell them that they shouldn 9t feel helpless, otherwise we will all feel helpless. I am now capable of studying and working and I don 9t feel afraid. Now I can help others. d cI am now free of terror and I can concentrate on my studies. The negative attitude towards me in the community changed. My brother and I were displaced from our village. We were not admitted to schools when we arrived. The Maoists wanted money from my family and we could not afford it so we went to live with my mother 9s brother. My parents could not come with us. The new community treated us as displaced and very low. Before Sanjeevani I could not speak. After Sanjeevani I can speak out and tell them that they are no different than me. Now I am confident that I can do something with my life. d These quotations show Sanjeevani 9s tremendous impact on the child victims of conflict. However, if the children are treated, but the parents are not, then the symptoms of childhood trauma can often relapse. In order to support the Sanjeevani classes UJYALO began providing parenting classes. Below are excerpts from interviews with parents who participated in these: UJYALO Effective Practices Study (June 2007) 21 Participants' Experience of Effective Parenting Classes cI was in jail for fifteen months. My kids were very worried about me and they were nervous about what would happen to them. When I returned from jail I was very disturbed. The kids were crying at night and wetting their beds. I used to scold and beat them if they wet their bed because I thought it would make them stop. We thought they would learn faster if we beat them. After the parenting classes we no longer beat our children. d 3 Parent in Jagbuddha, Dadeldhura. cWe used to scold and beat our children as a form of discipline. The children were bed-wetting, sitting alone, and quitting school. Through these classes we realized that their behavior was a result of trauma. We learned that we had to love them, not beat them. Now, when I see another parent beating their child I tell them that beating will not solve the problems. They have to talk to their children and find out what is bothering them. After the training my attitude and behavior towards children changed. Now I try to understand the children. I try to find the root causes of their attitudes and behaviors. Now I am very aware of children 9s issues. d 3 Parent in Jagbuddha, Dadeldhura. cBefore we used to send our daughters far away into the jungle without caring about their feelings or interests. Now we only let them go if they want to. We respect their feelings and opinions. Before I used to fight with my husband and other family members in front of the children. The training taught me that this would have a negative impact on my children. d 3 Parent in Jagbuddha, Dadeldhura. B. Community Psychosocial Worker & Community Counselors The preceding quotes highlight the beneficial results of the integrated approach of treating both the child and the parent. Nonetheless, occasionally Sanjeevani classes and parent training were not enough. The symptoms of post-traumatic stress had developed into depression and other psychological problems that called for more intense treatment. Thus, UJYALO hired and trained community psychosocial workers (CPSWs) and community counselors (CCs). The CPSWs receive ten days of training and for the most part work as volunteers while the CCs receive six months of training and are employed full time. The CPSWs and CCs work with other members of the UJYALO network to raise everyone 9s awareness of trauma and psychological disturbances. If the CPSW finds or is referred a case they attempt to provide counseling. If they feel the case is beyond their capacity they refer the case to the CCs. Below are excerpts from interviews with the CPSWs and CCs that demonstrate their success: UJYALO Effective Practices Study (June 2007) 22 Experience of Support by CPSWs and CCs CASE I c Because of the conflict many people were traumatized. The kids used to sit alone so their parents would take them to the hospital. The doctors would prescribe medicine. But, the medicine did not work. After receiving training we realized the kids were traumatized and that medicine alone would not solve their problems. Also the communities discriminated against the traumatized people because they isolated themselves. Now we are able to diagnose the cases and the individual 9s self-confidence by providing counseling. The first thing we do is listen and by listening we determine how to help. Then, we show them the importance of human life. Second, we emphasize the importance of traumatized people, and third the importance of 8I 9 in the community. We try to empower the traumatized people by telling stories of others who have changed and overcome hardship. Because of the counseling the stress has been reduced. There is a link between Sanjeevani and counseling. If they are not getting better in Sanjeevani we send the child to the CPSW and if the CPSW cannot handle the case we send the client to the CCs. If the CCs cannot handle the case we discuss the case with the PSYCAN technical advisor. "This works for adults too. Once a man went to Kanchanpur. On the way the Maoists and Army were fighting. He witnessed everything and went to hide in a cave. When the fighting ended he came out and on the way home he fainted. When he woke up he returned to the village. After this incident he went mad and started beating his wife and children. He started spending a lot of time alone in the jungle. The man 9s parents took him to the hospital and they gave him medication but it did not work. The CPSW tried to help him but it did not work so they referred him to the CCs. The CCs gave the family counseling for a week. After the week they referred him to Nepalgunj where PSYCAN gave treatment for one week. Then, he returned home and everything was fine and he is earning money again. d 3 CC and CPSW, Jagbuddha, Dadeldhura. CASE II: cI was a very good student... second in my class, but when I reached class six I started some bad habits. Once the Maoists came to my house and forced me to go with them. As a member of the Maoists I was responsible for organizing housing and food for cadres and clearing the road. When I returned I started smoking, fighting, and getting angry with people. My teachers scolded me for my behavior and eventually I was referred for counseling. The counselor helped me to assess the positive and negative affect of my attitude and behavior. Now I am passing everything and will get first division. My parents used to get angry with me. Now they think I will do something with my life. If I did not receive counseling I would be hated by lots of people. I would be a very bad person and life would be very bad for me. d 3 VOC in Kailali CASE III: cBefore there was fighting between the Maoists and the army. At this time the client 9s father was linked with the Maoists. The army found out and met with him. They asked if he was linked with the Maoists. He said, 8No! I left the Maoists. 9 But, they proceeded to shoot him dead. The child witnessed this. The mother was working as a laborer and was not able to give food or shelter. His basic needs could not be met so he began living at an orphanage. The orphanage knew about me, the CPSW, from the community and so they notified me. I started meeting with the boy once a week for two or three months. I am also a teacher and he is now one of my students. The boy was very depressed and just wanted to be alone. He was not cooperating with his friends. The one thing that I noticed was that all the kids in the orphanage suffered from similar issues. This helped him to recover. Now, when he needs to talk he just comes to see me or the other CPSW. But, for the most part he is normalized. d 3 CPSW in Kailali UJYALO Effective Practices Study (June 2007) 23 CPSWs and CCs of Banke CASE IV: cI was in the 8 th grade when the army killed my uncle on his way to work. I was very close to him. Then, one night I heard a big blast. I became very disturbed. I stopped eating and going to school. I started walking around the village and I quit talking to people. If anyone tried to speak with me I got very angry. Also, saliva started coming from my mouth&I was going mad. My father brought me to India for treatment and the doctors gave me medicine but it did not work. I had very bad side effects and my legs became very swollen. The CPSWs found out about my case but it was too serious so they recommended me to the CCs. The CCs saw the side effects of the medicine so they sent me to a doctor in Nepalgunj. My father also borrowed money so now I am still taking medicine and receiving counseling support. Now I sing and dance but I am still not going to school. I am married now and I have ten brothers and sisters. My husband drinks a lot and hits me so I stay with my father who is a goldsmith. My husband moved to India but he doesn 9t send me any money. But, I can 9t leave him. I do not smile anymore, only cry&the goldsmith has made the jewelry of gold and the blacksmith makes weapons&but this young life has become mad. d 3 VOC, Jagbuddha, Dadeldhura CASE V: cIn my village there was a young girl (15 years old) who came from Doti. She was displaced because of the Maoists. Because she moved close to where I, the CPSW live I noticed that her behavior was abnormal. She always wanted to be alone. She did not want to talk to her parents or teachers. I spoke with her mom to understand her behavior because the girl was denying that anything was wrong. Once I went to school to give an orientation about what we do and the girl learned about CPSWs and CCs. She slowly decided to meet me. She told me that she did not want to live her life...she wanted to die. I realized the case was too serious for me so I referred her to the community counselor. The girl had tried to kill herself twice. The CC sat with her for two or three sessions and found the case was improving. The CC was able to normalize her behavior and she stopped thinking about killing herself. Now the bad dreams have gone away and she no longer has suicidal ideation. We are no longer seeing her on a regular basis. d 3 CPSW in Kailali One of the outstanding characteristics about the Sanjeevani facilitators, CCs, and CPSWs is that they are leaders in their communities and therefore even if UJYALO ends they will be able to continue providing their services. They also help to build harmony in the communities they serve by building trust and raising awareness in the community. The CPSWs and CCs have become the connectors. For example, before they had to look for cases but now everyone knows them so the cases come to them. In addition, the CPSWs and CCs have been working with individuals and institutions in their communities so their knowledge has spread. Supporting this, one CPSW stated that because he is a teacher and received training as a CPSW he can diagnose the kids with problems and provide awareness programs to students. The CCs and CPSWs have provided training to and coordinated with hospitals, teachers, government officials, and traditional healers. As a result multiple actors in one community are familiar with the diagnosis of trauma and are aware of the network and interventions created and supported by UJYALO. UJYALO Effective Practices Study (June 2007) 24 The Sanjeevani classes and counseling provided by CPSWs and CCs have achieved repeated success. However, many interviews suggested that there were not enough classes, CPSWs, and CCs to serve all community needs and therefore the capacity to serve does not fully match the expectation for service. Moreover, many of the cases were too serious and complex for the counselors to handle, and these were referred to the more experienced counselors of PSYCAN. Six months of training is not efficient for treating major depression with suicidal ideation. During an interview with the CPSW and CC serving in Banke district they were asked how many clients they had served compared to referrals. They said they had served thirty-seven clients and seventy-five more have been referred. Only eighteen of these cases were complete and most of these cases were still in the follow-up phase. When a senior staff working for one of the NGOs supporting the psychosocial interventions was asked if he had the capacity to serve the need, his response was that eighty percent of people in Nepal need services. He continued, cWe are probably reaching less then forty percent. In some districts there is only one counselor. Currently twenty-three people have been trained as community counselors (CCs) for thirteen districts (one to two counselors per district). In order to serve the people we need more people at the grassroots level who understand trauma and can work with the people. We need more CCs and CPSWs - a minimum of four CCs per district and one hundred trained CPSWs for thirteen districts. Also PSYCAN (the local NGO providing counseling support) only has five doctors and forty health professionals in fourteen districts. This is not enough to support the needs of the CCs and CPSWs. d Other recommendations provided by CPSWs and CCs include: Recommendations by CPSWs and CCs cIt can be difficult to go to female clients if you are a male CPSW so there is a need both male and female CPSWs and CCs in the same district. d cDuring the conflict people were very suspicious of the CPSWs. Even now if we learn about a new case we go for home visits. The VOCs or VOTs and the community become suspicious of us. So instead of having one center in 4 VDCs it would be better to have a proper counseling center in each VDC with a sign saying what we do and the population we serve. c cIt would be better if there were rehabilitation centers for the more severe cases. d cBecause of economic problems the clients are not able to come to the centers and the CCs are sometimes not able to go to the clients due to transportation and transportation costs so it would be helpful to have the transportation costs included in the program. d cThere is a need for more meetings and coordination that also include the Sanjeevani facilitators. d cThere are more clients who are affected by other problems. Not just conflict. But, two CCs are currently responsible for nine VDCs and one municipality. We even provide services to other districts like Bardiya. It would be much better to have at least one CC per VDC and municipality so we could serve everyone. c cRather than having CPSWs who are engaged in other work and are volunteering it would be better to have one person working full time and paid on a monthly basis. Instead of having 3 people being paid 600 Rps per month. We could pay one person 1,800 to work full time. d UJYALO Effective Practices Study (June 2007) 25 C. Peace Educators The Sanjeevani classes and counseling activities provided by UJYALO help to resolve acute cases of trauma. These are necessary but reactive interventions. To help prevent such acute cases in the future longer term interventions focused on education are important. In order to achieve this UJYALO has trained teachers and begun providing peace education to students in the fifth and sixth grade, and is collaborating with another NGO to provide support to seventh and eighth grades. Below are excerpts from interviews with staff and students involved in peace education initiatives: Excerpts from an interview with the principal, the peace education teacher and the chairperson of teachers 9 committee at a school in Dadeldhura: cThe Maoists used to come to our school to recruit the kids and ask for donations. They would forcefully bring the kids into their program. After UJYALO&NRCS Dadeldhura organized a meeting with the teachers about UJYALO and peace education. NRCS asked the school to select one teacher to be trained for five days. After getting the training he came back and started teaching peace education to the fifth and sixth grade. A total of one hundred and sixty three kids have received the peace education course. UJYALO also provided the school with a code of conduct board at the entrance of the school and provided funding for peace-building activities, a toilet, and a drinking water station...Before Peace Education started at the school the kids did not try to resolve their own problems. Now, through peace education the kids are learning to solve their own problems. The teacher uses an experiential approach. Before the children sat separately (boys and girls), now they sit together. Before peace education there was a lot of social discrimination among the children. After the peace education the kids started to think differently. The concept of untouchables has been eliminated from the school. All the students are feeling equal and there is no need to discriminate based on caste. The kids are ignoring the older generation who often try to teach them caste and gender discrimination. Interview with students participating in the Peace Education Program: What does peace mean to you? &What did you learn in Peace Education? cPeace means there is no fear and no disturbance&I learned not to dominate others by caste. d cPeace means fearless environment&I learned not to discriminate between males and females. d cPeace means a fearless society&I learned to never compare friends by wealth. cPeace means a society without conflict and discrimination&I learned not to fight with others. d cPeace means no drunks and no disputes&I learned no caste discrimination. d cPeace means everyone supports each other&I learned not to discriminate by gender. d cPeace means respecting each other&I learned

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