There has been a lot going on behind the scenes at Kidasha recently, and we are delighted to finally share some exciting news and updates with you.
We are firstly absolutely thrilled to announce that Kidasha has been awarded a UKAID Community and Partnership Grant from the UK’s Government Department of International Development (DFID). Receiving funding from UKAID is an incredibly competitive process, and our whole team, both in London and Pokhara, are incredibly proud of our success.
The grant will be used to support a 2.5 year project to improve the health and wellbeing of some of the most marginalised adolescents living in urban poverty in Pokhara, Nepal’s second largest city. The project involves working with 30 government schools to mainstream a Life Skills Education into the standard school curriculum and working with 10 urban health centres to make them more ‘adolescent friendly’ and responsive to the needs of marginalised young people.
Receiving this funding will come as a massive help to the work we undertake to ensure vulnerable people in Nepal are receiving personalised support and the opportunity for a better life.
In addition to this, we are delighted that the MCC Foundation, which is the charitable arm of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) – the owner of the Lord’s Cricket Ground – has chosen to partner with us to deliver a project designed to use cricket to improve the life chances of some of Pokhara’s most vulnerable children, particularly in slum communities.
The project aims to use cricket for the greater good, in breaking down perceptions around gender roles, and building young people’s confidence. All whilst providing valuable opportunities to learn and play the game. The project will commence in November when an MCC team will be visiting Nepal as part of MCC’s wider commitment to delivering a series of Legacy Tours over three years, aimed at leaving a sustainable and meaningful impact in developing cricket nations.
Following completion of the pilot, we very much hope that our partnership with the MCC Foundation will continue in the longer term, thereby enabling us to give even more children and young people in Nepal the opportunity to benefit from the project.
Last but not least, we are very proud to say that we have been awarded one of only three Sir Ernest Cassel Centenary Awards. This large grant will fund a 3 year project to provide an alternative learning programme for ‘out of school’ adolescent girls living in chronic poverty, who are unable and/or unwilling to return to mainstream education.
The project will build on three innovative learning approaches: Functional Learning (a course developed for out-of-school adolescents to improve literacy and numeracy), Life Skills Education (as noted above) and Personal Development Planning (developed as part of our case management systems for street and working children). Approximately 1,500 school girls aged 12-18 will be invited to participate in learning groups close to where they live, timed to fit with their work and/or domestic commitments, with the ultimate aim of increasing their confidence, aspirations and resilience.
These achievements are a testament to the hard work and commitment of our small team. However, whilst it is all great news and we are very excited about the opportunities these projects bring, we still have the challenge of raising enough income to support our traditional services. These include our rehabilitation centre for young vulnerable boys living and/or working on the streets; our drop-in centres and alternative education for working children; and our work with families and employers to protect children from exploitation and abuse.
Hence we need the continued support and efforts of yourselves – our very much valued friends and supporters! As always anything you can do, no matter how large or small will be very much appreciated and guaranteed to make a real difference.
The months ahead will require a redoubling of our efforts as we translate these new grants into real, transformative changes in Nepal. I look forward to updating you with our progress as these projects get underway. In the meantime, many thanks in anticipation for your continued support.