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Current NAFA Qld Projects
Projects | Current Projects | Completed Projects
The following are just some examples of current projects that NAFA has initiated and/or is involved with:
Poverty Alleviation and Infrastructure Sustainability (GOAT) Project
FEAT for YOUTH
FEAT for YOUTH is a further education and training program which aims to improve employment opportunities for students in NAFA and JOY supported projects, who are nearing school completion. Students from Prisoners Assistance (PA) Nepal, Tawal school, Vinayak Shiksha Niketan (VSN) School (Thimi), and young people with disabilities will be involved. These students need help to overcome obstacles to finding employment, such as family poverty, remote area living, separation from family, and physical disability. FEAT activities will focus on building the student’s self esteem, confidence and support networks, and providing work skills training and further education, to help them to find jobs and achieve their potential.
Above left: NAFA president Rod Setterlund talks to older students from PA Nepal about their hopes for the future.
Above centre: A grade 9 student who aspires to be a teacher does work experience at VSN School.
Aboveright: Many students enjoy knitting and sewing and some have expressed interest in working in the garment industry.
FEAT activities will include:
- Work place visits and work experience.
- Vocational Training and workplace training/apprenticeships.
- Further post SLC education ie college in Nepal.
- Training in leadership skills, job seeking skills and effective work habits.
- Peer and adult mentoring.
We need your help
NAFA has seeding money to pilot the project but needs ongoing support, such as:
- One-off or ongoing financial donations earmarked to the program.
- Industry supported donations (eg nurses providing funds for student’s nursing training).
- Individual or organisational sponsorship of a student with an outstanding academic record, talent or determination to succeed in a particular occupation/profession.
- Using personal and work networks to interest individuals or groups in supporting the program.
- Innovative ideas for training, or about industry trends etc which could be used in Nepal.
Download brochure:-" Feat for Youth brochure" Page 1 | Page 2 page 1
Remote Area Eye Clinics
Location: Remote areas in Nepal
Date: 1990 ongoing
Partner: the JOY Foundation
Objective: To sponsor one remote eye screening and cataract surgery eye clinic per year, conducted by the Tilganga Eye Hospital based in Kathmandu.
Outcomes: From 1990 to 2008, NAFA has funded 17 eye clinics either by full or co-sponsorship, a total cost of $60,000. Approximately 2,850 people have had their sight restored free of charge.
Details: The Tilganga Eye Centre provides opthamalogical services to Nepali people and operates an Intra Ocular Lens (IOL) labratory, for the manufacture of lenses for implants during cataract surgery. Tilganga Hospital conducts numerous remote area eye clinics free of charge in inaccessible areas where people generally do not have access to medical services.
The remote area medical team members are volunteers and surgery and other eye care is provided free of charge. However, each remote clinic costs over $6,000 due to food provided to patients, transport, and medical equipment costs. Usually a school building is set up as a temporary ‘hospital’ and in most clinics over 1,000 people are screened; while 250 to 300 are operated on for removal of cataracts and replacement with lenses.
Prisoners Assistance Nepal (PA Nepal)
Location: Nayabazar (Kathmandu) and Sankhu (one hour from Kathmandu – see Completed Projects link).
Date: December 2003 ongoing.
Objectives:
- To build a separate home for older boys at Sankhu (see News link for details of this new project).
- To support the education of approximately 50 children at Nayabazar and Sankhu (see Child Sponsorship link for details).
Outcomes: Support provided to children through provision of food, medicine, clothing (see NAFA Knitters), educational materials; and through conducting craft activities and sewing training.
Details: PA Nepal provides the following services: residential care for approximately 80 children who would otherwise be in prison with a convicted parent; education and skills training for prisoners; support for women released from prison; support for children and the mentally ill in prison; and advocacy on behalf of prisoners and their families.
PA Nepal is one of NAFA’s core projects. In addition to the outcomes listed above, NAFA provides educational sponsorship for approximately 50 children, has provided the major funding for building the children’s home at Sankhu and is currently raising funds for a separate home for older boys on the property at Sankhu. NAFA also aims to involve older children at PA Nepal in the new FEAT program (see NEWS link for details).
Child Care Centres
Location: Pokhara
Date: 2004 ongoing
Partner: Butterfly Foundation
Objective: To support the operation of two child care centres in Pokhara for parents of lower caste who have come into Pokhara in search of day labour.
Outcomes: Since commencing its support of the centres, NAFA has provided annual rental assistance and a top-up of salaries totalling approximately $2,250 p.a.
Details: The centres cater for children 2-5 years old. The centres were established by the Butterfly Foundation so older siblings who had been at home looking after the younger ones could attend school.
Tawal Health Clinic
Location: Ganesh Himal area in remote hilly region of Nepal
Date: 2001 ongoing
Partners: Hilly Region Development Club
Objective: To support the operation of a remote health clinic that services approximately 6000 people in the remote hilly region of Nepal. villages of Tawal, Kutal, Sallary, Dhusini.
Outcomes: Since constructing and fitting out the health clinic, NAFA has supported the operation of the clinic by 
providing a yearly subsidy towards the salaries of the health workers employed at the clinic.
Details: The health clinic provides primary health care to Tawal and nearby villages. The closest health clinic before the clinic at Tawal was built is nearly two days walk away. NAFA has supported the clinic over the years by providing extra training in mid-wifery and through the purchase of medical equipment and supplies.
Pictured: Tawal Health Clinic and Health Workers
School at Tawal
Location: Ganesh Himal area in remote hilly region of Nepal
Date: 2005
Partners: Hilly Region Development Club (Nepal) and Nepaleducaid (Austria)
Objective: To support the operations of the lower secondary school (Grades 1-8) at Tawal.
Outcomes: NAFA currently provides a salary subsidy of two teachers at Tawal for a total of $2,800 p.a.
Details: In Nepal, the Government only provides limited assistance through the subsidy of some but not all teachers in a school The school at Tawal currently ends at Grade 8, with children having to walk over two hours to attend Grades 9 and 10 in another village. There are plans to extend the school at Tawal to these grades, pending the availability of funds for three teachers needed to cover the higher grades.
Picture of old school. This picture shows the old school building in a dangerously dilapidated state (crumbling structure, holes in roof, dark, poorly ventilated rooms). Below you can see the new school building.
NAFA Knitters
(Link) Read the latest Nafa Knitters newsletter - ( May 2009, No.9)
(Link) See latest pictures of children with our knitted items
Location: Jumpers and beanies distributed to a range of locations in Nepal, including a carpet factory, childrens home, two child care centres, disability services and remote villages.
Date: ongoing
Objective: To provide warm jumpers and beanies to disadvantaged children and adults in Nepal, who rarely would be able to afford new garments.
Outcomes: Regular supply of jumpers and beanies to children and adults in Nepal. For example, in 2006 NAFA sent 265 kilos to Nepal = 763 jumpers and 932 beanies.
Details: NAFA knitters are a group of mainly women who knit beautiful and colourful jumpers and beanies for disadvantaged children in Nepal. NAFA members take the jumpers to Nepal when travelling there. Both Thai Airways and Singapore Airlines have assisted this project by giving NAFA members 10 kg additional baggage allowance.
Over the years the woollen garments have been delivered to: two creches in Pokhara supported by NAFA; children at PA Nepal; women and children under 5 years in the Women’s prison in Kathmandu; children at carpet factories in Thimi; children at the remote village of Tawal; children in a disability centre in Thimi and adults in a disability school at Thimi.
When in Nepal in 2006 – 2007 Brenda Hazelwood, who coordinates the NAFA Knitters project, was asked to teach the children at PA Nepal how to knit. By the time she left Nepal she had a knitting group of 35 children, mainly girls, but including four boys were very interested to learn. The children were aged between 8 and 16 and after learning the basic skills they made a range of items from the first teddy to scarves, headbands, purses, shoulder bags, pencil bags belts and some clothes for the teddy. Such was their enthusiasm that they knitted their way through 7 kilos of wool!
Pictures: Top: Vice President Brenda Hazelwood working with the PA Nepal children teaching them Knitting skills. Bottom: Shows jumpers knitted by our Aussie Nafa Knitters being distributed to the appreciative children of parents who are low paid workers in a Thimi Carpet factory.
Poverty Alleviation and Infrastructure Sustainability (GOAT) Project
Location: Namobuddha and Tawal
Date: 2005 ongoing
Partners: VSN School Eco-Club, Namobuddha womens group and the Hilly Region Development Club
Objective: 1. To provide goats to poor families in the Namobuddha area as a poverty alleviation strategy and 2. To manage a goat project in Tawal aimed at providing sustained income to assist in meeting the ongoing maintenance costs of the NAFA-supported water infrastructure, health clinic and school projects in Tawal.
Outcomes: Approximately 10 goats are purchased with NAFA funding each year to be allocated by the Namobuddha womens group to poor families with the infrastructure and knowledge to look after goats in this rural community.
Details: The Namobuddha project is being monitored by students in an Eco-club at the VSN School in Thimi. An agreement between the Club and the families calls for a passing of some goat kids to other poor families.
In 2007, approximately 20 goats were purchased in Tawal. The project is monitored by the Hilly Region Development Club, who have employed a goat herder to look after the goats in a profit-sharing agreement. Profits to the Club will be used to purchase materials needed to maintain water infrastructure to the village, the health clinic and the school, all constructed with the support of NAFA.