July 2024,
Jagriti Child and Youth Concern Nepal (Jcycn) with the support of KANALLAN organized a Five-day “Residential Training on Training of Trainers”. After the successful completion of two phases in Devchuli and Kawasoti Municipalities respectively, Girls’ Empowerment Program (GEP) is now implementing in Madhyabindu Municipality, continuing its’ mission to empower girls and transform communities. Therefore, the first training i.e. TOT for peer educators was organized from 7th – 11th July 2024 in Sauraha, Chitwan, begun with 30 peer educators and 10 other participants, including representatives from parents and teachers, JCYCN officials. The training was targeted to equip the young girls with the knowledge and skills required to effectively carry out their roles and responsibilities as a peer educator.
The introduction and welcome speech were given by Mr. Dipak Sharma, General Secretary of Jcycn, before the training got underway. Following that, Ms. Rita Thapa, Program Coordinator gave a detail presentation about the Girls’ Empowerment Program (GEP) and Ms. Rejina Gharti Magar gave a summary of the training’s objectives. Ms. Radha Devi Bote, Program Officer who has been leading the overall selection of peer educators ensured the comfort and safety of the peer educators during the sessions.
The main objectives of this training are to equip them with comprehensive facilitation skills, increase the knowledge of young girls on gender and peacebuilding; sexual and gender-based violence; leadership and management, so that they will apply the knowledge and skills in their respective field of work in their community for managing group discussions, workshops, and activities effectively. It seeks to develop their understanding of leadership skills, team building, conflict resolution, and decision-making skills. By the end of the program, they will be prepared to engage and educate their peers, lead initiatives, and communicate effectively to bring about positive changes.
Mrs. Meena Sharma, resource person started the training with the concept delivery of facilitation and qualities of a good facilitator. The trainer emphasized on aspects of facilitation, conflict and violence, Gender, GBV, SGBV and effective communication.
| “If you are committed and seriously want something you will obviously conquer it one day, I believe one day I will be sitting on the trainings facilitated by every one of you.” – Mrs. Meena Sharma |
Meena Sharma delivered a detailed presentation on facilitation skills, highlighting the qualities of a good facilitator and techniques for effective communication. She incorporated games and practical examples through role play to help participants understand conflict and violence. Additionally, she showcased various videos emphasizing the importance of teamwork, dedication, and willpower, ensuring a comprehensive and engaging training session for all peer educators. Following that, Ms. Rejina Gharti Magar, Former Peer Educator and Program Associate of Jcycn facilitated the session on Good touch, Bad touch and sexual violence. With overwhelming emotions, peer educators tearfully shared their personal experiences of encountering instances of bad touch and misconduct.
After each session, a review was conducted to track the learning and sharing process, ensuring that the peer educators understood the overall content and their roles. KANALLAN Nepal Representative, Mr. Deepak Prasad Bashyal, led these review sessions. He utilized various interesting tools and games to review and reflect on the learning of the peer educators, making each session engaging and interactive.
| “This is very new training for us, equipping us with a wealth of new knowledge, skills and significantly boosting our confidence.”- Tiriya Mahato, a peer educator |
On the third day, embracing the “learning by doing” approach, peer educators were divided into separate groups according to their working wards. They delivered outstanding performances through role plays, dramas, poems, songs and facilitation sessions on topics such as cyber security, good touch and bad touch, facilitation techniques, conflict, and violence, demonstrating their understanding of the content learned in previous sessions. Appreciating the outstanding performances of the peer educators, the facilitators provided invaluable feedback, which is crucial for implementing their learning effectively in the field.
Mr. Tilottam Paudel, Jcycn Chairperson who is also the member of executive committee of National Youth Council (NYC) Government of Nepal provided insights on the importance of gaining real time skills to their daughters since young age. He introduced the origin of Jcycn as a youth led organization and discussed the implementation process of GEP program I and II.
During the training, an experience-sharing session was held with former peer educators, Ms. Mansu Neupane and Ms. Alisha Panthi. They shared their overall journey in the GEP-II program at Kawasoti Municipality, highlighting their personal achievements, the challenges they faced as peer educators, and the positive impacts of the program on the community. This session underscored the importance and effectiveness of experience sharing, providing current peer educators with valuable insights, mentorship and inspiration for their roles.
On the fourth day of TOT, the focus was on enhancing effective communication and understanding the social context. Ms. Asha B.K., a former peer educator and admin finance associate, facilitated a power work game aimed at deepening participants’ understanding. She also led a session on Cyber Security, ensuring peer educators were well-informed about current online safety issues.
Additionally, Ms. Rita Thapa conducted a session on Girls and Environment, enlightening peer educators about their pivotal role in environmental conservation and empowering them to contribute positively to addressing climate change challenges.
We were honored to have the presence of Deputy Mayor Parbata Tiwari from Devchuli Municipality and Deputy Mayor Purnakala Chaudhary from Madhyabindu Municipality during our Training of Trainers program. They graciously shared their insights and best wishes for the peer educators, expressing their commitment to support and invest in their endeavors. This gesture underscores their dedication to fostering education, emphasize on girls’ empowerment and development within the communities.
Mr. Dipak Sharma, General Secretary of Jcycn, led a meaningful session during the TOT, encompassing the history of child rights, relevant laws, and advocacy tools. This session was essential for equipping participants with the knowledge and skills necessary for effective community engagement and development.
On the final day of the training, we were honored to host Mayor Bhimlal Adhikari of Madhyabindu Municipality for an interactive session with peer educators. Mayor Adhikari addressed the queries, concerns, and questions of the peer educators during this engaging session. He also expressed his steadfast commitment to continue supporting girls even beyond his tenure as Mayor. Mayor Adhikari expressed gratitude to the teams from Jcycn and KANALLAN for selecting Madhyabindu for hosting this GEP program. He assured full support from every ward and the municipality to ensure the program’s success.
“Every change starts within you; you need to change the character and attitude of yourselves before thinking of changing the society”- Mayor of Madhyabindu Municipality, Bhimlal Adhikari
The training came to an end with the closing session and certificate distribution ceremony. Closing ceremony of the training was facilitated by Ms. Rejina Gharti Magar. The ceremony was Concluded with a note of thanks and closing remarks by Mr. Dipak Sharma, General Secretary of Jcycn.
The Training of Trainers (TOT) concluded successfully with peer educators equipped with essential knowledge in gender concepts, legal frameworks, conflict management, effective communication, leadership, nutrition, climate change, and online safety. Interactive methods like games and role plays ensured active participation and learning. Participants also shared personal experiences, fostering a supportive environment. Key sessions on self-defense, online safety, and climate change deepened understanding and prepared educators to tackle community challenges effectively. Armed with these skills, peer educators are now ready to make a meaningful impact in their communities through informed leadership and advocacy.
“Heartfelt thank you to the organization for this opportunity and we promise to implement these learning in our life and share with others in our school & community”- common commitment from peer educators
Thank you to our partners. A huge thank you to everyone who attended and participated in our workshop. The wonderful support Partner KANALLAN deserves special recognition. Nothing would have been possible without their support.
News prepared by Rejina Gharti Magar
Project Associate
Jagriti Child and Youth Concern Nepal
Former Peer Educator of GEP-I
Former Vice-President of JCCN (Jagriti Child Club Nepal)
