February 24, 2020

Dream Comes to Reality; Nara-Tika Community Learning Centre is Offically Inaugurated

Nara –Tika Community Learning Centre located at Nisankhe, Okhaldhunga is officially inaugurated on Sunday, 2 February 2020 in a program at the courtyard of CLC  in the presence of around 600 participants of the Local Community. Addressing the mass as the opening speaker, the mastermind of CLC and the Founder President of Volunteers Initiative Nepal (VIN), Mr. Bhupi Ghimire shared his emotions, in particular, making the crowd speechless. He very enthusiastically welcomed the participants and shared his childhood memories. Nara Kumari and Tika Bahadur stood as an ideal couple for the communities working for social, agricultural, economic, health, educational upliftment of the communities. They were hard-working couple who sacrificed almost six decades of their lives serving the local communities. Bhupi Ghimire without hesitation shared how their family had suffered and how his parents struggled to come out of poverty. He compared the local communities of the past and now and justified how Nara and Tika worked tirelessly to improve the conditions of local people. They were the leading couple committed with high morale for the sake of improvements to the lives of people. The CLC is named NaraTika after Nara Kumari and Tika Bahadur is due respect to all parents and social activists as justified by Mr. Ghimire. He shared how he and VIN team, as well as some local people, worked day and night to complete the project. He also thanked the people and organizations, partners, volunteers who helped morally, financially and technically to construct the building and its infrastructure. Mr. Ghimire mentioned that the total cost for the NT-CLC was about 52 million rupees and 27 million more needed to complete the top floor and other infrastructure. There were display boards and posters visible by all who could know about the sources of funds and expenditure in detail. The NaraTika CLC aims at learning, research and innovation center for all age groups of the area.

Mr. Dinesh Khatiwada, General Secretary of VIN was the master of the ceremony. It was chaired by VIN President Mr. Bhupi Ghimire. Mr. Shantiram  Khatiwada, Vice President of VIN delivered a welcome speech and spoke that the sustainability of CLC largely depends upon the efforts of local communities. The Chief Guest of the program was Mr. Yagya Raj Sunuwar, the member of House of Representative (Federal Legislature representing from Okhaldhunga district)

Mr. Sunuwar as the Chief Guest made official inauguration and disclosed its name as Nara-Tika next to the entrance of CLC. In his speech, he showed how happy he was to see the CLC built in two years’ time. He recalled he himself had put the foundation stone and couldn’t believe its mega structure and beautiful garden with a lot of facilities could be ready in that remote location in such a short period of time. He said CLC is a major step to convert Nepal Government ‘s ‘Happy Nepali, Prosperous Nepal ‘slogan into reality. He praised VIN’s work from the core of his heart and said if all sectors work like the speed and energy of VIN, Nepal can very soon be uplifted as a developed country. He made his earnest request to expand CLCs in other local communities as well and also encouraged to work in the field of health. The Mayor of Siddhicharan Municipality Mr. Mohan Kumar Shrestha made compliments of VIN’s work for women, children, youth and the environment sector, and requested to expand such centers in other communities nearby as well.

Mr. Klaus Ding from Taiwan Aid thanked VIN for the beautiful building, designs, garden, and surroundings. He also congratulated local communities and suggested for better utilization of CLC.

Mr. Pradip Sunuwar, District Chairman of Nepali Congress, Okhaldhunga congratulated local people for the beautiful gifts and made commitments for the help on behalf of himself and his party if needed. Moti Raj Rai, Chairperson of Manebhanjyang Rural Municipality, offered his thanks to VIN and praised how such models can be exemplary for all. Mr. Rudra Adhikari, Chairperson of Sunkoshi Rural Municipality congratulated local people for the beautiful token of love of VIN as CLC with his praises to VIN. He said the people of the area had to make the journey of a whole day by bus to see a water fountain in  Hetauda. Now CLC has made it possible to see the fountain in their garden. He said it can be a destination for visitors as well. Radha Niraula, the Member of Network of Women spoke about the activities of VIN in local communities by constructing a house, shelters, schools damaged by the 2015 earthquake and the contribution made by VIN to uplift the position of women in communities. Krishna Karki, Head of ward no 2 made concerns about how CLC could benefit local communities at a maximum level. Hari Kumar Bhattarai, Principal of Himalaya Secondary School, representing the schools in the area mentioned how VIN has helped in the educational sector of the area by helping students in different ways like training, technology, workshops, scholarships, etc.

21 people received the Letters of Honor from Chief Guest and other distinguished personalities for their contributions in different sectors to build CLC. 40 people received Letters of Appreciation for their work in local communities and support of VIN in different ways. The workers from the ground level were honored with Appreciation Letters on the occasion. The program was beautified by different cultural dances from school students. Women showed their typical ‘Sangini dance’ in which the song praised the work done by VIN in local communities. The guests were taken inside for the observation of the inner structure and Mr. Bhupi Ghimire explained all about it. The program ended with a vote of thanks and all the people including guests had refreshments (a full meal served on leaf plates ) before the mass dispersed.