Partnership with Sano Paila
The number of COVID-19 cases was quickly growing in the southern most parts of Nepal. With the growing cases and continued lockdown, their affects rippled to the far most places and groups of people. The open border with India and migrant workers continuing to return home made the region very vulnerable to risks of infection was well as poverty and hunger. Estimates of Nepali workers in India vary from 2.5-5 million, and most of them are from the southern part of Nepal, Terai region. This made the people returning and the community people exposed to high risks. This created challenges for the local government in the management of quarantine centers and the community overall.
Hence, Metal for Nepal felt the need for those challenges to be addressed dutifully and partnered with Sano Paila, a youthful organization that has been working to build unified and empowered communities to build Nepal. In these times of Corona Virus Pandemic, Sano Paila has been working to empower hospitals and develop quarantine centers in association with various other organisations. Thus, Metal for Nepal was able to establish border holding points along the central eastern border to India. Through this we were able to feed people and manage spaces for people to rest.
Our partnership was also able to feed over 300 people at Nagarain municipality, Dhanusha. The affected ones included daily wage workers, affected farmers and people from marginalized communities, who were fed for a week, two times a day.
Birgunj, being the 5th most populated city of the country had its own problems in dealing with the corona virus pandemic. It had recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases and deaths after the capital. The need for health infrastructures like isolation centers was highly increasing in the region. Metal for Nepal was able to facilitate three isolation centers established by Sano Paila, as per the guidelines of WHO, for frontline workers, affected public and prison inmates. Partial support for food and water in one of the isolation centers was also extended.
Among the various communities affected by the pandemic, the Chepang community was severely hit. The Chepangs, an indigenous tribe of Nepal yet one of the most backward communities in Nepal, had again this time been neglected by the concerned authorities. Metal for Nepal felt the responsibility to lend a helping hand to the community. We provided families with ration supplies for 45 days in partnership with Sano Paila.
Among the various communities affected by the pandemic, the Chepang community was severely hit. The Chepangs, an indigenous tribe of Nepal yet one of the most backward communities in Nepal, had again this time been neglected by the concerned authorities. Metal for Nepal felt the responsibility to lend a helping hand to the community. We provided families with ration supplies for 45 days in partnership with Sano Paila.
The partnership between Metal for Nepal and Sano Paila has proved to be an example of joint effort in helping the community at times of such crisis. Metal for Nepal would like to express their gratitude towards Sano Paila, without the help of which, such efforts would not have been possible.
-Mukesh Kunwar for Metal for Nepal, 10/15/2020