Training for Teacher Sponsors

In Nepal Red Cross, Teacher Sponsors are one of the most important puzzles in the school based work. This week is a five days refreshing training for them in Lalitpur District, focusing on School Based Disaster Risk Reduction.




What is a Teacher Sponsor?
There is one teacher at many of the schools that have a special responsibility who coordinates with the teachers, the students and Nepal Red Cross Sub Chapter and District Chapter. They initiate activities and coordinate happenings. The students are active in their Junior Circles and some months ago, Emil and I participated in one of their street drama and demonstrations.



International cooperation
Finnish Red Cross and EU is funding the project to prepare the children for disaster. This can be earth quake, landslides and flooding. A round around the table gave an interesting view of what the project has done for both the Red Cross at their schools and for their disaster preparedness in the society in general. One of the women told that they need to learn more about first aid, another told a story that they had a big fire at their school while they had a training, and what they had learned by the Red Cross in this project was absolutely crucial for them being rescued out. As a Red Cross volunteer, it is very good to hear that these kinds of international cooperation also seem to inspire students at grass root level to participate in both Red Cross and their own future.



Can we come visit you?
One of our goals while we stay in Nepal as Youth Delegates, is to disseminate about Red Cross and International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and give orientation on Human Trafficking and Sexual Health. This was a perfect occasion to meet the Teacher Sponsors of 11 of 30 schools in our district. We spent some hours with them and had a good talk, inviting us to their schools.