On April 28, 2023. We, the third-year students of BASW at Xavier International College, visited the Shikharapur Community Learning Centre (SCLC) to learn about how a community organization works. The SCLC offers a wide range of programs in their community, including free education, advocacy, agriculture, and community health. The best thing I witnessed was that it gives dropout students access to education regardless of age and helps them finish their schooling.
We arrived at SCLC at 9:40 am and were welcomed by one of the founders, Mr. Niroj Shrestha. He was a very active and friendly person in the community who encouraged every individual to do more and achieve their goals by mentoring and guiding them about SCLC. Mr.Niroj Shrestha instructed us about the day’s plan, where we would go, and what we would learn. We were amazed by his welcome speech.
After that, we went to the newly constructed Agriculture Learning Resource Centre (ALRC) where we had our breakfast. We were surprised that we needed to wash our plates ourselves, but we were happy to do it as social work students. After breakfast, we visited the digital classroom, E-Library room, and tailoring rooms, and saw firsthand how the community has worked together to create these facilities.
Mr. Niroj Shrestha gave us a very informative presentation. During his presentation, he provided us with valuable insights on the importance of respecting different viewpoints when working in a group, making informed decisions, and developing the necessary skills and patience to function efficiently as a team.
After that, we visited the cowshed and observed ten healthy cows happily grazing on grass and producing high-quality milk. The farm’s customers bring their own bottles to purchase milk, paying in cash directly and regularly returning for more. This is a convenient option for people living in the area who prefer fresh milk and don’t want to travel a long distance to purchase packaged milk.
Then we went to see two bottle houses that were built using more than 10,000 waste bottles. The houses reuse waste bottles (alcoholic, water, medicine, or either) to construct eco-friendly bottle houses that are particularly cooling in the summer months.
Beside those two bottle houses, there was also a Chautara made up of bottles to sit and get fresh air. We all sat there, enjoyed the view, and It had a very great view and peaceful environment.
At 2 pm, we were called for our lunch, which was delicious. After a busy morning of exploring and learning. We were all quite hungry and eagerly enjoyed the meal.
After resting at the chautara for a bit, we began our next activity : social mapping. We started the social mapping process on the ground beside the bottle house, and interviewed six local people (aunties) from Pharping who lived in the same ward.
With their help, we were able to gather valuable information about the area and create a visual representation of the data through social mapping.
At 4 pm, it was time for us to depart and return to our homes. Although we were sad to leave, we felt grateful for the opportunity to visit the Shikharapur Community Learning Centre and learn about their impactful work in the community. Our experience left us feeling inspired and motivated to return in the future to continue working with the centre, gain a deeper understanding of the community, develop our skills and grow as individuals in the real world.
By Tseten Doma Sherpa,
BASW 3rd-year student.
Xavier International College.