NATIONAL8 (Spotlight Weekly]

Small Is Beautiful

Global Partners (UK) tells a successful story in poverty alleviation

By A CORRESPONDENT

Pettit : Committed to development

The people in Humla district regularly see airplanes and helicopters hovering in the sky, but they have not seen a tractor.

Thanks to Global Partners (UK), the residents of Humla will have their own tractor. The group is providing the tractor to Simikot to clear the snow at the airport during the winter.

The tractor can also be used in other development activities. "We have been working to eradicate poverty and illiteracy in Humla district," said John D. Pettit, director of Global Partnership (UK).

Although it is a small international charity registered in the United Kingdom, it has made successful efforts in the areas of poverty alleviation, emergency relief and community empowerment.

Established in 1996 through a general agreement signed with the Social Welfare Council, the group has completed many projects in Humla, Arghakhanchi, Dhanusha and Kapilvastu districts.

"GP (UK) focuses on projects and programs which enable people in need to improve their own purpose and quality of life. Its principal activity is to advance education, to relieve poverty and to assist in projects ranging from the drilling of water wells to adult literacy classes," said Pettit.

The group is launching a drinking water project in Arghakhanchi and Kapilvastu districts. It aims to provide safe drinking water to 563 households by installing 110 hand pumps in different local areas of Shivapur VDC of Kapilvastu district.

In Thada VDC of Arghakhanchi district, the organization has constructed a drinking water project based on gravity-flow scheme for 168 households.

Rural water project : sign of development

The Thada drinking water project is seen as one of the successful examples of projects run and managed by the community.

Along with relatively accessible areas, the organization has also been working in the remote parts of the country, like Humla district.

The group is also launching programs at Simikot VDC of Humla district. Apart from infrastructure projects, the group also distributes food to people in need.

Along with sanitation and other infrastructure projects, the GP (UK) also launches poverty-related programs in underdeveloped areas.

Okely Gets Reunited

The popular pop band Okely is going to have all of its members performing in the upcoming album Okely-Volume Three. Having been involved in Nepalese pop music for the last eight years, the band has gained reputation for quality songs.

For the last couple of years, two of the band's members, Anish Sapkota and Raj Kishore Chaudhary, had left the country for further studies while Shreejan Tamrakar alone had to shoulder the responsibility of giving continuity to the band's performance.

Tamrakar (left) and Sapkota : Musical reunion

Now, the two members have returned to Nepal and the band hopes to come up with more hits.

The earlier hit songs of the band included "Meri Okely", "Gulabi Jadole" and "Jhyal bata heri".

The band is currently recording its new album and also making music videos for their songs.

"After the return of my friends, our band now promises to provide more quality music to our listeners," says Tamrakar.

Tamrakar had been promoting the band single-handedly, taking it on stage-shows inside and outside the country over the last few years. He hopes the reunited band will be successful in its objective of satisfying listeners by giving them good music.