Agatha Thapa

Seto Gurans National Child Development Service, Nepal

Organization Focus
Seto Gurans envisions Nepal as a country, in which the rights of all children are ensured, where all children receive quality opportunities for learning and developing to their full potential, to grow up healthy, happy and with self-esteem, and to become contributing members for the positive transformation of the society and the nation. Seto Gurans (White Rhododendron) is a flower, whose beauty is seldom known because of its existence in inaccessible mountain regions, whereas its sister flower Lali Gurans (Red Rhododendron) is found in abundance on the foothills of Nepal and is honored as the national flower. In the same way, a large number of children are surviving in difficult situations and their rights are often being neglected. Disparities based on gender, ethnicity, geographical barriers and severe poverty deprive them of their rightful opportunities. Through its Early Childhood Development (ECD) programs Seto Gurans wants to help these children to unfold and bloom to their full potential.

My plans with the 2018 Klaus J. Jacobs Award
The need for developing resource centers and resource staff is essential. I plan to utilize the Award money for establishing seven new regional resource centers in seven provinces. These resource centers will be established in the deprived and disadvantaged communities where the government’s initiative is beyond reach. Today, we are active in 59 districts out of 75, and I plan to expand the district chapters to all the districts to give equal justice for quality opportunities to all children in all seven provinces.

How will my work change children’s and youth’s lives?
Early Childhood Development (ECD) is the starting point of human life. Early stimulation, health, nutrition, protection and participation is required from prenatal stage. Seto Gurans offers quality ECD services in around 36,000 urban and rural ECD centers. We also provide parenting education, which is a very important component for the holistic development of both children and youth. We have succeeded to include ECD in the constitution of Nepal under article 39 which states: “Every child shall have the right to elementary child development and child participation”. This is the golden achievement for us.