Celebration of World AIDS Day in Aust Agder

Joint Planning meeting of International youth group 

and Arendal Red cross Youth on 23rd November

Preparing Red Ribbons

 Wrapping up condoms on Red Cross Youths Wrappers

Writing Big Banners which says "IKKE HIV VETTET BRUK KONDOM"

All the youth volunteers gathered in the Aust Agder Røde Kors office at 14:30 and took all the necessary things with us and began preparing our stand in front of the Culture house by 15:00.

We then started distributing brochures and condoms to the passing youths and adults. Volunteers were divided in pieces and scattered around the city, some went inside the shopping center “Amfi Arena” and some at the city center.

Those who seemed the most interested came to our stand and participated in a Quiz about HIV and demonstrations of the correct way of   using condoms.

For the gathering crowd, we played a condom fighting game with some of the visitors at the stand.

After the crowd gathered we auctioned off men as a way of showing the connection between

human trafficking and HIV.

After it had become dark, we light candles in the shape of the red AIDS ribbon.

The tasks had been divided among the volunteers and each volunteer felt they participated and had a important role in the program, something that made it more fruitful and energetic. Every volunteer was dedicated to complete the tasks assigned to them and contributing equally to the program. It was -3 degree Centigrade outside and the volunteers were enjoying their work even tough they were freezing. When we were talking about HIV/AIDS there, it was shocking that people knew so very little about it!

The same day Tvedestrand Youth Group had a stand from 10 am to 5 pm at the shopping mall in Tvedestrand. They counted about eight people while they talked and handed out information concerning HIV/AIDS. In addition, by focusing on Active Choice by handing out condoms, they managed to get about 4000kr for the cause.
In addition, they had invited the local newspaper in order to get the cause represented in the media.


Differences in the Celebration between Norway and Nepal:

Normally, in Nepal we use to have public rally, a march of Red Cross volunteers, creating awareness about the things and also some seminars, street dramas, some speech competitions, but here every youth group were focused to keep their stand the busiest place. This was new to us but i also found it effective in the context of Norway, where people have less time to see whole dramatic plays. Here people don’t even gather if they see a huge mass of youths gathered, they don’t notice you unless you do some creative activities. Andy in Tvedestrand youth group played guitar to attract people. Also, the small role-plays are suitable, making the visitors involved in the activities. Free distribution of condoms we found is to be the best way to attract youths here because most of them were interested in it. Had it been in Nepal they would have walked away as if they hadn’t seen you.
(The distribution are mostly being done in private - one of the most effective ways of condom distribution is by placement in public WC’s)
Almost none of the adult volunteers were interested in celebrating the world AIDS day. This was something that surprised us very much.

First Invitation to Norwegian House

We had been here for more than three months now. We had participated in different programs and gone to the different places to visit but until this Tuesday dated 24th of November, no one had invited us in their home. Ragnar Lundstrøm, who had been to Nepal two times before and was there in our presentation about Nepal, called Durga the day before and invited us in his home. We were so enjoyed with their invitation and after finishing our work with international group and Arendal Youth Group for a Photo shoot to make posters creating awareness of how HIV is transmitted to other persons, we directly headed to our house where he is supposed to pick us up at 6pm. We were a little late but found him waiting for us. He drive us to Hansnesveien 69, there we found his wife waiting egerly for us. A warm welcome and little chat. They also had baked cake with Namaste written in it. Also we had special julebrus along with cake. We had brought Nepali tea leaves with us, so we also made the tea in Nepali style.
There we stayed nearly for two hour and had chat about Nepal and also the cultural differences in Nepal and Norway. We also they showed us the gifts they have brought from Nepal which took me back to Nepal for some time and nearly got lost on them but thanks to Durga for bringing me back to Norway. We were so pleased about that. We left their home with a happy node of meeting again some time and seeing photos of Nepal and listening some of their memories about Nepal.

Strange connections

Before some months, I was struggling to learn to use this machine with my friend Prem Krishna Shrestha. In Nepal, this machine is still in use. Tailors use this machine to sew clothes. From this different designs can be made. Shirts, Pants and also other stuffs. Even in some place they donot have the table portion and they use hand to rotate the ring. Yes of course it is easier to rotate the ring with legs than hands. I was very glad to see such machine here in Norway too. It was placed in Risøya folk hiskole. I thought "oh! they also use such machines, same as ours, to sew the things." I thought this was there just to show students how to sew clothes because i had heard that the school is for those who want to learn other various activities after completion of their school and before going to college. So it was obvious that there should be such income generating skills also. In some places in Nepal we use to provide vocational training of such things so that they can earn out of it. I was in same vision but when i asked about it to one of the youth leader, then he said, "we used to use those type of machines may be 20 or 5 years back. now we use china instead." I understood right way about what he is saying but Durga didn't so I had to clear her by saying that "previously they used such machine to sew clothes but now they import directly from China. and don't know how it is made. It was same like that the Pink Cow of farmville gives strawberry milk, brown cow-a chocolate milk." They don't know how milk with strawberry flavour is made but they just had seen the pack of strawberry flavoured milk with a pink cow painted on it. The reality is that some of them never had seen cow and how milk is collected from cow and what is the whole process.

To import clothes from China is much more cheaper than to make it by themselves here in Norway. So they use the easiest and the cheapest way of having the things.

Now i can also imagine why the stikers of human trafficking campaign are made so that it is fit to a small tin or iron cans.

A new method of teaching

I haven't forgotten the long stick that our teachers use to carry while entering in the class. Even i can still feel the pain in my hand when something went wrong with my English sentences while learning it in my childhood days. Even now a days some time we can heard some news of cruel punishments that teacher gives to the students for the small mistakes they made. This type of teaching methodology is used in most of the villages of Nepal even today. Teachers use to dictate the answers and students rot it down.

This Wednesday the class, where i used to study Norwegian language, was decorated as a dining hall. It was not a class room from any angle. Tables were set as if there is going to be a large feast. Previously, I along with some of my friends had gone shopping for a breakfast for all the students and teacher. All of the students were in happy mood as we entered with foods. Then the food is served. During serving, teacher showed us the things and told us what is its name in Norweigian, He also taught us how to ask for something, Kan du sende meg.............? Lots of new words and sentences were spoken that time and get into the brain easily cause we were practicing it- a sort of learning by doing.

I feel the way most effective.

Conference on Climate change_UN Day

With the running International week, here in Arendal, yesterday We had a very interesting seminar on Climate change. Though it was in Norwegian and we can only get the overview of what they are talking about, one the new thing i got to know is about Blue Carbon. While every one was talking about the Green Carbon, one important concept of Blue Carbon was introduce and I really think can't be ignored. So, I went on studying about it and found that Blue Carbon was all about "The role of Healthy Oceans in binding Carbon".It is the carbon captured by the world's oceans and represents more than 55 percent of the green carbon. The Living organisms in oceans stores carbon in the form of sediments from mangroves, salt marshes and seagrasses. Planktons, marine viruses and bacteria and other microbial organism play a important role on Carbon cycle. i was Surprised to discover the fact that More than 36.5 gigatonnes of CarbonDioxide is captured by planktonic algae through photosynthesis each year out of which 0.5Gt C per year is stored in Sea bed.

Vegetated coastal habitats- mangrove forests, salt-marshes and seagrass meadows having large carbon sink capacity are experiencing a steep global decline. One of the study by Duarte et al. suggest that the world is losing its coastal habitat four times faster than rain forest and the rate of loss is accelarating. This facts concluded to consider those type of coastal habitat on a separate heading Blue Carbon.

Even though the confrence was concluded on a hope that a upcoming generation, Youth's can do some thing and they can seal the deal in copenhagen at end of this year, a small piece of insecurity stricked in my mind through out the remaining part of day which could not be washed out even by the short dinner party afterwards..............

Red Cross Multicultural Men Group

A most awaited group for men has been started on 15th october. We started with 10 men from 5 different Nations. There we talked about how often we are going to meet and what should be our activities for rest of the year. Then we decided we are going to meet every fortnight on thursday and the activities are not only for fun but also some information oriented. We talked to have awareness about the culture of Norway and also historical tour of Arendal as well as the election system of Norway along with the cooking different varieties of food from different nation and a friendly football match. The meeting went in norsk with some sentences in English so that some of us could understand it. The delecious Pizza added a scent in gold to the meeting.

Next meeting going to be held on 29th of this month and some of us are going to cook food of different nation that time. All interested men are invited in this group....

Stand at handball match

On 10th and 11th of October we had a stand at handball competition on two different stadium here one in Arendal and another in Tromoy. The stand was along with some Hjelpekropse. There we distribute informations about the Red cross youth and Red cross itself and tried to recruit more voluteers. It was not easy but Durga succeded to get one voluteer recruited. As planned we were to distribute condoms and show the proper way of using it but due to presence of some childs among the spectators organizers stopped us from doing so and we just had to put it in stand and distribute to those who really are interested to do. Here are some photographs from that stand.

Fixing up stand at the main entrance of the hall.

Andreas telling us how to note down information of new volunteers.



At stand 'second day'

Durga distributing information about Røde Kors Ungdom to youths.

Fixing banner of Røde Kors Ungdom.

At Stand 'first day'

Hjelpekropse helping in match.

Meeting Youth Group 'Tvedestrand'

On 24th of September we met a youth group of Tvedestrand. A first bus journey after we arrived to Arendal, Little bit dizzy but managed to stand. The egerness of group to hear us helped us to forget all these travelling experience...

After short waiting, we started our one hour presentation about Nepal, Nepal RedCross and Youth exchange program. Before presentation, they had asked us to have short breaks during our presentation but quite surprised to hear no breaks when we really asked for them.

Andreas, Group Leader, Showing different flavoured condoms to the youths.
with Andreas, Group Leder.

Fun part of the meeting..............

Looking forward to county meeting on 12th october...................................

This Monday we (me and Durga) met to the two Youth groups: International Youth Group and Arendal Red Cross Youth Group. International Youth Group on the leadership of Fabian August Line is working in different Environmental Issues. It was nice meeting to the Group that are really concerned about our changing climate. We hope to work together in other programs in near future.

The Next Group was of Arendal Red Cross Youth Group. We first introduced ourselves to the group and were happy to hear their willingness to work with us.
Then they started with some first aid advices to the new commers. We also help them assisting in some of the First Aid techniques like giving CPR and Compressions to unconcious patient.

There was also a short demonstration of how to use condoms properly to get rid of STD's.

And of course, some fun......................................

Very excited to work together with such active volunteers.

After warm welcome in district, this weekend Me and Durga, attended a practice program of Hjelpekrops related to First Aid. In this picture me being a patient who have just fallen from a big rock nearby and my friend Durga is impatient to help me. I was helped and transported safe by the Volunteers of Hjelpekrops.

All in all a great experience to work for the first time with Hjelpekrops volunteers.

Friends

Wow ..................Having Fun with Friends.Can U See me? I'm the Camera person taking this picture

Reporting Skills and Professional Writing Training; A Report

Introduction:

This report gives information about the completion of 5-day long reporting skills and professional writing training at Empowerment and Learning Development center (ELD).

ELD is right place for such types of trainings. ELD is UK based organization and continuously providing such trainings in Nepal since 2000. The training was held at ELD's office, jawalakhel from 22nd to 26th June 2009. There were 18 participants from different organizations. The training hall was away from the direct disturbance and can accommodate the participants well. The training materials provided are unique. The training includes Participatory, Learner-centered, Interactive / lively and Task-based / practical methods.

This report contains
• Day to day Course Management
• Teaching methodology
• Management of Food for participants
• Conclusion

Day to day Course Management:

The course is well managed. Entire course is divided in different headings according to different process during writing. Separate day is chosen for separate headings. Three days is spent just with thinking, analysis and planning while the last two days for drafting and editing reports.

Day-1:
It starts with brief introduction of the course and the participants. Then objective of the writing is set and day ends with the knowledge of various methods of data collection: survey, interview, desk study, observation, focus group discussion and case study.

Day-2:
This day is all about data analysis. First Quantitative data analysis through charts and diagrams and secondly qualitative data analysis through clustering, sub clustering and mind mapping.

Day-3:
This day we talked of writing skills; different tools to make our writing clear, reader friendly and effective; organization and principles while writing paragraph.

Day-4:
This day is allotted for planning and drafting the report.

Day-5:
Whole session is ended with drafting conclusions and recommendations, editing and review of course.

Teaching Methodology:

Teaching methodology employed in the training is effective. Each day was divided into two shifts: morning shift and afternoon shift. Each shift is also divided by short breaks. The training is handled by two resource persons. To maintain continuous attention of the participants several games are played in between the sessions. Every session includes lots of discussions and practical works. Some discussions are individual based while others are group tasks. To make more clear one case study is given at the starting session of day-2 and whole process of writing is done with the same case. During the course, a brief introduction to use software applications like mind manager, MS word and the use of internet to calculate clarity of writing is also discussed. Hands out of each session is given at the end of the day.


Management of Food for participants:


The management of food for the participant is also good. Each day started with the breakfast containing tea/coffee, biscuits and fruits. The breaks during the session also include refreshments. Variety of dishes is served in Lunch including meat/fish for non-veg. every alternate day. Clean utensils and friendly environment during meals is appreciative.

Conclusion:
The training all in all is effective and fruitful. This training is sure to change the writing skills of the participants. The participants are able to differentiate between academic writing and professional writing by the end of whole session. The presentation of the edited version of reports of different groups concludes that the training has developed skills in their writing.