In Nepal, where thousands of children are struggling with the psychological wounds they sustained during that country’s violent 10-year civil war, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is launching a new project to assist former child soldiers and other affected children living in the Mid-Western region.

"Many of these children that are suffering from psychological problems are too afraid to share with others due to social pressures," said Chandeshwari Tamrakar, an officer with ADRA Nepal. "Often, they are not aware that these are real issues, and may feel isolated and alone. Our project will help them to better understand and deal with the emotions they are facing."

Tens of thousands of Nepali children were affected by the civil conflict between 1996 and 2006, with more than 8,000 children orphaned, 40,000 displaced, and a total of 32,500 abducted by the Maoist rebel forces during the war, according to Child Workers in Nepal Concerned Centre (CWIN-Nepal), a child rights organization in Nepal.

To help many of these children recover, ADRA launched the Action for Social Inclusion of Children Affected by Armed Conflict in Nepal project (ASIC), which is designed to protect and promote the rights of war affected children, specifically former child soldiers. The project aims to improve their access to education and vocational training, employment, and psychosocial counselling.

ASIC will provide literacy and livelihood training for beneficiaries, including classes in reading and writing for 4,000 children who have either never attended school, or who have dropped out. Participants will also receive life skills training and will attend classes that focus on sex education, peer education, and human rights.

In addition, 700 of the project’s most disadvantaged children will receive books, uniforms, and other resources to motivate them to stay in school.

Another 2,000 children who have been affected by the conflict or who have suffered abuse and exploitation will also receive confidential psychosocial counselling in an effort to prevent depression and destructive behaviours, such as crime, drug abuse, and suicide.

To assist these children, an estimated 100 counsellors will receive training on how to work with child conflict survivors. A peer counselling network will also be established, as well as training for youth peer counsellors, providing a platform for children to share their own experiences, and helping participating children to improve their coping skills and confidence.

Radio programmes, and other campaigns will be conducted to raise awareness regarding children’s rights, with the distribution of pamphlets, posters and booklets to reach an estimated 50,000 people. District Child Welfare Board (DCWB) members will also provide training workshops in child protection, child labour, gender-based violence, conflict mitigation and human trafficking.

Funding this three-year project is the European Commission through ADRA United Kingdom with support from ADRA International. Additionally, ASIC is being implemented in partnership with Village Development and Women’s Awareness Centre (VDWAC) of Nepal in close collaboration with local government stakeholders, and is being implemented in the districts of Rukim, Rolpa, Salyan, and Surkhet, in Nepal’s Mid-Western Region.

ADRA has been working in Nepal since 1987, providing individual and community development and disaster relief.

ADRA International is a non-governmental organization present in 125 countries providing sustainable community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race or ethnicity.