How it all started
For a better understanding of the idea of building the LSC in the middle of a watershed in the Terai region, let us take a look at how it all started.Collapse of nature
Through decades the natural resource bases in the watersheds of the Churia Mountains and Terai regions have been extensively deteriorated. The causes are deforestation and unsustainable agricultural methods, combined with heavy monsoon rain falls. Flooding, low ground water levels and loss of land are common disasters. To the local population, it means that their very base for production of some of the most essential resources for the maintenance of life, such as food, clean water, fodder, timber and firewood is being reduced.
The livelihoods of people living in the region today as well as of future generations are at great risk.
How to prevent further escalation?
In 2005 a new initiative, the JIWAN Programme, was initiated to make an extensive effort against the deterioration of the watersheds and to improve the lives of thousands of people in the area. JIWAN stands for Jaladh Integrated Watershed and Natural Resource Co-Management Programme. Essential to the programme was the question of how it can be possible to make people work together to prevent further escalations of the disastrous situation.
The JIWAN programme facilitated the establishment of a great number of 'Open Village Schools', 'Watershed Youth Clubs' and 'Rural Workers Programmes' in the communities living along the Jalaidh river - from its sources in the Churia hills to the flat Terai plain. The Open Village Schools and youth clubs provided an open dialogue forum for the communities to increase awareness about using and protecting nature and the environment in a sustainable way.
Through this and many other programme components the JIWAN Programme managed to reach out to a great number of people in the watersheds. It is evident that the activities are not only well received among the people, but have also mobilised and inspired new ideas and activities where people work together to improve their livelihoods and against further escalations of the watershed deterioration.
LSC: Keep on training, keep on developing resources!
Along with the JIWAN Programme being phased out (in 2012), a major challenge is to keep that momentum the programme created. To ensure this, a consortium of JIWAN Programme partners and people's organization formed the Life School Centre, which is the physical manifestation of the JIWAN ideas.
The LSC will be the organisation transforming the momentum of the JIWAN Programme into continued and sustainable changes in people's livelihood today, and on a wider scale empower people to become capable of shaping a sustainable future for their communities.