An Organization for Wholistic Transformation

Introduction
		Shanti Nepal started IPHCP as its first outreach project in July 2005. The project endeavors to address the primary health care needs and to improve the health status and life quality for the Chepang, one of the most marginalized ethnic communities. It also serves other poor communities of the district. The project was started in three remote Village Development Committees (VDC), Jogimara, Dhusa and Mahadevsthan. These locations have dense populations of the Chepang and a few other struggling ethnic communities. In July 2006, the project was expanded to three other poor communities in the district, the Dhola, Maidi and Muralibhanjyang VDCs.
The Major Activities
1. Providing health awareness in families, schools, community groups and centers in key issues of community health including HIV/AIDS. With the aim to improve healthy behaviors and lifestyles. 2. Strengthening the capacity of the local government health facilities to improve quality and to promote better management of health services. Ultimately, this aims to provide improved access to primary health care services. 3. Promotion of safe drinking water & sanitation in households and schools to prevent communicable diseases. 4. Small scale local income generating projects for ultra poor families to improve their basic livelihood. Projects include bee keeping, goat raising, and vegetable farming. 5. Facilitation of community organization and empowerment so that communities are made aware of needs and opportunities and become able to conduct basic services themselves
	Close coordination with government organizations The project works in close coordination with the local and district level government organizations to plan and implement the respective areas of work in the target area. Partnership with other organizations Shanti Nepal has established partnership with Central for Mental Health Counseling (CMC) Nepal and Oral Health Program of United Mission to Nepal to address the related health issues in the target and wider communities in the district. Shanti Nepal also has a partnership with and works in close relationship with and Nepal Chepang Association. Strengthening government health system The project has adopted a strategy of strengthening the local government health system rather than running its own health services system. This strategy follows government policy, avoids duplication of work, empowers the local community and is more sustainable. Empowerment of the local community The project aims to organize, empower and mobilize community groups, CBOs and volunteers (including local Churches) in the local development issues, and works with their active involvement. Mobilization of local resources The project emphasizes the maximum utilization of local materials, manpower and technology as far as appropriate and available.