Outdoor Playground Recreational Equipment in the Children Park
Article By : Rtn Deepak Kumar Shrestha (President 2016-17 | Service Project Chair 2019-20)
Chartered on 28 th June 1996 with the vision to be established as a vibrant club in Rotary International District 3292, Rotary Club of Yala has been engaged actively in various community and social works within the framework of the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self”. In collaboration with its partners in service, Anns, Rotaract, Interact, District Committees and the communities, various service projects are undertaken every year, for the improvement of the quality of life of the people in the community.
The responsibility as Service Project Chair in the Rotary Year 2019-20 had been a pleasing experience. While completion of each of the small and big service projects adds some contribution to the community, the level of satisfaction we get is obviously much bigger. Through the various projects undertaken during the year, with a budget under service projects amounting to almost NRs 5.90 million, the area of support covered were 1. Environment, 2. Health and Hunger, 3. Senior Citizens, 4. Children, 5. Women and Community Development, 6. The Physically Challenged, etc.
Rotary Club of Yala has been focusing in the area of school education and child development, with the supports basically comprising of construction of classrooms and furniture, water, hygiene and sanitation, day meals, stationery and uniforms to children focusing in community schools. All kids deserve outdoor playing opportunities and there is no doubt, the properly managed playgrounds encourage kids to play outdoors, engage their imaginations, and bring children of all abilities together to play.
Supporting the environment has recently been adopted as the seventh area of focus by Rotary International. As a continuous program of the Club, tree plantation was carried out by RC Yala in July 2019 in the Children Park, at Jwagal, located at Bagmati River Side, next to UN Park. The park has been managed and maintained by Lalitpur Sports Training Center (LSTC). During that program, the RC Yala came up with the idea to add facilities for recreation and entertainment for the children in collaboration with Employees Provident Fund, under its corporate social responsibility (CSR), which also helps to enhance Rotary Image in the community, with yearly target of access to the park for more than 30 thousand children.
Accordingly, a design was prepared in child friendly manner and Children Park was equipped with recreational material with the club support through this project. The equipment was handed over by President of RC Yala (RY 2019-20) Sarita Shrestha to Lalitpur Sports Training Center in June 2020, in the presence of chair of ward no. 10, Mr Narsing Byanjankar, local representatives and RC Yala Rotarians.
Direct cash plus design cost contribution of RC Yala for the purchase and installation of equipment is NRs 797,000.00 which included cash contribution of NRs 560,000 from EPF under CSR, Rs 187,000 and the design cost calculated at Rs 50,000, as the contribution of Rtr Sneha Shrestha, then Vice President of Rotaract Club of Yala. There have been continuous involvement of members of RC Yala throughout the project conception to implementation, which have not been calculated in monetary terms. Likewise, volunteer hours by LSTC team is a great contribution to the project, although separate calculation in monetary terms is difficult. Layout of Children Park designed by Rtr Sneha Shrestha
View of Children Park as seen from above: enhancing the letter “R” of Rotary. The project is expected to have a good image in community as supporting child development and enhancing the beauty of the area. RC Yala has plans to engage in support to monitoring and LSTC is responsible to maintain the recreational equipment. RC Yala would like to extend sincere thanks to EPF for collaboration under CSR to undertake a community service project of mutual interest to benefit the children.
