CFRD hands over education, health projects to community, hospital

By TRN Online, Kathmandu, June 3: The China Foundation for Rural Development (CFRD) with financial assistance from the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Nepal and partnership with Youth Pioneer group of Chinese Embassy in Nepal (CNYP) formally handed over two transformative initiatives: “Enlightening the Future” education project to two community schools and the “Aaramdayik Birthing Aviyaan” a comfortable birthing campaign to the Madhesh Provincial Hospital.

The project is a joint effort towards improving educational infrastructure and community welfare in Madhesh Province.

The handover ceremony of the education support project was attended by Former Deputy Prime Minister, Ishwor Pokhrel, while the health program ceremony by Speaker of Madhesh Province Assembly Honorable Ramchandra Mandal, as Chief Guests. Among the distinguished attendees were the Commercial Counselor of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Nepal  Xie Yu, Country Director of CFRD Nepal Office  Zou,  Founding Chief Commissioner of Madheshi Commission of Nepal Dr. Vijay Kumar Datta, Vice Chairperson of Planning Commission of Madhesh Province Dr. Sohan Sah, Member of Parliament Juli Mahato, Member of the Parliament of Madhesh Province Kanishk Patel, and several dignitaries from provincial and local government bodies, community leaders, school management committees, principals, school children, healthcare officials and project stakeholders, according to CFRD.

At the ceremony, CFRD delivered 144 sets of desks/benches, smartboards, whiteboards and stationery materials, and 602 student uniform set to two community schools. The “Enlightening the Future” project focuses on improving the teaching facilities of community schools in Madhesh Province, enhancing the learning environment for children in the region and promoting the goal of equitable education under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in Nepal. Similarly, the “Aaramdayik Birthing Aviyaan” project focuses on upgrading community maternity services by installing air conditioning equipment in birthing rooms of the Madhesh Provincial Hospital, with a goal to enhance the comfort, safety, and overall environment of birthing rooms, contributing to improve maternal healthcare services for the community.

Speaking at the ceremony, Zou Zhiqiang, Country Director of CFRD Nepal Office, expressed gratitude for the support and trust extended by the local government and communities throughout the years. She further remarked that the series of projects aims to help remote areas in Nepal gain access to quality education, healthcare services, and safe drinking water, serving as concrete actions toward helping Nepal achieve the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. She expressed that the Chinese people have always been concerned about the lives and development of the communities in Madhesh Province. She stated that this served as a testament to the enduring friendship and cooperation between the Chinese and Nepalese peoples, said the CFRD in a statement.

Over the years, CFRD supported by Chinese people and government has been always focused on rural development of remote areas in Nepal. From 2016 to 2025, in Madhesh Province the foundation has provided “Love Packages” and “Warm Packages” to more than thirty thousand students of community schools. In 2024 alone, UNDP supported by the Chinese government and in partnership with CFRD offered livelihood support to 18,000 students in 25 schools and 9,000 pandemic-affected households in the province. The ceremony also recalled past contributions including post-disaster relief after the 2018 cyclone, where the Chinese Embassy funded $6 million in relief through the UN, and post-fire assistance in 2024 to two affected communities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, CFRD helped install 138 handwashing stations, distributed food and school supplies, and supported the construction of quarantine centers and oxygen stations.

As 2025 marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Nepal, today’s event serves as a meaningful symbol of enduring friendship and collaboration between the two nations. Officials emphasized their hope to expand these efforts further in the coming years to bring broader benefits to Nepal’s underserved communities.

Ishwar Pokharel, Former Deputy Prime Minister, who did his early schooling from this school conveyed his sincere appreciation for the continued support from the Chinese Embassy and the China Foundation for Rural Development in improving the educational infrastructure of community schools. He emphasized that the 'Enlightening the Future' project is beyond providing physical resources; it is an investment in the future of the children. He noted that these efforts empowered the next generation with the necessary tools for success. Expressing pride in witnessing the growth of Nepal’s education system, he assured that the people of Madhesh Province would continue to benefit from this invaluable partnership.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ramchandra Mandal, Speaker of Madhesh Province Assembly extended appreciation for the Chinese Embassy's support in enhancing maternal healthcare services through the “Aaramdayik Birthing Aviyan” project. He highlighted how the improvements to birthing rooms would significantly boost the safety, comfort, and overall well-being of mothers and children in the region. He emphasized that this initiative reflected a mutual dedication to the health of the people. Looking ahead, he expressed confidence that these contributions would have a lasting positive effect on healthcare services in Madhesh Province and anticipated further strengthening of cooperation between Nepal and China for the benefit of their communities, according to CFRD press release.