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Community Learning Centres (CLCs) are community-based non-formal educational institutions, which have been working to promote lifelong learning programmes that create a literate environment.

As the world battles the COVID-19 pandemic, Nepal is one of the countries that is now well into its second wave. Many CLCs have helped communities in fighting the pandemic through various activities: awareness programs, donation campaigns, WASH campaigns, and many more.

In a two-day virtual event organized on 16 and 17 June 2021, in collaboration with the Shikharapur CLC, the Centre of Education and Human Resource Development (CEHRD), and the Dakshinkali Municipality with the support of UNESCO, 162 participants from 150 CLCs from all seven provinces gathered. The participants, 90 percent of which were women, shared and analyzed the good practices the CLCs have implemented to cope with the pandemic in their respective communities.

On the first day, participants discussed the development and empowerment of CLC personnel. Tara Gurung, Social Mobilizer of the Madhawalia CLC, highlighted the current situation and the need for CLCs throughout the country.

In her remarks, the Deputy Mayor of Dakshinkali Municipality and Vice-Chairperson of the Shikharapur CLC, Basanti Dangol Tamang, stated, “CLCs have always been an integral part of the local government’s work in communities. Considering this fact, we have always been supporting the CLCs in our municipality.”

In his remarks, Dr Balaram Timalsina, National Professional Officer, reaffirmed that UNESCO will always support the CLCs in any intervention and help to build their capacities to make them effective in community activities.

On the second day, six CLCs from six provinces—Attariya CLC (Sudurpaschim Province), Jaya Prithvi CLC (Lumbini Province), Laxmi Narayan CLC (Gandaki Province), Jay Ma Durga CLC (Province 2), Birat CLC (Province 1), and Nanuma CLC (Bagmati Province)—shared their COVID-19 response activities, experiences, and expectations.

Baburam Paudel and Bimala Mishra from CEHRD provided insightful comments and feedback on the presentations as well.

Nirmal Sigdel from Kunchanjungha Polytechnic Institute shared information on entrepreneurship and social business for CLCs. He also spoke about ideas for a way forward for CLCs in these critical times. The session involved interaction through many questions and answers to mobilize and brainstorm the pertinent points with all participants.

The workshop ended with a session on proposal writing and documentation by Niroj Shrestha, Coordinator of the two-day event.