Contents

2015

  • Mar. 18: The public forum “Elders Leading the Way to Inclusive Community Resilience” of the 3rd UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) was held at the Tohoku University. The report “Elders Leading the Way to Resilience (Conference Version)” was published.
  • The founder of Bihani Social Venture read the World Bank report on “Elders Leading the Way to Resilience (Conference Version),” which was published on the website and inquired to the president of Ibasho about the possibility of a project for the disaster affected area of the Nepal.

2016

  • Feb. 19-28: Ibasho’s 1st visit. The members of Ibasho visited 3 communities in Nepal which were affected by the earthquake. These visits were coordinated by Bihani.
  • Feb. 22: Meeting to exchange ideas about the possibilities of a project at Matatirtha.
  • Feb. 23: The Ibasho members visited Matatirtha Oldage Home with the founder of Bihani, and exchanged ideas with some members of the Women’s Group and Matatirtha Oldage Home.
  • Feb. 27: Meeting to exchange ideas about possibilities of a project at Matatirtha and collaboration between Ibasho and Bihani.
  • Jun. 5-9: Ibasho’s 2nd visit.
    • Jun. 6: The workshop was held to introduce the Ibasho’s 8 principles and the activities in Japan and Philippines. Need assessment of the community of Matatirtha. The Problems included alcohol, lack of education and opportunities for the elders with skills, gender and cleanliness.
    • Jun. 7: In this workshop children also participated. Participants were asked to decide 5 activities that they would want to do as an Ibasho project within the following week.
    • Jun. 8: Meeting to exchange ideas about the local coordinator of the project and the project at Matatirtha.
  • Jun. 22: The Matatirtha residents inform the president of Bihani about the activities that they would want to do. The activities were crafts making, compost, vegetable farming and flower gardening.
  • Jul. 9-13: Ibasho’s 3rd visit.
    • Jul. 10: Training for the enumerators for the 1st (base-line) survey. The survey was planned to be carried out 3 times in Matatirtha and the surrounding area.
    • Jul. 11: Workshop to exchange ideas about making crafts, compost, vegetable farming and flower gardening. These activities were proposed by the participants in the previous workshop.
    • Jul. 12: Workshop to exchange ideas about the next steps, especially making compost.
    • Jul. 13: Meeting to exchange ideas about the local coordinator of the project and the next step of the project at Matatirtha.
  • Jul. 14: The members of Ibasho Matatirtha selected the leaders of the 3 activities; making compost, farming and flower gardening in the meeting.
  • Jul. 20: The members of Ibasho Matatirtha acquired a land for vegetable farming and flower gardening.
  • Aug. 3: Members of Ibasho Matatirtha planted several kinds of flowers besides the building of Matatirtha Oldage Home.
  • Aug. 25: The participants chose 3 activities; flower gardening, vegetable farming and recycling in the meeting. They sowed seeds of several kinds of flowers in the flower garden.
  • Aug. 29: About 30 residents of Matatirtha visited Kevin Rohan Memorial Eco Foundation to learn about biodynamic farming.
  • Sep. 8: Meeting to review about a biodynamic farming learned at the Kevin Rohan Memorial Eco Foundation, and to exchange ideas about the next steps.
  • Sep. mid: Farming started. The land for vegetable farming was offered by a resident of Matatirtha. It was about 290 m2 in size.
  • Sep. 23: Meeting to exchange ideas how to use collected PET bottles for potted flowers.
  • Oct. 20-26: Four members of Ibasho Matatirtha and the president of Bihani visited Japan with the Nepalese government officials and the World Bank staff.
  • Oct. 21: The members from Nepal visited the office of fishery coop, a disaster recovery public housing and a temporary housing in Ofunato.
  • Oct. 22-23: Visiting Ibasho House.
  • Oct. 24-25: Meeting to review Japan’s visit to Nepal, and exchanged the ideas about the next steps.
  • Dec. 24-Jan. 5, 2017: Ibasho’s 4th visit.
    • Dec. 26: Meeting to confirm the Ibasho’s 8 principles, exchanged ideas about Ibasho Matatirtha. 4 members who visited Japan shared their experiences. After the meeting, the participants visited the vegetable farm and the construction sites of the Ibasho’s building.
    • Dec. 29: Meeting to exchange the ideas about the construction site of the Ibasho’s building. After the meeting, the participants visited the 3 construction sites of the building.
    • Dec. 30: The members of Ibasho Matatirtha informed that they decided to build the Ibasho’s building where the Women’s Group building was located in the workshop. The participants exchanged the ideas about the Ibasho’s building in the workshop.
    • Jan. 5: Meeting to discuss making of new crafts, establishing the coop of Ibasho Matatirtha, measuring the construction site of the Ibasho’s building.

2017

  • Feb. 1: The members of the Women’s Group brought radish pickles to sell for fundraising in the meeting. These pickles were planned to sell at the farmer’s market held by Bihani. The participants exchanged ideas about making jewelry as a new activity, the Ibasho’s building and the establishment of Ibasho coop in the meeting.
  • Feb. 4: About 50 residents of Matatirtha attended the meeting and discussed about the establishment of coop of Ibasho Matatirtha.
  • Feb. 9: Members of Bihani introduced a new kind of flowers for planting in the meeting.
  • Mar. 11-19: Ibasho’s 5th visit.
    • Mar. 13: Workshop to exchange the ideas about the Ibasho’s building. After the workshop, the participants measured the size of the construction site of the Ibasho’s building.
    • Mar. 14: Workshop to exchange the ideas about a concept of “Ibasho as a Village.”
    • Mar. 17: Workshop to exchange the ideas about the places for the activities which were proposed in the March 13th workshop. Introduced a concept of “Ibasho as a Village.”
  • Apr. 2: Two members of Ibasho Matatirtha visited the eco village “Kevin Rohan Memorial Eco Foundation” and learned about the composting of biodynamic farming method.
  • Apr. 19: One of the members of Ibasho Matatirtha who participated in a class of making jewelry brought the samples of beads earring in the meeting.
  • Jun. 6: Members of Ibasho Matatirtha learned about making earring from two members of Bihani.
  • Jun. 27: One of the members of Bihani introduced the participant how to make earring in the meeting. One member of Ibasho Matatirtha decided to making earrings for fundraising.
  • Jul. : One member of Ibasho Matatirtha discussed relocation of the vegetable farm because of difficulty of supplying the water.
  • Jul. 31-Aug. 13: Ibasho’s 6th visit.
    • Aug. 2: Meeting to share the activities of Ibasho House and Ibasho Philippines, and to reflect the activities of Ibasho Matatirtha in the meeting.
    • Aug. 3: Visited the construction site of the vegetable farm, the construction site of the Ibasho’s building, the Women’s Group building and chautari. Meeting to exchange the ideas about the activities to be planned while the members of Ibasho stayed in Nepal.
    • Aug. 4: Workshop to draw a map of Matatirtha to confirm places for the activities which were proposed at the March workshop. Participants propose 3 activities, renovation of chautari, making signboard and making bookshelves for library, and exchange ideas about design of these. After workshop, some member visit chautari to measure the size.
    • Aug. 6: The 1st board meeting of Ibasho Nepal is held. Ibasho Nepal is planned to be established as NGO separately from the coop of Ibasho Matatirtha.
    • Aug. 7: Meeting to exchange the ideas about the materials and the design of chautari, the signboard and the bookshelves. After the meeting, some members of Ibasho Matatirtha visited the timber shop and bought the materials for the signboard.
    • Aug. 8: The workshop to share the result for the 1st (base-line) survey, to exchange the experiences of the Nepal earthquake, and to draw a map of Matatirtha. Some members visited the timber shop to buy the materials for the signboard.
    • Aug. 9: Visiting one of the members’ house who was a former carpenter to show the tools. The workshop to make a disaster prevention map of Matatirtha. This map is planned to be installed on the signboard.
    • Aug. 10: Making the signboard at the Women’s Group building. Before this, some members of Ibasho Matatirtha learned how to use an electric drill. Some members of Ibasho Matatirtha made earrings. Some members of Ibasho Matatirtha talked to some members of Ibasho Philippines on Skype.
    • Aug. 11: Making the signboard and the earrings. Repaired the furniture that one member who was a formerly carpenter made in the past. Meeting to exchange ideas about the next steps.
  • Sep. 4: Meeting to exchange ideas about repairing three chairs at the Matatirtha Oldage Home.
  • Sep. 22: Painting the undercoat of the signboard. Measure the size of the furnitures of the Matatirtha Oldage Home to be repaired.
  • Oct. 16: The 25 members who are essential to establish the coop of Ibasho Matatirtha were selected in the meeting. Painting the topcoat of the signboard. One of the members introduced the construction site for the new vegetable farm. The size of the land is about 510m2.
  • Oct. 30: Meeting to exchange the ideas about the new craft project, such as a bag, socks, a sweater, hair clips and a comb.
  • Nov. 12: The members of Ibasho Matatirtha visited the construction site for the Ibasho’s building with the architect, and measured the size of the site.

2018

  • Jan. 8-22: Ibasho’s 7th visit.
    • Jan. 9: The signboard that was made last August was installed.
    • Jan. 11: Meeting to reflect on the activities they had accomplished, and exchanged ideas about the next steps.
    • Jan. 16: Meeting to exchange the ideas about the Ibasho’s building. A training for the enumerator for the 2nd (mid-line) survey was held.
    • Jan. 17: The 2nd (mid-line) survey started at Matatirtha and the surrounding area.
    • Jan. 20: Meeting to exchange the ideas about the Ibasho’s building. The participants decided not to build the Ibasho’s building.
  • Feb. : A new map of the signboard captured the opinions from the members was completed.
  • Mar. 16: The members of Ibasho Matatirtha visited the new site of the vegetable farm and confirmed that the size of the site was about 3m x 6m. They determined the material and the design of a hut.
  • Apr. 20: Renovation of the chautari started. 1 year lease with the landowner was signed for the vegetable farm.
  • May 18: Construction of the hut started. Replacing the map of the signboard.
  • May late: The members of Ibasho Matatirtha started farming in the new vegetable farm.
  • Jun. mid: Construction of the hut was almost completed. Painting of chautari was finished.
  • Jun. 19-26: Five members of Ibasho Matatirtha and the local coordinator visited Philippines. They attended the ADB seminar in Manila and visited Barangay Bagong Buhay.
  • Jul. 7: Meeting to discuss to select the Community Mobilizer in the meeting. The Roles of the Community Mobilizer includes; to monitor and to support the all existing activities; to inform and to coordinate ensuring the participation of all relevant members in the meetings and the activities, and to keep Minutes of all the meetings. The president of the Women’s Group was selected as the Community Mobilizer.
  • Aug. mid: Door was added to the hut.
  • Oct. early: Construction of the hut was finished.
  • Dec. mid: Painting the hut.
  • Dec. 15: The members of Ibasho Matatirtha visited the Gurkha Organic Farm and the Research Center (GOFARC) to exchange the ideas.
  • Dec. 21-Jan. 1, 2019: Ibasho’s 8th visit.
    • Dec. 24: Training for the enumerators for the 3rd (end-line) survey.
    • Dec. 25, 26 and 28: Ibasho Ambassador training.
    • Dec. 25: The 3rd (end-line) survey started in Matatirtha and the surrounding area.
    • Dec. 29: Drainage work done around the Hut.
    • Dec. 31: Meeting to exchange the ideas. The drainage work continued around the Hut.

2019

  • Mar 27: The prayer flag from Ibasho Japan was hanged around the wall of shed, vegetable plantation was going on. Short discussion about the other types of pickle-making. Jewelry Session was planned for second week of April 2019.
  • Apr 17-18:
    • Apr 17: Review of all Livelihood Projects and discussed on the renewal of lease agreement of land along with the participation at Bihani Bazaar on 27 April 2019 to showcase their products. Discussed regarding potential events such as hiking, rice plantation, cultural site visits
    • Apr 18: Refresher Workshop on Jewelry-making (Earrings) by Haley Sanner. Altogether 18 earrings were designed/ made.
  • May 24: Discussion regarding new lease for land and whether to continue vegetable farm or not. Discussion regarding new roles and responsibilities, income and future income generation activities with community members.
  • Jun 13: Meeting with core team regarding Ibasho visit. Discussed regarding handicraft projects and new products, vegetable farm status and lease agreement. Community members worked on painting the shed and cleaning the farm and discussed regarding home stay as a future project
  • Jun 18-21: Ibasho’s 9th visit.
    • Jun 18: Meeting with community members regarding Ibasho visit, projects, tour of the Ibasho sites and introduction of the work being done by community
    • Jun 19: Session conducted by Rowena to recap regarding the 8 principles of Ibasho through movements/ singing and dancing. Community members, Mahalaxmi School students and team participated in Newari song and dance
    • Jun 20: Group interview of 11 Ibasho members conducted by Rowena and Alex- involvement in Ibasho, understanding of Ibasho, thoughts on old age.
    • Jun 21: Discussion regarding Direct Aid with three ideas: education for Dementia, Sanitation – Cleanliness/ WASH programs and Livelihood Project.
  • Jul 17: Inspection of roads of Matatirtha and vegetable farm: road to Matatirtha was not in condition and coriander leaves of the vegetable farm had been damaged by heavy rainfall. Bihani’s event “Trip to Matatirtha” was cancelled due to bad weather and road condition.
  • August 29: Vegetable farm observation: maize, soybean, cucumber and pumpkin were growing. Discussion on current seasonal vegetables and its plantation
  • Nov 27: Meeting was held to follow up on livelihood project and payment of earrings, woolen caps and wages for farmers. The date for Bihani’s event “Trip to Matatirtha” was fixed on 14th December 2019 (Saturday) and the community members decided to take the responsibility to prepare Newari food for the event.

2020

  • 10 Jan 10:Vegetable farm was cleared of all the dried left over maize crops and wools were handed over for making woolen caps