After the rapid increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in Switzerland, Usthi has followed the recommendation of the Federal Council and is now working from home again.

The majority of the Usthi team has been working from home again since the 19th of October, helping to minimize personal contacts and the use of public transport, thus protecting people who depend on commuting.

The Usthi team is fortunately used to working remotely. The office has long been set up so that the Usthi documents can be accessed while traveling in India and Nepal. Ideal conditions for working from home. Digital meetings with our partners are part of Usthi’s daily business since the introduction of video conferencing. This is now also the way to exchange ideas within the team.

The Usthi team hopes that the numbers will start to decline soon and considers itself lucky to be able to manage this changeover without major challenges.

After the last loosening of the Covid-19 restrictions, the project setup in Nepal could be continued. While attendance classes are slowly being resumed, support for school children in the Kathmandu valley can now be provided.

With great excitement our partner organisation in Nepal started to set up Usthi’s new educational project in early 2020. The aim of this project is to ensure access to a good school education. The target is to enable 150 children to attend school each year. In addition to supporting children in education, the project aims to help parents to provide for their own livelihood. This intervention is extremely important to prevent children from having to contribute to the family’s income with their work.

An additional focus of the project is to support existing school infrastructure and to train and sensitise local teachers. With this in mind, a school that was damaged during the heavy earthquakes has already been renovated this year and equipped with a science laboratory.

Due to the strict Covid-19 regulations, the further project setup had to be paused. In the last few weeks, progress could finally be made and, based on consultations with parents, teachers and school administrations, 150 children could be identified whose school attendance is to be ensured and supported by Usthi in the future.

Despite the increasing number of Covid-19 cases, the schools in Nepal have resumed classroom teaching. In order to reduce the risk of infection, lessons are held in smaller groups. Our partner organisation distributes fabric masks to protect the children at school.

Usthi is happy that the project can now finally be continued and hopes that it will provide many additional children with access to education.

Participants of the professional skills training had to wait a while until they could conclude their courses. The Covid-19 measures caused a long summer break. They finally graduated at the beginning of October.

When the lockdown was imposed in spring to control Covid-19, the professional skills training centres in Hyderabad also had to close their doors. As a result, the motivated young men and women could no longer complete their training and had to wait until the courses were allowed to take place again. Again and again, the partner organisation on site hoped that the courses could be continued.

The green light was finally given in September. Operations were allowed to resume under strict protective measures. After the reopening, the young men and women who had started the courses in spring could finally continue their training. They were able to successfully complete the last weeks of the courses and finally graduated on 2nd of October.

At the beginning of this week, the next group of young people started the courses. Usthi congratulates the graduates and wishes the new course participants a successful training.