PHASE (Practical Help Achieving Self Empowerment)

PHASE is a partnership between several international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) registered in Austria, Nepal, the United States of America (USA) and the United Kingdom (UK). The organisations specialise in improving health and education services and livelihood opportunities for disadvantaged populations and most of this work takes place in Nepal. PHASE aims to support the most vulnerable (women, children, low castes, the very poor and people with disabilities) to break the cycle of poverty. It assists communities and local authorities to work together in creating a self-sufficient future. The acronym, PHASE, stands for "Practical Help Achieving Self Empowerment"^[1] and describes the working ethic of the organisations.

History

PHASE was originally founded in 2005 by a group of friends, united by an interest of working in Nepal. PHASE later established several partnerships and now operates as PHASE Austria, PHASE Nepal, NTTI and PHASE Worldwide.

Mission

PHASE’s mission is to support disadvantaged communities, to provide people with opportunities and to encourage community centred and sustainable development. Its approach is described as inclusive, non-political, non-religious and non-discriminatory.

PHASE Partners

PHASE Worldwide received funding in 2014 from the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID)

PHASE Austria

PHASE Austria raises funds for various aspects of PHASE Nepal’s work, particularly in the field of education. In 2011, PHASE Austria secured a grant from the city of Vienna for this education work.^[2]

PHASE Nepal

PHASE Nepal implements community based projects in remote communities in Nepal. The organisation aims to help the most vulnerable in Nepalese villages to make their way out of poverty. PHASE Nepal works with communities and local authorities to build the foundations for a future that does not rely on outside sources of funding. PHASE Nepal is headquartered in Kathmandu, Nepal.^[3]

Activities

• PHASE Nepal supports primary care in areas that have little or no existing services. They support the Nepali governmental health centres with improved buildings, equipment, medicines and qualified staff. In 2014 PHASE Nepal had over 40 health workers supporting health posts in 13 communities. Since PHASE Nepal was first established, its health workers have seen around 140,000 patients, delivered over 400 babies and built 480 toilets. In 2009, PHASE Nepal received a grant from the British Medical Association (BMA) Humanitarian Fund enabling it to publish clinical treatment guidelines for health workers in Nepal.^[4]
• PHASE Nepal aims to raise levels of literacy and numeracy to give children and adults more opportunities and choices. PHASE Nepal supports government schools with teaching materials, buildings, salaries for extra teachers, early childhood development programmes and scholarships. Since 2006 PHASE Nepal has supplied 10 schools with safe drinking water and toilets, upgraded 1 school to secondary level so children can pass their School Leaving Exams in their home community, helped 60 children complete a catch-up curriculum and integrate into mainstream school, and enabled 200 women to complete adult literacy classes.
• PHASE Nepal aims to improve income generation opportunities. Between 2006 and 2011 the organisation promoted better fertilising techniques to increase yields and introduced cash crops like vegetables, garlic and spices. PHASE Nepal also ran animal husbandry programmes so families had livestock to sell.

PHASE Worldwide

PHASE Worldwide raises funds and provides technical expertise to PHASE Nepal. PHASE Worldwide is headquartered in Rotherham, UK. A board of trustees oversees the organisation to ensure its core values and purpose are reflected in the way it operates.^[5]

Activities

• PHASE Worldwide raises funds from regular donors, events, supporter events and fundraisers, selling Nepalese made goods, competing in campaigns organised through GlobalGiving and receiving grants and trusts from organisations such as The BMA Humanitarian Fund, The British Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology, The Funding Network (TFN), Lions and others.^[6][7][8][9]
• PHASE Worldwide has designed education programmes aimed at integrating global citizenship across the primary curriculum and developing the enterprise skills of adolescents in the UK.
• PHASElets are the junior (under 16) committee of PHASE Worldwide. Their aim is to raise awareness and funds for the projects in which PHASE is involved.

Partnership working

PHASE works in partnership with individual volunteers and organisations to improve the delivery of programmes. Partnerships include the Child Welfare Scheme,^[10] volunteering programmes for NHS health professionals, links with the University of Sheffield and St George's, University of London that allow students to experience Nepal as part of their education, partnerships with several hospitals^[11] and general practices in the UK which support work in Nepal, and a partnership with Hewlett-Packard^[12] who provided a team of PHASE health workers with notebook computers for their health posts and a notebook for electronicrd storaSE Nepal headquarters.^[13][14]

Patrons & Ambassadors

Brian Blessed

Blessed, a highly successful film and stage actor, was born and grew up in Rotherham, where PHASE was established. He has travelled to the Himalayas on several occasions and attempted to climb Everest on three separate occasions, reaching 28,200 feet in 1993 and he is also the oldest man to trek to the magnetic North Pole on foot. He is a patron of PHASE Worldwide.^[15]

Rosie Swale-Pope

Swale-Pope is an adventurer, author and marathon runner from Switzerland. In 2003, she ran the 1,7000 kilometres across Nepal and set a new world record as she completed it within 68 days which raised funds for a PHASE health camp in Humla, Nepal. She is a patron of PHASE Worldwide.

Alex Staniforth

Staniforth became an ambassador for PHASE in 2016 aged just 20. Alex has twice attempted to conquer Everest but was unfortunately prevented from doing so by the 2015 Nepal earthquake. In the aftermath of the disaster, Alex worked with PHASE to raise over £15,000 for the disaster relief fund and helped to organise the 'Walk for Nepal' event on the anniversary of the earthquake in 2016. He has raised over £50,000 in total for Nepal. In autumn 2016, Alex will climb Cho Oyu, the world's sixth highest mountain as a PHASE ambassador.

References