Civil Scholarship Distribution Programme for the first batch of earthquake victim students in Gorkha and Dolakha concluded successfully. A joint team consisting the representatives from Non-Resident Nepali Association Thailand, Mega Bank Nepal Limited and Civil Initiative distributed the scholarship at the premises of four selected schools, on April 19 in Gorkha and April 23 in Dolakha districts, according to treasurer Kanchha Gurung (Gabo) of NRNA, Thailand. According to NRNA Thailand current president Assajita Awale, the scholarships were distributed through Civil Initiative, a local partner, to 10 students studying at Himalaya Secondary School in Barpak-Sulikot Rural Municipality, Saurpani and Siddharatha Secondary School in Jaubari Rural Municipality in Gorkha district. Similarly, the scholarships were distributed to the poor and disadvantaged students studying at Nokobhume Secondary School in Kalinchowk Rural Municipality, Babre Secondary School and Kalinag Secondary School in Sunkhani Rural Municipality. Civil Initiative Scholarship Committee Coordinator Hemanta Dahal said the scholarship provided to students pursuing grade 9 would be continued till they complete their grade 12 studies. The students were provided with Rs 14,500 each for one academic year to buy school uniform, shoes, lunch and snacks. School bag and stationery were also given to the students in addition to the amount provided by NRNA Thailand. Civil Initiative Board Member Dorje Gurung (Mukhiya) said the scholarship was managed by the interest of the Civil Scholarship Fund and contribution from other sources, so, there was a chance that it would be a premium scholarship provider for disadvantaged students in Nepal by further collaborating with Nepali diaspora and local partners. Similarly, Narayan Shrestha, another Board Member of Civil Initiative was much motivated to witness this initiative of NRNs and was happy to volunteer for the cause. Civil Initiative Chairman Hira Prasad Dhakal thanked all stakeholders involved in the scholarship project who had contributed from their own pocket while implementing the project. Chairman Dhakal said that the financial contribution from the NRNA Thailand and Mega Bank Nepal Limited reached 100 per cent to the beneficiaries and sought similar cooperation from all in the days to come. The joint team after completing the scholarship distribution programme in the four rural schools shared that the Civil Scholarship had greatly motivated the schools and local community. Civil Initiative representative and Kantipur City College Director Pralhad Karki said, the act of charity had extended not just scholarship but selfless love of Nepali diaspora towards fellow countrymen and has motivated many local organisations to join this initiative. Similarly, Vice President Mahendra Shrestha and Treasurer Kanchha Gurung (Gabo) who represented NRNA Thailand at the scholarship distribution programme felt that they were fortunate to be part of this programme. They shared that even though they lived out of Nepal, the scholarship had connected them deeply with the rural community of Nepal, expressing their interest to visit those schools again and to expand Civil Scholarship capacity. NRNA Thailand General Secretary Ravi Maharjan expressed his excitement over the success of first phase of the programme implementation and claimed that NRNA Thailand would take it as an ongoing task to provide scholarship to 100 students each year within the next five years. The Civil Scholarship Fund was established in June 2017 at the initiative of then NRNA-Thailand Chairman Khagendra Raj Dhakal with a revolving fund of Rs 3.5 million. Soon after the announcement of the Civil Scholarship Fund, Mega Bank Nepal Limited also joined the initiative with a commitment to contribute Rs 300,000 each year to the scholarship fund. Prof Dhakal, the current International Coordination Council Member of NRNA, congratulated all scholarship recipients, schools and all the stakeholders who contributed to bring the scholarship vision to the stage of implementation. Dhakal who teaches Educational Linguistics at King Mongkut's University of Technology, Bangkok said the major problem of school level education in Nepal is the alarming dropout rate. Dhakal also claimed that the scholarship programme would complement Nepal government’s current policy to increase the enrollment in schools, as continuity of education should be even more emphasised after enrollment.