PROG 2017-2021_NEPAL_OUTCOME 2_Lay people, Red Cross staff & volunteers have adequate, up-to-date and evidence-based knowledge, skills & attitudes to provide first aid to those in need by 2018, as such enhancing community level resilience and emergency care capacity.

The Belgian Red Cross-Flanders (BRC-Fl) has worked in Nepal for almost 30 years and always with its preferential partner, the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS). In 2017 and 2018, the cooperation will continue to focus on First Aid (FA) and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene promotion (WASH). BRC-Fl focuses on these 2 given they are, according to the World Bank, two of the cheapest ways to increase public health in developing countries. FA is also a priority activity for all Red Cross Societies worldwide, and especially relevant in Nepal, because of the lack of a strong health infrastructure, especially to remote, inaccessible parts of the country. Building self-reliance through providing high quality First Aid increases the response capacity of crucial local first responders given NRCS is the largest national humanitarian organization in Nepal, reaching all districts through 75 district chapters and over 1.000 sub chapters. The UN and international NGO’s in Nepal use this organizational structure of NRCS to mobilize volunteers at grass roots level in response to (looming) disaster. BRC-Fl brings extensive expertise in FA education, assuring that what is taught, is conform the latest scientific evidence. This increases the effectiveness of FA and explains the large spill-over effect to 147.296 beneficiaries, among whom 1.296 are directly reached.