A collaborative project between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has strengthened the resilience of 32 community schools in Madhesh Province, benefiting 18,000 students and 7,500 families from marginalised and disaster-vulnerable groups.

The “Support to Schools and Communities in Remote Areas for Pandemic Prevention and Green Recovery (SSPP-GR)” Project, with an investment of USD 1.55 million, has improved pandemic and natural disaster preparedness while enhancing access to quality education, a press release issued by UNDP said.

The formal closing ceremony took place on Tuesday at Shree Madanpur Jamuniya Birnagara (MJB) Secondary School. It was attended by Chen Song, ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Nepal, Kyoko Yokosuka, UNDP Nepal’s resident representative, Bhrahama Dev Ray, mayor of Kabilasi Municipality, and several school officials. The attendees celebrated the project's contributions to community development.

Addressing the gathering, Ambassador Song underscored the transformative power of education and international collaboration. “Education is the foundation of a country’s future, and by investing in Nepal’s most asset—its children—we can drive meaningful change. This project has demonstrated the remarkable impact of collaboration between the Chinese government, UNDP, local governments, and our partners. We deeply appreciate UNDP’s dedication, and China remains a steadfast supporter of the UN system, committed to working alongside UNDP to advance sustainable development and resilience-building efforts,”
he stated.

The SSPP-GR Project focused on ensuring uninterrupted education during pandemics and crises while improving the quality of education. It involved upgrading classroom learning environments, enhancing water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities, and providing essential health protection equipment.