Child Friendly Furniture Support is an important activity under the Early Grade Reading program, which is being implemented in 12 schools of Chankheli Rural Municipality, Humla, to ease students’ access to classrooms. This year, the project provided 108 round tables and 24 materials racks to students of Grade 1 and 2.

The furniture was prepared by a local carpenter using traditional knowledge as it is cheaper and more sustainable than furniture from elsewhere. With the budget from last year carpet, p-form and cushion was also provided to each of the 12 schools. During the initial days of Early Grade Reading Project, the program only provided supplementary materials to the 12 schools, and attention was not paid to the physical condition of the classrooms. But it was later realized that classroom furniture played an equal role in encouraging children to go to school.

With financial support from GNI, the KIRDARC, Nepal, provided carpet, p-form and cushions to the schools. Now that child friendly furniture has been provided to classrooms, students are sitting comfortably and it is hoped that they wrooms. Next year, students of grade 3 under the EGRP will get to use new pieces of classroom furniture.