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Kate Kuo And The Collective Campaign For Peace (COCAP) In Nepal

Katherine Kuo was in her first year of the Master's program at the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University, when she applied for an internship through The Advocacy Project in March 2003.

Kate had impressive qualifications for an internship. She had been a Peace Corps volunteer in the Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan, where she worked with a local nongovernmental organization to support a children’s hospital. She trained the NGO in project design and management, and helped to start a small mill business that generated income and also addressed a need in the community. She also secured three donated computers and provided computer classes.

This was invaluable training for the kind of work that would be expected from Kate as an AP intern. The Collective Campaign for Peace (COCAP) in Nepal is a relatively new network that coordinates the work of some 40 grassroots and community groups. Many of them are working in regions that have suffered badly from the Maoist insurgency, which has claimed the lives of thousands of Nepalis. While all COCAP members are building peace, most see their task as being related to human rights. One group works on behalf of untouchables, another on torture and disappearances.


Kate with her colleagues from the Advocacy Forum, a legal
and human rights NGO, and COCAP member organization.

COCAP approached the Advocacy Project in the spring of 2002, and the AP coordinator visited Nepal during summer to discuss a program of collaboration. It was agreed that this would start with an internship.

By the time Kate arrived in Nepal, the insurgents had declared a truce, raising hopes that Nepal could turn its sights on rebuilding and also on development – Nepal being one of the world’s poorest countries. Kate worked in the office of the Advocacy Forum, one of COCAP’s most active members. The Forum was established in 1999 to provide legal advice to people in detention and assistance to victims of torture.

Like all the interns, Kate’s first task was to compile a work plan with COCAP’s Coordinator, Dinesh Prasain, and with the Advocacy Forum coordinators. This served as her guide throughout.

Tourism to Nepal has fallen sharply because of the Maoist rebellion in spite of the
stunning scenery.

After a busy ten weeks, Kate felt she had achieved most of the objectives, learned a lot and contributed much. As she wrote in her report: “The summer was extremely productive and I felt that I contributed to COCAP even if some projects were incomplete. By using my initiative and being assertive and self-motivated I designed and conducted 3 trainings for COCAP members. This was by far the most fulfilling thing I got out of the summer. The trainings required innovation, resourcefulness, and perseverance. They also took a bit of courage, trekking out to remote areas alone, where I knew no one and nothing about the town, and standing in front of people as a ‘trainer.’

 

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“After Kate left, almost one dozen members have requested the COCAP Board to arrange for other interns like Kate to volunteer with their organization. Her contribution was especially valuable because we are still at a very early stage of our organizational development” – Dinesh Prasain, Coordinator COCAP.

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Dinesh Prasain, the Coordinator of COCAP, had nothing but praise for Kate’s work. In a letter to The Advocacy Project and Georgetown he wrote:

Nepal's population is young and energetic, but lacks opportunities

"The entire COCAP family has been impressed by the commitment, skills and friendliness that Kate brought into COCAP. After Kate left, almost one dozen members have requested the COCAP Board to arrange for other interns like Kate to volunteer with their organization. Her contribution was especially valuable because we are still at a very early stage of our organizational development. COCAP has so far been running from the meager financial support (yet generous commitments) from its members and friends, and we have so far operated without secretariat and staff of our own. Kate provided her valuable inputs into COCAP precisely at such difficult time. She has also been advocating on behalf of COCAP after she returned to the US. That is another type of support we desperately need from our international friends – for the safety and security of our members who work in very risky situations indeed, as well as for the promotion general goodwill for the organization internationally.

Nepal's poverty has fueled the Maoist rebellion and led to widespread human rights
abuses;

On behalf of COCAP, I would like to express sincere gratitude to the Advocacy Project, Georgetown University and, of course, Kate herself, for making the internship possible. Now that we will be having a secretariat of our own (and more demand /opportunity to work) and there are already demands from the member organizations for interns like Kate, I would also formally like to request you to keep COCAP in mind whenever you get the opportunity to organize such international internship programs."

Kate has continued to support COCAP and the Advocacy Forum since her return. She contributed information for an AP press release on the launch of a new campaign by the Forum against involuntary disappearances. (This press release was featured on the One World website, ensuring its wide dissemination). She will also help AP in the selection of an intern in the summer of 2004, and in further promotional activities in Washington of behalf of Nepal’s courageous civil society. Please contact the Advocacy Project, or Kate, for information on how you can help.

• Read Kate's blog
• Email Kate.
  
• Read the report of the Advocacy Forum campaign against disappearances.

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