KATHMANDU, 23 January 2026 — UNICEF and the Government of Finland today opened Jhalko: Glimpses of West Rukum, a child-led photography exhibition that amplifies children’s voices on the critical role education plays in protecting rights, wellbeing, and futures after crisis.
The exhibition is part of the long-standing partnership between the Government of Nepal, UNICEF, and the Government of Finland to strengthen Nepal’s education system and ensure learning continuity for children affected by emergencies.
“When crises strike and schools are damaged or destroyed, education becomes a life-saving intervention—offering children safety, structure, psychosocial support, and a sense of normalcy,” said H.E. Mr Petri Puhakka, Finnish Ambassador to Nepal.
“Nepal has shown strong commitment to ensuring children continue learning despite challenges posed by earthquakes, floods, and other natural hazards. The Government of Finland is proud to work alongside the Government of Nepal and partners to strengthen safe, inclusive learning spaces that protect children, reduce distress, and support recovery, helping them reconnect with teachers and peers and build skills for the future.”
Recognising children as active participants in their own recovery, UNICEF and the Government of Finland supported a three-day photography workshop in November 2025 for students at Shree Bheri Dobhan Secondary School in West Rukum, Karnali Province. The school was among 746 damaged or destroyed during the 2023 earthquake centred in Jajarkot District.
In response to the earthquake and other emergencies, UNICEF supported 383 short-term learning centres to ensure immediate learning continuity. Building on this, the UNICEF–Finland partnership supports medium- to long-term education in emergencies through the construction of transitional learning centres.
To date, 56 semi-permanent centres—equipped with gender-segregated basic WASH facilities—have been built across 50 schools, including Shree Bheri Dobhan, enabling children to return to learning while permanent facilities are rebuilt. These centres also promote psychosocial wellbeing and resilience. A further 90 semi-permanent transitional learning centres are currently under construction with UNICEF’s technical and financial support.
During the workshop, children documented everyday life from their own perspectives. Their photographs capture walks to school, classrooms, and moments that matter most—revealing how children experience crisis and recovery, and why their voices are essential to understanding the real impact of emergencies on education.
Jhalko, meaning “glimpse” in Nepali, brings these images together as an expression of children’s creativity, resilience, and agency. The exhibition underscores why listening to children and enabling self-expression is central to effective education-in-emergencies programming.
“In the aftermath of emergencies, education gives children more than lessons—it gives them stability, protection, and a pathway to heal and hope,” said Ms Alice Akunga, UNICEF Representative to Nepal.
“By placing children at the centre and listening to how they experience recovery, initiatives like Jhalko remind us why learning continuity is critical to building resilience and ensuring every child can continue to learn, even after crisis.”
Open to the public from 24 to 25 January 2026 at Patan Durbar Square, in observance of the International Day of Education, Jhalko: Glimpses of Life in West Rukum calls for continued investment in education in emergencies—so every child, even in crisis, can keep learning, stay protected, and build a better future.
