Nepal (Empowerment)

• 2,585 farmers have increased the field and quality of their produce (including rice, maize, vegetables, legumes and fruits) through modern farm methods
• 765 people have increased their income by starting up or expanding small businesses such as livestock rearing, grocery shops, vegetable farming and tailoring
• 703 people have increased access to drinking water through installation of 34 raised hand pumps
• 417 households have improved cooking stoves, solar lights and bio-gas in their homes
• 6 communities have established Grain Banks for times of flooding, or lean harvests
• 2 communities have established emergency shelters
• 1,598 people benefit from COVID health supplies.

Thank you!

Communities are supported to develop early warning systems, disaster response plans, risk reduction projects (like stabilizing the banks of rivers), safety nets (such as grain banks and disaster funds).

As well as experiencing less impact from floods, drought, landslides etc. families say they feel more in control of their lives, proud of what they could achieve, are more confident in taking on other challenges and an increased feeling of “community”.

Micro-Entrepreneurs are taught business and financial skills and are supported with some start up materials for businesses such as noodle carts, mobile phone repairs, shoe making, tailoring and commercial farming.

The farmers are also supported to access markets so they can get higher prices for their produce.

“I’m very happy that I’m being able to teach others and can create and income for them. And also happy that I can fulfill the needs of my
family. I wasn’t confident to come in front and talk in front of people, but I can do that now.”

Meanwhile, Ganga was trained in human rights for people with disabilities, and now advocates for others:

“I have learnt so much that I want to help others … It shouldn’t be only me who has developed. I have seen growth in myself despite being a
blind person. This training has given me a reason to live. I am very thankful for myself and my husband to the supporters of Lutheran.”

Human Rights Defenders are volunteers from communities who have a passion for helping and connecting with others.

They are trained in principles of human rights and share this with others in their communities and help people connect with groups and services that can support them.

For example, some Human Rights Defenders work particularly to bring people with disabilities together so they can access support services, and livelihood activities so they can earn an income.

Pushpa Paswan is 19, and comes from a Dalit family in Nepal.   Your ALWS support is helping end  discrimination plus introducing mobile technology to    improve farm businesses. Farmers like Pushpa can now use a mobile agricultural app   called Geo-Krishi. Pushpa saw the value when she discovered a white sheath on the   leaves of the family crop.   “I quickly took the photographs of the crops and reported online  through the Geo-Krishi   app. Within a few minutes I received advice from the system about the way forward and   remedies. I did accordingly, and now I can see lots of growing vegetables in our farm.”     Pushpa says the Geo-Krishi App minimises the financial  expenditure of low-income    family, like hers. She also uses the app to track the market price of crops, and plans the   crop harvesting that will provide maximise profit.      Pushpa dreams of becoming a successful agricultural entrepreneur in the future, and is   very happy to share her knowledge and skills to the community members through the use   of Geo-Krishi mobile app.

  “Now the Geo-Krishi app, which we are using, is being a miracle for my family.”

An ALWS-supported Localisation Review found: 

• LWF Nepal is an important intermediary with local partners, and this should be embraced and refined
• implementing partners value technical, organisational and funding support
• LWF’s status and international connections increase partners’ diversification of funding

99 community institutions now proactively include people with disabilities!