Emancipation of a group of women in a Nepalese village through agriculture and crafts

In Nepal, many women have limited access to education and vocational training. In rural villages, many are illiterate and lack access to paid employment. They are therefore financially dependent on their husbands, many of whom emigrate to earn a living. Furthermore, agriculture employs 801,300 of Nepal's working population, with over 4 million small farms, but represents only a third of the GDP, primarily due to low yields.

The village of Chapakot is located south of Pokhara, in a mid-mountain commune with a subtropical climate. Initially, many women in Chapakot expressed a need to increase their yields and organize their farming practices. They wish to receive training in cultivation and the development of organic agriculture. Furthermore, in order to achieve sufficient yields to generate income, they would like guidance on crop selection and other activities to undertake.

These requests are being fulfilled by a project implemented by the French association La Maison de l'Espoir and the Nepalese association NEEM in Dadhraan, a hamlet in the village of Chapakot, which has 170 women and children under the age of 13 among its 300 inhabitants. A group of 50 women has been formed there to receive this training and to join a cooperative that will allow them to pool their purchasing, storage, and sales resources.