Jhigu Palaa will support the women from low income families in Byasi and Panga villages with a new project, starting early 2019:
Byasi village in Bhaktapur District was especially hard hit by the earthquakes. 65 Families from this old Newar village lost their homes and have been living in temporary shelters ever since. From this community, 25 women came together to create a cooperative. Each of the women contributed around NRs 11,000 as start capital and together they leased some land, purchased two refrigerators and started a curd production business.
Similarly, several women in Panga village in Kathmandu District wanted to start a tailoring business and a bakery shop. The Panga Women Saving and Credit Cooperative is working with these women to provide tools and materials.
Jhigu Mitra, our volunteer partner organization in Nepal, will support these groups of women in several ways:
Capacity enhancement training sessions will be organized in Panga and Byasi villages to help these groups of women in their initiatives and support them in creating sustainable businesses;
A new fund will be established to provide small loans and small grants up to NRs 50,000 for at least 10 women to help them with start capital. Requests for support will be approved by Jhigu Mitra after an assessment by the Panga Women Cooperative.
Jhigu Palaa is proud to be supporting these activities with a grant of $ 5,200, which will create a direct benefit to groups of women from low-income families in some of the hardest hit villages of the Kathmandu Valley. Jhigu Palaa's grant will be used to fund the training workshops and the new support fund.
In addition, our partner organization Mitra Path in the USA will fund the construction of several shops for these women to use as work space and store supplies and equipment. Mitra Path will also contribute to the support fund that will provide small loans and grants to selected women.
With small steps like these, these women can generate more income for their families and it will give them an opportunity to rebuild their lives after the devastating earthquakes.