Project for Chepang Women’s empowerment. Makaising Nepal

BACKGROUND AND MOTIVATION

The initial goal of our project, to build and start up the Shree Prajaswaty Elementary School in Makaising, is almost achieved. Everything that has been achieved so far has gradually excited the community and brought them closer to us by demanding other types of aid. Of all this, the most remarkable thing is women's interest in getting out of their ignorance and poverty. We have gained their trust.

Because of this need, we purchased two sewing machines and began to hold some sewing, knitting and soap making workshops. 

The students' mothers' and teachers' enthusiastic response has completely exceeded our expectations and has motivated the planning of a particular program to train women. "CHEPANG WOMEN FROM MAKAISING EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME"

Problem Statement

1. The Chepang, astigmatized ethnic group

Chepang is one of the most backward ethnic groups in Nepal, nomads who lived on hunting and gathering fruits in the forests until recently.

The civil code of 1854 defined them as third category citizens. A new civil code in 1963 changed this concept. They, along with the rest of the population of Nepal, had internalized this discrimination.

The nationalization of the forests in 1956 restricted hunting activities and expelled the Chepang from the place where they were settled down, forcing them to go to lower areas where other ethnic groups and castes had already occupied the best agricultural land. The Chepang were pushed to live on the grounds of high slopes not suitable for cultivation.

After visiting the areas occupied by this indigenous group in 1977, Birendra, the last king of Nepal, developed a program to rescue them from their miserable living conditions by considering them subjects under his protection. This program was maintained until 2003 but did not help mitigate the marginalization of the Chepangs by the majority of Nepalese society that continues up today.

Currently, despite the dominance of the Indian and Nepalese languages and cultures that undervalues ​​their traditions and values, the Chepangs maintain their language and ancient religious beliefs.

1. Women’s Marginalitation.

Makaising is 10 km up the hills from the main road in Nepal that connects the two most important tourist sites: Pokhara and Kathmandu.

Despite its location close to a critical communication road, this community of 106 households, of which 98 are Chepang, lives with its back to development tourist, with customs and beliefs that oppress the weakest in an archaic rural environment, lacking fundamental human rights.

Discrimination and violent culture against women in Nepal, especially in these rural areas, manifests itself very young. The situation worsens due to their illiteracy, minimal access to education, discrimination at work, and lack of support and aid systems.

Chepang women and girls of Makaising are exclusively engaged in domestic chores with no opinion on family matters. They depended on men, fathers and husbands, suffering all kinds of abuse. Still, the truth is that they prefer to stay in this relationship because they fear being homeless and in poverty.

Beneficiaries

The primary beneficiaries of our programmes are the girls, adolescent girls, and adult women of all ages of the Chepang ethnic group from Makaising. They have not had a ccess to education or vocational training. 

Rural women are key agents to achieve the necessary economic, environmental and social changes for sustainable development. Still, their limited access to credit, healthcare, and education are among the many challenges they face.

Main Goal

Living conditions improvement of Chepang girls and women in Makaising 

It aims to excite and encourage this marginalized social group by providing them with training. Promoting their self-esteem with literacy and learning skills that allow them to improve the management of their homes and manufacture valuable products added capable of being marketable and thus have the possibility of considering a way of life.

Seconnday Goals

1. Awareness about social problems giving confidence to women on these matters

2. Women's motivation to develop their plans to generate income and start activities

3. Create a friendly environment that promotes ties of friendship, debate and camaraderie

4. Guide and facilitate channels for self-employment 

Especific Goal

Formar a  adolescentes y mujeres de la comunidad en conocimientos de costura, punto crochet, fabricación de jabón y trabajos de artesanía, alfabetización

Project Stages

The first phase of project deveplopment (March 2020 Abril 2022)

1. Selection of teaching staff.
2. Selection of benificiaries
3. Venue selection 
4. Registration
5. Development of training courses and workshops. Selection of subjects to be taught in the courses and design of the training plan in each of them. 

Training Period two years of capacitavy. (May 2021-June 2023)

The programme will be developed in 4 sessions so that the beneficiaries will always have to complete the first session: the reading and writing course, to access the rest of the options and thus improve the understanding and use of classes in workshops. 

Sutainability for five-year term

1. The community beneficiary will provide the place for developing the workshops in the towns at no cost.

2. Volunteers and institutions will be associated with the project to give the workshops-

3. They will be encouraged to set up their soap-making and sewing , knitting and crochet products in the villages.

Soap in partnership models in the next two years.

4. Finally, the idea is to establish "Chepang Unnati" as a brand in five years so that women's companies can earn steadily for themselves. We shall carry out a study on kicking off the Chepang Unnati brand and networks for institutes and individuals.

Budget for the training period May 2021/junie2024

Fifty women distributed in 5 groups with ten women each group for 36  months will benefit.