Women Awareness Center Nepal

As we go forward, we continue to believe that a focus on poverty alleviation will be the most effective measure in empowering  women, men, and children, as well as generally improving their lives. We have designed an economic empowerment model that brings women into leadership roles. Our savings and credit cooperatives and community based development activities enable women to address their strategic needs, become economically independent, make decisions about issues affecting them, and overall become more active in their community. WACN has been able to develop cost-effective poverty reduction programs in the villages that can be replicated throughout developing countries. WACN builds the capacity of local women''''s groups, eventually registering them as cooperatives, which allows them to operate as an independent institution. Our success lies in the fact that where we were once initiating development activities, women''''s groups are now initiating them. 

We must now meet the demands of women’s groups scattered across Nepal that have approached WACN for support in developing their local organizations. Training is crucial. After women are trained, they more fully utilize the savings and credit line available to them, becoming empowered in the process. At present (2011), WACN has 41 women’s cooperatives, ranging from 500 to 1200 women shareholders, consisting, in total, of over 30,000 members. With little outside funding,  WACN has been able to generate more than $4 million. Currently, WACN advocates for the strengthening of women''s groups, better resource allocation for their further development, and the proper implementation of legal rights granted to women. We primarily serve four districts of Nepal: the VDCs of Kavre, Chitwon, Makwanpur and Kathmandu. We also provide training and support to women in other districts. WACN is in the middle of launching a campaign to re-enact local elections and include more women in the decision-making processes of the local government. While the Interim Constitution mandates that 33% of the state mechanisms comprise women, only the Constituent Assembly meets this quota. Representation of women in other civil sectors remains low. 

WACN has been able to work in a sustainable way through the determination and commitment of board members, staff, and volunteers.  We have found the strength to move ahead with the encouragement of cooperative members and friends. We are also thankful for external funding from donors. We received support from MISEREOR Germany and Helvetas Nepal for the first ten years. Canadian Cooperation office (CCO) and Enabling State Program Nepal provided a short-term grant. Recently, Global Fund for Women, Monteview women’s group, International Development Exchange (IDEX), Give2Asia and Cottier Donze foundation have provided long-term support. We have found that short term funding that lasts only one year does not contribute meaningfully to community based development work. More long-term support is needed to sufficiently prepare the community for a successful handover of power and continuation of the project goals.