C:\Internet\PDDP\Making a difference\04.htm

COMMUNITIES SURGE AHEAD

Increasing Participation of Men and Women

Village entry in Ringnehara, Palpa

Enthusiastic HH Participation

A recent study undertaken by external evaluators undertaken to assess the non-participation of rural households in the social mobilisation process has revealed that the overall participation of the households in COs was 84 percent. The study showed there was widespread enthusiasm amongst people in joining the COs and the study did not find any evidence of any member or community that was intentionally left out from the institutional mainstream. Low participation of households in some areas was attributed to natural causes like scattered and isolated households, non-interest of the affluent or busy people living close to the market places, old people with no offsprings to inherit their savings.

There are proportinately more women's and mixed COs and
less male COs now thn four years ago

The Benefits of Being Organised

We’re a closer community now

Earlier, before we became members of COs, we villagers, living in our scattered settlements would hardly meet each other twice a year. We used to be engrossed in our own worlds and met only during festivals, religious rites, births, deaths and marriages. Situation was such that we wouldn’t even know each others’ names. Now as members of COs we are bound to meet twice a month and have come to each and every member quite closely.

When we used to meet earlier we had no concept of what to talk about. But now that has changed. We now discuss where and how the MP has utilised the development funds allocated to him/her for his/her constituency. What has the VDC done so far, and what needs to be done next? What is the state of our agriculture? What has improved it? Or if it is in a poor state ,why is it so and how could we make it better? We discuss about health and sanitation and other issues as well.

Mana Bahadur Rana
VDC Chariman
Majhkot VDC, Tanahun

Collective Farming

	Members of the Nilgiri CO of Doba VDC, Myagdi in their potato patch
	CO membes of Danfe CO in Doba take a break from planting potatoes in their community plot

Women in Doba, a remote village in Myagdi district, have exemplified that when resources and efforts are pooled together they can create wonders. Members of the Nilgiri, Danfe and Devi Deurali COs have started to farm potatoes in barren public land after first making them arable. The CO members contribute potato seed in the form of tubers and work voluntarily in the fields and the money from the sale of the potatoes harvested is added to their collective fund. The COs intend to use these funds for more productive investment.

Of the 15 members of the Nilgiri CO, five are from the ‘oppressed’ class and 10 fall below the poverty line designated by themselves. Each of these members contributed 4 manas of seed tubers and collected a total of 8 paathis of the seed. From this they harvested 19 paathis of potato seed which they set aside 4 paathis and sold the rest for Rs. 975. This year with the paathi each donated by every member and the 4 paathis leftover from last year, the CO members once again planted 19 paathis of potato seeds. This year they harvested 60 paathis from which they netted Rs. 2100 for the CO fund. Besides potatoes, the members have also planted groundnut and sold them for Rs. 830. Their collective savings now exceed Rs. 4000.

Likewise the Devi Deurali CO produced 300 kilograms of potatoes which fetched them Rs. 2500 for the community fund.

The Jane Bikas Feed Depot

Feed for Less

The Jana Bikas SHO in Rupandehi which had been raising cross-breed goats has now set up a cattle-feed centre. Most of the members of the SHO who also rear cattle in the high milk-producing area, had earlier been buying feed at a very high price from the local market. The SHO invested Rs. 9,000 at the outset and have been making an average of 10 percent profit on the feed they sell. Besides earning profit, the store is also earning the goodwill of the community. The community has reason to be pleased. The sacks of rice bran and chappat that they had been earlier buying for Rs. 480 and Rs. 400 respectively, are now available at the SHO depot for Rs. 270 and Rs.315 respectively. The SHO now want to expand their business and sell fertiliser, seeds and pesticides as well.

Helping link farms to markets

The Self-Help Organizations (SHOs) organised under the Public Private Partnership component of PDDP have mobilised Rs.1.2 million as equity investment. They have made a turnover of Rs. 3.8 million and materialised a profit of nearly Rs.1 million. The integrated support approach from farm to market has enabled these SHOs to have successful enterprises.

Weaving Bags Together

Women in Tanahun learning to weave bags

It was two years ago that a member each from 20 households of Tharpu Bazar in Chhang VDC, Tanahun, got together and formed an SHO. The members then received general and then advanced-level training on weaving bags.

Eighteen of the members currently weave bags for a living. Each member weaves an average of five bags a day and on each bag they make a profit of Rs 10 to Rs. 25. The raw material (acrylic yarn) comes to their doorstep as do the buyers. The SHO members meet every month and save Rs. 50 each. Their savings has gone up to Rs. 17,700 which is being invested as loan to the members. The members have so far woven 2115 kgs of wool into 13,756 bags which they were able to sell for Rs. 894,135. Jamuna Shahi, a member of the SHO and a widow says that while previously she used to barely be able to make ends meet, the increased earnings from weaving bags has made her financially more self-reliant. She saves an average of Rs. 2500 a month and has been able to afford to send her daughter to an English-medium school.

Breaking Stereotypes

Chandrakala's Chicken

Why can’t a Brahmin raise chicken?

"Once during our CO meeting as we members were discussing possible enterprises that we could venture into, I suggested raising chicken. This was something quite revolutionary in the community. As a Brahmin, I was not even allowed to think of raising poultry, let alone indulge in it! Poultry farming was a subject of ridicule in our society, thus I was fully aware of the challenges I would have to face in the future. I toyed with the idea for quite a long time, and finally mustered enough courage, bolstered with my husband’s support, before making up my mind to raise chicken. I took Rs. 500 loan from the CO and bought two hens. In one year, I managed to raise a brood of chicken, pay off the CO’s loan and made a profit of Rs. 2500. And I still have Rs. 3000 worth of chicken now. Now I do not have to pester my husband for little personal items I need for myself. Thank god for the chicken!"

Chandrakala Pant
Member, Milan CO,
Binamare VDC, Baglung

A Supportive Husband

"My husband has always been supportive of me being involved in community activities. If I am in a hurry to attend meetings, he tells, ‘Forget the dishes, you can wash them later.’ Sometimes he tells me ‘You go, I’ll cook the rice today!’ I am very lucky to find so much support from my husband and urge the husbands of my fellow female CO members to emulate my husband!"

Mrs. Deepa Dhakal
Jyoti Mixed CO
Sisneri Rani Takura
Pawannagar VDC, Dang

She Dared to be Different

Kavita Thapa inoculating a goat in Bhaktapur

Kavita Thapa of Gundu VDC, Bhaktapur, has ventured in an area where even men think twice. Kavita is the village expert on animal health. She received training through VDP and has opened a veterinary shop in her house. Kavita has become an example in her village as a woman who dared to achieve what she wanted to do. "The elephant marches as the dogs keep barking" seems to be Kavita’s motto!

Education

A roof over the heads of school children

Sri Kotaki Primary School in Changtha in Mainahiya VDC, Rupandehi, was established by the Kalika Women’s CO and two male COs - DibyaJyoti & SamajSewa. The children of the area earlier had to walk for one and half to two hours each way to the nearest school, and thus many children of school-going age remained behind at home.

This is how the children studied before
their school was built

When the School started the 200 odd boys and girls used to study beneath trees in the land donated by the VDC. To raise funds for the school building the CO members started a door to door fund-raising campaign. They managed to raise Rs. 10,000 and two wooden frames for doorways. The VDC also provided Rs. 700 each to the two teachers employed in the school.

The funds were enough to raise mud-mortar walls of the building, but the building still lacked a roof. So the COs continued with their resource mobilisation campaign. Soon they managed to collect Rs. 25,000 from the VDC, Rs. 40,000 from the MP’s Fund, Rs. 25,000 from LTF for buying furniture and Rs. 25,000 from the DDC’s Public Service Revolving Fund for the roof and Rs. 6000 for digging an artesian well.The mud-mortar walls were replaced with cement mortar and the school building is now complete... roof and all.

Other Schools that COs Built

The school in Sorek, Syangja

The residents of Douba in Sorek VDC, Syangja, have exemplified how people rise above petty individualism when they get together and think as a community. When VDP was implemented in their village, 39 people from 38 household in Ward # 6 got organised into the Douba CO. The CO has built a temporary building for the Douba Community Pre-Primary School. The school had previously been running in a small room in a house. The CO now plans to have a more permanent structure for the school. The CO members say, "The Programme led the way. Now as a unified group we are moving forward in that path of development, clearing away any hurdles that come our way."

The Shree Ganesh CO of Sudal VDC Ward # 3, Bhaktapur, has established a kindergarten school that is managing it through its own resources. The CO bought the necessary furniture and stationary from their savings. The school caters to the children of Wards 1,2,3, and 9 in the village.

Likewise the Kalika Mixed CO in Musina Ward no. 1 in Koilabas VDC, Dang, pooled in their efforts and built a 4-room school building for the Koilabas Udaya Primary School. Theconstruction work took four months and cost the CO Rs. 70,000.

The number of boys and girls attending primary schools in on the rise in the VDP VDCs. The CO members themselves say that being mobilised in groups and working together are primary factors behind the rise in school-going children in their communities.

Community’s cohesiveness improves children’s grades

In the year before the COs were formed in Phokshing, Nirmalpokhari VDC in Kaski, only 10 out of the 17 students (58.82%) attending school passed their annual exams. The next year, of the 23 students attending school 21 passed their exams (91.30%). According to the CO members this positive change was a result of the discussions they held in their meetings regarding the current standard of education, children’s psychology, the school’s physical facilities, teachers, and the resulting interest and zeal displayed by all those involved.

Residential School in Upper Mustang

With the active initiation of the DDC and the DEO, a government-owned residential school is being established in remote Upper Mustang. The DDC believes that now that the children of this region finally have access to education, it would help to push up the currently lower literacy figures of the district.

Better Late than Never

Dhamali is a village in East Achham. The women in this community previously used to be engrossed in household related work for 18 hours a day. They had to follow the norms laid out for them by society, which among others, did not allow them to speak loudly. When VDP was implemented in the village it was next to impossible to find a woman literate enough to handle the accounts of the CO, or provide leadership to the group.

During the CO’s regular activities of need-identification, the CO members overwhelmingly opted to have literacy classes for themselves. Accordingly, 16 batches of adult literacy classes were conducted in one year alone, participated by more women than men. After the classes were run, it was seen that 50 percent of the female CO members in the village had learnt how to read and write. When DPCP was implemented in the village and the programme wanted to recruit literate women as community mobilisers the ‘neo-literate’ female CO members were eligible. During their training programme they said, "We may have had a late start as far as reading and writing goes, but now there is no stopping us!"

Health

Cleaner Village

"The health and hygiene situation in our village used to be quite deplorable. People would defecate from the portals of their homes and the pigs, dogs and hen would loll around in them. With filth all around, the stench used to be so bad that we would have to hold our breaths while walking about. Now we have at least a temporary pit latrine in every house. Every Monday morning, we members go around the village cleaning the environment, clearing trail, picking up trash. Our village is much cleaner now."

Rewati Hamal, Manager, KalikaDevi Women’s CO
in Nigali, Ward #6 Balakot VDC
Parbat District

No more "haija" (cholera)

Safe water for the community
in Chitwan

"Our drinking water situation was very bad before these wells were built" says Mr. Gyanshali Neupane Chairman of the Bij Briddhi Kisan Samuha in Pithuwa, Chitwan. "Once we found 72 percent of the students in a local school infested with parasites. One year the cholera/ dysentery epidemic was so bad, a medical camp had to be established in the village. There were 1500 patients including those from neighbouring VDCs as well who were being given intravenous rehydration! Now all that is a thing of the past."

With the increase in the number of permanent & temporary toilets in their homes, and the availability of safe drinking water within 30 minutes walking distance, the overall health situation in the villages has been improving. There are less outbreakes of gastrointestinal diseases now.

Mahadevsthan’s Biogas Campaign

Saraswati checks up a women's blood pressure

The CO members in Mahadevsthan VDC in Kavre are benefitting in more ways than one since the "biogas campaign" was initiated in their village. A predominantly agricultural village with a large number of livestock, the biogas initiative in Mahadevsthan is not just helping them conserve firewood and improving their health due to the smoke-free environment. The organic by-product of the plant serves as nitrogen rich manure and thus helps to increase their agricultural productivity too. Besides, the biogas package also comes with the construction of a latrine. This was a double bonus for the CO members, who at the outset had to pledge to build toilets anyway. Now not only livestock dung, but even human waste is being put to productive use.

The biogas plants have been made available to the COs at a very subsidised rate of Rs. 2200 for a 3 cu.m. capacity and Rs. 4500 for a 6 cu.m. capacity. The CO members have to apply for the plant on the recommendation of their respective COs. UNICEF through its DPCP programme provided Rs. 200,000 as matching revolving fund, and the VDC put in Rs. 100,000 as its first instalment.

By the end of October 2000, 47 biogas plants had been constructed in 45 COs in the village, and 46 more are under construction. The VDC expects to construct 240 more plants next year.

Healthy Bodies for Healthy Minds

The Support Organisation (SO) team of VDP in Salena VDC, Baitadi, has tried to promote extra curricular activities in the village for the all-round growth of the villagers. One of the activities undertaken by the SO was a district-wide Volleyball Tournament with the objective of spreading the message of ‘healthy bodies for healthy minds’. The event held in the grounds in front of the Bhagbati Temple in Melauli, was participated by eight teams from across the district. The management promoted the teams to display discipline and sportsmanship and not just focus on winning. The SO intends to make this an annual event by establishing a running shield for the winning team.

Teams from
Dehimandu and
Salena going
for the ball

The community mobiliser in Dhungkharka VDC, Kavre, checking the nutrition status of a child

Caring for the Environment

Trees for the Future

Planting trees in Chaling

In Challing, Bhaktapur, the members of the Matsyanarayan Women’s CO took the initiative to conduct afforestation in barren land in Ward # 5 of the VDC. The members first prepared the land for afforestation. The LTFB assisted them by liasing with the DFO which provided them with 3000 saplings of various kinds of trees free of cost. On July 29, the VDC Chairman, Mr. Praveen Ban, the VDC members, around 100 school children from the Gudi Ganesh School along with the members of the Matsyanarayan CO and their spouses, planted the saplings amidst a lot of fanfare. The women have been following up and undertaking regular weeding and soil retention work in the area.

The litter-free alleys of Tukchey

Plastic-free Mustang

DDC Mustang, in order to preserve the pristine land from ecological and environmental pollution, has decided to ban all plastic bags in the district from December 2000. Notices have been posted in the relevant airports warning travellers of the ban.

CO member and family in Doba VDC, Myagdi,
with the smokeless stove they prepared
after training facilitated by VDP

Member of the Durgadevi and Shushma COs
of Arjewa in Baglung watering the saplings meant
for afforestation of barren hillsides in the village

No to Poison

The CMC in Purandhara VDC in Dang concurred on decision for social welfare viz. the restriction on hunting fish by using poision

Mahadevsthan’s Biogas Campaign

A newly built toilet linkded to the bio-gas
plant in Mahadevsthan

By the end of October 2000, 47 biogas plants had been constructed in 45 COs in the village, and 46 more are under construction. The VDC expects to construct 240 more plants next year.

Infrastructure for Development

Number of Completed Projects
Drinking Water	Irrigation Hydro	Micro Forestry	Com.	Other	Total
389	135	2	7	15	548

Cost Sharing of Infrastructure Projects in %
SGF	VDCs / DDCs	COs	Others
42%	37%	37%	4%

Beneficiaries from completed Projects
COs	Male members	Female members	Total members
833	16131	14192	30,323

Linking the Fields to the Market

Samaimai, Ramlila and Sita COs in Tikuligadh, Rupandehi built a 1 km long road to connect their field to the market. CO members now can take tractors and other vehicles right to the spot where they have been growing vegetables and transporting them to the market.

How Irrigation Canals have benefitted the people in Rupandehi

In Gongoliya VDC, 400 people from 75 households of 6 COs are irrigating more than 150 bighas of land through artesian boring. Similarly, in Dhamauli VDC, 41 hh from 3 COs are irrigating more than 20 bighas of land. DDC Rupandehi reports that as a result there is:

Crop diversification. People have started growing vegetables
Dietary change. Consumption of vegetables is on the rise. Children look healthier
Increasing incomes from sale of vegetables have given people more money. They have invested this in building toilets and keeping their surroundings clean
Villagers seem more happy

Water for the fields and animals

The reservoir that the COs in Manikapur of Pawannagar VDC in Dang have built, serves a double purpose, benefitting the 282 residents of the settlement as well their livestock. The one metre deep reservoir with 286 cu.m. capacity provides water for irrigation as well as for the cattle to drink. The reservoir is filled with water tapped from a source 6 km. (two hours’ walk) away in the mountains, as well as rainwater and spillover water from the nearby tap. The villagers have drastically cut down their water fetching time, and their animals too can quench their thirst when they want.

Water for tefields in Gongoliya

The fruits of irrigated fields in Dhamauli

The reservoir that the COs built

Rural Electrification

Electrification vs. Absenteeism

Absenteeism was high among the parents and grandparents of Lahachowk VDC, Kaski, attending Parental Education (PE) classes being supported by DPCP. Most of them found it very difficult to strain their eyes peering at alphabets in the dim candle or petromax light. Now four wards in Lahachowk boast of electricity, and the rest will also be electrified soon. The "students" of the PE classes say that there are more of them attending classes once they had electricity. This rural electrification scheme was funded jointly by the DDC, the VDC, the COs and through VDP’s Seed Grant Fund.

Lighting up the Solar Way

Kuhun and Babiyochaur VDCs in Myagdi have installed 32 and 21solar electricity units each. Listing the positive impacts felt by the people, the DDC reports that (a) schoolchildren are finding more time to read and write in the evening (b) CO meetings are being conducted with more ease in the evenings, (c) CO members can be seen pursuing their ‘knitting’ and ‘sewing’ activities till late in the evening and (d) some of the affluent CO members have purchased television sets for infotainment.

Lighting up their Lives

The micro hydro turbine...
... and the water speeding down the intake channel

Salme is one of the remotest village in Northern Nuwakot. The inhabitants of Salme are all pastoral Tamangs who move up and down the mountains with their flock as per the season. The out-of-the-way village always lay beyond the reach of mainstream development efforts. Now two COs in the village have proved that that they can usher in development to their village with just a jumpstart from outsiders. The Gnishuichop CO and the Hope Women’s CO in the village have undertaken a micro-hydro project which has started producing electricity.

As per their demands, the Gnishuichop CO and the Hope CO received Rs. 70,000 and Rs. 23,000 loan from LTF to construct the micro-hydro . Construction was complete within three months. The Chinese-made turbine was purchased from the National Trading Limited in Kathmandu for Rs. 68,000. The 7.5 KW micro-hydro supplies electricity to 36 bulbs in 32 households and eight street lamps. Houses that just use the light pay Rs. 20 per month. Houses that run a radio pay Rs. 30/- per month and the hous that runs a television set (there’s only one TV set in the village) pays Rs. 35/- per month as electricity charge. The COs now plan to run a community mill from the same infrastructure and have already purchased the necessary machinery. Their income is expected to increase after the mill is operational. The CO also plans to sell the extra power to the neighbouring wards. The CO has already paid back half the instalment of their loan.

The residents of Salme are overjoyed to say the least. Mr. Birkha Bahadur Tamang says, "The first night we spent the whole time watching the bulb glow!"

Walk less, Grow more Vegetables

Pure drinking water within a stone's throw for women in Kharchyang

For the women living in Ward #9 of Kharchyang in Nirmalpokhari VDC, Kaski, fetching water for drinking purposes was a big headache. They had to walk for hours to the river to get the water. It was but natural that a drinking water scheme was on the top of their priority for funding from Seed Grant Fund. Now the scheme is complete and provides drinking water facility within three minutes’ walking distance to 92 people from 15 household. Besides saving many hours fetching water, the extra water running from the tapstands is diverted to vegetable patches. Mr. Guruprasad Bhandari who started planting off-season vegetables in his garden when the water was available, says that last year he earned Rs. 39,000 by selling vegetables.

Cooperative as a functional group of the CO

The Bharatpokhari Multipurpose Savings and Credit Cooperative Limited was established in December 1999 in Kaski. The idea for the Cooperative germinated at the Chairpersons and Managers’ Conference after a need was felt for an organisation to provide an institutional base for the COs, and to enhance the networking and solidarity amongst the 54 COs in the village.

This summer at the general assembly the CO members nominated an 11-mmber Board of Directors as well 3-member Committee each for Credit Monitoring, Accounting and Education. The members also endeorsed the Cooperative’s Saving and Credit Policy 2057 as well as its annual plan. The Cooperative is currently issuing shares (Rs. 100 per share) to members from all 54 COs with membership fee of Rs. 25.

Besides working for the all-round development of the COs and the welfare of all CO members, the Cooperative can also mobilise the unutilised savings of one CO in another CO. It will also network with other organisations with similar goals at the local, regional, national and international levels to further the cause of the COs. Once matured, the Cooperative will also provide livestock insurance facility to the COs. On securing permission for Nepal Rastra Bank it will also initiate banking activities in the village.

Increased Vigilance

The Thulipokhari CO in Ramja VDC, Parbat, complained at the CMC that the drinking water project had used low-grade pipes. The CMC formed a committee to investigate the matter. The Committee found out that the claims made by the CO were true and duly warned the construction committee to replace the pipes. The job was done in a week.

Four Times Cheaper when Implemented by Community

When an analysis was done on the eight drinking water systems in Kuhun and Rakhu Bhagwati VDCs in Myagdi, it was seen that it had benefited 300 households and that the per capita breakdown of the total project cost came to Rs. 498. This figure is four time less than the per head cost of the projects implemented by the District Drinking Water Supply Office.

Improved Technologies

50 dozen bananas per plant!

The amazing bananas that Deepa grew

Deepa Dhakal of Pawannager VDC, Dang, experimented with farming bananas with the two saplings of the hybrid "Bombay Battisa" bananas that she bought for Rs. 50. Now these two saplings have spread and generated 31 suckers. Each mature banana plant gives fruit to an amazing 600 bananas each. She sold the bananas at Rs. 2 each and earned Rs. 1200 from one plant alone. She says that she intends to transplant the banana suckers and start a banana plantation, and she also intends to farm ginger alongside the bananas.

Gayatri Devi Poudel of the Lali Gurans CO feeding her high-breed goats

Cross-bred Goats

The New Star and Lali Gurans COs in Lahachowk, Kaski have been joining hands in many development ventures. One of these is propagating improved breed of goats suitable in their clime. The members of the two COs have been cross-breeding the Saanan and Jamunapaari Varnashankar for the purpose and hope to develop their village as an important high-breed goat rearing area.

ImprovedTechnology for Enhanced Productivity

Improved breed of livestock: buffaloes, cows, goats, pigs
Improved "ghatta"
Drip irrigation, lift irrigation scheme
High variety crops - ginger, banana, napier, potato, wheat
Smokeless stove
Lokta paper
Advanced veterinary tools & equipments - microscope, burdizog castrater
Hybrid vegetable seeds
Improved fish variety
Improved fodder: napier, stylo grass
Alternative energy: solar panels, bio-gas
Agricultural tools & techniques: insecticide sprayer, silage making, dipping tank

Effects and Impacts of VDP

Parameters	Unit	Dec-96	Sep-00	Change
1. Community Organisation:
Organisations of males	% of HHs	73%	36%	-37%
Organisations of females	% of HHs	13%	38%	24%
Mixed organisations	% of HHs	14%	26%	12%
2. Poverty Profile:
Poorest HHs	% of HHs	50%	29%	-21%
Poor HHs	% of HHs	33%	39%	6%
Medium HHs	% of HHs	17%	32%	15%
3. Food Sufficiency Level:
Food surplus HHs	% of HHs	6%	9%	3%
9-12 months	% of HHs	22%	25%	3%
6-9 months	% of HHs	24%	25%	1%
3-6 months	% of HHs	26%	23%	-3%
Up to 3 months	% of HHs	22%	18%	-4%
4. Education:
School Enrolment -Boys	%	47%	78%	31%
School Enrolment -Girls	%	32%	69%	37%
School drop out - Boys	%	21%	10%	-11%
School drop out - Girls	%	25%	8%	-17%
Literacy rate	%	38%	53%	15%
Primary School managed by COs	No.	0	60	60
5. Health and Sanitation:
HHs with toilets	%	20%	54%	34%
HHs with drinking water within 30m. walking distance	%	52%	70%	18%
6. Economic Activities:
HHs taking loan from local money lenders	%	50%	15%	-35%
Average Interest rate of Local Money lenders	%	36%	23%	-13%
Village Cadres in Agriculture (Total)*	No.	0	853	853
Village Cadres in Animal Science (Total)*	No.	1	292	291
7.HHs roofing type:
Tin roof	%	10%	22%	12%
Stone roof	%	11%	33%	22%
Thatch roof	%	68%	33%	-35%
Other roof	%	11%	11%	0%
8. Self - Initiated Activities
Community building that CO owned (Total)*	No.	1	149	148
Length of trails that COs rehabilitated (Total)*	Km.	0	1366	1366

Note:

(1) The above table represents the VDC level average from VDP VDC’s in PDDP supported districts
(2) The data represents incremental percentage with the expansion of programme coverage
(3) The data with (*) represents total figures

Sharing and Caring

No to Alcohol

...in Syangja

CO members of Manakamana CO in Pelkachaur, Syangja, decided to contribute something to help alleviate the poverty status of the poorest members of their group, Mana Bahadur Nepali. Mana Bahadur had a hard time making ends meet. A tailor by caste, he had tailoring skills but had not been able to utilise them. The group decided to provide him support to buy a sewing machine, but knowing his love for the bottle and cards did not want to give him the money. So they bought him a sewing machine instead at a cost of Rs. 3100. Nowadays Mana Bahadur is seen busy on his machine. He sets aside some amount of his daily earnings to pay the monthly instalments of the CO’s loan.

...in Pyuthan

The CMC of Bijuli VDC, Pyuthan, have decided to levy a fine of Rs. 500 per violation to those who manufacture and supply alcohol. Similarly those caught consuming alcohol would be fined Rs. 250 the first time, and repeat offenders would be fined Rs. 500.

Palakot’s Experience

"We have even slapped a Rs. 500 fine on two men engaged in a drunken brawl. Before we had organised ourselves into this group, the people used to drink at any time in the day. We have now set up a liquor curfew. People are free to drink only between five and nine in the evening, that too only inside their homes. Anyone caught breaking this code is fined. We levy Rs. 20 fine to those caught selling liquor and Rs. 15 to those caught drinking the stuff."

Rewati Hamal, Manager,
KalikaDevi Women’s CO
Palakot VDC, Parbat District.

With a fistful of grain

The Douba CO, Sorek, Syangja, has set up a Natural Calamity Fund to help any CO member in dire need arising to some calamity. Every day the members of the CO set aside a fistful of grain, which they collect and bring to the CO meeting every week. The cereal is then sold to the poorer members of the CO at a subsidised rate, and the proceeds are added to the Fund.

Crippled, but cared for

Til Bahadur Thapa of Khaireni in Bharatpokhari VDC, Kaski, used to work as a labourer and feed his family until he broke both his legs in a truck accident. Crippled by the accident, Til Bahadur could no longer work as a labourer and found it difficult to make ends meet.

Til Bahadur in his repair shop

When VDP was implemented in his village and he became a member of the Unnatsheel Kisan CO, the CO members nominated him as a candidate for electrical repair training. In this one-month course Til Bahadur learnt to repair radios, televisions, audio cassette players, etc. Then with Rs. 10,000 credit capital he set up a small electrical and electronic repair shop in the village and earns an average of Rs.125 per day. "If it hadn’t been for the CO, where would I have been?"

Friends in Need: Friends Indeed

Mrs. Dhana Maya Vishwakarma of Lampatan Annapurna CO, Nirmalpokharai VDC of Kaski already had poverty as a curse when fate delivered a further blow. A fire reduced her modest hut to ashes. Dhana Maya did not have any resources to rebuild her home. When her plight was brought to the attention at the CMC, they decided to form a three-member committee to mobilise resources to build a roof over her head. The CMC also decided to raise Rs. 5 from every CO member as part of the resource mobilisation efforts.

Extra Income Better Lives

"The CO has been Godsent"

Paltu Harijan, a "dalit" by caste, was one of the poorest members of his CO in Mangalpur, Tikuligadh VDC in Rupandehi. Paltu had no property, no land, and used to work as a bonded labourer. Upon joining the CO, his friends in the group urged to work as a chowkidar (gate-keeper). At the behest of his friends a village headman granted him a tiny plot of land to build a hut. His friends also advised him to take some loan and buy an ox and work on other’s fields on adhiya (half-share basis). The very first year, Paltu was able to harvest a large quantity of paddy. Things then started to improve for Paltu Harijan. He took loan to buy a buffalo from LTF, and with increased earnings was able to buy the land where he had built his house, as well as some more land for farming.

"Now my family is leading a very easy life," he says and adds, "I have been able to start sending my children back to school again. My son who had stopped going to school from grade three, is now in grade six. My other son is in grade two and my daughter in grade one. As per the suggestion of the CO, I also built a permanent toilet in the house. The CO was truly godsent for me"

Om Prakash: Well Settled Now

"I was only 16 years old when I became a member of the Samayamai CO in our village," says Om Prakash Gupta, a resident of Mangalpur in Tikuligadh VDC, Rupandehi. "We were eight in the family (parents, an elder sister and three younger brothers) and our father’s trade of galla (paddy) that kept us all alive. But three and a half years ago he died suddenly, and it was the CO, and the friends therein, that kept our hopes alive. I took a loan from the CO and opened a tea shop. The returns from that business allowed my mother to open a paan shop also nearby. With the earning from these two shops we have managed to improve our life style quite a bit. We no longer have a problem of clothing and feeding ourselves. My elder sister is now married. Our youngest brother attends a "boarding" (english medium) school and the rest go to government school. Early this year I too got married! We have been working hard, and have prospered. Thanks to the CO!"

VDP's target being the poorest of the CO members is
reflected in thefunds being accessed by them

Reversing Migration

No more going to India for Nandalal

Nandalal with his stock of slippers

Nandalal Harijan was working as a bonded labourer in Gobrahiya Tole in Sarawal VDC, Nawalparasi for two decades. With limited land, Nandalal felt he had no other alternative to augment his income but to go to India. When Nandalal was away his family, including his aged father, suffered a lot scrounging and borrowing for a living. In the meantime, not being able to get a decent job in India Nandalal returned to Nepal intent on starting a business in his homeland. Luckily for him, VDP had just been introduced into his village and soon a CO - Jayabhim CO - was formed in Gobhariya Tole too. The CO’s membership was a predominantly Harijan (‘untouchable’) and Nandalal was chosen to be the Manager of the CO. The members saved Rs. 2 every week.

Although he was poor, Nandalal had the confidence that he could do well in business, and despite early scepticism from the group members, he was able to convince them to give him the opportunity to take credit capital from LTF. With the Rs. 14,000 loan and Rs. 3000 of his own money Nandalal went to Butwal market. There he bought Rs. 15,000 worth of slippers and a Hero Jet bicycle. The very next day he started his business. He rode the bicycle to go to the nearest haat bazar and made a profit of Rs. 200 the very day. Extremely motivated with his sales, Nandalal nowadays goes to various haat bazars five days a week andreplenishes his stock by going to Butwal one day a week. His average profit a month exceeds Rs. 1500.

Nandalal now dreams of opening a retail outlet and says that if he progressed in this manner, he would be able to lift his family out of poverty in two years.

Indra Bahadur Stays Home

Indra Bahadur Rawal, like most other males of Chafamandu village in Achham district, used to go to India to earn money to keep the family hearth burning. Most of the villagers would work as gatekeepers, guards, domestic servants or labourers in Indian cities. When VDP was implemented in their village, Indra Bahadur joined the Kalika Devi male CO and his wife Sabi joined the Jagaran Women’s CO. Intending to start an enterprise Indra Bahadur requested for Rs. 10,000 credit capital to start raising goats. His request was granted and in late summer in 1998 he bought seven goats. That Dasain he sold the goats and bought some more. In a year he managed to rear and sell 115 goats and make a profit of Rs. 25,000.. Sabi helps her husband by taking care of the goats and dealing with clients when her husband is away. Their 11-year old son Sanjaya helps whenever he doesn’t have school.

The Rawals have managed to save enough in the first year itself to pay off the debt incurred while buying a small plot of land. They also managed to convert the buffalo shed in Mujabajaar by the Kailash Khola into a small hut. The next year they added more rooms to the hut and now have a decent four-room house. Running the household is no longer a burden for the Rawals. Says Indra Bahadur, "This programme has given us the opportunity to show that it is up to us to improve our lives. If we work hard, there are opportunities aplenty to earn money right in our villages. There is no need for Nepalis to comb the gullies of India for jobs."

Women in the Forefront

"Its hard work, and more hard work that make diamonds and gold bloom in the home!"

Himkala's Chicken

Himkala Kunwar is the poultry queen in Tandi, Nayabelhani in Nawalparasi. In two years since she entered the business, Himakala has managed to earn Rs. 150,000 and with additional earnings of her husband, the family is currently building a 4-room cemented house.

Before she joined her CO, their family was scraping a living with her husband’s small photo studio. "But as my husband had to send most of his meagre earnings from the studio to his parents, it was difficult for me to deposit the Rs. 5 in the CO every week. Now I earn Rs. 7000 every month from my business" she says.

The business started with the Rs. 2500 loan she took from the CO. Himkala bought 200 Layers chicks, a sack of poultry feed and a bottle of vitamin. She borrowed Rs. 6000 from friends and relatives and chicken feed dispensers and also built a shed for the chicken.

Working for Women

The Sangini Women’s CO in Gitanagar VDC, Chitwan, has taken an initiative to raise awareness about women’s rights, especially amongst the women of the oppressed communities. The CO presented the campaign called "Ojhelma pareka mahila ko adhikaar" at a recent CMC and has received pledges of support from other COs to make the campaign a success.

"For a month and a half I even stayed up all night to tend after the chicken. I started caring for them like my own kids and couldn’t think of leaving them untended!" she says and adds, "In five months they started laying eggs. I would never have believed that hen could lay so many eggs. Eggs every day!"

Himkala sells 10 dozen eggs every day at Rs. 45 per dozen. After 18 months when the hens stop laying eggs she sells them off as meat. Marketing the eggs is no problem. The buyers come to her doors as do the feed suppliers.

From the Rs. 7000 she saves every month, Himkala deposits Rs. 1000 in the Butwal Finance Company, and Rs. 20 in the local cooperative.

Himakala who wakes up at four every morning to tend to her business, now wishes to expand her business. She wants to build a shed large enough to raise 1000 chicken. "It’s all a question of hard work and more hard work. When you give it your all, diamonds and gold start blooming right at home!"

Gender Equity Indicators

Particulars	Dec-99	Sep-00
Internal savings generated	Rs. 43.8 Million	Rs. 81.1 Million
Amount loaned to
Men	53%	54%
Women	47%	47%
No of CO members taking loan
Male members	31,477 (50%)	52,039 (51%)
Female members	31,172 (50%)	49,893 (49%)
External credit mobilised from LTF	Rs.88.2 Million	Rs. 189.7 Million
Amount loaned to
Men	56%	54%
Women	44%	46%
No of CO members taking loan
Male members	57%	55%
Female members	43%	45%
Women in leadership positions
Women chairpersons	1567(42%)	2,356(41%)
Women managers	1455 (39%)	2159(38%)
Female village experts	943 (38%)	1732(41%)
Family planning adoption
Men	16,203	27,415
Women	13,183	29,627

We are changing...

"It was lack of awareness that had kept us women behind in the confines of the hearth and home. Talking with men from outside was frowned upon, let alone going out of the house to work. When women spotted men carrying bags approaching the neighbourhood, they would retreat to their homes and lock the doors. But now that has changed.

As more and women are getting involved in community organisations, they are slowly erasing the social norms that only allowed men to get jobs, or get involved in development activities. Women have been continuing with their traditional homekeeping roles, but are also taking part in social work. Women who did not know anything about introductions, have now learnt to relate themselves with the place they live, the family, the village. They have learnt to talk and discuss issues. They have begun to realise that as members of COs, they can easily do those works which earlier they thought only men could do."

Saraswati Devi Kandel
Chairperson, Janajyoti Women’s CO
Shantinagar VDC, Dang

Now the women can sleep in a more comfortable "chhaupadi goth"

Laxmi V.K. of Toli VDC, Achham had seen a little bit more of the of the world than other home-bound women in her village. Having been born in Surkhet and raised in India, Laxmi had the opportunity to study a bit too. When she was married to her father’s co-worker she accompanied her husband back to Nepal. It was then that she discovered that her husband had no property to speak of and poverty stared her in the face. Soon the husband left her behind pregnant and alone and went back to India. That was five years ago and the husband has not returned since.

Laxmi, a dalit, and therefore oppressed by society, toiled extremely hard to raise her daughter. When VDP was
implemented in her village it was heaven-sent for her. As a literate female she was chosen manager of the Chetansheel (Aware) Women’s CO. True to the name of her CO, Laxmi began to raise the awareness level of all the members of her CO. One of the problems that used to bug Laxmi immensely was the custom for women to spend the days when they had their monthly periods outside the home in a rough shed (chhaupadi goth), open to the vagaries of the weather, to be ready to face the wrath of the gods. During the CO meetings, Laxmi used to try to convince the women that they should build themselves a more decent chaaupadi goth. At first the women were not willing to listen to her, but she persisted. Soon they saw the logic and agreed to do something for themselves. About half of the women worked in gathering stones necessary for the building. Now they needed a mason. After a lot of urging with the menfolk in the village she was successful in mobilising their support in building the community’s chhaupadi goth. Now that the goth is complete the women of the community finally have a chhaupadi goth they not longer have to sleep in a perpetually crouched position.

Laxmi is currently enrolled in the same school as her daughter. She is in grade seven and her daughter in grade one. "Just you see, I will pass the SLC exams one day!" says this activist in the hills of Achham.

Women in Action

Women in Kushadevi VDC, Kavre during their weekly meeting	Women in Taruka VDC, Nuwakot work alongside men in digging a trail in the village
Syani Pariyar sews her way for a living in Shyamgha, Tanahu	A CO Manager prepares a map of her community in Rupal VDC, Dadeldhura
Women in Sigash VDC, Baitadi weaving carpets after receiving training

Combatting Untouchability In Melauli VDC, Baitadi

The Situation: About 12 kosh south of the district headquarters in Baitadi lies the village of Melauli. Thirty one percent of the people living in this village have been branded by society as ‘dalits’ (the oppressed) and are still considered ‘untouchables’ by the ‘upper class’ people. They hesitate to touch the ‘dalits’, let alone eat or drink together with them. If they accidentally touch them the so-called higher caste people first purify themselves by having water sprinkled on them before they enter their homes. The ‘dalits’ are not allowed to enter others’ homes, not come in contact with the taps, springs, or wells used by the ‘upper’ folks. The uppallas will not sell milk less it enters the ‘dalit’s’ mouth. Dalits drinking tea or having their meals in ‘hotels’ continue to be served away from the rest of the customers and are made to clean their dishes after they finish eating.

Although all ‘dalits’ are Hindus, they are not allowed to enter temples for worship, to perform bratabandha (thread ceremony) the initiation rites for Hindu males, nor wear the holy thread - janai - around their necks and aren’t allowed to chant mantras , not even during marriages. Kept away from religious activities, meant that the ‘dalits’ have also been kept far away from books, where goddess Saraswati resides. Illiteracy is what has kept the ‘dalits’ mired in poverty and backwardness. Even now only 23 out of every 100 children of school-going age actually go to school. Illiteracy is extremely high amongst the youths and the elderly.

But ‘dalits’ themselves are not exempt from the practice of untouchability with one sect considering themselves ‘higher’ than the other. The ‘dalits’ of Melauli, however, have realised that as long as they themselves perpetuate untouchability, they cannot expect to rid that social evil from the rest of the society, and have started taking appropriate measures. "Trying to remove untouchability from the rest of the society before tackling our own problem is like trying to remove weeds by just nipping off the tops," says Madan Damai.

The Changes: These ‘dalits’ have now managed to take a few steps in weeding out the problem of untouchability. It was when they started getting together and talking about the problems that they faced together, that they started to tackle the problem head on. It all started when they grouped themselves as COs under VDP. Their spirits and their awareness began to grow the more they met and talked and worked together. The first thing that they did was to rename their settlement, which used to be known as Dumeuda, meaning the place where dums (people to tend to funeral pyres) lived. Their settlement is now rightly called Norkha.

The ‘dalits’ of Melauli then tackled the custom of untouchability. Those ‘dalits’ who traditionally did not eat or sit together, now banded together as a group and started to move around together. They chose Madanram Damai as their chairman and Rukuwa Dayal as the Manager of the Jaya Durgey CO.

Next, they took steps against the tea stalls that used to discriminate against them. They stopped having tea in those hotels. Now the group is thinking of forming an NGO so that they can carry their campaign even further. "Then we will print posters and put them on the walls of the tea stalls that will order them to serve us tea with dignity, not outside, and that we need not wash our glasses after we drink the tea," declares a member of the CO, Ishwari Lohar.

The ‘dalits’ who think that the main reason for their backwardness is the lack of education, have initiated literacy campaign in their community. They now meet regularly during group meetings, where besides carrying on their saving and credit activities, they also discuss on matters of mutual concern, and on how they can develop their community. "Earlier, when we sat for the meetings, we didn’t even know how to talk. Now we’ve learnt the art of conversing!" says Lohar and adds, "Many of our members have stopped smoking after we declared the meeting area smoke-free and levied a fine to those who puffed during meetings!"

The group has also constructed a community building where they can meet, and have dug and rehabilitated trails and roads in the village. Barred from entering temples, the CO members built a temple for themselves! Last Shiva Ratri, the CO members built a Shiva temple where they sang hymns and worshipped their lord to their hearts’ content. Nowadays, the temple us even being frequented by the ‘upallas,’ says Arjun Dayal.

Women, who have faced discrimination in society as a whole, are doubly oppressed as ‘dalit’ women. These women work three times more than their male counterparts in these areas. Like the menfolk in the village, the ‘dalit’ women also started organising themselves into groups and started taking strides towards a better future. Sitting in their groups, taking decisions on matters concerning their future, and simply sharing experiences has empowered these women. Mrs. Shobha Dayal, a manager of a CO, had come close to tears when she had to present her group’s status in front of a group. Four months later, Mrs. Dayal not only became a member of the local NGO "Awaj Dey Samaj Sewa Yuba Club" but also won a seat in the executive committee alongside male colleagues.

The ‘dalit’ men and women in Melauli have made significant steps in enhancing their income levels. Born with skills in their hands, they have started to expand their businesses. Being landless, these ‘dalits’ mainly scrounged a living on the paddy, wheat and maize doled out to them annually by the upper class people. In return the ‘dalits’ would have to provide their services in kind to their ‘donors’—be it by weaving bamboo products, sewing clothes or making pots and pans. Now this situation is changing for the better. The CO members no longer have to be at the mercy of the cruel money lenders.. they borrow from their group savings at minimal interest and absolutely no collateral. With increased access to resources, they have started to expand their trade, and have even started indulging in non-traditional endeavours at raising livestock , poultry, opening grocery stores. All of this has added to their zeal and has emboldened them.

"Previously, we used to be absolutely in the dark about programmes targetted at us. The other thought we were not worth being told about such programmes," says the chairman of the group Madanram Lohar. "But you know, we are also human. We have formed out own group and have become independent somewhat. Now we don’t need ‘them’. We have learnt to rely on our own hands and our skills. We no longer expect anyone to say something, or do something for us!"