Mission East has just received DKK 1 million from the Centre of Church-based Development (CKU) to support vulnerable women in the Humla district of Nepal. The money will be used to promote the economic empowerment of the most marginalised women through sustainable livelihoods.
Humla, Nepal: an isolated area
Humla, like other areas in Nepal’s Karnali region, is among the most isolated in the world. The area is accessible only on foot and takes several days to reach. The population lives in extreme poverty and has difficulty feeding their families. 73% of households can only meet their basic food needs for three months a year and many men and boys are forced to go to India as migrant workers to support their families.
Women in particular face severe discrimination manifested in child marriages, illiteracy, and heavy domestic workloads. The Chhaupadi tradition is still practised, forcing many Nepalese girls and women into isolation in primitive huts during their menstrual period.
Economic empowerment of vulnerable women in Nepal
Mission East is now able to channel 1 million DKK from CKU, the Centre of Church-based Development, to implement various activities that will improve the economic situation and rights of women, expanding and building upon ongoing work in the region.
The aid work will lift the women and their families out of poverty by improving their overall livelihood. Through training activities, the women will gain knowledge and skills on how to grow sustainable agriculture and run a successful business. The women will receive financial support to set up and run their businesses. In addition, the women will also be able to participate in literacy groups where they will learn to read and write while learning about their economic and social rights in society.
Mission East will also strengthen local government and civil society organisations to build their capacity to develop policies and implement initiatives that improve the economic status of women and their families. Mission East will implement this in partnership with the Women Welfare Service (WWS), a local NGO in Humla district, and a long-term partner of Mission East.
Learn more about our work in Nepal
Partner organisation: Women Welfare Service
Mission East’s Nepalese partner organisation Women Welfare Service (WWS) is a local NGO led by women. Together with Mission East, the organisation has implemented several development projects in the Karnali region focusing on the promotion and protection of the rights of women, girls, and persons with disabilities.
Mission East and WWS have been working in Humla and the surrounding areas since 2007. Since the beginning of the partnership, WWS and Mission East have focused on empowering women by enabling them to earn an income and participate in society in meaningful ways.
