Empowering Single Women

The Rise and Shine Nepal (RSN) group, supported by DDHCFN (us), has met great success with their "Empowerment of single women through skill development" project. RSN provided tailor training to three single women to help their economic status. By the end of the training, the women were making baby clothes, maintaining sewing machines, earning money, and gaining self confidence. Sakuntala Kalikote, one of the project graduates, started a job sewing and tailoring raincoats. She now earns $70 a month. Thanks to the RSN tailoring program, Kalikote is now has more financial independence.

The team from RSN shared this message with us, "With this, our single women are getting confidence and not depending on anyone. Because of your support we are achieving our goal towards creating sustainable livelihoods." So thank you to all our donors for making a difference in these women's lives!

Sakuntala Kalikote sewing and tailoring raincoats

Bishnu Thapa Magar's Success Story

“I am a street vendor in Kathmandu. I sell a snack called ‘pani puri’ which is a favorite among Nepali young ladies. Unfortunately, due to the increased dust on the streets of the city, my business has been suffering. I don’t have the money to rent a shop, and I was getting worried because I had no other means to feed my family. I started noticing two women on my street working with beads. I was curious, and finally got the courage to ask them what they were doing. It turns out that they were making bead ornaments. I told them that I would love to learn such skills. It was my great privilege to attend a week-long jewelry-making training at Hope for the Future Nepal. I was so excited. After the training, I made some samples and put them on my cart alongside the pani puri. When girls and women came to eat pani puri, they saw my bead products and they liked them! They even gave me more money than I asked them to pay. They said that It was for my encouragement. Now I am happy to sell both pani puri and bead jewelry, and I am earning better money than before. I am selling jewelry not only to my pani puri customers, but also to my neighbors and relatives. It has given me new hope for my future.”

Meet Smriti Gharti

Smriti Gharti is an orphan girl whose father died and mother eloped with another man, leaving her to take care of her four brothers and sisters in the very remote, poor village of Rukum.

She was recommended for a CMA scholarship through Shanti Nepal, one of our partners. Since completing her studies, she is now employed as a health worker

and is able to care for her brothers and sisters, and is also supporting her mother.

Scroll through the photos below to see Smriti engaged with her new role.

1. Smriti helping with blood pressure checkups at the health clinic.

2. Smriti leading a mother-child safety and health session.

3. Smriti leading a nutrition information session.

4. Smriti working with team to help bring changes to health and sanitation.

5. Part of the original stories shared-written in Nepali.