Inspiring women in Nepal

By Ishu Subba

Gender equality is the key to human development. Women shoulder the responsibility of nurturing the family, looking after its health and education, as well as off-farm and on-farm activities. Yet they face discrimination in education, nutrition and access to health facilities, and in opportunities to take part in politics and income generating activities. ICA Nepal, since its inception, has appreciated the need for gender equality in terms of sharing responsibilities and access to opportunities.  

One example of a woman who has emerged as a leader is Ms Devaka

	Ms Devaka Shreshta

Shreshta, 41, of Changu village, Bhaktapur District. From a young age, she has had a strong interest in working for the community, especially in women’s development.  She came in contact with ICA Nepal when it initiated a literacy program, supported by ICA Japan, for women of Changu Narayan VDC (Village Development Committee) in 2001. She helped to promote ICA Nepal’s women’s empowerment activities and took part in its various training and facilitation workshops as well as the 8th Global Conference of Human Development in Kathmandu in 2012. She says the program increased her enthusiasm for women’s empowerment and development. “Through all these years, I got an opportunity to learn and grow as a person, to lead and to contribute in my own way with the support of ICA Nepal and its leadership facilitation,” she says.

According to her, women in her village were illiterate, limited to their households and saw themselves as weaker than men. ICA Nepal’s inclusive programs in areas such as capacity building, gender and leadership development, social mobilization and book-keeping brought about a change.

Women are now involved in community development activities such as taking care of the drinking water system, in income-generating projects and a savings and credit program. “Men in my village have started appreciating the importance of women and welcome their suggestions and participation. Women in Changu are slowly getting involved in various socio-economic activities in the household and community level,” she says. They use ICA Nepal’s training centre at Changu Narayan to hold meetings and other women’s empowerment activities.

With the support of ICA Nepal, they set up the Changu Narayan Progressive Women’s Group in 2002. This led to the registration of the Chinnamasta Women’s Saving and Credit Cooperative Society Pvt Ltd a few years later. Ms Devaka is currently its president. The society has more than 800 members, mainly women, and carries out about 30 million transactions annually. The cooperative is now a leading financial institution in the area.

The group’s income-generating projects include making toys and food products such as pickles and candy, tailoring and farming. Its latest project is making sanitary pads to promote hygiene among young girls and women. Future plans include floriculture and an old-age home.

Ms Devaka and her group of women are an example of transformational leadership arising from ICA Nepal’s activities over the last 15 years. A woman who had the desire to do more but not the direction is now an entrepreneur, social leader and an inspiration for others.

Ishu Subba is an ICA Nepal staff member