Nepal: Women Empowerment

About the local hosting organization

Nepal is an underdeveloped country. Years of political conflict, poverty and lack of education have prevented the Nepalese people from getting the chances they deserve. At the Friendship Foundation Nepal (FFN), we believe it’s our responsibility to help and try to improve those conditions, but improvements take time. To better a society you must first live in it. In order to change a country’s conditions you must first experience those conditions firsthand. Only after experiencing them you can share your knowledge through teaching, sharing ad interacting, which can in turn have a lasting effect on the local population. You might discover that living with a local family and adjusting to the Nepali lifestyle will have a lasting effect on you too.

Presentation of the programme

The socio-economic status of women in Nepal is very poor. They face discrimination in every aspect of society. Most Nepali women, especially in rural areas, do not have their own identity and are generally known by their husband’s identity. These women are regarded as economically unproductive and don’t have any role in decision making. With this program we want to support the empowerment of women in Nepal, and help them become adequately and appropriately educated about their rights. Volunteers in this project will conduct various trainings, hands-on activities, income generation and skill development workshops, documentation, etc.

About the accomodation

You will live with a Nepali family close to the school, and experience their hospitality, friendliness and immerse yourself in their unique lifestyle. You’ll be welcomed as a member of the family and of the local community. At least one member of the family will speak English. Nepali houses are simple, with basic facilities (squat toilet, shower, kitchen, etc). Most families DO NOT have hot showers, but most of them have western style toilets. Just don’t expect to find the same facilities as in your home country. You’ll get your ow room and the family will respect your privacy. In order to make the most of your experience in Nepal, we encourage to interact and socialise as much as possible with your host family and take part in their daily activities. You’ll find cities to be more similar to your country, while in the countryside many nepalis grow their own vegetables and typically ow cows, buffalos, goats or chickens.

About the food

You will be served food twice a day: breakfast around 9-10 am ad diner around 7-8 pm. You’ll soon realise that tea is the most popular beverage in Nepal: whenever you visit a family you’ll be offered a cup.

About the location

We provide living accomodations all over Nepal. Depending on your interest and willingness, you can choose to stay in a variety of different places: in or around the Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Tanahun, Lamjung, Chitwan, Makwanpur or Nawalparasi. You could stay in a secluded village, where people live in a more traditional way and provide for themselves through farming, which is also a great opportunity to explore the real rural Nepal, or you could opt for a more urban and modern Nepal experience in one of the bustling and fast-growing cities, like Kathmandu or Pokhara.

Requirements

Seasonal clothing, sleeping bag, comfortable shoes, mosquito net, music player, reading material, photographs from your country. Before your project starts, we strongly advise that you attend our 3-day orientation seminar at the Training Center in Kathmandu, which aims to provide basic knowledge about the Nepalese education system, culture, dress, food, as well as detailed information about the project, the school, Nepali language classes and much more. Requirements : Volunteers must be at least 18 years. No formal education is required, but relevant qualifications are very much appreciated. Positive attitude, respect and an open mind are obviously very important, as well as an interest in discovering the Nepali culture.