Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Project

June 9, 2021 - "LWF"

Lutheran World Federation (LWF)

In 2012, FWEAN partnered with LWF to enhance women’s access to employment, skills, and enterprise development in Lalitpur VDC of the Kathmandu Valley. Eight VDCs in Lalitpur—Chaughare, Bhardeu, Devichaur, Ghusel, Bhattedanda, Malta, Pyutar, and Asrang—were identified as areas in need of development despite their proximity to Lalitpur and Kathmandu. Recognizing the lack of infrastructure and resources in these communities, FWEAN planned to promote women entrepreneurship by leveraging local skills and resources for improved market reach. The initiative began with a comprehensive Resources, Market, and Need Analysis to assess the potential of these VDCs and included Enterprise Development Training across all eight locations to identify enterprise needs and plan for future business opportunities.

FWEAN focused on enhancing the living standards and income generation potential of participants based on social mapping results from the area. The following enterprises were identified: vermicompost in Bhardeu, seasonal and off-seasonal farming in Ghusel, peas and ginger farming in Malta, bamboo-based crafts in Pyutar, and beekeeping in Asrang. To support these enterprises, training was provided on essential topics such as costing, pricing, bookkeeping, packaging, and labeling. Additionally, FWEAN employed a Business Development Counselor to offer continuous guidance to entrepreneurial groups and support children who had left school. This project was successfully accomplished, significantly impacting the livelihoods of women entrepreneurs in the targeted VDCs.