From Dhikurpokari near Pokhara, Nepal
This community Dhikurpokari, (meaning Love Bird Pond) sits at 1470 meters above sea level. It covers 2,317 hectares and has a population of about 10,000 people. In 2001, 120 people formed 5 groups to form a Municipal Development Organization. Their membership included 68 women, 36 dalit (or lowest cast) and 25% were physically challenged. Their group success has allowed them to expand their activities into 4 other communities. They now have 8 paid staff and 14 regular volunteers. Their goals are simple and straight forward. They work for an Equitable and Just Society and for Social and Economic Development. Their list of objectives gets a lot more detailed. These people are serious. They have had a long list of training and workshops to achieve their successes. Their youth development strategies include computer skills training. But it is their farming and marketing skills enhancement that has ramped up family income.
SAP Nepal used World Accord funding to train and develop their leadership of adults and youth. They took a delegation of trainees to other communities who were successful in doing what they wanted to do. They chose a model they liked. SAP and World Accord then provided loans to construct the first 10 "tunnels" or greenhouses that stand about 3 meters (12 feet) wide at the bottom and 3 meters high and about 8 meters (24 feet) long. It is the community group's intention to help every family in their community to have a model farm. They are using the "tunnels" or green houses, compost, trickle irrigation and a common marketing warehouse to improve quality, reduce costs and increase profits from organic vegetable production. These subsistence farms that used to yield little or nothing more than the family needed to eat. With an investment of 4,000 to 5,000 Rupees ($66 to $83 CDN) per family, they are able to net between 20,000 to 25,000 Rupees ($333 to $416 CDN) per season and there are 3 seasons per year.
This community group includes their physically challenged members too. They are helping these people get the treatment and care they need and training that will help them earn a living and participate as fully as they can in society life.
The armed conflict that raged for 10 years in Nepal affected this community. They organized and hosted Peace Camps and marched in protest of war and encouragement of Peace.
Women face some systemic and traditional prejudice. The youth group formed a street theatre company, wrote and performed street plays to challenge discrimination against widowed women. They challenged the tradition that prevented widows and unmarried women from wearing red.
The community has formed 3 cooperatives and committee lead by 2 young women to bring clean drinking water to over 100 families and organized the irrigation water system. Their list of achievements goes on and on. And it all started in the Program of SAP (South Asia Partnership) Nepal and World Accord. New opportunity. New resources. New actions. New initiatives. New Hope!
The country is now at Peace. This is the nation's opportunity to start anew. If there is opportunity for enough people like these, Nepal has a bright future of Peace.
Near Pokhara, Nepal
Terry Fielder
Executive Director
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