Kopila Nepal Established in 2001

1. Kopila Nepal Established in 2001 Working with Children and Women in Nepal

2. Kopila Nepal Established in 2001 Working with Children and Women in Western Region of Nepal

3. About Nepal • Land-locked country between India and China • Total population: 26.5 million • Only 17% of the population resides in urban areas • Extremely diverse country (92 mother tongues) • The majority of the population are Hindu • Adult Literacy Rate (6 and over): 53% • Life expectancy: 68 years • Home of Mt. Everest and the highest altitude lake in the world (Tilicho)

4. Situation of Women and Girls in Nepal • Women and girls in Nepal are discriminated against in nutrition and health, education, paid work, and decision-making power from the household to the national level • Women’s literacy 42.5% • Girls are less likely than boys to be enrolled in the schools, (secondary school participation is 46% for boys and 38% for girls) • Women are less likely to be employed for cash or in-kind (30% of women vs. 81% of men) • Only 46% of married women participate in decisions concerning their own health care, major household purchases and visits to relatives • Majority of women experience domestic violence

5. Two girls that Kopila supported are in the school

6. Introduction • KOPILA- Nepal: ‘kopila’ means flower bud. It also stands for Keep Our People Informed, Learning, and Active/Action • Working in remote areas in western Nepal since 2001 • Focus= children, women and people with psychosocial disabilities • Including head of the organization more than 75% staff are women • Separate executive and implementing body The District government acknowledged Kopila as one of the top 10 organisations in the area working with local people

7. Mission and Vision • Kopila envisions a society in which: • The rights of all people are respected • All people have equal access to information and opportunities • Governing bodies are responsive to citizens • All people live in peace Kaski- One of Kopila’s working areas Kopila strives to make sure that marginalized people in our working areas are able to enjoy their fundamental human rights and psychosocial wellbeing.

8. How we work? Capacity building through mutual help

10. Kopila’s Achievements with MRDF’s support • Kopila has worked with 3,230 people to provide training on: • Women’s rights • Gender sensitisation – how gender roles affect society and what can be changed • Legal awareness of property rights, inheritance rights, etc. • Loan Management and leadership skills • Kopila has also provided: • 16 self-help groups reaching 525 marginalised women • Microfinance Management training to 150 self-help and parents’ group leaders • Legal advice and trauma counseling to 525 self-help group members • Support to 90 people suffering from mental health problems

11. Provided educational support to over 1,000 children • Involved 2000 Children in child’s rights clubs and group mobilization training • Trained 450 teachers from 130 schools in child-friendly teaching methods • Trained approximately 600 teachers and parents in building a safer environment for girls • 240 children are trained on theater for development training • 250 children are train on hero booking

12. Qualitative Achievements • 16 self help groups are independently running their regular meeting • 250 women are actively involved in agro-based income generation activities • Community level stakeholders are concerned on the issues of women and children in their respective VDCs • 1000 children at risk of dropping out are regular in the school • Domestic violence and early marriage have been decreased • Women’s participation in local level decision making is increased • Girl students have increased self-confidence to talk about gender based discrimination

13. Children are independently facilitating community level awareness activities

14. Children from difficult circumstances are enjoying their rights to education

15. The right to citizenship realised Man Kumari Bardewa is a 40 year old widow with three children. She was hardly able to provide for the basic needs of her children. Five years ago her husband, Balbahadur, had committed suicide. she did not have a citizenship card, she was not able to get any support provisioned by the government of Nepal for widow women. She requested her father-in-law to help her to obtain citizenship card. However, he was not happy to help her as this would also facilitate her rights to the family property. She meet Kopila-Nepal’s local staff and shared her story. With the support of Kopila-Nepal’s staff she became a member of Self-Help Group in her village. She received goats for the income generation purpose. Her children got educational materials and they are regular in the school. She also shared her problem about citizenship. Kopila’s staff and chairperson of the SHG met with the Village Development Committee secretary, and some of the political party leaders and talked about her problem.” Within a month she got Citizenship certificate. She says, "through Self-Help group I got...a place to share my sorrows...While I am with SHG member I feel that I am not alone, I am safe and protected.” She recalls "Kopila-Nepal's staff, Mina Dura made us aware about domestic violence, their types and the rights of the women. Now she eligible to get all facilities provided by government of Nepal for the women like her.

16. Durga Develops Her Self-Confidence • Durga Thapa, 26, is single woman. Because of her family problem she dropped out from school after the 7th grade and started to help her parents in the farming. 6 years ago she met a man from her neighbouring village who was living in the capital of the country and they fell in love. After 2 years Durga became pregnant. She told him about her pregnancy and requested to marry. In the last month of her pregnancy, he came to the village and took her to the nearest city where they stayed in a hotel for 6 nights. Then he turned off his cell phone and disappeared. • Durga was scared to go back to her parents’ home. She recalled, "I thought of committing suicide.” However, she met one of her relatives and went to the relative’s home, where she found out that her boyfriend was already married. After giving birth, she returned to her own parents’ home. However, the community people gossiped about her, and her parent’s often neglected the needs of her and her baby. "Again, I thought it is better to leave this selfish world" she recalled. • After 2 years, Durga and other women in difficulties formed Sayapatri self-help group. With the support of Kopila-Nepal Durga and her group members got training on women's rights and income generation. Through the training and seed money support provided by Kopila-Nepal, Durga started a small shop in her village. She and some of her group members have good earning and are able to feed and send their children to school. She said, “Today I have feel that I can play the role of a mother and became a contributing member of my village. Thanks very much for Kopila-Nepal for all the support.”

17. The end of violence and torture to Goma Goma Thapa, 30, had married with a local man 8 years ago. After 3 years of marriage her husband died. After this, family members used bad words with her, she was beaten by them and they did not allow her to stay in the family home. They accused her of meeting other men when in fact she was just going for daily wages work in the village. Despite the efforts of neighbors and local groups, the torture did not stop. Kopila Nepal organized a training on Gender and Development in October 2011. Goma actively participated in the training and shared all her sufferings in the group with tears in her eyes. The group asked Kopila Nepal to make a visit to Goma’s home and to take further action to end violence and discrimination to Goma. Accordingly, a staff of Kopila Nepal, along with the help of the ex-chairperson of the ward, organized a community meeting to discuss the problem. In the meeting, the family agreed that Goma will receive her share of property equal to other members, the family will provide Rs.200,000 to construct a small house, and until the house construction is complete, the family will provide a room to stay for Goma and her son. The torture and violence to Goma has ended now. She is living peacefully with her son. Goma and all the community people highly appreciated Kopila Nepal’s efforts to end domestic violence and discrimination against women.

18. Kopila-Nepal’s Office/Training Center

19. Our Dream in Ten Years Time • Kopila-Nepal will be a resource organization in the field of women, children, and people with psychosocial disability • Kopila-Nepal will serve as a bridge with community based organizations and funding organizations • Counseling services will be available to persons in need in the Western Region • Men, women, boys, and girls will be treated equally, and have equal participation at all levels in our working areas.

20. Challenges • -Very poor government support system • People not being aware of rights and duties, as well as psychosocial issues • People expecting material support • -Our target group have many interlinked problems, each of which need to be addressed to truly have change in their lives • Geographically difficult area • Threats from persons who are in power politically and socially • Lack of sustainable or long-term funding resource • NGOs image as dollar making group

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22. We put hands together, to support destitute women and children, to be independent, happy, and healthy.