Empowering Women, Changing Lives
Empowering Women in Nepal for a Brighter Future
Vision
To create a just society by providing economic, social, and educational opportunities for all.
Mission
To promote social and economic empowerment, development opportunities, and equality for women, children, and disadvantaged groups. This is accomplished using action programs, policy research & analysis, consensus building & dialogues, capacity building, monitoring & evaluation.
Goal
To create a culture of self-reliance among women, children, and disadvantaged groups through developing their skills, self-esteem and qualities.
Women Awareness Centre Nepal (WACN), also known as Nari Chetna Kendra Nepal, was established in 1991 by a group of women interested in improving the socio-economic status and self-development capacity of disadvantaged people. WACN is an independent non-profit organisation that aims to conduct action programs, research, policy analysis, and advocacy to engage stakeholders such as government, non- governmental organisations, academic & financial institutions to improve the lives of women, children and vulnerable community. WACN helps rural women start savings and credit groups and cooperatives, together with community-based development activities, to increase their self-esteem along with social and economic power.
Key Features of WACN
- Diverse range of experience in community development including cooperative formation, livelihood promotion, women empowerment, social mobilization, and partnerships with various NGOs and linkages to government programs;
- Glorious history of almost three decades with strong local community trust and national and international recognition;
- A unique community-based development model combined with cooperatives and networks;
- Availability of office and training centers in multi locations.
WACN has published four books and documents on women’s issues. These publications help women to understand their own contribution, capacity and power to effect change as well as sensitizing others to women’s situation in Nepal.
WACN collaborates with different line agencies and community based organization and local government. Building community centres is an excellent example of their joint efforts. There are 16 community centres including WACN’s central office in Kathmandu which is a place where women, girl and disadvantaged people can gather for group activities, social support, information exchange and economic solutions.
At present (2021), WACN has registered and developed more than 37 women’s savings and credit cooperatives, 30 savings and agricultural groups, establishing a base of more than 40,000 members. Together, these cooperatives have saved and invested over US $8 million.
WACN founder president was Ashoka Fellow and her bio is covered in 200 women of the world-renowned book. WACN’s work is well recognized and well documented in different books and magazine. Its community development work is can be replicated in other geographical locations possessing similar socio-economic status. The saving-society promoted by WACN, generates their own funds through contribution from cooperative members, operate according to well documented norms of cooperative and loans are provided to the cooperative members following these norms. Thus, the model is sustainable and also obviate the need of moneylenders. WACN also works to improve the direct market access for women farmers which improves their income and save them from exploitation of middle.
WACN works with villagers in the Kavrepalanchowk, Chitwan, Makwanpur, Sindhupalchowk, and Kathmandu districts to tailor their programs to the specific needs of the community. WACN is working for poverty alleviation, livelihood promotion, gender equity, resilience towards climate change, human health, education, sustainable agriculture, preservation of natural resources, cooperative-building, and advocacy.
As local women become involved in WACN-promoted development projects, we have found that they begin to gain a voice within their families and communities. Through self-development and social action, these women become partners in the process of change. Children are also becoming involved with their mothers, receiving training on gender, legal rights, and cooperatives as child members.
