Women’s Awareness Center Nepal
Located in Nepal - Founded in 1991 - IDEX partner since 2004
Photo: Jan Stürmann
Radha Paridal used a microloan to start a sewing business. She is a member of a cooperative that encourages women to save their funds collectively and start income-generating projects.
WACN was created in 1991 by a group of women to promote empowerment of women and other disadvantaged people with the goal to improve their socio-economic status.
WACN empowers women by starting savings and credit groups and cooperatives for women.
WACN’s programs serve over 15,000 women throughout 4 districts of Makwanpur, Nepal. WACN empowers women by starting savings and credit groups and cooperatives for women. With seed funding to enable immediate lending to cooperative members, WACN provides women with the opportunity to earn and save. In turn, this gives women a voice in both their household and community. Typically each woman saves approximately $1 US per week. Cooperatives that have been established for 5 years or more have often collectively saved over $10,000 US. Their work has changed the landscape of financial services for women.
And since most families support themselves through subsistence agriculture, WACN also organizes sustainable agriculture workshops and establishes model farms to serve as examples for the rest of the community. Additionally, they offer key training to both men and women to address health and gender issues.
Learn more about WACN and watch their video below.
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