Womens’ Cooperatives

It is said that women hold up half the sky. In Nepal that statement runs shy. Women are the hand, heart, soul, and glue of the family and central to their communities. They plant, till and harvest… cook, clean and care for children… keep the home fires burning and cherish all that is good therein.

In Nepal it is common for women to form cooperatives in their communities to support one another for the shared benefit of all. Allocation and appropriation of cooperative money can be used to support member hospital bills and emergency needs that must be met.

In supporting a cooperative there are shared agreements that benefit all members in time. For instance, an original donation of seven goats to seven different women has blossomed into dozens of goats to dozens of women in a few short years.

Past projects with women’s cooperatives have included the installation of greenhouses for tomato gardens, sewing equipment and tutelage, goats and power to a women’s community center.