Objectives and outlines of the Program
To establish cyclical economic system and promote self-reliance of the entire region
We have planned to develop regional/local industries with the Restaurant which takes advantage of the beautiful scenery as the central piece.
When self-reliance of the residents, the community and the village is considered, one-time monetary aid does not constitute real support. It is only when the cyclical economic system is built and local residents can earn their own living, the entire region can be developed. We respect the villagers’ autonomy and planned as follows:
- 1) Establishing Training Center
- Provide mothers with the opportunity to receive occupational trainings, and support them to obtain skills which enable them to earn cash income.
- 2) Operation of Restaurant
- Build and set up the Restaurant to attract tourists and its adjacent shop provides a place to sell handicrafts made by the skill obtained through the occupational training.
- 3) Set up an Educational Environment
- Build a system that allows all children to receive education, and provide a safe and hygienic environment.
- 4) Nurture a Sense of Volunteerism
- By contributing to the clean-up of the region, we aim to promote children’s awareness of the importance of social participation and to foster the community leaders of the next generation.
Once we can create the regional/local industries by the implementation of these plans, fathers no longer need to work abroad and fewer families have to live without fathers. Parents learn how to earn a living within the region, and all the children in the community can attend school.
We sincerely hope that the implementation of this program will not remain a development support for a single region but spread all over Nepal, and become a model for self-reliance support.
To support the economical self-reliance of mothers and make a society where all children can attend school
To enable mothers to earn cash income by themselves.
The female villagers’ group (SSMG) and other villagers discussed the occupational training for mothers in parallel with the construction of the Training Center. They decided that mothers should learn machine sewing skills and sell the handicrafts they make with the skills acquired.
However, SSMG suggested that many mothers were illiterate and they needed to be educated before the occupational trainings, hence we started the literacy classes.
SSMG was mainly responsible for the operation of sewing lessons and literacy classes, and we provided funds and know-hows to acquire sewing machines and materials for the lessons upon request from SSMG. Participation was left up to the free will of the villagers.
We tried to make sure that this program would not be a one-way offering from the “giving side” nor a one-time project. We respect the willingness and cooperation of the participating villagers, and aim at supporting their emotional self-reliance as well.
Restaurant and shop revitalize the village.
We opened the Restaurant on the hill of Sarangkot as a sightseeing spot to attract more tourists. It offers tourists a place to enjoy beautiful scenery, good food and drinks, and sells handicrafts mothers made in the adjacent shop. From here, we hope to revitalize the village as a whole.
Upon request from Manijyoti Lower Secondary School which had a shortage of teachers, we built the Restaurant within its property. By paying rent to the school for the property needed to construct the Restaurant, the school was able to hire two additional much-needed teachers on a continual basis.
Also, we formed a green worker group mainly consisting of children, as a part of moral education. Through cleaning up their own village, they promote the beauty of Sarangkot to tourists. We expect this will nurture their sense of participation to social activities as members of the community, and grow to be leaders of the village in the future.
