Donate

Providing support and services to women and children across Nepal requires time and money. The Women's Foundation is committed to the empowerment of women and children nationwide and you can contribute to this empowerment through donations of various amounts. 

Donations make action possible, this is how it works.........

Prabita comes from eastern Nepal. She is unmarried and is 28 years old. Her parents died very early and as her sister was married, she lived with her 2 brothers. Prabita's brothers sexually abused her and beat her. When she could not endure the suffering any longer she contacted WF for assistance.

Renu and Kamala, of the Women's Foundation, went to Prabita's village to assess her situation and were shocked at the intolerable circumstances in which she was living. They brought her to Kathmandu and informed Prabita's brothers and sister that she was living at the shelter.

In April 2002, one of Prabita's brothers contacted her and wanted her to join them at the wedding of their other brother. He said it was important to show the community that they were a happy family. Prabita refused the invitation to the wedding and her brother tried to force her to return to the family. Having lived at the shelter for 9 months, Prabita's confidence and self-esteem had grown to the extent that she could confidently resist the pressure of her brothers.

Prabita moved out of the shelter in May 2002 to start her own life. She received a donation of $300 from an individual in Germany and a further $100 from an individual in Australia. With this money she was able to set up a small tailoring business and used the money to buy a sewing machine, an overlocker, a telephone and to cover the costs of materials. She now employs one of the past shelter residents from time to time and she is slowly establishing a local client base. She also makes clothes for the Women's Foundation's shop in Thamel.

Prabita is by no means the only woman starting her own business. Sunita is also starting out on her own. She comes from Kathmandu and has three children. She is from a Newari caste, a higher caste in the Nepali system. She is about 50 years old and her husband died when the children were very young. Following her husbands death, it became very difficult for Sunita to care for her family. In Nepali custom, the daughter-in-law lives with the family of her husband and in many instances is treated as a "servant" to the family. After her husband had died, the family treated Sunita very poorly, they tried to kick her out of the house and she was very unhappy. Sunita feared for the safety of her children and herself and contacted WF. They lived at the shelter for 2 months and during this time she received counseling and legal advice through WF's network of lawyers.

Her case was brought before court and she won her court case, thus compelling her husband's family to provide her with a dwelling. This was a successful outcome, as many Nepali women in similar situations do not have the opportunity to get their cases heard in court. After she left the shelter, Sunita learned to sew and weave for 2 hours each day. She sells her products to small shops and is able to earn a small income to care for her family. When sufficient funds are raised, Sunita plans to work with the sewing group as this will provide her with the opportunity to share production costs and the sewers can assist each other with sales.

You too could make a tangible contribution to Sunita and others. Simply send the Women's Foundation an e-mail and they will contact you with information.

• $10* could pay for the initial treatment of a woman who has been a victim of 'witch-hunting'  Donate now

• $15 could buy books for a child in WF's literacy programs, or a woman in WF's legal education classes Donate now

• $20 could cover the cost of transporting an abused woman or child from a violent situation to the shelter  Donate now

• $40 could support the purchase of a goat or piglet for WF's animal raising/income generation projects Donate now

• $75 could buy a sewing machine for WF's training programs, or for a woman starting her own business  Donate now

• $250 could pay for a woman to take part in a 6 month weaving training course Donate now

Donations of any amount are always very useful and welcome.