SAP-Nepal, with the vision of creating a just, peaceful and prosperous society, has been working in Nepal since 1985, adopting the missions: i) Promotion of potentialities of disadvantaged groups, ii) Promotion of equitable access to resources and economic opportunities to the poor and iii) Promotion of pro-people governance.
Initially, SAP-Nepal used to provide funding support to small grass roots organizations for infrastructure development. With the change in need and demand of communities, it initiated capacity building and institutional development of grass roots organizations for the socio-economic empowerment of rural communities. Similarly, it began to work in the areas of governance and then in the political empowerment process, thereby facilitating dialogues for peace and democracy issues. For the past few years, it has been raising the issue of inclusion as one of the sectors of governance to address discrimination and inequality.
However, the bulk of SAP-Nepal’s work lies essentially in the realms of structural poverty alleviation and strengthening of the institution-building process of target groups. The long experience in the process of institutionalization of development and the capacity enhancement of the civil society has provided SAP-Nepal with a broader perspective to initiate development activities at different levels.
Pro-Poor Programmes of SAP-NEPAL
Socio Economic Empowerment of Disadvantaged Societies (SEEDS) Programme
The Socio-economic Empowerment of Disadvantaged Societies (SEEDS) Programme, which is being supported by the Cardinal Leger Foundation (CLO), is aimed at improving the livelihood conditions of disadvantaged groups. The major components of the programme are: agro-based micro-enterprises, micro-finances, capacity building of disadvantaged groups, health and education and local institution development.
In the first stage, with support from programme activities, marginalized farmers are organized in their own groups and organizations into mutual development groups (MDGs) and mutual development organizations (MDOs) respectively. Some of the tangible results of the programme are: i) enhanced local resource mobilization and leadership capacity of savings members; ii) increased number of agro-based enterprises through the unique concept of producers' groups; iii) increased quantity of agro-products such as vegetables, goat and ginger, etc; iv) increased number and enhance management capacity of agro-product collection centres established in sectoral villages, etc.
Socio-Economic Transformation (SET) Programme for Disadvantaged People
The People's Movement 2006 successfully restored peace and democratic process in the country. The millions of Nepalese people, especially the youth, who joined the movement all over the towns and villages of Nepal must have had some vision of creation of a just society with inclusive democracy and peace along with socio-economic transformation, which drove them to take to the streets.
In the process of institutionalizing democracy and equitable development process by framing a new constitution through an elected Constituent Assembly (CA), the election to the CA has been held peacefully. The successful CA polls have raised much hope in the country for democracy, lasting peace and equitable sustainable development, including the promotion of adequate access to livelihood options. However, we do not find any noticeable change in the livelihood options since the reinstatement of democracy in the country. Poor people are still denied equitable services and are in need of adequate livelihood options. In order to achieve lasting peace and to strengthen democracy, it is essential that the impact of conflict be addressed properly. The communities affected by the conflict have to be prepared and able to address the impact and find peaceful solutions to the issues threatening their well-being. Therefore, the Socioeconomic Transformation Programme for Disadvantaged Groups (DAGs) was initiated with the goal to create ‘conditions for enhancing sustainable social harmony, peace and socio-economic development process’.
Youth Leadership Development Programme (YLDP)
The Youth Leadership Development Programme (YLDP) is being implemented in four regions, nine districts, twenty VDCs and one municipality of Nepal with the financial support of Club 2/3. The programme aims to create a congenial environment for the youth of Nepal to develop and use leadership competency for the promotion of sustainable development. The specific objectives of the programme are: to enhance a development perspective and leadership qualities among the youth and to develop youth networks at different levels to promote youth participation in pro-people planning and sustainable livelihood.
Some major achievements of the project are increased awareness of gender and environment protection, reproductive health and water-borne diseases. The youth in the programme area have internalized the importance of gender and social inclusion and have now organized awareness programmes and other actions for gender and social inclusion in their community. During this period, youth networks have organized different events on pertinent social issues such as interaction on role of the youth in Constituent Assembly, street drama to reveal the situation of caste discrimination in society, toy-making competition from waste material to sensitize on environment.
South Asia Initiative for the Empowerment of Women Farmers through Community Exchange and Training Programmes
With the financial support of the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD), under the extended cooperation project and in cooperation with SCOPE-Pakistan, YFA-India the South Asia Initiative for the Empowerment of Women Farmers through Community Exchange and Training Programs, is being implemented in Nepal, India and Pakistan. SAP-Nepal is the regional secretariat for this programme.
This programme has the ultimate vision of creating a strong regional-level women farmers' federation to raise the issues of women farmers. The project aims to empower women farmers through institutional development, capacity building, exchange of knowledge and adoption of traditional as well as modern sustainable land management practices to facilitate advocacy and improve the rights of women farmers in India, Nepal and Pakistan.
A number of interventions have been made for land improvement in different parts of Nepal, India and Pakistan. Six active women farmers group at village got fund to initiate sustainable land management actions at community level. Members of women farmer groups are practising sustainable land management using vermin-composting, compost production and organic vegetable farming.
Strengthening Civil Society and Its Organizations for Social and Political Transformation
Since September 2007, SAP-N, in partnership with Pro Public and SNV-N, has been implementing the project 'Strengthening Civil Society and its Organizations for Socio-Political Transformation' at Kalikot, Mugu, Humla and Dolpa of Karnali zone to support civil society organizations to rapidly play a major role for social and political change and ensure transparency and accountability in decision-making, delivery of services and utilization of public resources.
The specific objectives of the project are: i) to support the emergence of young leaders and their respective organizations and to increase representation and participation of marginalized groups and villages in local governance system and their access to services and public resources and ii) to build capacities of four umbrella pressure groups at district level to improve transparency and accountability of local bodies and administration towards the population and to promote the right-based approach to development. In order to achieve these objectives, the Project is divided into two components: one is Young Leadership and the other is Transparency. Pro Public coordinates the Transparency component and SNV N provides advisory services to the project both at national and district level.
South Asia Partnership-Nepal (SAP-Nepal)
Babar Mahal, PO Box 3827, Kathmandu
Tel: 00 977 1 4223230/4203050
Fax: 00 977 1 4241338
Email: sap@ngdo.wlink.com.np
Website: www.sapnepal.org.np
Contact Person: Mr. Tirth Prasad Gyawali,
Executive Director
Email: tirth@sapnepal.org.np
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