Disability Inclusion and Livelihoods

FWDN and DDP are building on the legacy of our Inclusive Livelihoods-Central activity, through which women-led self-help groups (SHGs) were successfully established in Kathmandu’s Gokarneshwor Municipality. These groups, whose members are disabled people and carers, have continued to meet regularly as forums for mutual support, saving, revolving loans, and the development of 180 livelihood activities (some pictured above) for improved income and financial security.

In the new project, FWDN will bring this same model to a new area of the capital: Kageshwori Manohara Municipality, creating five new SHGs and working in coordination with the local authorities for the economic empowerment and social inclusion of disabled people.

People with disabilities will be registered with local authorities and receive their social entitlements. Those with specific needs, which may be preconditions for full participation – such as assistive devices, counselling, medical or legal assistance – will be referred for these specialist services.

SHG leaders, predominantly women, will be trained in group management and disability rights, and pass these skills on to their members. SHG members will be trained in skills for enterprise development and marketing, and local authorities at Ward and Municipality levels will be involved, invited to include SHG members in training opportunities, and encouraged to cultivate and promote initiatives to support people with disabilities in their areas.

Savings habits will be established in each group, involving every member engaged in livelihoods activities. The SHGs will gradually become independent and self-sustaining, continuing their savings, inter-loan and support activities; and the members’ enterprises will continue beyond the lifetime of the project.