VILLAGE HOPE PARTNERSHIP
A Non-Profit Organization helping village Communities in Rural Nepal

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Projects That Bring Hope

• Where do we work and why?

  Nepal has some of the most impoverished regions in the world, with over 4,000 rural villages scattered throughout the country.  These communities face extreme challenges:  natural disasters, lack of resources (sanitation, clean water, health services, food insecurity, limited education).  They also contend with the overwhelming effects of long-term poverty and near invisibility to the larger world. 

  Regardless of these challenges, the strength, resilience and responsiveness of these people is remarkable.  Our goal is to support the dignity of these village communities with creative opportunities to jump-start changes for the better.   In our ten years of work so far, we see how these projects are embraced by individuals, families and communities, bringing immediate practical help and developing into ongoing self-sufficiency and hope for the future.

• What kind of projects do we support?

  Examples of short-term projects (with long-term gains) that we support:

  Animals for sustenance & future income: most animals are given to an individual family to raise, breed and sell, providing ongoing food & income.  Most common:  chickens or ducks, pigs, goats.  Larger animals (cows and buffalos) are given to 3 family groupings, to share for milk and farm work.

  Community Health–Outhouses:  this sanitation improvement is needed in almost every village we work in.  In our first ten years, we have funded over 700 outhouse builds.

  Community Health–Clean Water:  we have provided support for over 100 wells and hand pumps for improved village access to clean drinking water.

  Job Creation–Tools:  sometimes all you need is a set of tools to create an income or a business.  At the suggestion of individuals and groups, we have funded over a hundred sets of tools, resulting in different businesses including woodworking, block making, honey sales, construction and farm work.

  Job Creation–Sewing Classes: this has been a very successful initiative, providing the teacher, supplies, and sewing machines for sewing classes in many communities.  Each class trains 10-20 women over a 4 month period, and when they graduate each woman receives a sewing machine (manual) and start up supplies to begin a business or sew for their families and community.

  Community Health–Medical Clinics & Education: we fund the staffing and supplies for short term medical clinics and community trainings regarding health and hygiene issues.  Most villages are far from any kind of medical care, so these events are very helpful for both immediate needs and longer term health education that can be shared community wide.

  Literacy Classes:  It is hard to quantify the value of leaning to read and write for an adult who never had the opportunity to gain literacy.  We provide teachers and class series that have been life changing for many people, opening new job opportunities, new ways to communicate, and overall increasing confidence and self-esteem.

  Reforestation Work:  VHP partners with Eden Reforestation which is working in rural Nepal to replant deforested areas to the benefit of communities and the environment.  We have connected over 40 villages with Eden’s tree nursery development and reforestation worker jobs.  This collaboration is an amazing win for both people and the environment.

  Village physical infrastructure improvements:  Some communities identify and propose to VHP a centralized need that they feel is the highest priority.  VHP responds within our scope and ability.  One of our largest projects of this type has been to fund repairs for a large holding reservoir for irrigating crops, essentially extending the community’s growing season, benefitting 5 small villages that share use of this water resource.

  Emergent Needs:  As we have been working in these regions for a decade, there have been a number of natural disasters (earthquakes, floods) and we have responded to immediate needs in these nearly-forgotten communities, funding the rebuilding of over 500 homes.  We also have responded to some critical medical needs for individuals in situations where there seemed no other hope possible. 

• What job opportunities are created?

  Examples of job opportunities that develop through these VHP initiatives:

  • Tailor/clothing maker
  • Construction worker
  • Woodworker
  • Beekeeper
  • Teacher:  in literacy, sewing, and health education areas
  • Medical helper
  • Nursery operator
  • Reforestation worker

• What results are hard to measure, yet have life changing impacts?

  • Through VHP’s partnering process with village committees, we hear reports of increased  collaboration within and among village communities.  This opportunity to work together toward goals can inspire future vision and cooperative endeavors, far beyond VHP involvement. 
  • The opportunity to gain job skills, find local employment or start a business has a profound effect on those who have struggled to provide for their families.  Beyond immediate practical benefits, there is no way to quantity the value of increased confidence, self-respect and overall wellbeing. 
  • In the area of health education, the increase in shared community information regarding best health and hygiene practices can make long term positive impacts on village health–person by person, family by family, child by child–for decades to come.
  • There are many more intangible yet profound results that happen when people experience being seen, valued, and given an opportunity to change their lives and communities for the better.  We are grateful for all the good that can come, both now and in the future.

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