Despite coming from a poor background, Rani had a strong desire to build a better future. With a keen interest in tailoring, she took the step of investing her own savings to attend a training program in Nepalgunj. However, upon completing the training, she faced a major hurdle—a lack of funds to start her tailoring business.

Determined not to give up, Rani reached out to the INF Nepal implemented project SRIJANA-II. Following discussions with community members and the project team, she was selected to receive in-kind support. This assistance, valued at NPR 50,000, provided the essential materials she needed to establish her tailoring shop from a sewing machine, fabric, scissors, measuring tapes, and other essential tailoring materials necessary to set up her shop.

Thanks to this timely support, Rani successfully opened her shop in Gothijeula. While the registration process for the shop is still underway, her business is already making a positive impact on her family’s income as she has been earning a humble income from the tailoring. She shared her heartfelt gratitude, saying, “I am very thankful for the support I received. It has helped me turn my skills into a livelihood.”

Rani’s story highlights the importance of small but meaningful support in transforming lives. With determination and the right assistance, she has taken a step toward financial independence and a better future for her family.

*Name changed for anonymity

Female community health volunteers (FCHV) play a crucial role ensuring the health and well-being of women and communities in Nepal. They are recruited locally, trained on basic primary health care, and serve as frontline pillars of community-based health programs in Nepal. Through engaging FCHVs, sexual, reproductive, maternal, and child health (SRMCH) in communities in the remote and mountainous Kalikot District of Nepal.

Sarita* is a thirty-eight-year-old FCHV participating in INF Nepal’s “Improving reproductive health and preventing child marriage” project. Sarita has served as an FCHV in Kalikot for 16 years. She has made significant contributions to the community-based health program in the district and plays a vital role in providing health education and basic services to the community.

Sarita participated in a training on, sexual, reproductive, maternal, and child health (SRMCH), gender equality and child marriage offered by INF Nepal. Since receiving the training, she actively shares this knowledge when leading Mothers’ Group Meetings and when counselling women during home visits.

Sarita shares, “Programs run by INF Nepal like SRMCH training, awareness raising programs… and the mobilization of Mothers’ Groups… have a significant contribution to improving the community awareness of sexual and reproductive health services and improves access to such services by the women and adolescent girls.”

In collaboration with INF Nepal, Sarita conducts Mothers’ Group Meetings and home visits, She supports pregnant women and mothers of young children with essential health knowledge and practices, ensuring better outcomes during the critical “golden 1,000 days” (from conception to two years of age). Her work extends beyond group settings to home visits, where she ensures pregnant women receive proper nutrition, rest, and antenatal care. She also educates women on proper prenatal nutrition, encourages them to access antenatal, postnatal and delivery services in a health facility, raises awareness of the consequences of child marriage and early childbearing, and distributes family planning supplies to couples, bridging the gap between government health services and the community.

The impact of FCHVs like Sarita was highlighted by Anjana*, a 22-year-old new mother who remarked,

“Sarita has been a guide for countless ladies. She encourages all new mothers to attend the Mothers’ Group Meeting regularly, so they benefit from the program. She ensures that pregnant women undergo antenatal care checkups according to protocol, advises on precautions during pregnancy and ensures timely vaccination for children. Moreover, she has been an active campaigner in preventing child marriage in our locality.”

Sarita’s efforts, supported by INF Nepal’s programs, have significantly reduced child marriage and gender-based violence in her locality. She highlights the importance of INF’s initiatives, saying, “Programs like SRMCH training, awareness sessions, child club and mother group mobilization, and the establishment of birthing centers in collaboration with the government have greatly improved community awareness and access to sexual and reproductive health services for women and adolescent girls.”

Sarita is a dedicated volunteer who has made a significant contribution to facilitating open discussions about child marriage and improving the health of mothers and children in her community. Her training on SRMCH, gender equality, and child marriage has strengthened her knowledge and skills, enabling her to make a greater impact on the health and well-being of women and girls in her community. INF Nepal continues to work with dedicated FCHVs like Sarita to strengthen sexual, reproductive, maternal, and child health in Kalikot District, Nepal.

Story By

Mahesh Sanjyal, Team Leader & Padma Hitan, Project Officer

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She grew up in Sunchahari-4 Suri in a family that struggled to make ends meet. Their small farm produced enough food for only four months, and the rest of the year was spent doing temporary labor work for income.

While working with her father in India, Bhim Maya met her husband. They got married and returned to Nepal, but life remained challenging. With little land, farming only provided enough for a few months, so they worked other jobs to support their family of six children.

Seven years ago, Bhim Maya’s husband passed away unexpectedly. This left her as the sole provider for her family, with no property or savings to rely on. Managing the household became harder, and she also faced unkind comments from people in her community.

During this time, INF Nepal’s Rolpa branch introduced the EDUCATE project and formed the Lumma Debi self-help group. Bhim Maya joined the group, which included 17 members, to learn ways to improve livelihoods through farming. In the group meetings, members shared their challenges and found ways to support each other.

Through the project, Bhim Maya received Rs. 15,000 to start goat farming. She bought two goats and, with her care, now has six. By selling two goats, she earned enough money to support her family. Goat farming has given Bhim Maya a steady source of income, making it easier to manage daily expenses.

Being part of the self-help group has also strengthened her ties with the community. Neighbors who once judged her have become more supportive, and she no longer needs to take high-interest loans to meet her needs.

Today, Bhim Maya is proud of her ability to provide for her family. She is grateful to INF Nepal for their support and hopes more women can benefit from similar initiatives in the future.

For women like Bhim Maya, who face immense challenges in providing for their families, even small support can lead to significant changes. Beyond financial impact, this kind of support promotes dignity and empowerment. It gives women like Bhim Maya an opportunity to, earn their own income, and make decisions for their families. It also shifts how the community perceives them. In Bhim Maya’s case, the support helped change her neighbors’ attitudes, turning judgment into encouragement. Small interventions like this also break cycles of poverty and dependence. Over time, these efforts ripple out, creating stronger families and more supportive communities.