DHADING, March 26: Until two years ago, Sita Shrestha of Siddhilek Rural Municipality-5, Kumpur had to wait for her husband's salary to buy anything. But now, that has changed thanks to the establishment of a women's group in her village in Dhadhing which has made the locals like her financially independent by involving them in various income-generating activities.  

Earlier, Sita's life was confined to her house only.   Her life took a different turn after the formation of Bagh Bachhala Swabalambi Mahila Samuha.  She got an opportunity to enhance her speaking and working skills. "It was challenging for us to make our ends meet with the little money earned by my husband," said Sita, adding, "But now, I can buy things required in my kitchen myself without having to depend on my husband's income." 
Agriculture is the main occupation of the locals here. Of late, a large number of women here have started joining such groups which has helped them gain technical and other knowledge regarding farming, animal husbandry and other small-scale businesses. 

"We are taught about the proper way of farming vegetables and raising cattle. This has increased our production too," informed Shrestha. In fact, their income has doubled since they joined the group. They have become very much professional in farming. 

Similarly, Sita Gurung, another member of the group, has also started getting involved in income-generating activities. Apart from doing household works, she is mostly found cleaning the sheds of her goats and digging her fields. Prayas Nepal had formed the group in coordination with Oxfam for the economic empowerment of locals.

Likewise, the women of Gajuri Rural Municipality-9, Kupinde, have not just started involving themselves in farming and animal husbandry but in various administrative works too. According to them, the trainings provided by a women's group have brought a lot of changes in their personality too. 

With the aim of enhancing skills of women, Kusunde Women Discussion Center has been formed in Kupinde. Here, women not just discuss about their household works but about citizenship, birth-certificate and various other legal documents and the process required to attain them. Sabitiri Dhungana, who lacked a citizenship earlier, got her citizenship and also made the birth certificate of her children after joining the group. "I had no idea regarding the importance of citizenship until I joined the group," she said.

These kinds of women's groups have been actively working in various parts of the district. They have not just made women economically independent but have also made them aware about a lot of important things.

 
• women
 
• enjoying
 
• economically
 
• independent
 
• lives
 
• dhading