Empower Feed Educate Single mother headed families

Bahini Educare Foundation: Annual Report 2023

“Illuminating Lives, Nurturing Futures – A year of Impact & empowerment”

Introduction: Bahini Educare Foundation, a non-profit organization established in 2014, operates in full compliance with regulatory authorities, holding registrations with the District Administration Office, Kaski, and affiliations with the Social Welfare Council and the NGO Federation. The annual renew al of these affiliations underscores our enduring commitment to principles and objectives.

Vision and Core Values: Our vision centres on optimism, empathy, service, and inclusion, aiming to ultimately eliminate abuse, violence, and exploitation faced by girls and women in Nepal.

Target Demographics and Strategic Approach:Our strategic focus centres on the most vulnerable in Nepali society, specifically destitute widows/single mothers with dependent daughters. Addressing poverty and ignorance as fundamental contributors to suffering, our foundation meticulously tackles these root causes through a comprehensive action plan. This plan addresses immediate needs, including provisions for staple food, clothing, medical care, hygiene, education, job training, and livelihood-skill training. Our "Pragmatic-Direct-Efficient" approach refrains from institutionalizing beneficiaries, fostering empowerment and independence. 

Connectivity Initiative: As "CONNECTORS," we bridge the gap for marginalized families, who often find themselves disconnected from society, living as outcasts and trapped in a downward spiral of misery. Our initiatives include an encompassing strategy of facilitating children’s enrolment in schools and mothers' participation in the workforce, establishing crucial links for independent lives, fostering hope and confidence.

Objective Achievements: Since the inception, we've admitted60 families, provided awareness to over 5000 individuals, and achieved successful reintegration for 20 families. As of December 2023, 40 families continue to benefit from our sustained support and care. This exemplifies tangible progress in line with our mission.

Awareness & Advocacy for Health Programs :

Bahini Educare Foundation, a beacon of transformative change, has diligently executed a series of impactful Health and Awareness Programs in collaboration with esteemed network partners.

These initiatives aim to address critical issues, empower individuals, and create a positive impact on the lives of women and children in Nepal.

1)    Awareness Program on Dignified Menstruation and Good Touch/Bad Touch:

Participants: 164 children (138 girls & 26 boys) of 4 schools in the vicinity of Kaski district

Activities: Interactive sessions on Awareness followed by a revision

Support: Each school were provided with 200 packs of sanitary pads and 60 bars of soap

2)    Parents’ Meeting:

Sessions: 6 group meetings each with 6 mothers from Educare Families

followed by a group meeting for collective discussions

3)    Women’s Right Awareness (International Women Day):

Location: Conducted in Pokhara’s Largest slums

Participants: 56 women

Facilitator: Advocate & Chair of BEF: Miss Kunjani Pariyar

Format: Interactive Session on Women’s Rights

4)    Career Counselling:

Participants: 22 students (Grade VIII, IX & X)

Facilitator: Journalist & University Professor Mr. Dipendra Pahari

Objective: Prepare students for post high school choices

5)    Financial Literacy:

Participants: 30 Educare Family Mothers

Facilitator: Mr. Anirudra Baral, board member & banker

Outcome: Mothers became aware on financial literacy & were assisted on-site in opening a bank account.

6)    Stroke Prevention Awareness:

Participants: 35 Educare Family mothers

Facilitator: Dr. Suraj Bhusal

Follow up: Screening for diabetes and blood pressure for all mothers

7)    Dermatology camp for women & girls in Sand Mine Area:

Beneficiaries: 31 women and girls from the sand mine area, Hemja

Collaboration: Padma Nursing Home & Dr. Pravin Baniya

Services: Screening for skin diseases and provision of free medicines

8)    Screening camp for Uterine Prolapse, Obstetric Fistula & Awareness:

Beneficiaries: 50 women

Facilitator: Dr. Shuvechchha Dewa, our board member & gynaecologist Location: Child & Resources centre built by BONO Direkthilfe, Pame

Activities: Awareness session; Screening for uterine prolapse & fistula, provision of referral for free treatments.

9)    One Sleeping Bag for One Life:

Beneficiaries: 45 Single women and their children

Location: Kaski District

Activities: Warm Sleeping Bags distributed to 45 single women led families that are living in dire conditions.

10)     Sanitary pads for Inmates of Kaski Prison:

Quantity: 130 packets of sanitary pads

Services: Adhering to the request by female inmates in Kaski prison, Pokhara

11)     Annual Health Camp:

Beneficiaries: 150 mothers and children (Direct beneficiaries)

Screening: Conducted by Dr. Shuvechchha Dewa, (gynaecologist & board member), Dr. Sushil (Dentist) and Dr. Nawaraj (Paediatrician)

Services: Free medicines & referrals for further check ups

12)     First Aid Awareness:

Beneficiaries: 70 women (including some from the local community

Locations: Lekhnath, Hemja & Pokhara

Facilitators: Experts from the Red Cross, Kaski

Focus: Educating families & preparing for emergencies

In our relentless pursuit of preventing abuse, exploitation and trafficking of girls and women in Nepal, we have woven a tapestry of hope, education, empowerment, and health. Our commitment to prevention goes beyond crisis response; it is a proactive stance to disrupt the cycles of vulnerability and usher in lasting transformation and sustainable impact.

As we move forward, the theme of prevention remains central to our mission. We stand as advocates for a future where the rights and dignity of every girl and woman are safeguarded.

This is not just a goal; it is a collective responsibility requiring sustained effort, collaboration, and advocacy. In the coming years, we will persist in our mission, adapting our strategies to address emerging challenges and embracing new opportunities for positive change.

Objectives for 2024:

1. Strategic Growth: In 2024, our primary focus is on strategic expansion, aiming to admit 10 new "Educare-Families." This deliberate initiative underscores our unwavering commitment & concerted efforts to extend support to more vulnerable households, aligning seamlessly with our core mission.
2. Enhanced Operational Excellence: Aligned with the principle of "Micro Excellence," we intensify our commitment to incremental improvements across all operational facets. This daily dedication to refinement seeks to systematically elevate our overall efficiency and effectiveness.

Appreciation to Stakeholders:

We extend our deepest gratitude to our invaluable donors, partners, and friends, whose steadfast support empowered us to admit 10 new Educare-Families in the past year. This continued commitment is a testament to the confidence placed in the transformative impact of our programs.

Championing the Connectors' Role:

As "CONNECTORS," our role assumes greater significance as we continue bridging the gap between our donor-community and beneficiaries. The objective is to perpetuate positive trajectories transforming cycles of adversity into sustained cycles of inclusion, empowerment, self-sufficiency, and sustainability.

Call to Sustained Action:

2024 demands sustained and intensified efforts. Urgent needs persist, and with the collaborative spirit of our visionary donors, we are poised to address these challenges more comprehensively than ever before.

Looking Ahead: Commitment to Transformation:

The Bahini Educare Foundation remains a beacon of hope, steadfastly committed to dismantling barriers that perpetuate violence and exploitation, thereby empowering girls and women in Nepal.

Sustainability Initiative 2024:

In the coming year, our primary focus is the empowerment of mothers within Educare-Families through an intensified sustainability initiative. We will deliver targeted job training and livelihood skills, exploring the possibility of microcredit support for small business ventures. Our initiatives, encompassing livestock and diverse skill development, aim to cultivate economic independence and lasting impact.

A Promising Journey Ahead:

As we embark on the journey into 2024, the foundation stands resolute in its commitment to a brighter Nepal. The collaboration with our donors and benefactors, coupled with the unwavering dedication of our team, fortifies our collective ability to bring about lasting change.

Sincerely,
Surendra, Raymond & the TEAM

• Annual_Report_23.pdf (PDF)
  

Single Woman’s Path from Desolation to Renewed Hope: A Tale of Resilience

Mother: Single Woman aged 34
Daughter: Daughter 1 aged 15
Daughter: Daughter 2 aged 13
Son: Son aged 11

Narrative:

Born into a destitute, low caste family in a remote village in Myagdi, Single Woman’s life unfolds as a poignant narrative, casting a stark light on the distressing tradition of "Chori Bibaha" that has plagued young girls in Nepal for centuries. Rooted deeply in Nepali culture, this practice involves the forced marriage of a girl, with "Chori" signifying theft and "Bibaha" representing marriage – a grim portrayal of the abduction and involuntary union of a girl to her cousin or a man of his choosing.

This ritual is, in essence, a form of systematic rape, sanctioned by a centuries-old belief system that thrives on the subjugation of the female gender.

At the age of 13, Single Woman's childhood abruptly ended as she was compelled into marriage with a man nearly twice her age. Thus commenced a protracted ordeal, exacerbated by the harsh reality of entering a poverty-stricken household laden with debt. Not only was her husband significantly older, but he was also entangled in a debt to another family in the village, bound to a life of servitude in order to repay loans.

Tragedy struck with devastating force when her husband faced a fatal accident while cutting grass on a hill. Left behind with two daughters aged 6 and 4, and a son aged 3, Single Woman found herself plunged into a vortex of poverty and debt, with nowhere to turn. Desperation led her to embark on a harrowing journey, wandering with her two daughters and a son, surviving through begging and whatever means necessary.

At the age of 25 Single Woman’s journey brought her to Hemja, near Pokhara, where she continued to eke out a meagre existence through laborious chores, including dishwashing, laundry, and fieldwork. Life remainedunbearably harsh, with the spectre of hope seemingly distant. Fate, however, intervened when Single Woman’s elder daughter, now 15, sought work, catching the attention of one of our board members.

Upon learning of their heart-breaking story, the board member extended an invitation to our office, where Single Woman and her daughter applied for support. Realizing the dire circumstances they faced, our organization welcomed them with open arms, offering a chance to break free from the relentless cycle of hardship.

Single Woman’s life resonates not only with her personal struggle but also with the broader narrative of countless Nepali families, especially from the marginalized 'Dalits,' who grapple with survival in remote villages. The shackles of tradition have bound generations, compelling girls to domestic duties while restricting education predominantly to boys.

Embraced by “BEF” as an Educare family, Single Woman and her daughters embark on a transformative journey, breaking free from the relentless cycle of hardship. This marks the beginning of a new chapter, offering them a chance at a brighter future and instilling hope for what lies ahead.

The journeys of many within our Educare Family serve as a stark reminder of the power of compassion and support, illuminating the path from the darkness of tradition to a brighter, more promising future. Simple in concept yet profound in impact, their tales stand as a testament to the transformative power of support and care, making the seemingly impossible transformation possible.

– It is Simple, It’s simply B-E-F!

Sincerely yours,

Surendra, Raymond & TEAM