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Successful …
… some things can already be sold on the model farm in Ghunsa, which the president keeps a detailed record of. In addition to the production of dried vegetables, the mill and the sale of processed almond, nut and apple trees are the main sources of income 🙂 Many thanks to Schoeck Family Foundation for making the operation of the farms possible and to Fair Styria, whose support makes marketing activities possible.
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For the first time …
… the school dresses for all villages are sewn by the women themselves. In 2 workshops (Merangding and Kunikhop), a few women each receive training on how to measure, cut and sew. The school dresses are then produced as part of the training. In addition to training for the future, the hard-working seamstresses also receive a wage for the finished school dresses. This means that the added value for the school dresses of our protégés remains in the villages. Here are the first steps in Kunikhop. Many thanks to all sponsors who make this particularly sustainable purchase possible 🙂
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For almost 7 years …
… the girls from Raksha Nepal have been living in the renovated rooms in Kathmandu. It is unbelievable how they are overcoming their fates and finding their way back to themselves thanks to the good care and the “healthy” environment. They keep reminding themselves of important things on self-designed posters until this becomes part of their thinking. We are always happy to be able to support them and are touched by their joy at our visit. Thank you to all the supporters of Roots for Life who make this work possible.
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Shopping …
… is something very special for the girls, especially before the big autumn holidays. There are currently over 20 girls in the final classes for the higher school-leaving certificate. This programme, which started 3 years ago, is a great success in the villages. Most of them attend the school in Sallerie and live in the hostel, but some also live in Kathmandu and Pokhara. We maintain close contact with all of them and also celebrate and shop for the festivals. We would like to thank our sponsors for their loyal support and are always happy to hear from new ones at office@rootsforlife.info.
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Climate change …
… in Nepal can be seen, among other things, in heavy rainfall at times when it should have been dry for a long time. This not only makes harvesting much more difficult, our Food Festival was also significantly affected. Nevertheless, it took place and a further 60 women were certified as organic farmers in Kunikhop. During the ceremony, the men cooked for everyone and the rain stopped just in time for the food distribution. We would like to congratulate and thank the Schoeck Family Foundation for supporting this project.
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New female entrepreneurs …
… are once again in Pokhara this year. The girls are going through a mentoring programme, learning professions (e.g. dressmaker, beautician, …). Some of them get a job, others want to start their own business and are supported by our partner Opportunity Village Nepal. We also visit the girls who started a few years ago every year. They are particularly pleased when they can try out what they have learnt with Carola Gosch 🙂. It’s great to see that this project is making such a lasting difference to the lives of young women.
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Dried pumpkin …
… will be one of the cooperative’s first products to be sold. Whether finely chopped for vegetable stews or as flour for many other recipes, including pumpkin chai latte 🙂. Many women who previously fed the pumpkin mainly to the animals benefit from the joint production and sale. Now everyone is working feverishly on marketing so that customers are enthusiastic about buying the products. Many thanks to Fair Styria for supporting us in our marketing activities.
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A highlight …
… of the agricultural year is always the “food festival”. Here in Merangding, many new certificates were again distributed for the successful completion of the PGS organic vegetable growing training programme. A total of 180 of the approximately 240 women from the 4 villages are now certified. This should not only increase food security, but also prevent the use of non-biodegradable fertilisers and pesticides. We would like to thank the Schoeck Family Foundation for their financial support.
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Hair bands connect …
… now also the projects in Solukhumbu and Pokhara. Some girls from the OVN project are learning tailoring. They produce hair bands from leftover fabric. We bought these from them and distributed them to the women and girls in the villages. It was a lot of fun and good business for the seamstresses 🙂
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A different kind of training …
… was completed this year by some women from the agricultural co-operative in Kathmandu. Bookkeeping, co-operative management and financial statements. Unfamiliar and difficult topics for the women. After the training, they were accompanied monthly in the village throughout the year. This enabled them to prepare the audit of the cooperative independently for the first time in 2023. We would like to congratulate and thank Fair Styria for their support.
