HHCP Support Programs
To help families escape the cycle of poverty we support them through income -earning enterprises. A one-off income-producing sponsorship is a hand-up not a hand-out, as our focus is on education for long term change.
All families participating in these programs must sign an agreement that
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their children will attend school
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they will save in the village community’s “micro-savings program” every month
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they commit to giving back to the community within a reasonable time frame so that other families may be given a ‘hand-up’.
Families eligible to participate in these programs must be financially destitute, with parents and children illiterate and with no family member attending school. These programs are run by Nepalese people for their Nepalese neighbours who understand best how to make their funds work for them.
HHCP Committee volunteers visit the sponsored families monthly to collect money to be banked. Transactions are recorded in bank passbooks and interest is earned. This alone is teaching these families incredible skills about saving for their future while ensuring they are no longer living day to day, hand to mouth.
Our partnership with HHCP
Reach out Nepal has developed a working relationship with High Himalayan Community Projects (HHCP) which was established by Hari Devkota in 2010. This Nepalese-based non-government organization (NGO) is dedicated to improving the lives of vulnerable mountain communities in the Rasuwa District of Nepal. The volunteer Committee of HHCP knows the local community and is best placed to know their needs and to prioritise how our funds are spent.
The kits include eco-friendly re-washable sanitary pads and a small carry pouch.
In the past in Nepal, particularly in the rural areas, the female menstrual cycle was a taboo subject, and females were even outcast from the family kitchen whilst they were in their menstrual cycle. They were considered unclean. When girls in the Rasuwa District commenced their menstrual cycle they were often forced to skip school or even drop out of school due to embarrassment, lack of personal education and inadequate sanitation.
High school girls are being targeted for this programme with volunteers and trained locals going into high schools around the District to educate, and then distribute kits to all. For young girls, access to sanitation and feminine cycle education is crucial for the maintenance of health, safety, dignity and their school education.
Local women are establishing themselves as local seamstresses and role-models, developing small businesses in sewing eco-friendly re-washable sanitary pads. This ensures their community has ongoing sustainable access to clean sanitary pads.
The end goal being that we are able to provide feminine hygiene kits to every girl in the District and have spare kits as needed in storage in every High School.
Girl2Girl Health & Sanitation kits $15
Sewing Seamlessly $230
The Sewing Seamlessly programme was initiated in the Rasuwa District in 2015 and to date has up-skilled many women that are able to generate a small income from their sewing skills. Interested women apply and are selected on a “neediest” basis, and they then enter an education programme that involves 1 month of training, attending daily classes with a trainer from Kathmandu. There are many more women who are on a wait list to be trained.
The cost of this basic beginner programme pays for all their tuition fees as well as a sewing machine to keep on completion of their training. Some ladies choose to pursue further training which enables them to become more highly qualified tailors. HHCP currently funds this additional training at a cost of only $52 as they already have their own sewing machine.
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Women weaving their magic $89
This provides tuition to women to learn how to weave her own piece of magic. There is a wait list for this training. The weaving programme got underway in Rasuwa in 2022 and now at least 17 women have the skills to weave bags, belts, table runners, rugs and carpets. They are selling their handicrafts locally and they are also for sale in Kalikasthan for tourists to purchase. The women who did this programme initially got gifted with their loom upon completion of the weaving training, but this proved very costly so now the programme now consists of training only and the women must source their own loom.
Sacred scents incense $85
Sacred Scents incense training began in Rasuwa in 2023 and was funded by HHCP Nepal. Thirty five women have been trained in two differing workshops to make their own incense for local sales. The materials were locally sourced and all organic.. The training programme is 15 days duration. Due to the incense being used locally for sacred ceremonies, this has been very useful training for the local women. More women are waiting to be trained in the Sacred Scents incense course.
Gifted pair of chickens $28
Gifting a family with a pair of chickens is a great start for families to flourish. The eggs provided give the family a source of protein for vital childhood development. The chickens are easy to breed and have quick gestation so your gift can multiply rapidly. Recipient families can sell the offspring for extra income or share with other families in need. Raising healthy chicks requires little space, money or food, so are an ideal gift.
Gift of productive trees $38
Gifting a family with a set of 6 sapling fruit trees will ensure an income long term. The permanent planting trees will be at least 2-3 years before fruiting, but once established will ensure an ongoing income for the recipient family. Fruiting trees that are able to produce in the high Himalayan climate are avocadoes, pears, apricots, plums, peaches, almonds, cashews and moringa. Gift recipients will choose their own trees.
Gifted beehives $145
There is a market opening up in rural Nepal for honey, and for the gift that bees bring with the pollination of crops. Gifting a family a beehive entails giving the family a complete hive that has been purchased from a retailer. The beehives come in a fully setup box ready for honey building and harvesting. In the future, Hari would like the locals to be upskilled and making their own beehive boxes. For now, they are being introduced into the community as a new educational small income stream for families.
HHCP Education fund and school assistance $100
All schools in the Rasawa district of Nepal, (where we operate) are under-resourced by any standard. Each school decides what their priorities are, for example computer, printer, posters or other basic educational materials. In most instances these items have been funded by individual sponsors who have visited a remote school while visiting Nepal and have raised funds among their friends and acquaintances to equip a remote school. Your donation, no matter how small, towards educational materials is appreciated and will make a difference
HHCP sponsored children in classes K-10 have one sponsor each because they live with their families and only require their tuition fees. If for any reason a sponsor is unable to continue, the child may no longer attend school. Students who wish to continue onto Class 11 and 12 (+2) must move to Kathmandu where they require funds for tuition, accommodation, food, bedding & cooking utensils & one sponsor is not enough. As HHCP discourages individual gifts for sponsored children any extra donations are directed into this Fund.
Many children are attending school in the Rasuwa District, although the threat of them possibly leaving is real, as their families live hand to mouth with extremely little sustainable income. They are struggling to afford to send their children to school. HHCP Nepal are very keen to keep children in school so they came up with the initiative of a one off donation for a child to be outfitted in a school uniform and educational supplies given to the child ongoing for a year. A waiting list has been formed of the most needy children.
Gifted Goats $240
This program is currently on hold. Gifting a family with a female goat with two kids afoot is an incredible gift for a family. Within 6 months the kids will be fully grown adult goats and are able to be sold providing the family with an income. The female goat is also able to produce offspring twice a year and most often has twins. Goats are practical animals, flourishing in the harsh Himalayan climate while producing valuable manure to fertilize crops and vegetable gardens.
Gifted greenhouse $230
This program is currently on hold. Gifting a family a greenhouse is gifting that family the ability to have an ongoing income source all year round growing organic goods for the local market. When a family is gifted a greenhouse, they are given a kit which includes a 500 litre water storage tank, water piping, bamboo structure and sheeting for the roof. Organic veggies that are most in demand are chillies, tomatoes, spinach and lettuce that are then sold daily at the local markets.
My Name Label Stickers
We receive 15% of sales. Not much, but every bit helps!
Make it easier for children to take responsibility for their belongings & avoid the lost property box by naming all items. It is also a great gift for newborns and their mums. Order online at www.mynamelabel.com.au using our fundraising code -196b2efa.
