EDWON
Location: Rural Nepal
Mission Statement
Empower Dalit Women of Nepal (EDWON) works to improve the lives of Dalit (low caste) women in rural Nepal by enabling them to fight for their human rights and raise their standard of living. EDWON believes that women’s empowerment is the key to empowerment for the whole community. EDWON is based on the following principles: clear goals and simple methods, low cost and sustainability, catalytic self-help programs, facilitation not oversight, and deep roots in the Dalit community that bring passion and understanding.
Background Information
Bishnu Maya Pariyar founded EDWON in 1996. As one of eight daughters in a low-caste family, she overcame many obstacles to become the first girl to graduate from high school in her village. She went on to study social work in Kathmandu, working as a facilitator for the Self-help Development Program there, modeled on the micro loan programs of the Grameen Trust of Bangladesh. She found the program successful but saw that Dalits, especially Dalit women, had no resources, contacts or access to funding and therefore could not meet the requirement of collateral for membership in the banking groups. Bishnu Maya Pariyar saw that these neediest women needed advocacy.
Today, EDWON consists of two sister organizations, one in Nepal and one in the United States. The organization in the United States supports the sister organization in Nepal through fundraising and educates the American public about caste and gender issues in rural Nepal.
Activities of Organisation
EDWON encourages women to act together to end domestic violence, caste and gender discrimination and poverty. The organizations empower them to promote income generating activities, solidarity, education and community development. To date, EDWON has organized over 1,000 women into 43 independent groups, located in 20 different communities.
EDWON supports formal and informal literacy training, which raises women’s awareness and leads to the formation of autonomous savings groups. EDWON gives each new savings group $20 so members can start borrowing right away. The groups in turn increase the women’s social and economic status and inspire the women to initiate social change.
EDWON is dedicated to human rights for all Dalits. In addition to supporting literacy training and women’s savings groups,
EDWON supports formal education for low-caste children and girls through a scholarship program.
Consensus Community Perspective
EDWON upholds values of empowerment and sustainability. It is dedicated to empowering disenfranchised women through education and economic sustainability. Women involved with EDWON learn skills and make connections for lasting change in their own lives.
Contact Information
Address:
Telephone: U.S.A. 617-864-1861
Email: edwonus@gmail.com
Website: Visit this community's website