What We're Doing
Helping Girls and Women By Developing skills in different sectors to equip themselves to find a suitable job or become an entrepreneur.
Why Orange Butterflies?
The Women Empowerment Centre, in short WEC, was established on the 24th of December 2017 [Poush 3rd, 2074 B.S.] to empower local women. WEC is a non-political, non-profit and non-governmental organization that is affiliated with the Nepal Social Welfare Council under the Ministry of Women and Children & Social Welfare. WEC is established by like-minded Nepalese women with varied professional backgrounds with rich knowledge and experience who are driven to implement positive changes in the lives of marginalized women in Nepal.
Throughout our journey, we thrived in working towards our vision, however, we want to broaden our work area and address its need. To accomplish our revised vision and mission of the organization, further, we want to rebrand ourselves as an Orange Butterflies which represents our beneficiaries and the work we do.
Here, the color orange represents passion, change, and hope. Butterfly has the power of transformation and diversifies nature; Similarly, Women can diversify the world if opportunities are placed.
Our findings
From the time of birth, most preferences and opportunities are given to male children in Nepal. Factors such as lack of education, cultural taboos, and strict patriarchal society deprive women of opportunities.
Strict patriarchal societies have precipitated abortions of girl children in many villages of Nepal. This is because of the sociocultural belief that the male child carries the family line forward. In Nepal, the cultural belief system states that women are supposed to get married before the age of 23-25 years. In lower castes, women are not allowed to go to school. Since childhood, they are forced to learn household work.
So far, a new law has been brought through the government in each municipality to train more women and encourage them towards entrepreneurship, but the training is limited to the basics, which is insufficient to make one an entrepreneur. Furthermore, there is no link between the market and women entrepreneurs.
- “Women’s Economic Empowerment in Nepal | Interactions.” Empowerment of Women and Girls | Interactions, http://interactions.eldis.org/economic-empowerment/country-profiles/nepal. Accessed 17 Aug. 2021.
Proposed Solution
“Orange Butterflies” dreams of a future where women are seen as able as men with equal opportunities through equity.
We will conduct awareness campaigns and provide equal opportunities to marginalized women in job-oriented skill development, advocacy, mentoring and other vocational training (such as website development, training on the share market, graphic designing, digital marketing, fashion technology, jewelry designing, handicraft, public speaking, etc.) so that they can have more opportunities in every field. After training, they can either work with us or start their own venture. If they choose the latter, we’ll always be here for them as a support system. To lend a hand in their entrepreneurial journey, we will introduce a cooperative store to boost all our products with mutual benefit.
Before starting our social venture in Kirtipur, we conducted a survey of 2000 household women aged 18-45surveyedf They wanted to get back to the jobs they had been doing before their marriage and become financially secure, while others were keen on learning new techniques and skills to become entrepreneurs. Hence, we have started identifying skills and providing training to our beneficiaries by and interests. To enhance the livelihood of these marginalized women, we will facilitate national-level marketing of the products produced by them. We have found that most women have skills but are unable to start their work, as they have to take care of their children aged 4 and below. Therefore, to support these marginalized women, we will facilitate a daycare center.
Furthermore, to support young dreamers, we will be providing two diploma/vocational education scholarships every year. We will raise funds for these scholarships. We believe that, with our support and advocacy, not only to the marginalized women but also to men of their families, we will create a mindset change that will encourage women to come forward and dare to dream.
Our Partner Organizations
